Category: UFC

A Bunch Of Stuff Has Happened Over The Last Couple Of Days So I’m Going To Comment On All Of It Here

By on • ( Leave a comment )

Image result for reading the newspaper

-First, sad news that broke early this morning/last night, Japanese MMA legend Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto has passed away after a battle with cancer. He was 41 and only announced he was fighting the disease in late August. Kid wracked up a 17-1 record, defeating Caol Uno, Bibiano Fernandes, Genki Sudo, and Rani Yahya, among others, before retiring in 2007. He came back 2 years later not even half the fighter he once was and had mixed results, including 4 losses in the UFC. However at 5’3 and about 140 lbs naturally, Kid fought at Lightweight (155lbs) most of his career and was an absolute beast. Rest easy to a true legend of the sport.

-In other MMA news, UFC Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley was notified of a potential out of competition PED violation stemming from a test administered on 8/5, a little over a month before his successful title defense against Darren Till on 9/8. This could be a huge blow to Woodley personally as he has fought like hell to prove he is legit. Pissing hot is not going to help his case and will only strengthen the voice of his detractors. Good thing USADA ties these situations up quickly….

-Any jackass who says Joaquin Phoenix could even sniff Heath Ledger’s jock when it comes to playing the Joker should not be allowed to produce offspring. This would be like having someone else play Daniel Plainview.

-To stick with entertainment, “Game of Thrones” took down Best Series and my motherfucking MAN Peter Dinklage aka Tyrion Lannister took down Best Supporting Actor in a very well deserved nod considering the work he has put in on that show. I remember, two or three seasons ago, some MIT kids did some formulas and IDK some shit with beakers or something and determined the three “main” characters of “Game Of Thrones” were actually Khaleesi, Arya, and believe it or not, Tyrion, and his many internal and external struggles. The greatest achievement in TV history (notice I didn’t say “best show”, relax) wouldn’t be the same without him.

-Bill Hader also won for “Barry” (which you should watch) but Jessica Biel and Bill Pullman both got the shaft for “The Sinner” (which you should realllllllly watch).

-I love the Pats’ acquisition of Josh Gordon. I’ve heard the “he hasn’t done anything in 5 years take” and am infatuated with how dumb it is. He’s still only 27, did not take any hits during his time away from the game, and has showed in the glimpses we HAVE seen him that he is probably the most physically gifted receiver in the NFL. Think about it this way: literally all he has to do to not make this a colossal mistake on New England’s part is to just not kill like, 4 people. Legit that’s it and we’ve already broken even. NOT SO HARD JOSH.

-I’m just seeing this but RIP to Marcus Smart’s mom and a big “hang in there” to Smart from us at the 300’s. Brutal loss. She raised one hell of a player.

-In news from Capitol Hill….haha nah I’m playin.

 

Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov are Finally Having a Press Conference

By on • ( Leave a comment )

MMAJunkie – To this point, things have been quiet on the promotional front for the UFC 229 lightweight title fight between champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor.

That’s about to change.

The UFC announced today that next week, Sept. 20, a press conference with UFC President Dana White, Nurmagomedov and McGregor will be held at Radio City Music Hall in New York.

There are two, no three, actually four things to consider at the outset of this story:

1.) This very well may be the biggest fight in UFC history.
2.) The UFC has become known for promoting the hell out of their bigger fights; cooking up absolute juggernauts to throw gigantic bankrolls behind in order to reap the even bigger returns.
3.) Conor himself usually subsidizes the UFC’s promotion with his own tidal wave of social media shit talking, interview soliloquy’s, and released, ominous training footage.
4.) There has been precisely MINIMAL promotion for this fight so far. Not from the UFC. Not from Conor. Not from Conor’s “team” (I hate that concept and phrase) who are also usually a promotion vehicle in and of themselves. Virtual radio silence on the part of everyone.

So this press conference was announced this week and by the time it occurs we will be a little more than two weeks out from the fight itself. That is, again, possibly the biggest fight in UFC history. At Madison Square Garden. For Conor to stay quiet is one thing. He has that whole “throwing a dolly at a bus and injuring people” thing to deal with. Sure, he is still Conor Fucking McGregor and so it is a bit odd for him to stay silent because of anything. I can’t help but wonder if he has something saved up his sleeve for when the fight is that much more imminent.

