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USA Today
12-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Josh Thomson compares Belal Muhammad's UFC 315 performance to Ronda Rousey
Josh Thomson compares Belal Muhammad's UFC 315 performance to Ronda Rousey Josh Thomson sees similarities in Belal Muhammad and Ronda Rousey after UFC 315. Muhammad (24-4 MMA, 15-4 UFC) suffered severe facial damage when he lost his welterweight title to Jack Della Maddalena (18-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) by unanimous decision in Saturday's main event at Bell Centre in Montreal. Although Muhammad said he would stand and trade with Della Maddalena, Thomson was surprised to see the former champion stray away from his strengths. He compared him to former UFC bantamweight champion and Olympic-bronze medalist judoka Rousey, who after going undefeated with six title defenses, was knocked out in back-to-back title fights against Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes before retiring. "Belal did exactly what he said he was going to do – ill-advised, but he did it," Thomson said of Muhammad on his "Weighing In" podcast. "I think he kind of realized the fight was slipping away a little bit, but he lost the fight. Is this one of those things where a coach got in your head and all of a sudden now you're like Ronda Rousey? "Like, they're believing that you could beat Floyd Mayweather? I was like, please don't tell me that's what you're doing. Was it because, like, 'Look, I'm the champ now, I've reached my goal, and now I'm going to show the UFC I can be entertaining.' Like, why?" Muhammad did eventually try and mix things up against Della Maddalena, but not before standing and trading for a significant amount of time. He went three of nine takedowns in a Fight of the Night battle. "I knew it was going to be a tougher fight than people were giving it credit to be," Thomson said. "Everyone was like, 'Oh, he's going to take JDM down, he's going to control it,' they kept going back to the Gilbert Burns fight. Now he maybe could have done that. He just chose not to. I have no idea why."
USA Today
06-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Josh Thomson suggests UFC cuts Bo Nickal so he can develop: 'He needs work'
Josh Thomson suggests UFC cuts Bo Nickal so he can develop: 'He needs work' Josh Thomson wants to see Bo Nickal let go from the UFC, but perhaps it's for a good reason. Nickal (7-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) suffered his first-career loss when he was finished by Reinier de Ridder in Saturday's UFC on ESPN 67 co-main event at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa. Nickal appeared to struggle with De Ridder's strength before getting dropped and stopped after absorbing body shots in Round 2. Thomson, a former Strikeforce champion, doesn't think Nickal is UFC ready and would like to see him pick up a few wins elsewhere before returning. "The way he lost, as the UFC, I'm really telling him, like, you know what? You need to spend probably a good eight months, and you need to tighten up everything," Thomson said on his "Weighing In" podcast. "We're going to give you some time. We're going to almost do like what we did with Mason Jones or what we did with Youssef Zalal, and we're going to send you off a little bit. We'll give you eight months or whatever. He needs work. It was very telling how much work he needs." Thomson's co-host, John McCarthy, suggested Nickal face Torrez Finney next, an idea Finney is on board with. "Both had multiple fights in the Dana White's Contender Series, I could see that fight," Thomson responded. "Honestly, with Torrez Finney, they don't seem like they want him."
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Josh Thomson wants Dana White to cut Bo Nickal: 'It was very telling how much work he needs'
Photo byBo Nickal 's rapid rise through the UFC ranks just hit a major speed bump. Once seen as a surefire future contender, the former Penn State wrestling standout suffered a tough loss at UFC Des Moines that has prompted strong reactions throughout the MMA world. Among them, former UFC lightweight Josh Thomson has offered a bold take: Nickal should be cut from the UFC — for his own good. As surprising as it sounds, it might just be what Nickal needs. Why Josh Thomson thinks Bo Nickal needs time away from the UFC Bo Nickal was fast-tracked to the UFC spotlight after only one professional fight on the regional circuit and two finishes on Dana White's Contender Series . But things changed dramatically over the weekend when he faced Reinier de Ridder , a far more seasoned opponent with championship credentials from ONE Championship. The result? A second-round TKO loss via a vicious knee to the body — Nickal's first pro defeat, dropping his record to 7-1. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trending in in 2025: Local network access control [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo 'The way he lost… the UFC, I'm really telling him, like, you know what? You need to spend probably a good eight months, and you need to go you need to tighten up everything,' Josh Thomson shared his thoughts during an episode of the Weighing In podcast. Thomson pointed to past examples like Mason Jones and Youssef Zalal — fighters who were temporarily released from the UFC to gain experience on the regional scene before returning. Bo Nickal out of the UFC!?! — Next Fights for UFC Des Moines Fighters 'We're gonna give you some time… We're gonna almost do like what we did with Mason Jones or what we did with Youssef Zalal, and we're gonna send you off a little bit. We'll give you eight months or whatever,' Thomson added. 'He needs work. It was very telling how much work he needs.' What's next? A potential bout with Torrez Finney Rather than cutting Nickal for good, Big John McCarthy pitched a different route: a bout with undefeated 11-0 middleweight Torrez Finney . The short, powerful wrestler impressed on the Contender Series and recently won his UFC debut. 'Both had multiple fights in the Dana White contender series,' Thomson said. 'I could see that fight [happening]. Honestly, with Torrez Finney, they don't seem like they want him.' McCarthy agreed, replying, 'That's why it's the fight to make.' Also Read: Eddie Hall's MMA debut ends in 30-second knockout: Mariusz Pudzianowski reacts to controversy Bo Nickal's hype train has slowed, but it's far from derailed. Whether it's time off, a stint outside the UFC, or a test against someone like Finney, the goal remains the same: growth. For a fighter with Nickal's pedigree, how he bounces back will define what comes next.
