Wrestling
Grappling Report: Joao Miyao, Emily Kwok shine in IBJJF Masters World Championships
Joe Rogan’s love of BJJ is well-known but he really stepped his support of the community up a notch this year when he decided to sponsor both ADCC 2022 and Gordon Ryan himself. This week he decided to show even more love to the world’s most prestigious no gi grappling competition by having the head […]
Grappling Report: Official ADCC 2022 alternate list revealed
ADCC 2022 is less than a month away but anything can happen when you’re attempting to get almost a hundred elite athletes to compete over one weekend. That’s why the promotion has booked seven competitors to remain on standby in case there’s a pull-out at the last minute, one for each division at the event. […]
Video: Bellator interim champ scuffles with top contender during face-to-face interview
Bellator’s Bantamweight Grand Prix was meant to include at least one title defense for current divisional champion Sergio Pettis. However, following Pettis’ removal from the opening round due to injury, the eight man tournament has prompted the creation of a new interim belt. When ‘The Phenom’ dropped out of his bout against Raufeon Stots, Bellator […]
Grappling Report: Controversy surrounds Gordon Ryan v Felipe Pena 3 after death of Leandro Lo
Gordon Ryan was due to face off against Felipe Pena at the latest WNO event, the only man to ever submit him in black belt competition and the only man to beat him twice. On the morning of the event, the unthinkable happened and news broke that BJJ legend and personal friend of Pena’s, Leandro […]
The Undertaker reacts to Israel Adesanya’s UFC 276 entrance
Israel Adesanya defended his UFC middleweight title for the sixth time over the weekend, defeating Jared Cannonier by unanimous decision. However, for many, Adesanya’s walk to the cage at UFC 276 is proving more memorable than what went down in the fight. The fight itself was somewhat dull with Adesanya neutralizing the threats Cannonier posed, […]
No takedowns needed – Watch wrestling star Bo Nickal win MMA debut with brutal KO
Decorated wrestling champ Bo Nickal won his professional MMA debut on Friday night. Interestingly enough, he didn’t even need to use that vaunted grappling skills, as the 26-year-old showcased his striking and won with a brutal KO in under a minute. Nickal, a three-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion and 2019 US Open champion, has […]
Sushil Kumar applies for bail in suspected murder case, cops claim witnesses are ‘terrified’
Freestyle wrestler and two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar, 38, has been in a New Delhi jail since May 23, 2021. He has been charged with murdering fellow wrestler Sagar Dhankar (sometimes refered to as Sagar Dhankad or Sagar Rama), 23, on May 4 on the grounds of the famous Chhatrasal Stadium. Kumar, who was once […]
WTF: Jeet Kune Do vs vs. Kickboxing
While the combat sports world has all manner of wild antics taking place in and out of competition, WTF keeps chugging along here with the best fringe content and odd mishaps we can find in the martial arts world at large. This week, we’re kicking things off with Jerry at Fight Commentary Breakdowns, where we […]
Future WWE talent Gable Steveson secures second straight NCAA D1 title, retires from wrestling
In 2021 NCAA Division 1 champion Gable Steveson made headlines. Not for his accomplishments on the mats, but for what the future might hold for the talented Golden Gophers wrestling star. A 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold medalist in freestyle wrestling, Steveson made his intentions clear. That he wanted to make a move to new athletic […]
WTF: Pakistan vs. India traditional Kushti wrestling match
Despite being much maligned by the combat sports world, Aikido still has a following. Many practitioners around the world continue to celebrate the art and continue its legacy, but it gets virtually no love from the MMA community at large. This week, we start off with Jerry from Fight Commentary Breakdowns. He does a deep […]
Adonis Lattimore, who was born without legs, wins state wrestling championship
Adonis Lattimore, a Virginia Beach, VA high school senior, won his state’s Class 6 wrestling championship (106 lb division) last weekend. Lattimore, of Landstown High School, was born without a right leg and with a partial left leg. He was also born with a single finger on his right hand. After he won the state […]
University of Michigan to pay $490M to former students who accused wrestling team doctor of sexual assault
The University of Michigan has reached a $490 million settlement with over 1,000 former students who claimed they were sexually abused by Dr. Robert E. Anderson, a former sports doctor at the school. Jamie White, an attorney who represents just under 100 of the plaintiffs, released a statement to Bloody Elbow regarding the settlement. “The […]
Witness: Olympian shot at dogs, pistol whipped athletes before allegedly murdering rival
One of India’s most successful and popular athletes, Sushil Kumar, is currently in jail awaiting trial over the murder of fellow wrestler Sagar Dhankar (sometimes referred to as Sagar Dhankad or Sagar Rana). Kumar is accused of leading a group of men who abducted Dhankar and beat him to death at the Chhatrasal Stadium complex […]
‘I’m the wrestler, bro’ – Gregor Gillespie rips Tony Ferguson for Michael Chandler callout
These days, the most activity we see from Tony Ferguson is on social media. But he isn’t wasting time looking for potential opponents. Recently, he issued a callout to Michael Chandler, saying “wrestling season” is officially on. There’s My Bitch!!! @MikeChandlerMMA The Brass @danawhite @ufc Relayed Your Message Saying You Would Be Ready For Me […]
Watch Jon Jones get ‘humbled’ by Olympic medalist on the mats
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was booted out of Jackson Winkeljohn MMA Academy in October after he was arrested for domestic violence at Caesars Palace the night after a UFC Hall of Fame ceremony. Jones, who has cited alcohol as the reason for his arrest, said he was heartbroken to be leaving Mike […]
