Robert Whittaker edges Romero, grabs interim belt at UFC 213

LAS VEGAS — Robert Whittaker won the UFC interim middleweight title Saturday night, surging in the late rounds to earn a unanimous decision over Yoel Romero at UFC 213.

Whittaker (20-4) recovered from a hyperextended knee in the first round with a strong striking performance, peppering Romero (12-2) with punches and kicks over the final three rounds. The Australian won his eighth consecutive fight, earning the victory 48-47 on all three judges’ scorecards at T-Mobile Arena.

“It’s a moment I’ve always dreamed of,” Whittaker said. “My knee was definitely hurt. I injured it in camp, and Romero’s kick set it back weeks. I know that Romero will capitalize on any weakness he sees, so I had to play it off. That’s just what champions are made of.”

The main event of the UFC’s traditional July showcase in its hometown was canceled earlier in the day when bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes was hospitalized. She was scratched from her second title defense against Valentina Shevchenko, who criticized the champion’s preparation for the bout.

Alistair Overeem also beat Fabricio Werdum by narrow majority decision in the third career meeting of two veteran heavyweights, and former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis also returned to the division with a unanimous decision victory over Jim Miller.

Whittaker took advantage of his bout’s promotion to the main event by claiming the belt in front of a pay-per-view audience. He earned the chance to fight for the full 185-pound title held for the past year by Michael Bisping, who is injured.

Bisping stepped into the cage afterward and congratulated Whittaker in his own irascible style.

“The fact that you’re standing there with a belt on makes me sick,” the Englishman said, throwing his own belt on the canvas. “Take that belt. Fight for it.”

Romero’s Olympic-level wrestling skills kept Whittaker on the defensive for much of the first two rounds. Whittaker increased his striking output while Romero sat back in the third and fourth, with Whittaker also defending Romero’s takedowns more adroitly.

Romero was cut on his left eyebrow while Whittaker had a bloody nose and mouth in the final round, which looked even until Romero slipped onto his back with 90 seconds left after failing to land a strike. Whittaker jumped on top to rain down blows to the final horn.

All three judges saw the fight identically, scoring the first two rounds for Romero and the final three for Whittaker.


The 40-year-old Romero was gracious after his eight-fight winning streak ended, praising his opponent.

Whittaker will get the chance to remove the interim designation from his belt when Bisping returns from injury, although it might not happen this year. The middleweight division has been in limbo ever since Bisping shockingly beat champion Luke Rockhold last summer and then fought old rival Dan Henderson instead of Romero, Whittaker or another top contender.

For the third straight year, the UFC had to change the main event of its July show in Vegas at short notice. Last year, Jon Jones was sidelined by a violation of the promotion’s anti-doping policy three days before UFC 200.

Shevchenko still showed up at T-Mobile Arena after being denied her long-awaited title shot when Nunes fell ill in the hours before their rematch.

Shevchenko was furious with Nunes, claiming the champion’s drastic weight cut was responsible for her illness. She also echoed UFC President Dana White’s statement that Nunes was medically cleared to fight, but declined to go from the hospital to the cage.

“You can’t just say, ’I don’t want to fight,’” Shevchenko said. “I couldn’t believe at the very last moment that this would happen to me. Of course I am upset. … I understand what she wanted. She wanted to cut (weight) in a very short time. You cannot do this. Our bodies need more time to recover.”

Shevchenko was greeted with loud cheers when she was shown on the arena’s video boards before the main event.

Overeem (43-15) and Werdum (21-7-1) finished a trilogy of fights between two of the most accomplished mixed martial artists of their generation. Werdum won their first meeting in the Pride promotion in 2006, and Overeem won their Strikeforce heavyweight rematch in 2011.

Overeem was slightly better during the first two rounds, and he survived the third after Werdum floored him with a knee to the head.

Pettis (20-6) returned to form in his return to 155 pounds, dominating the veteran Miller with flair and force. Pettis lost his title belt in March 2015 to start a 1-4 skid that included a two-fight stint at featherweight, but he looked sharp while carving up Miller (28-10), who bled copiously.

Before the pay-per-view portion of the card, heavyweight Travis Browne took his fourth consecutive loss in a second-round submission to 40-year-old Russian grappler Aleksei Oleinik.

Browne (18-7-1), Ronda Rousey’s fiancé, lost for the sixth time in his last eight fights despite dropping Oleinik with punches in the first round.

source: sports.inquirer.net

UFC’s Ronda Rousey, Travis Browne get engaged

Ronda Rousey and Travis Browne are engaged.

