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USA Today
9 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Julianna Peña: Kayla Harrison PED use possible with UFC drug testing 'more lax than ever'
Julianna Peña: Kayla Harrison PED use possible with UFC drug testing 'more lax than ever' No matter what Kayla Harrison or her team says to the contrary, nothing will convince Julianna Peña that her UFC 316 title challenger is bending the system. Since the stars aligned for Harrison (18-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) to challenge for gold on the June 7 card at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. (ESPN+ pay-per-view), reigning champion Peña (11-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) has not been shy with accusations of performance-enhancing drug use. Peña is convinced that two-time Olympic gold medalist Harrison has been cheating since well before she found success in MMA competition, and even though there are no positive results for banned substances throughout more than a decade of documented testing, that doesn't change the champion's mind. "They act like there's never been an Olympian who has busted for steroids," Peña told MMA Junkie on Friday. "Then you look at that Icarus documentary and you see the lengths these Russians and other teams would go to pass these drug tests because they know they would piss hot if they took a real drug test. People that do these kinds of things are so smart that they know it down to a science, how to get off, when to cycle off, when to go on and when not to. " After Peña's latest comments, Harrison's head coach, Mike Brown of American Top Team, told MMA Fighting that all accusations are entirely unfounded and that his student is a one-of-a-kind athlete. Peña admits she would probably back off the topic if she were alone in perspective. However, she said she looks around at the opinions of fight fans and others in the MMA community and has a hard time being convinced that she's wrong. "In the history of my entire career since 2013 in the UFC, never has PED use or steroids ever been a hot topic or something that's ever been discussed about any opponent that I've ever had," Peña said. "This is the first and only time. So it's not just me. Make her answer, because I think that everybody is seeing the same thing that I'm seeing and I'm the one saying it out loud, but you guys are bringing the questions to me. You should be bringing the questions to her. And I don't care how much she says she's been tested and how clean she is, that's what Lance Armstrong said too, and you would've believed him every freaking time he said it. He wasn't. It's one of those things where people are smart. They know how to cheat the system and it's a question she needs to answer, not me." Peña, 35, is clear that unless Harrison, 34, is taken out of UFC 316 by outside forces, they will be fighting for the belt regardless of her opinion. That said, she admits she could enter the first defense of her second 135-pound title reign with more confidence in competing on an even playing field. That comes down to the oversight of the contest, which Peña doesn't think is at the standard it should be. From June 2016 to the end of 2024, the UFC's drug-testing program was regulated by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), which has also had Olympic oversight for decades. At the start of 2025, however, the UFC switched its testing program to Drug Free Sport International, which Peña thinks is a lesser system. "I feel like it's not that great," Peña said. "I felt more comfortable actually with this Icarus bottles, peeing into those Icarus bottles than I do now. Honestly. It's just this little plastic cup that you just barely flip the tab on, and it would be so easy (to cheat). I can only focus on myself, and I can only speak in 'I' statements, and I only know what I'm doing. But I don't like the way that the testing system is now. I think that it is a lot more lax than ever before." Regardless of whether Harrison is at an advantage or not, Peña said she is going to successfully defend her title. She thinks Harrison doesn't present much danger, and as long as she gets past the early pressure, it will be smooth sailing. "She's going to try to lay on top of me for 25 minutes," Peña said. "She might try to throw me one time, but after that is where she is going to have a lot of contention with me. She's not going to be able to hold me down for 25 minutes. The longer this fight goes, the better it is for me."
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
UFC on ESPN 68 weigh-in results: Two miss mark, including headliner Maycee Barber
LAS VEGAS – MMA Junkie was on scene and reporting live from Friday's UFC on ESPN 68 (ESPN, ESPN+) fighter weigh-ins at New York New York Hotel. Among those weighing in were Erin Blanchfield (13-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) and Maycee Barber (14-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC), who meet in the women's flyweight main event, and Mateusz Gamrot (24-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) and Ludovit Klein (23-4-1 MMA, 7-2-1 UFC), who fight in the lightweight co-feature. Advertisement It was a rough session. The preliminary card bout between Andreas Gustafsson and Trevin Giles was canceled due to an injury from Giles, prelim fighter Allan Nascimento was overweight for his flyweight bout, and headliner Barber was off the mark for her showdown with Blanchfield, nearly throwing the entire event into disarray. The full UFC on ESPN 68 weigh-in results include: MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 9 p.m. ET) Erin Blanchfield (125) vs. Maycee Barber (126.5)* Mateusz Gamrot (156) vs. Ludovit Klein (156) Ramiz Brahimaj (171) vs. Billy Ray Goff (170) Dustin Jacoby (205) vs. Bruno Lopes (206) Macy Chiasson (144) vs. Ketlen Vieira (146) Dusko Todorovic (186) vs. Zachary Reese (185) PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET) Jafel Filho (126) vs. Allan Nascimento (127.5)* Kurt Holobaugh (156) vs. Jordan Leavitt (155.5) Michael Aswell Jr. (155) vs. Bolaji Oki (155.5) Alice Ardelean (115.5) vs. Rayanne Dos Santos (116) Barber missed women's flyweight limit by 0.5 pounds; fine amount TBD Nascimento missed the flyweight limit by 1.5 pounds; fine amount TBD This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC on ESPN 68 weigh-in results: Maycee Barber heavy for headliner
The Sun
