Latest news with #Pound4Pound
USA Today
11 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Henry Cejudo 'really surprised' UFC decided to match up Payton Talbott with Felipe Lima
Henry Cejudo sees Felipe Lima as a stern test for Payton Talbott's bounce-back fight. Talbott (9-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) will look to rebound from his first-career loss when he takes on the streaking Lima (14-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) in Saturday's UFC 317 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) main card opener at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Talbott said during Wednesday's media day that he didn't think the UFC originally wanted to match him up with Lima, as he only got news of his opponent less than three weeks ago. Cejudo admits he didn't expect Lima for Talbott next. "People are very high on Lima," Cejudo said on his "Pound 4 Pound" podcast with Kamaru Usman. "He's only lost his debut. He's been on a 14-fight win streak since losing. I'm really surprised the UFC is actually putting this matchup together. Payton Talbott at one point was the hottest prospect at 135 pounds because he's just different – he's got the hair, he's got the whole circle (tattoo), he's finishing people. But then his last fight, it just took a turn. It took a turn for the worse, and he ended up getting pretty much dominated by (Raoni) Barcelos. I think a lot of people are seeing that a little bit different." Talbott is a slight underdog against Lima, which Cejudo finds surprising – especially with how Talbott was running through people before losing to Raoni Barcelos. "It was a lot of what happened to 'Robocop' (Gregory Rodrigues) somewhat happened to Talbott, but I just feel like people are really sleeping on Payton," Cejudo continued. "The only reason why I say that is because he is the underdog with Felipe. That's something to be said. How do you go from being the biggest prospect, and now they're giving you a matchup where you're not the favorite?"
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Henry Cejudo urges Alexandre Pantoja to make bantamweight move with UFC 317 win
Henry Cejudo sees nothing left at flyweight for Alexandre Pantoja if he gets his hand raised at UFC 317. UFC flyweight champion Pantoja (29-5 MMA, 13-3 UFC) will look to notch his fourth title defense when he takes on Kai Kara-France (25-11 MMA, 8-4 UFC) in Saturday's co-main event (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. A former UFC dual-champion, Cejudo thinks Pantoja should move up to bantamweight to challenge Merab Dvalishvili if he gets past Kara-France – even though the Brazilian dismissed the move. Cejudo is not ruling out Pantoja's chances against "The Machine." "With a victory for Pantoja, and he does put Kai Kara-France out, he's got to move up," Cejudo said on his "Pound 4 Pound" podcast with Kamaru Usman. "I know he recently did an interview about him not going up – man, he's lapped the division. He could surprise. I know Pantoja very, very well. "He could surprise Merab with his back take, with takedowns, too. Pantoja is super underrated with a lot of this stuff. You can't say he doesn't have a shot. I just feel like Pantoja has to give himself that opportunity to go up because he's lapping that division, and we've got to see if he can make history." Cejudo coached both Pantoja and Kara-France on Season 24 of "The Ultimate Fighter." He points to Pantoja's experience and activity as the main factor in this fight. "Kai Kara-France, he's only beat Steve Erceg and other than that, he hasn't really been that active," Pantoja said. "That's his only win in the last three years, but it was an impressive win. It was a great overhand. But other than that, it's all been Pantoja. Pantoja has been super active. He has really resurrected the flyweight division, and I feel like Pantoja is just too much for KKF."
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Henry Cejudo: How Tom Aspinall does vs. Ciryl Gane 'big indication' if Jon Jones returns
Henry Cejudo believes Tom Aspinall could potentially still lure Jon Jones out of retirement. Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) was promoted to undisputed UFC heavyweight champion after Jones retired and relinquished the belt this past weekend. Many view No. 1 ranked and former interim champ Ciryl Gane (13-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) as the frontrunner to challenge Aspinall next. Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) quickly submitted Gane to claim the vacant belt at UFC 285 in March 2023. Aspinall has finished all but one of his professional wins in the first round, and if he can do the same to Gane, Cejudo thinks that could impact Jones' future in the sport. "You give him the No.1 contender, Ciryl Gane," Cejudo said of Aspinall on his "Pound 4 Pound" podcast with Kamaru Usman. "Ciryl Gane is somebody that's a big heavyweight, that's very agile. I don't think Tom Aspinall gets rid of him right away like he has with other people, and I think that'll be a big indication on if Jon Jones wants to come back and reclaim that belt once again. Just to get a feel of what Tom is all about now that they have a mutual competitor." Cejudo's podcast host, Kamaru Usman, agreed that Gane should be next for Aspinall. "I think you're absolutely right, the fight that makes sense, Tom Aspinall-Ciryl Gane, let's make that happen," Usman said. "Ciryl Gane, people forget how fantastic he is, a guy that can kind of float around the octagon, touch you, kick you, hit you with elbows. He's just a complete game, so I think that is something that could potentially present dangers for a guy like Tom Aspinall, but man, Tom's movement, his boxing, his speed and his power. It's very, very difficult to doubt this man anymore."