The former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Women’s Bantamweight Champion confirmed to TMZ Sports that she and her beau, also a UFC fighter, are walking down the aisle anytime.

“We’re getting married,” Rousey, 30, announced while showing her sparkling diamond ring. The couple said that the engagement happened under a waterfall in New Zealand, where they vacationed last week. Although no definite date has been set for their big day, UFC President Dana White expressed delight saying, “I’m very happy for Ronda, and I’m looking forward to the wedding,” according to the news site.

Following months of speculations, Rousey confirmed their relationship in 2015 via ESPN: “It’s true that Travis and I are in a relationship. I’ve really enjoyed the time we have spent together and getting to know one another. And that’s all I’m going to say about it.”

Browne, 34, admitted their relationship in an interview with MMAFighting.com, “She’s my woman, and I’m her man. There’s no boyfriend-girlfriend stuff. There’s no dating. We’re together,” he explained.

Rousey ripped down gender barriers and emerged as UFC’s first female champion back in 2012. But her reign in the Octagon declined after suffering back-to-back losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes.

Meanwhile, Browne has flunked three bouts over the past few months, including a defeat against Derrick Lewis in February.  Gianna Francesca Catolico /ra

source: sports.inquirer.net

McGregor to be a father after historic win, wants UFC equity

In a feat that no other mixed martial artist from the UFC had ever done, Conor McGregor became a simultaneous two-division world champion after destroying Eddie Alvarez at the main event of UFC 205 on Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

Undoubtedly the biggest star of the promotion, the UFC featherweight and lightweight titleholder had been hinting at two huge personal announcements leading to the historic Madison Square Garden card.

Speaking to members of the media during the mandatory post-fight conference, the Irish sensation revealed that he and his longtime girlfriend, Dee Devlin, are expecting a mini-“Notorious” sometime in May next year.

“There’s a few bombshells I wanted to hit, but then it was like ‘do I do it or don’t do it?’ One announcement, I’m going to be a daddy early next year,” McGregor said via MMAFighting. “I’m crapping me jocks, I’m not going to lie. I don’t even know what way to take it. It’s messing with me head because I don’t want to be bringing a child into this. I don’t even want to do the celebrity type (expletive). I hate all that. I don’t want my family to be like that.”

The 29-year-old superstar has been quite active inside the octagon and fought for the company 10 times since debuting in 2013. With a baby on the way and a shiny new belt around his waist, McGregor believes he deserves a little break from fighting.

“I’m just going to have this baby, take a little bit of time and see what way I feel after that,” he said.

Aside from his pending fatherly duties, McGregor also took the time to address an issue regarding the company’s new ownership, and talked about receiving some sort of equity from the new owners, WME-IMG.

“They’ve got to come talk to me now. ‘Cause no one has come talk to me since the sale happened as a businessman,” he described owners Ari Emaneul and Patrick Whitesell, who were both in attendance in New York. “I’ve been approached as a ‘hello’ and that type of stuff but I’ve earned something. Who owns the company now? There’s people that have shares in the company, celebrities, Conan O’Brien owns the UFC now. So where’s my share? Where’s my equity?” he said.

According to UFC President Dana White, last weekend’s event raked in a record-setting $17 million at the gate and will most likely break the all time pay-per-view record for the company as well.

Such imposing figures is sure to bring in quite a fortune for the company, and its biggest star is demanding a bigger piece of the cake if they want to retain his services.

“I’m aware of my worth and now I’ve got a family. Now I’ve got a kid on the way. I’m coming for mine now if you want me back,” McGregor said.

“I’ve got both belts, a chunk of money, a little family on the way. You want me to stick around, you want me to keep doing what I’m doing, let’s talk, but I want ownership. I want an equal share. I want what I deserve, what I’ve earned.”  Khristian Ibarrola

source: sports.inquirer.net

MMA: Jones stripped of UFC title after drugs ban

LOS ANGELES, United States — Mixed martial arts star Jon Jones, suspended for a year after testing positive for a banned drug, has been stripped of the Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight interim title, UFC president Dana White said Wednesday.

White told an ESPN podcast that Jones “has blown it in every way, shape and form a guy with that much talent can blow it.”

“Greatest talent ever and the biggest screw-up ever,” White said of the 29-year-old, who was handed a one-year ban after taking a sexual-performance pill tainted with a performance-enhancing substance.