While we have excuses and possible explanations for Conor, for those that follow the business-side of MMA and the art form that is the UFC promoting MMA, the company’s silence is absolutely mind boggling. Barely any social media coverage. No “On Demand” ads that I’ve seen so far. I don’t want to go so far as to question whether or not the UFC has faith the fight will go down, but what the hell else explains this? For Mayweather-McGregor there was a 6 month, international press tour. This may not be THAT big, objectively, but it is the biggest thing MMA has to offer and features 2 internationally born and beloved fighters, so what gives?

I don’t know. I honestly don’t have a clue except to maybe speculate that Conor and the UFC are on the same page and are going to see what happens when they wait for a couple weeks out to both light the fire and throw 310 pounds of gas on it. But is that even enough time to REALLY get people excited? I’m not sure it is.

We can ask, wonder, ruminate, and ponder all we want but in the end on September 20th the two best 155ers in the world will be on the same stage, speaking in wonderfully distinct accents, discussing what should be a monumental fight and a bona fide game changer in terms of the landscape of 155 pounds and beyond. Nothing will be the same after the first Saturday in October.

Here. We. Go.

-Joey B.

 

Soooo McGregor vs. Nurmagomedov Is Basically ON

By on • ( Leave a comment )

If this isn’t an “I’m Back” tweet then IDK what is. After two years away from the cage Conor McGregor will be returning to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov in what might be the biggest MMA fight of all time.

Early prediction? I have no fucking clue. Khabib has mauled every last opponent thrown his way. Minus getting some ring rust shaken off him by a VERY fast Michael Johnson he has looked a man amongst boys. But it’s Conor man, it’s fuckin Conor. He has earned 9 figures making people look like folks for doubting him.

HERE. WE. GO.

The 300’s Official UFC 227 Preview

By on • ( Leave a comment )

Happy Diaz vs. Poirier Day! BUT CONCENTRATE. This weekend we have a fantastic card on our hands ladies and gents. We have two title fights and a lot more beautiful violence to cover so if you don’t mind, I’m not gonna be about the bullshit today.

The Main Event

T.J Dillashaw (C) vs. Cody Garbrandt – Bantamweight (135lbs) Title Fight

When you really sit back and think about it the first and last time T.J Dillashaw and Cody Garbrandt fought was a perfect encapsulation of who they were then as fighters.  Garbrandt was a slick as hell boxer with a cannon of a right hand and who had probably gotten just a little too cocky for his own good. That said, if you had grown up on the wrong side of the poverty line in Nowhere, OH and had risen to be the undefeated Bantamweight Champion of the UFC, you might have too.

Tyler Jeffrey Dillashaw was (and is) a world-class MMA kickboxer and had on his side the confidence that he never really lost his title, despite what the UFC and Massachusetts State Athletic Commission said.

Dillashaw won fight 1, as we all know. After getting knocked down by a Garbrandt sledgehammer, overhand right and potentially saved by the bell at the end of RD1, “Killashaw” came back to make “No Love” pay for his arrogance, ending his night with a head kick not long after.

All of the above makes this fight REALLY tough to pick, especially when you finally acknowledge, in the 4th paragraph of a blog, the animosity between these two guys. I’ve never believed an MMA feud more than this. They hate each other. So did that blind Garbrandt the first time? Will it Dillashaw this time? It’s a really hard aspect of this fight to quantify.

What makes this an even harder one to call is that, in my opinion, both guys are equally skilled at what they do. It is not like a great wrestler vs a great striker fight where you can try and guess which cancels out the other. “No Love” is a slippery-as-they-come boxer with great wrestling to boot while the reigning champ is pure poetry-in-motion with his stance changing-heavy style of Muay Thai. Oh and he is an excellent wrestler too.