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kamaru Usman opens up about podcast scuffle with Belal Muhammad
Former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has been largely silent about his physical altercation with then-champion Belal Muhammad during the filming of an episode of the "Pound 4 Pound" podcast with Usman and Henry Cejudo. "The Nigerian Nightmare" broke that silence during an interview with SHAK MMA. "He got to a point in his career as far as become champion. When you become champion it validates a lot of things for you that maybe only you were able to see at one point. I think that's what it did for him," Usman said. Advertisement "In that process, I think he was doing and saying a couple of things that were a bit distasteful for me. He was on the podcast and we attempted to have a conversation about it, but unfortunately it didn't go as I think either of us would have liked, at least on my part. That was that. Nothing more, nothing less." In infamous episode remains unreleased. Muhammad gave his side of the story during an appearance on "Full Send Podcast last month. "We were on his podcast, and Henry Cejudo was like, 'How does it feel to be champion? You're at the top now.' And I said it feels good right now because everybody wants to listen to you, everybody thinks you're the champ," Muhammad said. "Usman's like, 'I was the champ, too.' And I said, 'Yeah, but you're not the champ anymore.' And then he just couldn't let it go. He's like, 'But I'm right there.' Related: Watch Kamaru Usman flatline Jorge Masvidal in their rematch "I'm like, 'No, bro, you're on a three-fight losing streak.' He's like, 'I still had the belt.' I'm the champion now, and he just couldn't give me my props. Then he was like, 'Anything you do, I do better than you.' And then I was like, 'But you didn't take the head kick better than me.' And I think that just triggered him. He was like, 'I don't play these games, man. It's on sight when people talk like that.' On sight? We're right in front of each other." Advertisement Muhammad lost the 170-pound championship to Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315 in May. Usman wanted Muhammad to remain champion in hopes of meeting him in a title bout. "It's unfortunate that he lost the title because that would have been a great fight between myself and Muhammad. It is what it is. We move on," he said. Usman headlines this Saturday's UFC on ESPN 69 fight card against No. 7 ranked Joaquin Buckley at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Usman last fought in October 2023, losing to Khamzat Chimaev in a short-notice middleweight match.
USA Today
16-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Belal Muhammad changes tune on Kamaru Usman after UFC on ESPN 69 performance
Belal Muhammad changes tune on Kamaru Usman after UFC on ESPN 69 performance Coming out of UFC on ESPN 69, Belal Muhammad thinks it's the perfect time to settle his grudge match with Kamaru Usman. Usman (21-4 MMA, 16-3 UFC) snapped his three-fight losing skid by defeating rising welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley (21-7 MMA, 11-5 UFC) in Saturday's headliner at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Muhammad (24-4 MMA, 15-4 UFC) praised the fellow former UFC champion for his game plan against the explosive Buckley. "He went out there, and he proved that he does still have it," Muhammad said of Usman on his YouTube channel. "He still belongs in the top of the division with the best guys in the world, and he looked good. He came out very smart, got the takedown early. He must have listened to my video giving him his keys to victory. You wanted to slow Buckley down early. You wanted to wear on him early." Usman is targeting the winner of the expected welterweight title fight between champion Jack Della Maddalena and Islam Makhachev and dismissed Muhammad's callout. Muhammad admits he's disappointed that his name wasn't in the mix, especially after the pair traded barbs for months and even got involved in a scuffle when Usman hosted him on his "Pound 4 Pound" podcast. "I wanted him to get on mic and call me out," Muhammad said. "I think that's the next one that makes sense. That's the only fight that makes sense. If you're talking about the division, we have a history. We've been going back-and-forth. It's a clear No. 1 contender fight. "He's calling for the belt at 185, 170, but I'm No. 1. I'm still the guy at the top. So let's do it. I think you could pick the date, pick the time, the place, and I'll be ready for it. Watching this fight, you're not going to take me down like that."