The US Anti-Doping Agency announced the ban on Monday, saying it will be applied retroactively to the date of the positive test and that Jones will be free to fight again in July of 2017.

Jones was dubbed the interim champion in April, when he defeated Ovince St. Preux at UFC 197. He had been scheduled to fight Daniel Cormier for the official title, but Cormier pulled out with an injury.

“It doesn’t make sense with all the stuff that is going on for him to still be the interim champion,” White said.

Jones was already serving a suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission for a positive test conducted in June for clomiphene and Letrozole, both testosterone-boosting drugs.

In 2015, the UFC stripped Jones (22-1) of the official title after he was arrested on a hit-and-run charge. CBB

source: sports.inquirer.net

Bisping keeps UFC title, beats retiring Henderson

MANCHESTER, England — Michael Bisping retained his UFC middleweight title early by taking a unanimous decision victory over Dan Henderson at UFC 204 at the Manchester Arena on Sunday, ending the retiring American’s career in defeat.

The fight started tentatively, with Henderson wary of combinations from Bisping, and the Englishman concerned about the right hook with which Henderson had knocked him out at UFC 100.

With 30 seconds to go in the first round, however, the 46-year-old Henderson landed the shot for which he is known, almost finishing Bisping and creating prominent swelling under his left eye.

With Bisping controlling the second round, a groin strike not spotted by the referee, and led to an ailing Henderson hitting the right hook, dropping Bisping once more, although again he was able to recover.

The remaining rounds were less dramatic, although Bisping continued to land more strikes. That led to the judges awarding the hometown favorite the fight, despite the differences in overall damage.

“He just kicked my ass, man. He’s as tough as old boots,” said a relieved Bisping after the fight.

Henderson had announced his retirement prior to the fight, and confirmed it afterward.

“That was the last time anyone will see me fight live,” Henderson said. “I appreciate all the support throughout my career, worldwide. I gave my heart and soul to this sport.

“I came up a little short, but not bad for an old man.”

In the co-main event, Gegard Mousasi defeated Vitor Belfort in the middleweight division.

After an early flurry of punches by Belfort, he took a head kick in round two, and referee Marc Goddard stopped the bout quickly when the Brazilian fell to the ground and covered up under fire from punches.

“(Belfort) is a legend. Fighting him is an honour,” said Mousasi after the bout. He then challenged UFC legend Anderson Silva, stating that “it would be a good fight for me.”

Jimi Manuwa delivered three good punches to take his fight against interim light-heavyweight contender Ovince St. Preux.

After being out-wrestled in round 1, Manuwa landed a left to the body, an overhand right, and a left-hook to stop the bout, and invigorate a crowd that was beginning to wilt at just after 4 a.m. local time, with the event timed to suit U.S. television audiences.

Stefan Struve became the first man to finish Daniel Omielanczuk in MMA competition, winning via d’arce choke for the 17th submission victory of his career. After the bout, he reminded UFC’s matchmakers that he holds a TKO victory over current heavyweight title-holder Stipe Miocic.

Bosnia’s Mirsad Bektic returned to action for the first time since May 2015 and took a rear naked choke victory over Russell Doane in the featherweight division, giving him a 4-0 record in the UFC.

In the final fight of the preliminary card, London’s Brad Pickett was rocked by a spinning back elbow, never fully recovering before submitting to Iuri Alcantara’s triangle choke./rga

source: sports.inquirer.net

UFC 203: Miocic keeps heavyweight title, KOs Overeem

CLEVELAND—Stipe Miocic climbed to the top of the octagon and threw his legs over its sides, straddling the cage like he was riding a horse.

He had defended his title in stunning fashion, and Cleveland’s hometown hero has no plans to give it up.

“I’m going to stay champ for a long time,” he said.

Floored by an early punch, Miocic recovered and knocked out Alistair Overeem at 4:27 of the first round to conclude UFC 203 on Saturday night in front of nearly 20,000 delirious fans.

Miocic, whose title in in May set off a run of championships in a city that didn’t celebrate one for 52 years, was in big trouble after Overeem caught him on the jaw with a short left. Overeem pounced on Miocic, a Cleveland fire fighter, and put him in a guillotine hold as he tried to choke him out. But the 6-foot-4, 240-pound Miocic, urged by the crowd chanting “Stee-pay, Stee-pay,” escaped the hold and quickly pressed the action.