So who wins? Who takes this one? For this underappreciated by his boss blogger, it is a battle of head vs. heart. My heart says Garbrandt via RD1 thud. He won’t get as cocky, he is a lot more focused, and he got all the treatment he could find for his ailing back so he’ll get the best of the champ this time. However, my head says the champ. T.J is – Godfuckingdammit I’m talking about him again – Conor McGregor-esque in his confidence. He simply doesn’t see himself losing. He doesn’t recognize it as a reality. He has probably been through every last scenario this fight might throw at him in his head.  So that’s it. I love to watch both these guys fight but I have to take the champ.

Official Pick: T.J Dillashaw retains his title by KO (RD4)
Co-Main Event

 

Demetrious Johnson (C) vs. Henry Cejudo – Flyweight (125lbs) Title Fight

This is why I get paid the big bucks. To talk about snoozers like this. I’d love to pick the upset. I’d love to say Cejudo is going to pull a Rocky and beat the longtime flyweight champ, but alas. Cejudo is ultra talented. He is an Olympic wrestler who has developed a great kickboxing game and  has still-improving but impressive hands. With that said, apart from Wilson Reis, a grappler first and second, Cejudo hasn’t finished anyone since 2013. Before knocking out Reis and decisioning Sergio Pettis, he had been beat on points by Joe B in one of the most lackluster fights the division has ever seen. I’m not trying to dump on Cejudo, but my point is I would have needed to see him DESTROY a few opponents in a row to give him a shot against D.J, who, like him or not, loves to win fights.

Official Pick: Demetrious Johnson retains his title by submission (RD5)

 

Additional Fun Fight

Pedro Munhoz vs. Brett Johns (Bantamweight fight)

In case anyone has forgot BRETT JOHNS WON A FIGHT BY CALF SLICER! CALF SLICER! LAST YEAR! That just does not fucking happen. Including that win, the scrappy, scrawny 135er from Wales won his first three UFC bouts and was undefeated before running into the Funkmaster in his last fight. That would be a wake up call to a lot of up and comers. But I think he needed that to keep progressing and should be using it as motivation going into this tussle with Munhoz.

“The Young Punisher” has gone 5-3 in his UFC tenure, but that belies the fact that his three losses were to Rafael “No one has noticed I’ve been in the top-3 for 10 years” Assuncao, Jimmie Rivera, and John Dodson – three big name, top flight guys at Bantamweight. He is a black belt in a BJJ and has a particular affinity for latching onto a nasty guillotine.

Basically, someone is getting tapped.

Official Pick: Pedro Munhoz wins by submission (RD2)

Notes

– Cub Swanson fights in the third-to-the-top bout of the night. He is one of the reasons yours truly got into MMA and always brings a boxing-heavy, fun, complete style of mixed martial arts to the cage. He fight Renato Carneiro who is a savage in his own right.

– There is a LOT of talk coming from both main event participants as well as D.J that the winner of the 135lb title fight will drop down and fight “Mighty Mouse” for his title in a superfight. We’ll see if that get’s done. Here’s betting Johnson’s gigantic sense of self-worth that it won’t.

Enjoy the scraps.

-Joey B.

Michael Bisping Retires As A Living Legend

By on • ( Leave a comment )

In a move that was poetic for how closely it resembled his rise to the top, and in particular his reaching of the pinnacle of the sport of Mixed Martial Arts, Michael Bisping surprisingly announced his retirement yesterday on his “Believe You Me Podcast”.

Although I wouldn’t call it completely shocking; I think most believed “The Count” had one more fight left in him. Maybe it would be Nick Diaz. Maybe a rubber match with Luke Rockhold. A fight with Rashad Evans seemed about halfway home at one point, but it just was not to be. After a career that stretched 39 fights over 13+ years, Bisping has decided to hang them up rather than, in his own words, risk further damage to both of his fight-afflicted eyes. Not a horrible decision by any stretch.

