MMA
UFC fans blast Daniel Cormier for saying Usman Nurmagomedov deserves grace amid UFC Shanghai post-fight run-in
Zuffa LLCDaniel Cormier has come under scrutiny for his take on Usman Nurmagomedov's post-fight actions right after the UFC Shanghai main event.
Nurmagomedov cornered his brother Umar for a pivotal bantamweight battle against Song Yadong this past Saturday. Umar was a heavy betting favorite going into the bout, but he suffered his first knockout loss in the second round. In a matter of seconds, Nurmagomedov rushed the Octagon and Yadong nearly ran into him during his post-fight celebration.
Some have even debated whether Nurmagomedov considered throwing an elbow at Yadong, or if he was simply looking behind him when Yadong ran towards his direction during the celebration. In a video uploaded on his YouTube channel, Cormier not only denied that Nurmagomedov tried to get a cheap shot on Yadong, but he also shared his belief that the PFL lightweight titleholder should be given leniency (via MMAFighting).
“The reason they won't let people jump [into the octagon] is because of the things that happened with Khabib and Conor [McGregor] and all those other things,†Cormier said. “They cannot control whenever the situation gets chaotic. “That's why Usman cannot do that. But I am more inclined to get him a bit of grace because you watch your brother get starched in that way.â€
Cormier's comments have irked some within the MMA community. X user @pawellwitt took issue with the UFC Hall of Famer siding with Nurmagomedov due to his friendship with the camp.
“He almost attacked him and Song wasn't running towards Usman but around the cage celebrating: They took his moment away and Usman should never be in the cage that quick in the first place. DC is obviously biased.â€
Ben Davis doesn't think Cormier's comments were well thought out.
“DC with another bad take,†Davis wrote.
Another X user, @karimdepresso, felt Nurmagomedov stole some shine away from Yadong during a moment where he should've stood outside the Octagon.
“Nah this ain't it. Even Khabib was tryna hold him back as it wasn't the time to get in like that. Lowkey ruined Song's moment.â€
Nurmagomedov's post-fight controversy comes during a crucial time in his pro MMA career. He is currently the biggest free agent in the sport having fulfilled his PFL contract after successfully defending the promotion's lightweight title against Archie Colgan at the end of July. Many feel Nurmagomedov could be making the jump imminently, but time will tell if that will be the case.
Do you agree with the criticism Daniel Cormier is facing for his comments on Usman Nurmagomedov's UFC Shanghai controversy? Join in on the conversation in the comments below.
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
MMA
Ciryl Gane defended from cheater accusations by two former UFC champions: "He wasn’t going for it on purpose"
Zuffa LLCTwo former UFC titleholders are coming to the defense of Ciryl Gane amid a cheater label.
Some believe that Gane has bent the rules in his favor in past fights, particularly with eye pokes and illegal strikes. “Bon Gamin†came under fire for his double eye poke foul against Tom Aspinall, who still hasn't fought since Oct. 2025 due to his injuries. Gane was also scrutinized for landing illegal elbows to the back of Alex Pereira's head in their UFC Freedom 250 fight back in June.
While some have called Gane a cheater, former rivals Dominick Cruz and TJ Dillashaw disagree with that notion. During a recent edition of the “Love & War Podcast,†Cruz said that during his fighting days, he'd take the blame himself if he was ever got poked in the eye (via MMAFighting).
“I always said if you can poke me in my f*cking eye, I'm doing something wrong,†Cruz said. “You can punch me in my head. Trying to my head is so f*cking hard, if you can poke me in the eye, that's my problem, so we agree on that and I think that's why he's not a cheater.â€
Dillashaw agreed with Cruz, saying that he thinks people have the wrong idea about Gane over his accidental fouls.
“I don't think he is [a cheater],†Dillashaw said. “It's gotten blown out of the water since the Pereira fight. Obviously, everyone's a Pereira fan and they wanted him to win and they want to call the illegal blows. He wasn't going for it on purpose and Pereira's moving his head as he's hitting those. I think Herb Dean's unfortunately catching a lot of flack as well, too.â€
Gane was promoted as the UFC heavyweight champion due to Aspinall remaining sidelined. He will put his gold at stake against Josh Hokit in the UFC 334 main event on Nov. 14 in New York City.
Do you think the cheater label towards Ciryl Gane is unfair, or have you seen enough fouls to the point where it's justified? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
Canelo Alvarez vs. Christian MBilli Live Results and DAZN PPV Start Times
UFC Vegas 123 ‘Moicano vs. Nolan’ play-by-play, results & round scoring
Usyk Aiming for Cruiserweight Showdown with Benavidez: Latest Fight Report
-
Boxing2 days agoTyson Fury Documentary Premieres on Netflix Just Before Joshua Fight
-
MMA2 days agoJavid Basharat says brother learned of UFC exit with everyone else
-
Boxing2 days agoJake Paul Confirms December 24 Dubai Fight, Ending Retirement Speculations
-
MMA2 days agoMorning Report | Alexander Volkanovski lists two fights he’d like if Justin Gaethje fight can’t happen
-
Boxing2 days agoVergil Ortiz Jr. Missed Out on $16M Fight Against Ennis, Claims Father
-
MMA2 days agoGFL announces new signings for December relaunch in Argentina
-
MMA1 day agoVideo shows police officer slamming spectator at UFC Edmonton
-
Boxing1 day agoCanelo vs Mbilli Fight Predictions: Analyzing the Winner and Key Matchup Insights