Just days before Jon Jones is set to throw down with Daniel Cormier at UFC 182, the MMA world has been thrown a bit of a curveball by the light-heavyweight champ. If you recall, when Jones was called to appear in front of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, due to his headline grabbing brawl with […]
Wednesday, 31 December 2014
12/26 AFTERNOON UPDATE: Jones thinks Cormier talking to "make himself believe" he can win at UFC 182; Vera, Garza join class-action suit; Maldonado wants Rampage
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12/26 AFTERNOON UPDATE
If you're tuning in to the App for the first time in a while, make sure to check out the big update on the App's home page for notes and information on the changes made to the new mobile site at MMATorch.com in your mobile browser. Keep sending your thoughts in to mmatorch@gmail.com so we can make the mobile site the best experience for you! We truly appreciate the feedback, and we're making changes as necessary. Here's what's on the site this afternoon:
-Jon Jones thinks Daniel Cormier is using all of his pre-fight trash talking as a way to “make himself believe” he's going to win their fight at UFC 182. He also says Cormier's been reminding him of Chael Sonnen into their fight in 2013, and he expects to win fairly easily himself next week. Head to our mobile site at MMATorch.com in your phone or tablet browser for his comments with further thoughts.
-More fighters have joined in on filing class-action litigation against the UFC, with Brandon Vera and Pablo Garza the latest named participants. Get more info on the latest filing, with some comments from Chicago attorney and MMATorch reader Michael K. Bane on the numerous filings, on the mobile site now.
-UFC light heavyweight Fabio Maldonado is lobbying for a fight against the returning Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, pleading his case after one man he beat, Joey Beltran, got that fight in Bellator himself. Catch his comments with further thoughts on that potential matchup on the mobile site.
We thank all of our readers for their feedback and patience as we continue making improvements on the new mobile site. We're an independent voice in the MMA space with no corporate backing, and as such we stay afloat on ad revenue. This shift to the full listing on mobile web brings us a better chance to keep ourselves going and to bring our readers everything we have for the last five years and more, as the mobile advertising market is simply stronger than that on the app. Continue sending us your feedback to mmatorch@gmail.com and let us know how the new features with the Disqus comments section and more are working for you on mobile web!
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/torchtoday/article_24357.shtml
Charlie Brenneman Cut by the UFC … Again
Lightweight Charlie Brenneman (pictured) will ring in the New Year in the unemployment line after being released by the UFC. Wait up, is it 2012 again? The good news for Brenneman is he rattled off four straight wins in smaller mixed martial arts organizations when the UFC sent him packing two years ago. Brenneman announced [...]
Source: http://www.5thRound.com/179224/charlie-brenneman-cut-by-the-ufc-again/
MIA ST. JOHN DISCUSSES WHY LATINOS FIGHT AND HER FOUNDATION - Videos
"You'll see why so many Latinos fight, and it's not so much for the trophies or the medals; it's really out of necessity and one thing you can find on every corner in a hispanic town is a boxing gym, and that's why I started my foundation, El Saber Es Poder, because I wanted to change that to start promoting education in the inner cities," stated 3-time world champion Mia St. John, who talked about her foundation and the reasons why Latinos fight. Check it out!
UFC's Anderson Silva: Coming back feels like the first time
In a great interview with Fox Sports, long-time UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva (above) talks about his emotional reaction to fans welcoming him back. "The Spider" says that "it's the same [as] my first time when I walking to [the] Octagon. I'm very happy."
He sure looks it. Silva goes on to talk about his Black House middleweight teammates like "Jacare" Souza who he says have first dibs on any new title shots, a possible super fight with Georges St. Pierre, should the welterweight return, and how Brazilian fighters need to work to evolve their games, and much more.
Check it out above, and let us know if you're looking forward to Silva returning to the cage next year against Nick Diaz!
Follow Elias on Twitter @EliasCepeda & @YahooCagewriter
Jones Vs Cormier “Bad Blood” (Full Video)
Unless you have been living under a rock, you are probably very much aware of the tensions between UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and Number One Contender Daniel Cormier. The UFC outlined the feud in a series called Bad Blood, and you can watch it right here on Fighters.com. Courtesy of the UFC:
The post Jones Vs Cormier “Bad Blood” (Full Video) appeared first on Fighters.com.