In the final minute of the round, Miocic stunned Overeem with a punch and then held him down and delivered four devastating right-handed punches to the challenger’s head to finish him off.

“When I got on top of him, game over,” Miocic said.

When the fight was stopped, Miocic ran and climbed the cage, a move he had planned for months. Soon after, he took the microphone and yelled “O-H” to the crowd, which responded “I-0,” to the local champ, whose knock out of Fabricio Werdum this spring was followed by the Cavaliers overcoming a 3-1 deficit to beat Golden State in the NBA Finals.

“I’m going to remember this for the rest of my life,” Miocic said.

Overeem almost ruined things for Miocic when he knocked him on his butt and attempted to end the fight. But Miocic wasn’t going to be denied and was offended when he learned that Overeem had thought he tapped out.

“I don’t remember tapping out,” Miocic said. “I remember punching him in the face until he was unconscious.”

Before Miocic’s stunning comeback, former WWE superstar CM Punk could have used a folding chair or a tag-team partner.

Out of pro wrestling’s scripted ring, his first visit into the octagon didn’t last long.

Punk, who was one of WWE’s biggest stars when he left it two years ago to try his hand in ultimate fighting, tapped out just 2:14 into the first round after he was pummeled and choked by welterweight Mickey Gall.

The 38-year-old Punk charged Gall but was on his back less than 10 seconds into the fight. Pinned up against the fencing, he was unable to get out from under Gall, who smashed a right hand into Punk’s temple and then kneeled on top of him and swung both arms like a pendulum, connecting with one hard shot after another.

Punk nearly got free, but Gall regained a dominant position and squeezed his opponent’s head like he wanted to snap it off. Punk had no choice but to tap his hand on the mat, ending the fight the way many inside UFC predicted.

“Yeah you know in life you go big or you go home,” Punk said afterward. “I just like to take challenges. It was a hell of a climb, I didn’t get to the summit tonight but it doesn’t mean I’m going to give up it doesn’t mean I’m going anywhere, it doesn’t mean I’m going to stop.”

The 24-year-old Gall never doubted he would crush Punk.

“I know my kill stuff would be more than his kill stuff,” he said. “I knew what to expect and I was ready to dominate.”

Prior to Miocic’s bout, former heavyweight champ Fabricio Werdum won a unanimous decision over Travis Browne.

Following the heated bout, Werdum put his gloved hands to his face and was pretending to wipe away tears when he was confronted by Browne’s coach Edmond Tarverdyan. Werdum tried to kick Tarverdyan and security rushed into the ring as both corners jawed at each other.

Just climbing the steps into the octagon was something of a victory for Punk, who became a villain of sorts inside UFC circles as fans, wrestlers and fellow fighters questioned his motives for taking up a new sport with no experience.

He was accustomed to the outside distractions – media requests, fans and travel – for years. But despite working with Duke Roufus and other top trainers at the Roufusport Martial Arts Academy in Milwaukee for the past year, he wasn’t ready for Gall.

Still, Punk intends to stick with his new love.

“Obviously, Mickey’s a hell of a fighter. I will be back, believe it or not,” Punk said. “This was the most fun I’ve had in my life, second best night of my life after marrying my wife. I know there’s a lot of doubters but listen, life’s about falling down and getting back up. Doesn’t matter how many time you get knocked down, get back up.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

UFC: McGregor will return to FW after Diaz bout, Dana White says

Reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight champion Conor McGregor (19-3) has has yet to step inside the octagon for his rematch with Nate Diaz, but Dana White has already laid out the plans for his next fight.

According to the UFC president, the Irish sensation will make his return at 145 lbs, regardless of the outcome of his upcoming fight at UFC 202 in Las Vegas on Aug. 20.


“I fully expect Conor to come back and defend his 145-pound title,” White officially confirmed in a report on UFC.com.


“The Notorious” has been a hot commodity for fighters looking for a hefty payday in recent months, including recently crowned UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez (28-4), who also expressed his desire to have a crack at the victor of the UFC 202 main event.

“I know Nate Diaz is fighting Conor McGregor and I would like to try and get the winner of that fight,” Alvarez was quoted as saying in the report. “Hopefully somebody comes out on top there and they sign on the dotted line.”

Although there has yet to be an announcement on his possible opponent, longtime featherweight champion Jose Aldo (26-2) is believed to be the next in line for McGregor, after his hard-fought five-round victory against perennial contender Frankie Edgar.