I myself have had an interesting relationship with Bisping. I think a lot of fans, at least American ones, did. Here was this abrasive, loud, cocky as hell Brit that was insulting Hendo before being posterized with the h-bomb. But slowly, over time, I like many others have come to love him. He is a talented, tough SOB that always brought the fight and was one of the first to use his charm and mic skills to get the fights he wanted, which you have to respect. Towards the end of his career, 4 years after getting wrestlefucked into oblivion by Chael Sonnen in a #1 contender’s fight, Bisping got his shot at the 185lb belt on 17 days notice. We all know what happened on that night in 2016. “Larry Lefthook”, as he came to call himself, clipped the champion Rockhold with a left before finishing him off to become the most unlikely champion since Matt Serra. I remember jumping off my couch shocked, and elated beyond belief. No one deserved that more than Michael Bisping.

He’d win one more, a rematch against Henderson, before losing the belt to GSP and then losing again on a wayyyy too quick turnaround to Kelvin Gastelum. And that would end up being it. It would have been so incredible to hear the opening chord progression to “Song 2” one more time and get that chill up your spine before seeing Bisping himself bellow the “woohoo” and begin his march to the Octagon. Especially in London, as planned? Forget about it.

Instead the winningest fighter in UFC history leaves now, on his own terms, with more than one career’s worth of ups and downs and memories in his pocket and on his walls. He’ll still be around the company, no doubt. I wouldn’t be shocked if he started splitting some MC duties with Joe Rogan and Dan Hardy. It is going to be strange though, knowing the Bishop’s Ping won’t ever put on the 4 ounce gloves again.

Happy trails, Buddeh.

Is This the Meanest Celebration in MMA History?

By on • ( Leave a comment )

My goodness. For what its worth Drew Chatman, the guy front flipping off his unconscious opponent, was DQ’d with the guy napping on the canvas getting the much deserved W. Either way I would NOT want to be Chatman in any type of rematch. Or maybe a morality seeking enforcer goes looking for Chatman to teach him a lesson about respecting the game.

Reminds me of my slightly less “disrespecting the dead” and more “catching em all” type of rubbing it in celebration:

I’m Speechless: The UFC Reportedly Offering Anthony Joshua a $500 Million, Multi-Fight Contract

By on • ( Leave a comment )

The Telegraph – The Ultimate Fighting Championship is making an audacious bid to sign a promotional multi-fight deal with Anthony Joshua which could earn the Londoner $500 million (£353 million) and make him the richest British boxer of all time.

As the title suggests, I am absolutely fucking speechless. No idea how to react. Is this a negotiation tactic with Floyd? Is this Dana White letting his dick swing in capital-B Boxing’s face a little? I just don’t know. All I know is that if Anthony Joshua ever competes with a UFC emblem anywhere near his name, either in a cage or in a ring, it would be a massive coup and a combat sports changing moment.

What makes me think this is not just posturing is that Joshua himself has made it clear in the past that he could see himself competing in MMA. I always saw it as a mix of him being a real true, blue competitor and someone that wants all the glory in the world. He wants it all. And whether or not you are a Boxing fan or an MMA fan, can you really call the heavyweight champion of either the “baddest man on the planet” nowadays? Not really right? I don’t know how Joshua would do if he ran into Stipe Miocic in a dark alley or vice versa.

This, in the end, would be a hell of a culmination for this era of the post-Zuffa UFC. It would take MMA and it’s entities onto the next level. And it would only, apparently, cost them $500 million. Stay tuned.

Believe It Or Not Jose Aldo Still Doesn’t Get It

By on • ( Leave a comment )

MMAmania – You won’t find former featherweight champion Jose Aldo sticking his neck out for the UFC these days…..”I just thought it was a mistake on Edgar’s end to fight Brian, who’s a very tough guy,”… “He would have fought for the title, but he risked that and lost. Now he’s all the way back there again. I think that was his biggest mistake.”

Timing timing timing timing timing. Timing timing timing. That’s really, in the end, all that matters in a burgeoning, or sustaining, MMA career. Are you available to fight and have you put yourself in a spot where it even matters that you are? Conor McGregor obviously knew that from the jump, and did what was necessary both inside and outside of the cage. The Diaz brothers knew it, so did Brock Lesnar, Michael Bisping, and most recently Brian Ortega.

But apparently Jose fucking Aldo still doesn’t. The guy who has turned down or has pulled out of more fights than I can even fucking count had the gall to criticize Frankie Edgar, who has built a career and gigantic fan base, the latter of which Aldo has never and will never have, for taking a fight, which by the way is all these men’s job, and for some, like Edgar, their greatest passion.

