Trent Reinsmith

Trent Reinsmith is a freelance writer based out of Baltimore, MD. He has been covering sports for more than 15 years, with a focus on MMA for most of that time. Trent focuses on the day-to-day business of MMA — both inside and outside the cage — for Bloody Elbow.

Rivalry over? Israel Adesanya doesn’t get to decide that while 1-1 with Alex Pereira

Rivalry over? Adesanya doesn't get to decide that while still 1-1 (or 1-3)

Tied at 1-1 in the UFC and 1-3 overall, Israel Adesanya only opened himself up to more criticism by declaring that the Alex Pereira rivalry is "settled."

Trent Reinsmith | April 10

UFC 287: Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya 2 - Winners and Losers

The real winners and losers from UFC 287: Pereira vs. Adesanya 2

Trent Reinsmith | April 9

Reminder: UFC fighter pay numbers are bullshit

Unsourced UFC fighter pay stories help no one.

Trent Reinsmith | April 6

How MMA sites help spread UFC propaganda

Context is important and the MMA media as a whole need to make improvements when covering UFC and other organizations in the sport.

Trent Reinsmith | April 5

California commission overturns MMA fight result from six months ago due to fence grabs

CSAC overturns 6 month old MMA fight result due to fence grabs

The CSAC overturned the result of an October MMA fight after a fence grab prevented a takedown.

Trent Reinsmith | April 4

Lack of transparency hurts the UFC Hall of Fame

How does the UFC Hall of Fame's selection process compare to other sports?

Trent Reinsmith | April 2

UFC stats review 2023: Jon Jones, Jamahal Hill, Miller and others break records in first quarter

UFC Stats review: 2023 so far

A breakdown of all the notable UFC stats that have been compiled during the first quarter of 2023.

Trent Reinsmith | March 31

Dana White’s claims that Power Slap is getting sanctioned ‘everywhere’ don’t check out

Despite lackluster ratings and TBS declining to re-up for a second season, UFC president Dana White remains bullish on the future prospects of Power Slap. During the UFC 286 post-fight press conference, White fielded a question about Power Slap- from a “journalist” who also asked for a job as Power Slap matchmaker – about his […]

Trent Reinsmith | March 30

NAC approves PFL waivers for technology and sponsors for Las Vegas fight cards

At the March 21st meeting of the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC), had a couple of items of note to deal with from the Professional Fighters League (PFL). One of the largest MMA promotions operating in the US, the PFL hasn’t run fight events in Nevada since 2019, their final season before COVID-19 lockdown measures caused […]

Trent Reinsmith | March 29

UFC San Antonio Stats Review: Nate Landwehr earns third straight fight-night bonus

The UFC ended a run of eight consecutive weeks of fight cards on Saturday with the promotion’s first card in San Antonio, Texas, since July 2019. In the headlining bout of Saturday’s event, Cory Sandhagen put the brakes to Marlon “Chito” Vera’s charge up the featherweight rankings with a split-decision win. Join the new BE […]

Trent Reinsmith | March 27

UFC can’t remain quiet on Colby Covington’s threat toward Jon Anik

In combat sports, threats are an accepted part of the build-up to a fight. As UFC president Dana White is fond of saying, “This is not a nice sport. This is a very rough sport. We say a lot of mean things to each other, and justice gets severed at the end of the day.” […]

Trent Reinsmith | March 24

UFC and Jeff Novitzky silent on Conor McGregor and USADA questions

During the UFC 286 post-fight press conference, the promotion’s president, Dana White, punted when asked about Conor McGregor’s ongoing battle with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). “Have you ever heard of (UFC senior VP of athlete health and performance) Jeff Novitzky? Ask him these questions. I don’t give a sh-t about any of that […]

Trent Reinsmith | March 23

Two UFC fighters suspended after testing positive for ostarine

Two UFC fighters had their temporary suspensions extended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) during Tuesday’s monthly meeting. Darrius Flowers was scheduled to face Erick Gonzalez in a lightweight bout at UFC Vegas 70, but he was pulled from that fight in mid-February. Reports at the time indicated Flowers was off the card for […]

Trent Reinsmith | March 21

McGregor’s TUF hijinks show Dana White won’t stand for media reporting basic news

If there’s one thing UFC president Dana White has been consistent about over the past few years, it is his disdain for any reporting that fails to promote the UFC, himself, or the mission of the world’s largest mixed martial arts promotion. Back in February, White initially dismissed questions about the UFC sacking athletes from […]

Trent Reinsmith | March 21

UFC Stats Tracker 2023: Justin Gaethje earns first career UFC takedown at UFC 286

After his majority decision win over Rafael Fiziev, Justin Gaethje had a couple of messages he wanted to deliver. The first was that he expects to make one more run at the UFC lightweight belt before he hangs up his gloves and his unofficial “most exciting fighter in the UFC” title. The second was that […]

Trent Reinsmith | March 21

After Jeff Molina’s statement, the UFC has another opportunity to address bigotry

With the focus of the MMA world turning from UFC 286, now would be a good time for the UFC to address the image they want to portray and the bigoted portion of its fan base. UFC fighter Jeff Molina publicly came out as bi last week after he was outed online. Molina received an […]

Trent Reinsmith | March 20

UFC 286 Stats Review: Gunnar Nelson sets new UFC record

The UFC returned to London, England’s 02 Arena for the first time in nearly a year for Saturday’s UFC 286 pay-per-view card. In the evening’s main event, Leon Edwards defended his welterweight title in a trilogy bout against the man he knocked out to earn that belt, Kamaru Usman. In that matchup, Edwards put together […]