Source: http://www.fighters.com/12/28/jones-vs-cormier-bad-blood-full-video/
Tuesday, 30 December 2014
UFC 183: Nick Diaz Takes Out BJ Penn
Former Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz put on a display of boxing excellence when he picked BJ Penn apart. Check out the complete fight replay between Diaz and Penn in the video below, as Diaz returns to action in January against Anderson Silva at UFC 183.
The post UFC 183: Nick Diaz Takes Out BJ Penn appeared first on MMA Convert.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmaconvert/~3/wV-qHr7K08Y/
Score Fighting Series 7 weigh-in results: Mein and Petz cleared for tonight's headliner
All fighters are on weight for tonight's Score Fighting Series 7 event. On Thursday the event's 20 fighters successfully made weight, including headliner/UFC vet Forrest Petz (170.6 pounds) and borrowed Strikeforce fighter Jordan Mein (170.4).
Score Fighting Series 7 takes place at Hamilton Place Theatre in Ontario, Canada. The main card airs live on AXS TV in the U.S. (and The Score in Canada) at 10 p.m. ET.
Countdown to UFC 182: Cerrone Vs Jury
With so much going on between UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier, people are forgetting that there are some solid fights on the rest of the card. One worth mentioning is the co main event between the undefeated Myles Jury and Donald Cerrone. The UFC did a profile on the fight for […]
The post Countdown to UFC 182: Cerrone Vs Jury appeared first on Fighters.com.
Source: http://www.fighters.com/12/29/countdown-ufc-182-cerrone-vs-jury/
Weidman-Belfort, Rousey-Zingano to headline UFC 184 in Los Angeles
After Vitor Belfort tweeted in Portuguese that he'd be facing Chris Weidman for the middleweight title on Feb. 28 in Los Angeles, UFC president Dana White took to Instagram to clarify matters.
White jokingly referred to Belfort as "Our new head of p.r.," in making the announcement. Weidman-Belfort will be the main event with a women's bantamweight title fight between Ronda Rousey and unbeaten No. 1 contender Cat Zingano as the co-main on Feb. 28 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Weidman and Belfort were originally supposed to fight on Dec. 6 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, but Weidman broke his left hand in training and on Sept. 22 had to postpone the fight.
It turns out to be a great deal for Staples, which was to host UFC 176 on Aug. 2. That card was supposed to be headlined by a featherweight title fight between Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes, but was canceled when Aldo was injured and had to pull out. The UFC tried to reschedule, but Staples is one of the country's busiest arenas and it couldn't be worked out.
The Aldo-Mendes fight was moved to Brazil as the main event of UFC 179, which Aldo won by an impressive unanimous decision in one of 2014's best fights.
Rousey-Zingano had been expected to be the co-main event of UFC 182 on Jan. 3 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. White told Yahoo Sports via text message that a lightweight bout between Donald Cerrone and Myles Jury has been added to the Las Vegas card, which is headlined by a light heavyweight title fight between champion Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier.
UFC Fight Night: Evans vs. Teixeira
UFC Fight Night: Evans vs. Teixeira When: February 22nd, 2015 Where: Gigantinho Gymnasium in Porto Alegre, Brazil How: Fox Sports 1 Who: Wendell Oliveira vs. T.J. Waldburger Ivan Jorge vs. Josh Shockley Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Sean Strickland Matt Dwyer vs. William Macario Rustam Khabilov vs. Adriano Martins Sam Alvey vs. Cezar Ferreira Edson Barboza vs. Michael [...]
Monday, 29 December 2014
Scott Coker plans to speak to Fedor. Will Fedor Return?
---Quote---
Scott Coker is making it abundantly clear that he isn’t simply content with being No. 2.
Since the day he took over as president of...
Scott Coker is making it abundantly clear that he isn’t simply content with being No. 2.
Since the day he took over as president of...