White, meanwhile, hyped the McGregor-Diaz rematch as potentially the biggest in UFC history, and expects it to be just as good, if not better, than the first fight.

“If you look at how big Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather was and how big Diaz-McGregor 1 was – Diaz-McGregor delivered,” White said. “That fight delivered on all the hype and all the excitement and energy, and this one will, too.”

The 47-year-old UFC head honcho further explained his high hopes for the highly anticipated bout, which Diaz won in the second round with a rear-naked choke.

“Just stylistically and the way these guys fight, it’s impossible for Diaz-McGregor not to be a ridiculous fight,” White told UFC.com. “If you look at the first fight, Conor was absolutely just dominating and then gassed out. Diaz took every ounce of punishment and then as soon as he saw Conor started to slow down and was tired, he jumped right on him. It’s everything you love as a fight fan,” he added.

Aside from McGregor’s future, the UFC President also shed light on the current UFC Welterweight title picture, as reigning champion Tyron Woodley requested to be matched against the reportedly returning George St. Pierre  or Nate Diaz’ older brother and main event staple, Nick Diaz.

“I think that Nate feels his brother should have the fight at 170, but Nick is not going to come back and fight for the title right away,” White said.

“There are other guys deserving of a title shot. Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson is going to fight for the 170-pound title and then we’ll see what happens with Nick and Nate.”  Khristian Ibarrola

source: sports.inquirer.net

LOOK: Conor McGregor bares it all on ESPN’s Body Issue

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight champion Conor McGregor leads the top athletes who have gone nude for the 2016 edition of ESPN magazine’s Body Issue.

McGregor took to social media to share a photo of his shoot, where he was seen naked while training with a punching bag.

“If I only had to focus on boxing, hell, I’d be neck and neck with Floyd [Mayweather Jr.] right now,” McGregor was quoted as saying by ESPN on Instagram.

McGregor is set to have a rematch against Nate Diaz in August, after falling short in their last outing.

McGregor is the sixth mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter to grace in the special edition magazine, following the appearances of former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey; current champion Miesha Tate; interim UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones; Invicta featherweight champion Cristiane Justino; and her one-time husband, Cyborg Santos.

ESPN’s Body Issue is an annual collection of famous athlete’s nude bodies and the stories behind them that aim to serve as an inspiration to others.

The other athletes that grace this year’s edition are Nathan Adrian (swimming), Jake Arrieta (MLB), Antonio Brown (NFL), Emma Coburn (Steeplechase), Courtney Conlogue (surfing), Elena Delle Donne (WNBA), Ryan Dungey (motocross), Adeline Gray (wrestling), Greg Louganis (diving), Von Miller (NFL), Chris Mosier (triathelete), Nzinga Prescod (fencing), Christen Press (soccer), April Ross (beach volleyball), Allysa Seely (paratriathlete), Claressa Shields (boxing), Dwyane Wade (NBA), and Vince Wilfork (NFL). YG

source: sports.inquirer.net

Bisping stops Rockhold to claim title in UFC 199 stunner

INGLEWOOD, California, United States — Michael Bisping waited 10 years and 26 fights for the chance to win a UFC title.

When he finally got it, Bisping stunned Luke Rockhold and the mixed martial arts world.

Bisping won the UFC middleweight championship with a first-round knockout of Rockhold on Saturday night, earning his first title belt at UFC 199.

Bisping (30-7) spectacularly won the UFC 185-pound title just over two weeks after accepting the bout as an injury replacement for former champion Chris Weidman.

Bisping abruptly knocked down Rockhold midway through the round with a left hand to the jaw of the backpedaling champion. Rockhold (15-3) bounced back up and engaged Bisping, who knocked him down for good with another left hand, finishing it with 1:24 left in the round.

Bisping, an Englishman who lives in Orange County, had never fought for a title in a decade with the UFC.

“This was my dream. Nobody was taking this away from me,” Bisping said. “Two weeks? Two days, two hours, two minutes. I’ll fight anybody on a moment’s notice.”

Dominick Cruz also defended his UFC bantamweight title with a clear unanimous decision over Urijah Faber, settling a nine-year feud in the third bout between the two California fighters.

But the crowd at the historic Forum south of downtown Los Angeles was left in disbelief by the main-event heroics of Bisping, who is having a jaw-dropping year after defeating longtime UFC champion Anderson Silva in February.