Maybe not so coincidentally, the MMA audience outside of Brazil has never quite taken to Aldo, at least not to the extent they should have. Now, there is no denying that he was during his reign as featherweight king an elite talent inside the cage, and remains so to an extent today. He not only could impose his game on his opponents but force them to play the same one. But in terms of carrying the UFC banner high, he never wanted to be “the guy”. With that said that prospect is a hard burden to carry, and I get it.  MMA is one big catch-22. You risk it all only to potentially lose and have to start over again like Edgar or risk being despised for playing it safe like Aldo. But the guys above risked it all, to one extent or another, and they all became rich and famous (or will, like Ortega) for it. Aldo too became a legend. But he risks possibly someday being relegated to being name dropped in a bar, in a wispy MMA hipster sentiment, while the Answer, the Irishman, The brothers from the 209, and the Count will be their own category on trivia night.

Conor McGregor is a Chicken….Sandwich Selling Machine!

By on • ( Leave a comment )

Adweek – Conor McGregor hasn’t fought in the UFC since winning the lightweight belt in November 2016 and then taking a detour into boxing—earning more than $100 million by fighting (and losing to) Floyd Mayweather Jr. last August. His hiatus from UFC has frustrated his rivals, who want a shot at the title—in particular, the Russian fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov, who called McGregor a “chicken” recently. That particular insult has only helped McGregor add to his riches, though—as Burger King used it as an opening to have McGregor hawk its new Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich.

God I miss Conor.

It’s been nearly two years since McGregor has fought in the Octagon and thats a damn shame. The guy is the most electric fighter since Chuck Liddell. I’m sure Joey B can touch on this with great insight, but I’ve heard rumors McGregor may even fight twice in 2018. Sign me up right now. Thats $120 for Dana White locked in. The UFC desperately needs more fighters like McGregor because if he’s not fighting there’s about a 20% chance I actually buy the fight, especially when a card is headlined by Cyborg. Not waiting until 1 am to watch the singer from the Muppet band beat a broad to death in 45 seconds.

Gilbert Burns Was Pulled, Today, From His Fight, Saturday, Because He was 30 POUNDS Away From His Goal Weight

By on • ( Leave a comment )

MMAFighting – A lightweight bout between Gilbert Burns and Olivier Aubin-Mercier has been scratched from the fight card of UFC on FOX 28…..the UFC explained that upon Burns’ arrival to fight week, the promotion’s medical team “determined that it would be unsafe for Burns to cut additional weight necessary to meet the 156-pound limit,” and thus pulled the Brazilian off the Feb. 24 card……Burns arrived in Orlando weighing 186 pounds.

I know this isn’t page-burning stuff but given the fact that safer weight cutting/weight divisions have been a huge topic in combat sports, particularly MMA, over the past year or so I figured I’d drop a quick one on the subject.

Gilbert “Durinho” Burns, for all intents and purposes, showed up to fight week prepared to cut 30 pounds in about 48 hours. That is an insane amount of weight. That also is isn’t the headline of this story. I’m sure, although not disclosed, that fighters have showed up this heavy plenty of times. But that was before the CSAC in particular passed their stricter weight cutting rules last spring. That was before a number of guys like Renan Barao almost died cutting weight. That was before a Teenage Muay Thai fighter from Australia did. No, the big story here is that well before he even gave his cut a shot, The UFC medical team prevented him from doing so. They pulled the chord. They put their hands together and said, “you know what, we cannot in good conscience let you do this.”

I try not to weigh in on these things because largely I think it’s up to a grown man/woman to decide what they want to do to their bodies. It’s their body and their career. However in this case, where Burns was truly in danger of hurting himself, and has a history of not taking his weight seriously at that, I think it only makes sense to err on the side of caution.

This indeed sets a hell of a precendence for fighters moving forward. Guys and gals like Daniel Cormier (who is actually fighting back at heavyweight next) who always make their trip to the scale a dramatic scene might have to start making some serious life, or division, choices.