17 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Dana White told to strip Jon Jones of UFC title after his controversial comments as Tom Aspinall left in limbo
DANA WHITE has been urged by UFC fans to bite the bullet and STRIP Jon Jones of his heavyweight title. A massive unification fight between Jones and his interim counterpart Tom Aspinall has been on the cards since last November but has still not come to fruition. 5 5 5 That's despite the UFC brass' willingness to break their pay structure and meet Jones' demands to be paid " F**K YOU MONEY" for the bout. Former pound-for-pound king Jones has infuriated MMA fans over the last few weeks with his umming and ahhing over the prospect of retirement. And he left fight fans on tenterhooks again this week during a rare sit-down interview. During an interview on Deepcut with VicBlends, he said: "I don't know what life holds as far as fighting and competing. "I do feel like I'll be a lifelong martial artist whether I'm coaching others or taking exhibition matches and things like that. "There's a lot of great competition still in the UFC. I do view myself as more than a fighter. "Being in my position, I feel like I have a lot more options than a lot of the other fighters as far as the ability to leave and return. "And so right now I'm just focusing on love, happiness, kindness. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 5 "We're at the quarter-century mark, and this year should be a really special year." Jones' comments immediately drew the ire of UFC fans around the world, who took to social media to vent their frustrations. Jon Jones Blasts UFC Rival Tom Aspinall In X-Rated Rant One said: "Strip him already, make [Ciryl] Gane vs Aspinall in the UK. "We've had enough of this. Enjoy your retirement [and] if you want to come back, you'll have to fight Aspinall anyway." Another said: "He took 3 years off to 'prepare for Heavyweight'. How much time does he need? STRIP HIM!" And another said: "Strip him of the belt and let him come back and fight for it when he's ready." One remarked: "If he doesn't know, then I'd say he's done. Shame Dana can't compute that." Another chimed in: "UFC is a total joke for not stripping him and giving Aspinall another fight to defend his title. "If Jones [has] quit and let the UFC know about it, then the UFC has to move on. "If Jones wants to fight and is just delaying, the UFC needs to give him a date and tell him to f**k off if he says no. "This entire situation is causing irreparable damage to the UFC brand because people are getting turned off by the constant lies." Jones has been accused of ducking Wigan warrior Aspinall since his maiden defence of the heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 last November. Fans' patience with the Hall of Famer has worn extremely thin, although he insists he's not leading them on. He recently wrote on X: "Y'all barkin' up the wrong tree. I told the UFC my plans a long time ago. "I have no clue why they haven't shared them with you guys yet." Jones' insistence that White and Co. know his plans came just DAYS after the UFC bigwig GUARANTEED he'd return to the octagon this year. He told Adam Glyn: "Jon Jones will be fighting in 2025. 100 per cent." 5
USA Today
19 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC 317 adds featherweight banger: Hyder Amil vs. Jose Delgado
UFC 317 adds featherweight banger: Hyder Amil vs. Jose Delgado Two promising featherweight up-and-comers will bring the violence against one another during UFC International Fight Week. At UFC 317, Hyder Amil and Jose Delgado will face off in a featherweight fight. The event takes place June 28 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Two people with knowledge of the matchup recently informed MMA Junkie of the booking but asked to remain anonymous because the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. Amil (11-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) has thrilled fans since his Dana White's Contender Series appearance in 2023. His UFC victories have come against Fernie Garcia, Jeong Yeong Lee (in a wild 65-second fight), and William Gomis. Delgado (9-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) competed Feb. 15 when he knocked out Connor Matthews in under three minutes in his UFC debut. The victory came on the heels of a big knee knockout vs. Ernie Juarez on Dana White's Contender Series. With the addition, the UFC 317 lineup includes:
The Independent
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
UFC's most active fighter Kevin Holland: ‘So many fights I don't remember'
The UFC 's most active fighter Kevin Holland has admitted that he 'doesn't remember' some of his fights as he prepares to once again return to the Octagon next month. Holland faces Vicente Luque on June 7, his 21st fight for the UFC since 2020, which makes him the promotion's most regular competitor over the past five years. A fan favourite due to his activity and charismatic personality, Holland equalled the record for most UFC wins in a calendar year back in 2020 - managing five fights and winning all of them. "My whole career I've always been pretty active,' he told BBC Sport. 'You're an athlete, you can't be an athlete for 40 years, you can only be it for so long. So take advantage and wish for the best. "Between super matches in jiu jitsu, Muay Thai, MMA, I'd fight seven to eight times a year. I've always fought a lot, never really sit on my butt too much. "I've had so many fights I don't remember none of them." Holland last fought at UFC London back in March, beating Gunnar Nelson by decision to return to winning ways, two months after being finished in the first round by Reinier de Ridder. Bouncing back from defeat is seemingly what Holland is best at, saying he barely needs any time to rest and recuperate before returning to the cage. "As soon as I was healthy to go it's straight back in the gym,' he added. 'It's simple, I like to stay in there and stay active. "I don't really need much time in between fights, two days is typically all a man needs." Luque, ranked 14th at welterweight, will be his third bout of 2025, with Holland eyeing a potential return to the top 15 with a win. However, Holland does not look too far into the future when it comes to his fighting career, taking things one bout at a time. "I'm just focused on one thing only, and that's the fight coming up," he said. "Treat MMA like a real job. Respect and appreciate it, listen to your coaches, and put the grind in. Don't listen to the critics, listen to the coaches."