Trent Reinsmith | March 20

Dana White let ‘deserves’ do heavy lifting at UFC 286 post-fight press conference

The word “deserves” did some heavy lifting for the UFC during Saturday’s UFC 286 post-fight press conference. According to the organization’s president, Dana White, who has often said he doesn’t matchmake on fight night, UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards will face Colby Covington in his next title defense. Why? Well, according to White, because he […]

Trent Reinsmith | March 19

UFC 286: Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman 3 – Winners and Losers

The 15-fight UFC 286 fight card was a top-heavy event, with the most anticipated and meaningful fights in the co-main event and main event spots. Those matchups did not disappoint. In the headlining bout, Leon Edwards answered any questions that may have been lingering about his late knockout win over Kamaru Usman at UFC 278. […]

Trent Reinsmith | March 19

Brain damage feared after amateur MMA fighter collapses in cage

Isaiah Abels, a 21-year-old amateur MMA fighter collapsed in the cage during a recent Southern Indiana Combat Production fight card at The Coliseum in downtown Evansville, IN, on March 4. According to 44 News, Abels collapsed to his knees during the second round of the fight. On-site medical staff administered CPR to the unconscious fighter […]

Trent Reinsmith | March 16

NSAC claims no record of UFC asking to overturn Jon Jones vs. Matt Hamill DQ

UFC president Dana White has been voicing his frustrations with the only loss on Jon Jones’ record since at least 2012. So much so that over the last few years, he’s even started talking about having the disqualification overturned. After White reiterated his claim that he’s actively tried to overturn the loss heading into Jon […]

Trent Reinsmith | March 16

UFC Stats Tracker 2023: Davey Grant joins a select group of UFC fighters with rare submission

On Saturday, Davey Grant joined a short list of fighters who have scored an inverted triangle submission under the UFC banner. Before Grant won his UFC Vegas 71 fight opposite Raphael Assuncao via that technique, only three other UFC competitors had scored submissions in that manner: Jordan Leavitt, Olivier Aubin-Mercier and Cole Miller. Miller was […]

Trent Reinsmith | March 14

‘Absolutely not’ – USADA responds to Dan Hooker claiming increased tests after Makhachev accusations

Last week, UFC lightweight Dan Hooker grumbled about unfair treatment from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) after his unsubstantiated claims that Islam Makhachev had used an IV to rehydrate following weigh-ins for his UFC 284 lightweight title fight opposite Hooker’s teammate Alexander Volkanovski. “I’ve had two or three knocks on my door at 6 a.m. […]

Trent Reinsmith | March 14

UFC Vegas 71 stats review: Merab Dvalishvili crushes takedown attempt record

Merab Dvalishvili’s game plan for his UFC Vegas 71 main event bout opposite former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan was clear before the first frame even ended. Dvalishvili wanted to use pressure via attempted takedowns and strikes to prevent Yan from getting the time and space he needed to mount any offense of his own. […]

Trent Reinsmith | March 13

UFC Vegas 71: Petr Yan vs. Merab Dvalishvili – Winners and Losers

Overwhelming is an apt description of Merab Dvalishvili’s win over Petr Yan in the main event of UFC Vegas 71 on Saturday. Dvalishvili opened the fight by putting pressure on the former UFC bantamweight champion and never took his foot off the gas. In the first two rounds of the five-round contest, Dvalishvili attempted 142 […]

Trent Reinsmith | March 12

Editorial: Dana White, with or without you, Power Slap sucks

In recent interviews UFC president Dana White has appeared to be under the illusion that Power Slap is struggling to catch on with sports fans because his name is attached to the carnival-grade pseudo-sports venture. “Everything that’s negative that’s being said about it (Power Slap) it is an attack on me,” White recently said on […]

Trent Reinsmith | March 11

Alabama Athletic Commission makes slap fight stance crystal clear

Past and current UFC brass may be lobbying hard for the future of slap competitions in the US, however, the Alabama Athletic Commission does not seem at all interested in hearing it. Not interested in talk of how slap fighting is a “skill sport,” or how “the participants that are at a high level in […]

Trent Reinsmith | March 10

Power Slap closes first season with worst ever ratings

Power Slap wrapped up its eight-week run on TBS on Wednesday night with its worst numbers of the season, finishing the evening as the 106th-rated show on cable for the night. As was the case for the first seven weeks of the slap fighting league’s run on cable, AEW Wrestling provided Power Slap with a […]

Trent Reinsmith | March 10

Early deaths? Neuroscientist says we’ll see CTE ‘sooner rather than later’ if Power Slap continues

One of the biggest criticisms leveled against Power Slap is that the competitors in the slap fighting league are subjecting themselves to undefended strikes to the head. There’s no argument against that since the person absorbing the slap is standing motionless with their hands behind their back while the blow is delivered. If that person, […]

Trent Reinsmith | March 9

Editorial: The Jon Jones-Daniel Cormier feud is dead, but media wants it to live

There are plenty of reasons to critique UFC commentator—and former two-division champion—Daniel Cormier’s work in the broadcast booth. For some reason, he seems unable reconcile the fact that a wrestling takedown and an MMA takedown are counted by different standards; he seems to regularly struggle with and contextualize the scoring criteria of the sport he […]

Trent Reinsmith | March 8