“Apart from my children and my wife, this is the greatest day of my life,” Bisping said.

The 37-year-old Bisping was on set in Toronto — playing a villain in a new Vin Diesel movie — when he got the call last month to replace Weidman, who had to drop out of his rematch due to a neck injury.

Bisping immediately began trading insults with Rockhold, who won his title in December with a fourth-round stoppage of Weidman. Although Bisping acknowledged he was an underdog, the loquacious brawler claimed he had learned enough to shock the world while losing to Rockhold by second-round submission 19 months ago in Sydney.

Turns out it wasn’t just talk from Bisping, who couldn’t contain his emotions when the title belt was wrapped around his waist.

Rockhold, who acknowledged training with a knee injury for this fight, took just his second loss in 16 bouts since 2007. He didn’t argue with referee John McCarthy’s stoppage after Bisping’s final barrage of punches left him motionless with his back to the cage.

“I should have fought my fight instead of messing around with him,” Rockhold said.

Cruz (22-1) largely dominated his 13th consecutive victory and his first title defense since reclaiming the 135-pound belt earlier this year after four years of injury setbacks. Although Cruz never appeared to be close to a stoppage, the clear victory was even sweeter coming against Faber (33-9), his longtime rival.

“Nothing surprising,” Cruz said about the win. “I’m just glad I’m here. It feels so good to be able to compete again. I thought I lost this at one point.”

Faber’s beef with Cruz began in 2007 and it never cooled during their two previous bouts and Cruz’s years out of the sport with knee woes that forced him to vacate the title. Faber beat Cruz in their first meeting nine years ago, but Cruz evened the series with a rematch victory in 2011.

The bantamweights opened their bout at a breakneck pace, but Cruz landed the majority of the biggest punches, including a shot that dropped Faber early in the second round. Cruz repeatedly tagged Faber with left hands while largely staying out of range for Faber, who grew frustrated with his inability to engage the champion in the final four rounds.

“He caught me in the second,” Faber said. “Trust me, he’s got a little power. He’s a heavy hitter.”

Although the 37-year-old Faber is among the most accomplished fighters in MMA history, he has lost seven consecutive championship bouts dating to the defunct WEC promotion in 2008. Afterward, Faber said he will think about retirement.

Dan Henderson also knocked out Hector Lombard with a spectacular back elbow to the head in the second round, giving the beloved 45-year-old veteran his third victory in nine fights.

Henderson (32-14) also indicated he is strongly considering retirement from his 19-year professional career after he knocked the 38-year-old Lombard stiff with an elbow while Lombard (34-6-1) was holding his leg. Henderson, who fought at UFC 17 in 1998, posed for photos in the cage with his wife and four children, who all attended one of his fights together for the first time.

“We’ll see what happens, but that could have been the last one of my career,” Henderson said.

Featherweight contender Max Holloway also won his ninth consecutive fight, decisively beating Ricardo Lamas.

The UFC paid tribute to Muhammad Ali with a highlight video narrated by President Dana White, who praised Ali’s anti-war activism and leadership. The Forum crowd spontaneously broke into several chants of “Ali! Ali!”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Conor McGregor a no-show, and off of UFC 200

LAS VEGAS — Conor McGregor’s seat was vacant, and so now is his spot headlining the big UFC 200 card this summer.

The Irish fighter was a no-show at a press conference Friday promoting the card, and UFC President Dana White said he would not meet Nate Diaz in a rematch on top of the July 9 card in Las Vegas.

“You have to show up to promote the fight,” White said. “It’s part of the job. It’s what we do here.”

Not to be outdone, McGregor tweeted that he respected the fact other fighters traveled to the press conference “but not everyone up there made the company ($)400 million the last 8 months.”

The dispute over promotional duties means UFC’s biggest card of the year will be without McGregor, the wildly popular fighter who lost to Diaz last month in a major upset. Diaz indicated he might not fight, either, though White said he was looking for an opponent for him.

“If it doesn’t happen I’m going on vacation,” Diaz said.

White left a seat on the dais vacant at a press conference at the MGM Grand, though McGregor made it clear earlier this week that he wouldn’t be attending. McGregor posted on Facebook that he couldn’t afford the time he would need to leave his training camp in Iceland for a series of promotional appearances for the card.

But White noted the fight was nearly three months away, and that UFC is spending $10 million to promote the card and needed McGregor to participate in the promotion.