Source: http://www.mmaforum.com/bellator-fc/190962-scott-coker-plans-speak-fedor-will-fedor-return.html
12/9 NIGHT UPDATE: Roundtable on Lawler's first title defense; Barnett interview on new Livecast; Rogan blasts Schaub on podcast; Silva on gay athletes in MMA
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12/9 NIGHTTIME UPDATE
If you're tuning in to the App for the first time in a while, make sure to check out the big update on the App's home page for notes and information on the changes made to the new mobile site at MMATorch.com in your mobile browser. Keep sending your thoughts in to mmatorch@gmail.com so we can make the mobile site the best experience for you! We truly appreciate the feedback, and we're making changes as necessary. Here's what's on the site tonight:
-In a new roundtable today, the crew looks at whom Robbie Lawler should face in his first UFC title defense. Excerpt from Rich Hansen: “If Rory MacDonald wins the title, and if Georges St-Pierre is ever going to return to the UFC, and if St-Pierre will never fight MacDonald, and if you understand the concept of making money... then Robbie Lawler's next fight needs to be this March, in Montreal, versus Georges St-Pierre.” Head to our mobile site at MMATorch.com in your phone or tablet browser for the full roundtable.
-In a brand new MMATorch Livecast tonight, Rich Hansen and I were joined by UFC heavyweight Josh Barnett for a half hour interview, and after that we broke down UFC 181 and much more. Head to the mobile site to listen to this week's two hour episode of our weekly podcast.
-Joe Rogan absolutely eviscerated his supposed friend Brendan Schaub on Schaub's own podcast today. The conversation came after Schaub's loss to Travis Browne last weekend, and Rogan did not hold back. Catch some comments from the broadcast, with further analysis on Rogan's approach and overall message on the mobile site now.
-Anderson Silva opened up on his thoughts regarding homosexual competitors in MMA, expressing a refreshing and much needed outlook on why he believes there are many closeted competitors, with many others afraid to speak up.
We thank all of our readers for their feedback and patience as we continue making improvements on the new mobile site. We're an independent voice in the MMA space with no corporate backing, and as such we stay afloat on ad revenue. This shift to the full listing on mobile web brings us a better chance to keep ourselves going and to bring our readers everything we have for the last five years and more, as the mobile advertising market is simply stronger than that on the app. Continue sending us your feedback to mmatorch@gmail.com and let us know how the new features with the Disqus comments section and more are working for you on mobile web!
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/torchtoday/article_24203.shtml
Dominick Cruz Hurt Again, Now Out with Right ACL Knee Injury
Former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz (pictured) just can’t catch a break on the injury front. After finally ending his three-year hiatus due to various wounds, which forced the UFC to strip him of his 135-pound crown, Cruz announced Monday via Facebook that he has suffered an ACL injury to his right knee. “It is [...]
Source: http://www.5thRound.com/179114/dominick-cruz-hurt-again-now-out-with-right-acl-knee-injury/
Sunday, 28 December 2014
The Sunday Junkie deadline reminder, win a free 'Fighters Only' subscription
As a reminder, submissions for the upcoming edition of "The Sunday Junkie" are due by Sunday at 10 a.m. ET. All topics - including this week's flurry of fight bookings and all upcoming events - are open for discussion. The person who sends in the submission we deem the best (based on timeliness of subject, clarity and overall persuasiveness) is the winner.
Each winner receives a free year's subscription to "Fighters Only," the world's leading MMA and lifestyle magazine.
CM Punk signs multi-fight deal with UFC
Phil “CM Punk” Brooks has signed a multi-fight deal with Ultimate Fighting Championship and will make his Octagon debut in 2015, the promotion announced Saturday night.
The UFC teased a big announcement following the first match of the UFC 181 pay-per-view portion and delivered. Joe Rogan interviewed Brooks cageside at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Brooks, 36, wasn’t sure of a weight class yet, but said both middleweight and welterweight were options.
“I have a background in kempo and I’ve been doing Brazilian jiu-jitsu for a long time," Brooks told Rogan. "This is my new career, 100-percent. I'm going to go full steam ahead, all systems go after today, and it's going to be fun. I have nothing but respect for everybody here at the UFC, everybody who steps in the Octagon to fight. And when it's all said and done, when I'm finished, everybody's going to have to respect me because I have come here to fight."
The former WWE champion has made headlines last week for a series of podcast interviews where he ripped Vince McMahon’s company for how he was treated during his eight years as a performer. The WWE fired Brooks earlier this year and he has now stated on multiple occasions that he has no intentions of ever returning.