Video: Khamzat Chimaev just beat UFC middleweight contender Jack Hermansson in freestyle wrestling
Friday night in Sweden, UFC stars Khamzat Chimaev and Jack Hermansson competed against each other in a freestyle wrestling match. The bout was the headliner for Bulldog Fight Night 9 in Gothenburg, Sweden, and was contested for two rounds at 187 lbs. Both Sweden-based fighters have shined in wrestling in the country, albeit in different […]
WTF? Lethwei fighter headbutts then yeets opponent out of the ring
After an exhausting week packed with quality MMA action, we’re back to the fringes with more of the wild, weird, and sometimes impractical. And we begin with Fight Commentary Breakdowns, with a Bajiquan fighter sparring with a kickboxer. This is a fun one to watch, plenty of back and forth as they are going very […]
Wrestling legend Jordan Burroughs tweets he wants ‘one MMA fight’; wife takes away his phone
Back in January, Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs wasn’t thinking about transitioning to mixed martial arts. The conversations around him may be growing louder, but ultimately, wrestling remained his top priority. “I’m a big fan of MMA. But at the end of the day, I love wrestling No. 1, and No. 2 I just don’t […]
Teen wrestling champion shot dead outside her home while video-chatting with sister
A standout wrestler lost her life in Chicago last week (per MSN). Melissa de la Garza (nicknamed Azul) was shot seven times as she sat in a car in front of her Chicago home, while she was video-chatting with her sister. She was just 18-years-old. Melissa was a recent high school graduate. At Solorio Academy […]
WTF? Dambe double duty, TKD in kickboxing, Indian wrestling and Russian bare knuckle
When we started publishing these features, we never really intended for most of the action to be the usual thing we see in pro MMA. Good technique, fighters putting on tactical and well-coordinated performances? Nah, we didn’t want that to take the lead with this. But this week, it’s kind of happened. Most of what […]
WTF? Jeet Kune Do mishaps and refs in bullet-proof vests
Time for your Weird Wednesday fix, and we’ve got plenty to plug right into your veins this week. As sommeliers of the obscure and less-organized forms of hand to hand combat, we focus a lot on things that exist on the periphery of mainstream combat sports here, but today we’re going to start out with […]
Gable Steveson ‘100 percent’ with WWE, but wishes Dana White pushed ‘a little harder’
After winning the gold medal in freestyle wrestling for the US, people wondered where Gable Steveson could be headed next. A cluster of fans was curious to see him inside an MMA cage, but there was also the option for him to go down the pro wrestling route. The 21-year-old did intend to sit down […]
Olympian Gable Steveson chose multiyear WWE deal over spot on UFC’s Contender Series
After putting the world of combat sports and sports entertainment on alert Olympic champion Gable Steveson has decided to join Vince McMahon’s WWE on a multiyear deal (per ESPN’s Mike Coppinger). After winning gold in Tokyo, in impressive fashion, the freestyle wrestler sent feelers out to both McMahon and UFC President Dana White. According to […]
Report: Olympic star Gable Steveson signs with the WWE
One of the hottest commodities in the sports world appears to have found a home. It sounds like Olympic freestyle wrestling star and gold medal winner Gable Steveson is headed to the WWE. That’s according to the Wrestling Observer, who reported the move just shortly after the NCAA D1 champion hit Twitter with a cryptic […]
Wrestling breakdown: How Gable Steveson dominated #1 ranked legendary heavyweight Taha Akgul
Gable Steveson was always one of the brightest rising stars in American wrestling. He won three age-group World titles and contended for a freestyle World team in 2019 at just 19 years old. However, he was still taking lumps, losing matches to domestic foes like Nick Gwiazdowski and getting shut out by foreign threats like […]
Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson in talks with Bellator MMA
Fresh off his gold medal winning performance in the 125 kg freestyle wrestling category at the Tokyo Olympics Gable Steveson is now looking for a new challenge in sports/sports-entertainment. The American has been active on social media lately trying to draw the attention of both the UFC’s Dana White and the WWE’s Vince McMahon. However, […]
Olympian Gable Steveson gives Dana White, Vince McMahon a nudge, but may be NFL bound
It seems there’s no free agent in the sporting world with more untapped potential and wide ranging interest than newly crowned Olympian Gable Steveson. The 6’, 260 lb wrestler out of the University of Minnesota earned his first D1 national championship in 2021 on his way to competing at the Tokyo Summer Olympics, where he […]
Tokyo Olympic Games – Men’s Freestyle bracket analysis (65 & 97 KG)
Men’s freestyle sessions at the Tokyo Olympic Games have been nothing short of incredible. Otherwordly skills, drama, and feel good stories have made for some of the most meaningful wrestling moments in history. Now it is time for 65 KG and 97 KG to kick off. Check out the bracket analysis for 57 KG and […]
Tokyo Olympic Games – Men’s Freestyle bracket analysis (74 & 125 KG)
After one day of insane men’s freestyle action at the Tokyo Olympic Games, it is time for 74 KG and 125 KG to kick off. Check out the bracket analysis for 57 KG and 86 KG, and the updated results from United World Wrestling. Each day, two weight classes will compete through the semifinals, with […]
Tokyo Olympic Games – Men’s Freestyle bracket analysis (57 & 86 KG)
After several thrilling rounds of Greco-Roman and women’s freestyle wrestling at the Tokyo Olympic Games, it is finally time for men’s freestyle to kick off. Each day, two weight classes will compete through the semifinals, with the finals taking place the following morning. Check out USA Wrestling’s updates for schedules with American time zones. Make […]