USA Today
31-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
John McCarthy weighs in on Manuel Torres vs. Drew Dober stoppage at UFC on ESPN 64
John McCarthy thinks Manuel Torres vs. Drew Dober at UFC on ESPN 64 was stopped too late. Torres (16-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC) dropped Dober (27-15 MMA, 13-11 UFC) with a straight right, followed by a series of unanswered hammerfists to score the Round 1 TKO in Saturday's co-main event at Arena CDMX in Mexico City. Many, including Torres, took issue with how long it took referee Mike Beltran to wave the fight off after Dober wasn't intelligently defending himself. Veteran referee McCarthy acknowledges that it's tough to gauge sometimes, but thinks Beltran let Dober take too much unnecessary damage. 'The stoppage was a little slow when you look at it,' McCarthy said on his 'Weighing In' podcast. 'It was good, but it was a little slow because of the uniqueness of what you watched off of the way he went down and then the way he just stayed in one spot eating 15 shots that were hard and again, people think, 'Oh a hammer fist.' 'Hammer fists have power. I just don't know how to tell you man, don't let someone get a free shot on the side of your noggin with a good hammer fist because we've done studies on all that stuff, and you'll get people able to throw a hammer fist every bit as hard as someone throwing a straight shot.' McCarthy says Beltran should have trusted his initial instinct. 'He actually stepped in, and then was like, 'Oh, got to give him more of a shot,'' McCarthy said. 'It's like: No, you should have stopped it there. You had the right read. But I understand why he didn't.' Dober, who now has lost three straight fights, took to X to react to his loss. 'Well, that sucked. A beautifully timed one two by Manuel Torres. There's not much to go off of other than, unfortunately, stepping in front of the rear hand of a long power puncher. 'As much as I love Mexico City, it's given me two of my most embarrassing losses of my career, haha. But the food and people are still the best. I'm happy and healthy and excited to be a stay at home dad for a while.' Well, that sucked. A beautifully timed one two by Manuel Torres. There's not much to go off of other than, unfortunately, stepping in front of the rear hand of a long power puncher. — Drew Dober (@DrewDober) March 30, 2025 As much as I love Mexico City, it's given me two of my most embarrassing losses of my career, haha. But the food and people are still the best. I'm happy and healthy and excited to be a stay at home dad for a while. — Drew Dober (@DrewDober) March 30, 2025 For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC on ESPN 64.
USA Today
14-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Paul Hughes stumps for PFL amid turmoil, disappointed by 'trend to hate on them'
The negative experience with the PFL shared by many big names on the roster has been the complete opposite for one of the promotion's standout fighters. Lightweight contender Paul Hughes went to bat for the PFL on Friday, expressing disappointment that 'it has become a trend to hate on (the promotion).' Hughes' words were part of a quote-tweet on X in which responded to criticism by former Strikeforce champion and 'Weighing In' podcast co-host Josh Thomson, who urged the PFL to 'get their sh*t together' during a recent interview with MMA Junkie Radio. As far as Hughes is concerned, though, the PFL already has it together. 'The PFL have provided me the platform to completely change my life and my career in 9 months,' wrote Hughes, who's been booked three times by PFL, including a January title-fight loss to Bellator lightweight champ Usman Nurmagomedov. 'The staff have been absolutely amazing to deal with the entire time. I find it disappointing that it has become a trend to hate on them. 'They are the UNDERDOGS, fighting to make a CHANGE in an industry where the athletes are under served and underpaid. MOST of us fighters end up leaving the game with no money (and a lot of brain damage). This will only change if organisations like PFL continue to succeed.' The @PFLMMA have provided me the platform to completely change my life and my career in 9 months. The staff have been absolutely amazing to deal with the entire time. I find it disappointing that it has become a trend to hate on them. They are the UNDERDOGS, fighting to make… — Paul Hughes MMA (@paulhughesmma) March 14, 2025 Almost every public complaint has come from a prominent former Bellator champions and notables, whose contracts were picked up by the PFL as part of the acquisition in late 2023. While Hughes has competed three times in nine months, the common refrain from angry fighters has been a lack of activity and communication. Patricio Freire, who fought only once for PFL, received his release after asking for it and signed with the UFC; Aaron Pico and Patchy Mix, who each have made just one PFL appearance, both have publicly requested to be released; Corey Anderson has expressed his unhappiness with fighting only once in March 2024; and Gegard Mousasi hit the PFL with a $15 million breach of contract lawsuit after he was released.