That opens the door for mixed martial arts, a sport that Brooks has followed closely while competing in the WWE. He’s no stranger to UFC pay-per-views and has made several “Gracie Breakdown” cameos alongside friend and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu instructor Rener Gracie.
“I felt like it was now or never," Brooks added. "I have a limited window most fighters don't have. I'm either here to win or get my ass kicked.
What kind of impact will the 6-foot-2 Brooks have in UFC? It's hard to say until he settles on a weight class and trainer. In terms of being a pay-per-view draw, there's only one Brock Lesnar, so we can stop with that comparison.
But Brooks will be able to attract new eyeballs to the sport and the UFC should see a noticeable spike during his debut fight. Before he left the WWE, Brooks developed a cult following and was easily one of the most popular wrestlers on the roster.
Plus, let’s not forget one of the reasons why Brooks’ popularity surged was his gift of gab on the microphone. As Conor McGregor has proven in 2014, you can get a long way in MMA if you know how to turn it “on” for the cameras.
Dana White hit a home run the last time he brought over a former WWE champion. We shall see if White's latest pro wrestling investment will once again deliver.
Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/cm-punk-signs-multi-fight-deal-with-ufc-035256156.html
Fight Network Presents M-1 Challenge 54 LIVE Tomorrow, Dec. 17 at 1:30 p.m. ET
Fight Network Presents M-1 Challenge 54 LIVE Tomorrow, Dec. 17 at 1:30 p.m. ET Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents a live broadcast of M-1 Challenge 54 from Ice Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia, tomorrow, Wednesday, Dec. 17 at 1:30 p.m. ET. Fight Network’s live […]
Fight Network Presents M-1 Challenge 54 LIVE Tomorrow, Dec. 17 at 1:30 p.m. ET is a post from: MMA Interplay
Saturday, 27 December 2014
Champ Rockhold calls Larkin attack 'pretty amateur,' eyes early 2013 for return
Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold today told MMAjunkie.com that he never signed a bout agreement to fight Lorenz Larkin and never intended to fight at the promotion's final event. When officials announced the Jan. 12 event in early November, Rockhold said he informed them a wrist injury lingered and that he was unable to fight.
That's why he's particularly irritated by a series of verbal attacks from Lorenz Larkin regarding his willingness to compete.
UFC 184: Weidman vs. Belfort, UFC FN 59: McGregor vs. Siver, Sanchez Off UFC 180 on MMA Newsmakers - Videos
http://fightnetwork.com/ - Fight Network's John Pollock, John Ramdeen & Robin Black bring us the latest including Chris Weidman vs. Vitor Belfort in works for middleweight title bout at UFC 182; Belfort reportedly not tested since NSAC hearing, Conor McGregor vs. Dennis Siver set for UFC Fight Night 59 and Diego Sanchez off UFC 180 with a knee injury on Newsmakers. For additional coverage of MMA, boxing and pro-wrestling check out http://fightnetwork.com/ or follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/fightnet or find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FightNetwork
New CM Punk news, Q&A, Team, and rough debut date
---Quote---
- While there was some speculation that CM Punk would make his UFC debut on the promotion’s big July show, it is currently expected that...
- While there was some speculation that CM Punk would make his UFC debut on the promotion’s big July show, it is currently expected that...
Source: http://www.mmaforum.com/ufc/190937-new-cm-punk-news-q-team-rough-debut-date.html
Friday, 26 December 2014
'Bad Boy' Leonard Garcia retires, leaves enduring legacy of amazing fights
Coming the day before the sport's three biggest promotions, the UFC, Bellator and the World Series of Fighting, all staged televised fight cards, the news hasn't gotten all that much attention.
But featherweight Leonard Garcia's decision to retire following a loss to Daniel Pineda at Legacy FC 37 was a stinging blow to mixed martial arts.
Garcia was never the most talented fighter, but he gave every ounce of what he had to give every time out, and he'll be remembered as one of the most exciting fighters of his generation.
Garcia, 35, retires with a pedestrian 18-13-1 mark. In his biggest bout, he was submitted by Mike Brown via triangle choke in the first round in a bout for the World Extreme Cagefighting featherweight title.