“People (other fighters on the card) came from Poland and Brazil. Is that fair?” White asked. “It sets a bad precedent. These guys came in from all over the world and they’re here.”

McGregor had asked for a quick rematch with Diaz, after moving up in weight to lose to him in a fight he dominated early. The two signed contracts, but McGregor disrupted plans when he refused to travel to Las Vegas from Iceland to promote the bout.

White said he is not angry with McGregor and expects him to fight again, just not on the landmark UFC 200 card that will be held at the new T-Mobile arena on the Las Vegas Strip. He said McGregor could fight the winner of the bout between Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar, which is on the UFC 200 card.

Also on the card is Miesha Tate, who upset Holly Holm last month and will meet Brazil’s Amanda Nunes. White said it is also possible that light heavyweight Jon Jones could meet Daniel Cormier on the card if Jones wins his fight Saturday against Ovince Saint Preux.

McGregor is the biggest pay-per-view attraction the UFC has, but White said the card will have plenty of attractive fights. He said he understands fans want to see McGregor on UFC 200, but that he had to take a stand.

“It’s an unpopular decision, but it’s the right decision,” White said.

The press conference took place before the weigh-in for UFC 197, which features Jones vs. Saint Preux for the light heavyweight title and Demetrious Johnson against Henry Cejudo in a flyweight title bout.

source: sports.inquirer.net

UFC: Jon Jones jailed for violating probation, rematch with Cormier in jeopardy

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight champion Jon ‘Bones’ Jones is once again at odds with the law, after an Albuquerque judge issued a warrant for his arrest on Tuesday, March 29 (Wednesday, March 30, Manila time).

The troubled mixed martial arts (MMA) star turned himself to authorities in the wake of the citation he got for allegedly drag racing near a traffic stop in Albuquerque, New Mexico, last week—citing reports from MMA website mmamania.com.

It probably didn’t help that Jones, who was once ranked number one in the UFC’s pound for pound list, was videotaped losing his cool and calling the police officer at the scene a ‘despicable pig’.

The 28-year-old New York native is under strict probation due to his involvement in a hit-and-run case in 2015.

One of the terms for his indefinite parole was to stay away from legal trouble—a promise he clearly violated which prompted his arrest.

Jones, who spoke with the MMAHour about the incident, insisted that the details about his felony was completely fabricated by the police officer.

“I think he was a DWI [Driving While Intoxicated] cop. He wanted to find a drunk driver, and once he saw that I was sober, he wanted to find something to justify pulling me over,” said the accused Jones.

He did, however, admit to spatting unpleasant things to the police officer, which Jones claims as something he ‘regrets doing’.

“Bones” is still expected to headline the upcoming UFC 197 pay-per-view (PPV) event on April 23 in Las Vegas, Nevada, against longtime rival and current 205-pound titleholder Daniel Cormier.
Meanwhile, the UFC has recently released a statement to the media addressing the situation via MMA Fighting:

“UFC is aware that Jon Jones turned himself into the Albuquerque Police Department this morning for a potential probation violation stemming from a traffic stop last week. The UFC has been in touch with Jones’ legal team and will have no further comment until the organization has had appropriate time to gather necessary information,”.

source: sports.inquirer.net

McGregor earns $1M in loss to Diaz

Conor McGregor may have lost to Nate Diaz in the main event of UFC 196, but he still came out of Las Vegas as the biggest winner.

In a report from MMA Junkie, the UFC featherweight champion, arguably the biggest draw in the sport, earned $1,000,000 despite the defeat.

Diaz and Holly Holm, who yielded her title to Miesha Tate, each took home $500,000.

Tate received $92,000 including a $46,000 win bonus in the co-main event.

Based on the disclosed paydays from the Nevada State Athletic Commission, UFC 196 churned out $2,871,000 to all the fighters.

McGregor was forced to tapped out in the second round due to the rear-naked choke applied by Diaz while Holm was also submitted using the same technique by Tate in the fifth round.

What’s not included in the report was the payout given by UFC president Dana White to Diaz and McGregor for “Fight of the Night” honors and to Tate for delivering the “Performance of the Night.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Diaz submits McGregor in round 2 at UFC 196

Nate Diaz silenced Conor McGregor via rear naked choke in a major upset at UFC 196 on Sunday.

McGregor pretty much dominated Diaz in the majority of the fight, even opening a cut above the latter’s right eye.