But it's not titles or significant wins that made Garcia so memorable. It was his desire to put on a show, a willingness to accept two punches to land one, that made him popular and makes his retirement a dark day for the sport's fan base.
He won Fight of the Night four times in the UFC and twice in the WEC. He also had a Knockout of the Night in the WEC and his April 24, 2010, bout at WEC 48 with Chan Sung Jung, aka "The Korean Zombie," remains high on the list of any fans' compilation of top MMA bouts.
Garcia fought in a division with men infinitely more talented, but he made himself a name by sheer heart and desire.
The sport would be better with a lot more fighters with the fighting spirit that Garcia brought every time out to the cage.
Score Fighting Series 7 weigh-in results: Mein and Petz cleared for tonight's headliner
All fighters are on weight for tonight's Score Fighting Series 7 event. On Thursday the event's 20 fighters successfully made weight, including headliner/UFC vet Forrest Petz (170.6 pounds) and borrowed Strikeforce fighter Jordan Mein (170.4).
Score Fighting Series 7 takes place at Hamilton Place Theatre in Ontario, Canada. The main card airs live on AXS TV in the U.S. (and The Score in Canada) at 10 p.m. ET.
UFC 181: WHERE TO FOLLOW TONIGHT'S EVENT REPORT
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If you're looking for our live UFC 181 coverage tonight, head to our mobile site at MMATorch.com in your phone or tablet browser. Full play by play, star ratings, reactions, commentary, and more will be there. Follow along throughout the week to all the live news and updates on the new specially designed mobile site, and head there during every major event for live coverage!
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/torchtoday/article_24136.shtml
UFC accused of 'illegal market monopolization' in lawsuit filed by former, current fighters
Three high-profile mixed martial arts fighters filed a class-action lawsuit Tuesday accusing the UFC of illegally monopolizing power in the industry by eliminating its competition.
Former UFC fighters Jon Fitch and Nate Quarry, along with Cung Le, who is still under contract with the UFC, also accuse the Zuffa-owned company of "artificially suppressing fighters' " earnings with their contracts and practices.
The civil suit alleges that the UFC has violated the Sherman Antitrust Act by illegally scheming to create a non-competitive marketplace that restricts the earning capabilities of fighters, as well as coercing fighters to relinquish rights to their names and likenesses. The plaintiffs seek injunctive relief and damages, and the suit claims to represent a class of current and former UFC fighters in similar situations as Le, Quarry and Fitch.
"This lawsuit is about fairness," Quarry told reporters during a press conference in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday. "It's about a fair market value for the athletes. … It's time for those things to change. We deserve to be out in a free market place."
Zuffa is primarily owned by billionaires Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta, along with UFC president Dana White.
The UFC has had a stranglehold on MMA for the majority of the 21st century, and Zuffa has either bought up or driven out several other viable promotions. The suit references past statements made by White and other UFC officials comparing the promotion and its practices to that of the NFL and NBA, but makes a distinction in regards to those leagues' ability to foster an open market by creating a bidding war among individual teams.
The lawsuit alleges that the UFC has maintained control of more than 90 percent of the revenue derived from live MMA bouts nationwide. It also maintains that the UFC has allegedly retaliated against fighters who have worked with or who have announced intentions to work with rival promoters.
“UFC’s threats are taken seriously by fighters because they know that a UFC ban will substantially diminish, if not end, their ability to earn a living at their chosen profession,” said plaintiffs’ co-counsel Joseph Saveri of Saveri Law Firm, Inc. “These MMA professionals deserve the right to take back their careers.”
For its part, the UFC posted the following statement to its website:
"The UFC is aware of the action filed today but has not been served, nor has it had the opportunity to review the document. The UFC will vigorously defend itself and its business practices."
Below is the lawsuit, in full:
Cung Le, et al. v. Zuffa, LLC, d/b/a UFC
Jon Jones hate
The hate against Jon Jones is maybe the most inexplicable thing in MMA today. The whole internet is filled with hate about this guy and it's funny to...
Source: http://www.mmaforum.com/ufc/190817-jon-jones-hate.html
UFC 179 Embedded: Vlog Series - Episode 4 - Videos
On episode #4 of UFC 179 Embedded, featherweight sensation Conor McGregor enjoys the sights, sounds and people on a Brazilian beachfront. Champion Jose Aldo and challenger Chad Mendes cross paths repeatedly in the hotel and at media events, before finally facing off at weigh-ins. Light heavyweight star Glover Teixeira stays relaxed in his home country as his opponent Phil Davis counts down the days and hours until their co-main event clash. UFC Embedded is an all-access, behind-the-scenes video blog series focusing on the days leading up to the epic UFC 179: Aldo vs. Mendes 2 fight card, taking place Saturday, October 25, on Pay-Per-View.Source: http://mmalice.com/videos/ufc-179-embedded-vlog-series-episode-4-video_un5kyuzd.html
Thursday, 25 December 2014
Ask the Fight Doc: What do you make of Nick Denis' unexpected MMA retirement?
Promising UFC bantamweight Nick Denis caught many surprise when he announced his MMA retirement on Thursday. As the former Ph.D. student detailed in his blog, Denis was concerned about brain injury and decided to call it quits at just 29 years old.
MMAjunkie.com medical columnist and consultant Dr. Johnny Benjamin read Denis' blog and gives his thoughts on the fighter's decision.
UFC champ Ronda Rousey: ' I would rather die than lose'
UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey is undefeated in her MMA career, and she intends to keep it that way. In fact, during a recent interview with Showtime, the "Rowdy" one said she'd rather die than lose a fight.
“I know that I would rather physically die than die inside from losing a fight. I remember every single loss of my career, but have forgotten so many of my victories," she said. “It’s not that I’ve never lost; it’s that I’ve lost at the worst times, so I know what a loss is. That’s why I want to win so much more than these other girls."
According to the 135-pound queen, she's already psychologically faced that choice during fights and pushed through.
“There have been times during a fight when I thought I was going to die,” Rousey said. “I thought to myself, ‘I would rather break my neck than lose this fight.’"
The former two-time Judo Olympian has lost throughout her athletic career. If an MMA fighter is going to beat Rousey, however, she insists it won't be because she gave up.
“I will never tap out of a fight because I know the feeling of losing," she said. "I know that I would rather die than lose a fight.”
Rousey next defends her UFC championship in January against No. 1 contender Cat Zingano.
Check out what's buzzing on the Yahoo Sports Minute:
Follow Elias on Twitter @EliasCepeda & @YahooCagewriter
Video: Strikeforce's Larkin lashes out at Rockhold's withdrawal, questions UFC timing
Lorenz Larkin said injuries could excuse him from Strikeforce's final card. The middleweight today told MMAjunkie.com Radio he's accumulated all the bumps and bruises that come with four months of training.
Yet Larkin wouldn't think of bowing out like his opponent did. He said he needs to fight every five months, or he creates problems for his girlfriend and everyone else around.
Watch UFC 183’s Anderson Silva End Rich Franklin’s Reign as Middleweight Champ
Anderson Silva will return to the Octagon in just over a month, and the UFC has started posting some of the legendary fighter’s greatest hits… Of course, one of them took place way back in 2006 (it’s crazy how time flies), when Silva took on Rich Franklin at UFC 64. At the time, Franklin was […]
Wednesday, 24 December 2014
UFC champ Georges St. Pierre details UFO encounter
For years, it was an open secret that Georges St. Pierre had some fears relating to what he suspected were alien encounters. The former UFC welterweight champ touched on some perhaps related matters during an interview awhile back on The Joe Rogan Experience, during which he spoke about unexplained time lapses.
Rogan, and this writer, would later go on to wonder out loud with concern if such experiences were related to the multiple concussions a fighter like St. Pierre had sustained over his fight career. No one will ever know for sure, but St. Pierre elaborated on another experience that he says he can't come up with an explanation for during an appearance on Chael Sonnen's great new You're Welcome podcast.
Check out the segment above, and listen to the full podcast here.
Sonnen asked St. Pierre, "I wanna know your opinion. Do we have aliens that have visited this country?"
"Rush" had this to say in response:
"I never talk about aliens," he said.