Diaz then managed to put the brash Irish fighter in a submission, forcing the featherweight champion to tap out in the second round.

Their non-title fight started off with McGregor consistently teeing off on Diaz even until the second round.

Diaz managed to find an opening, using his length to land big strikes on the featherweight champion and giving him the opportunity to transition to the choke out.

source: sports.inquirer.net

UFC 190: Rousey stays undefeated with 34-second victory over Correia

Ronda Rousey needed just 34 seconds to defend her UFC women's bantamweight title with a 34-second domination of Bethe Correia on Sunday (PHL time) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The 28-year-old champion dedicated her win to WWE legend Roddy Piper, who died a day earlier.

The Santa Monica native improved to 11 wins with nine submissions and two knockouts with no defeats. Hometown hero Correia, meanwhile, absorbed her first loss with nine victories.

Rousey's last three fights have lasted a combined 64 seconds. - RAF, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Johnson, UFC's little big man, headlines UFC 174

Demetrious Johnson is one of the most exciting fighters in mixed martial arts.

The Kirkland, Wash., resident is 9-1-1 over the past four years. He has won five consecutive fights. He has established himself as a dominant champion in his division, one capable of one-punch knockouts, slick submissions holds, or going all 25 minutes when needed.

Yet he still has his share of detractors, for one simple reason: Johnson lords over the Ultimate Fighting Championship's lightest men's division, flyweight. And the haters seem to think a 5’3”, 125-pounder can't develop into a draw, no matter how big the size of the fight in the dog.

"I don't even hear the critics anymore," said Johnson, whose 11 fights with UFC parent company Zuffa over the past four years makes him most active fighter on the company's 500-fighter roster. "Yeah, I'm not tall. Doesn't mean I can't fight."

Whether he hears detractors or not, he'll have a chance to prove them wrong Saturday night (Sunday, PHL time), as he headlines one of the UFC's marquee pay-per-view events for the first time. Johnson (19-2-1) will defend his championship against Dagestan's Ali Bagautinov (15-2) in the main event of UFC 174 in Vancouver.

For his part, Johnson says he's not too worried about the platform, as long as there's a cage in the arena when he gets there.

"It's just another fight," Johnson said. "It's on pay-per-view and that's cool, but I don't care if it's pay-per-view or on FOX or on cable. Just another fight, to me."

Johnson experienced success as an undersized bantamweight (135 pounds) before the UFC instituted a 125-pound class in 2012, with his only loss in the past four years a decision against then-bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz.

Since then, the fighter known as "Mighty Mouse" has found his groove at 125. He won the inaugural title in Sept. 2012 by defeating Joseph Benavidez. The UFC has attempted to maximize his exposure, with some encouraging results. His first title defense, a decision win over John Dodson in Jan. 2013, peaked at 5.2 million viewers, one of the UFC's strongest numbers in three years on FOX. His most recent defense, a first-round knockout in a rematch against Benavidez, drew a near-sellout crowd of 11,573 to Sacramento's Sleep Train Arena in December.

Inside the industry, Johnson's gotten respect for his well-rounded talents. He ranks fourth in the current MMAFighting.com pound-for-pound poll, behind UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, longtime featherweight champ Jose Aldo Jr., and heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez.

Saturday, the 27-year old's latest challenge is the unheralded Bagautinov. The 28-year old, who trains at Jackson's MMA in Albuquerque, has won 11 straight fights, and is 3-0 in the UFC. While he entered the UFC with a reputation as a finisher, he's gone the distance in his past two fights.

"Ali is a solid fighter from a great camp who I have to respect," Johnson said. "But he can't do all the things I do, standing up, on the ground, everywhere. I respect Ali but I'm not worried."

The co-feature bout is a welterweight showdown with championship implications, as Rory MacDonald (16-2) takes on Tyron Woodley (13-2)

The 24-year old MacDonald, a British Columbia native, trains with former longtime champ Georges St-Pierre in Montreal and was considered his heir apparent before a pair of lackluster performances set him back. But a solid February win over veteran Demian Maia got him back on track. St. Louis' Woodley, meanwhile, has made his case with finishes of veterans Josh Koscheck and Carlos Condit.

While the winner of a July 26 bout between Robbie Lawler and Matt Brown has been promised the next shot at welterweight champ Johny Hendricks, nothing is ever etched in stone in the UFC, and a solid showing by the winner of this fight could cause them to jump the line. - Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com