"I talk about non-identified flying objects. And if you don't believe me, one day I was in Albuquerque ... with Rashad Evans and [former UFC fighter and former wrestling coach for Evans and St. Pierre] Mike Van Arsdale, a fighter called Alejandro, he's a Mexican guy, and also Ali [Abdel-Aziz], I believe he managed Frankie Edgar. And we're all in the car ... in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on the highway, and we saw a UFO all together.
"I don't know what it was, but it's something that we cannot explain ... it came swift towards us and right away it changed directions and it disappeared."
Have you ever seen something flying in the sky that you couldn't explain, or later learned what it was? Let us know in the comments section!
Follow Elias on Twitter @EliasCepeda & @YahooCagewriter
12/22 AFTERNOON UPDATE: Bantamweights Cruz and Assuncao suffer leg injuries in training; Rampage on return to the UFC; UFC inks new Canadian TV deal; Dollaway says Machida kick left him "basically paralyzed"
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12/22 AFTERNOON UPDATE
If you're tuning in to the App for the first time in a while, make sure to check out the big update on the App's home page for notes and information on the changes made to the new mobile site at MMATorch.com in your mobile browser. Keep sending your thoughts in to mmatorch@gmail.com so we can make the mobile site the best experience for you! We truly appreciate the feedback, and we're making changes as necessary. Here's what's on the site this afternoon:
-The UFC's bantamweight division suffered two major blows today, as both Dominick Cruz and Raphael Assuncao revealed that they've suffered injuries in training. Cruz suffered an ACL injury on his right knee, the opposite of the knee for which he went through two ACL procedures during his three year layoff. Assuncao, meanwhile, suffered a broken ankle. Get more from both fighters with further analysis on their injuries and the state of the bantamweight division by heading to our mobile site at MMATorch.com in your phone or tablet browser.
-Rampage Jackson discussed his return to the UFC in a new feature from Fox Sports, explaining why he was willing to come back to the organization despite the way he left in 2013. Catch his comments with further analysis on the mobile site now.
-The UFC has inked a new television deal in Canada which will bring them to several platforms with TSN, RDS, and The Fight Network. Head to the mobile site for more details on the deal and comments from UFC, TSN, and TFN reps.
-C.B. Dollaway says he was “basically paralyzed” by the body kick from Lyoto Machida at UFC Fight Night 58, and he's hoping that the pain wasn't any more than because of the liver shot. Catch his post-fight comments with further thoughts on the mobile site.
We thank all of our readers for their feedback and patience as we continue making improvements on the new mobile site. We're an independent voice in the MMA space with no corporate backing, and as such we stay afloat on ad revenue. This shift to the full listing on mobile web brings us a better chance to keep ourselves going and to bring our readers everything we have for the last five years and more, as the mobile advertising market is simply stronger than that on the app. Continue sending us your feedback to mmatorch@gmail.com and let us know how the new features with the Disqus comments section and more are working for you on mobile web!
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/torchtoday/article_24324.shtml
UFC's Dan Hardy plans future training sessions with St-Pierre, targets spring return
After a four-fight skid that had him thinking about retirement, Dan Hardy's evolution is continuing in the midst of a two-fight resurgence. The former UFC welterweight title challenger is coming off a stint at Montreal's Tristar Gym to help champion and former nemesis Georges St-Pierre prepare for common opponent Carlos Condit.
And recently, the Brit revealed he is planning to train in the future with St-Pierre and the Tristar crew.
Titles and soccer stadiums: Conor McGregor's big plans
If you think UFC featheweight Conor McGregor has accomplished a lot in just four fights in the promotion, wait until you hear what he's got planned next. The Irishman has already all but been promised a title shot, next, against the winner of this month's championship rematch between Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes.
In a recent interview with SevereMMA, McGregor predicts when he'll win the title, where he'll defend it, and announces some division-hopping plans for afterwards. "I’ve skipped the queue and now I’m the world title contender, I’m number one contender. My next fight is most likely going to be for the title. After that there will be no catching me,” he exclaimed," McGregor began.
“I’ll win the belt, maybe I’ll defend it in the Aviva [Stadium] and then I’ll challenge for the lightweight belt, then who knows? That’s definitely in my plans, you better believe that."
For all us Americans out there, Aviva Stadium is a 50,000 seat soccer stadium in McGregor's home of Dublin, which would make it the largest live spectator event in UFC history. So, McGregor ain't planning small.
As for lightweight, McGregor said that a move up in class is all but inevitable. “If a 155 fight came up I will take it. I’m only gone 26, I’m not going to be making featherweight my whole career, it’s a tough cut. I do it and I do it professionally, but it’s tough," he explained.
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Related Video:
Josh Samman obliterates Eddie Gordon with one of year's best KOs
LAS VEGAS -- Josh Samman didn't have a very good first round against Eddie Gordon. The middleweight winner of "The Ultimate Fighter" Season 19, Gordon used his strength and his wrestling to control Samman in the first.
But Gordon was loading up on every punch he threw, throwing from left field, and it guaranteed him a spot in the highlight reels for years to come.
As Gordon appeared to wind back to fire a right hand, Samman blasted him along the side of the face with a head kick during their bout at UFC 181 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Gordon went down as if he'd been shot and the fight was over in an instant.
“He seemed to struggle a lot with southpaws, so we watched tons of tape to see how to counter that," Samman said after the fight. "That’s essentially where that kick came from and we trained to set it up time and time again.”
It’s been a tough year for me. Tonight was easy compared to what I’ve been through and I can’t thank everyone enough for their support.”
It was unquestionably one of the best and most vicious knockouts of the year, but it also ranks up there with the sport's best head kick knockouts ever. It was reminscent in many ways of a head kick knockout on TUF by Uriah Hall, who cold-cocked Adam Cella.
Jose Aldo says UFC fighters deserve better pay
UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo's confidence seems to extend outside of the Octagon, and into the business world of MMA. "Scarface" seems just as quick with a criticism of UFC brass (well, at least since president Dana White began to inexplicably bash his dominant and entertaining champ) as he is with one of his nasty leg kicks.
With a title defense this Saturday in his home of Brazil against Chad Mendes (14-1), Aldo recently once more spoke up about what he views as he and other UFC fighters' relatively meager pay to take part in one of the world's most extreme sports. When Brazilian outlet Globo asked Aldo (24-1) - by far, the UFC's longest reigning champion - in a recent interview if he deserved higher pay from the UFC, he said, 'yes,' but also that he isn't the only one.
"Not only me, but also other athletes deserve it," he said.
"We [fighters] give a lot to the company, and I think it is not as valued as it should... Nowadays the company is very large and athletes are very devalued."
Aldo says that, while the UFC pays fighters well when things are going well, the promotion is fickle and not particularly loyal once things go a bit rougher. "If you're fighting well, you are valued by the company," he explained.
"But you're fired if you lose three straight fights."
Fighting for purses makes for an unpredictable, and difficult-to-budget, life. Aldo says that fighters like himself have no problem laying it on the line in the sport they love, but he wishes that the labor got a bigger share of the UFC's all-time high riches.
"We do not earn a monthly salary, so we have to keep fighting," Aldo said.
"We try to always give the maximum in training to get in there and fight, thus raising millions for the company. We also want to have part of these millions."
Do you think that exciting, dominant UFC champs like Aldo should get a higher percentage of the UFC's revenue? Or, do you think the increasing wages, over the years, are about right, given how new the UFC is, and all their expenses?
Let us know in the comments section.
Follow Elias on Twitter @EliasCepeda & @YahooCagewriter
UFC Bantamweight Division Hit With Another Injury
Just hours after No. 1 UFC bantamweight contender Dominick Cruz announced that he will spend much of 2015 on the sidelines with a knee injury, Raphael Assuncao has joined him. Assuncao, who was passed over for T.J. Dillashaw earlier this year due to an injury, sent out a message on Twitter that he suffered a […]
The post UFC Bantamweight Division Hit With Another Injury appeared first on MMA Convert.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmaconvert/~3/sRaTr5fiVrM/
Tuesday, 23 December 2014
UFC 179: How'd You Get Your Nickname - Videos
Stars from UFC 179 reveal how they received they nicknames. UFC 179 goes down this Saturday, October 25th on Pay-Per-View!Source: http://mmalice.com/videos/ufc-179-howd-you-get-your-nickname-video_gv3acwfa.html
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