Morning Report: Dana White calls superfight talk ‘destroyed’ and ‘dead’

Don’t hold your breath waiting for so-called ‘superfights’ in the UFC. According to UFC president Dana White, the window may have closed on that pipe dream.

“This whole superfight thing has been destroyed,” White told media during Thursday’s media scrum. “I think it’s dead now. It was fun for a little while. I think it’s over.”

White’s comments seemingly put to rest the endless debate over which UFC champ would rise to rule them all in some sort of catch weight exhibition match. Due to years of dominance from welterweight and middleweight champions Georges St-Pierre and Anderson Silva, talk of getting them into the cage together reached a fevered pitch the past few years. With the emergence of light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, Silva now had another option, likely better suited for him given his one-offs at 205lbs.

Silva, the chain holding this entire notion together, snapped this past July at UFC 162 when Chris Weidman connected on Silva, handing The Spider his first UFC loss. At least Weidman had the forethought to apologize for ruining the UFC’s plans.

With no long-standing champion to face either St-Pierre or Jones, White and Co. sound soured on the concept in general. Even so, Jones declared Tuesday that he’d be confident facing the elite of the UFC’s heavyweight division, including champion Cain Velasquez. With Jones racking up title defenses and the world scanning the horizon for any sort of challenge to Velasquez, it’s conceivable the UFC reconsiders its posture on superfights sooner than later.

Star-divide

5 MUST-READ STORIES

Scrum. Get the latest from Dana White’s UFC 167 pre-fight media scrum.

Take that back. Actually, Jon Jones will not face Glover Teixeira next February at UFC 170.

Not interested. Dana White again declares the UFC is not interested in former Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren, but WSOF is.

20 in 20. Chuck Mindenhall’s series reaches 1995, the year Dan Severn became ‘The Beast.’ “I knew I was going to have to half kill my opponent. And basically, I just about did that twice. I think I delivered well over 300 headbutts in that match against him. And 20 or 30 minutes after that match was done they rushed him off to the hospital because his skull was swelling. I popped two Ibuprofen and I was good to go.”

No interim title. The UFC will not pursue an interim title as lightweight champion Anthony Pettis heals from a torn PCL.

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MEDIA STEW

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UFC 167: Pre-fight Press Conference.

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Johny Hendricks gets nerdy.

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Mark Coleman says ground and pound is becoming a lost art.

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Action from DRAKA 14:

Ilya Goldfinches vs. Karen Karapetyan.

Alexander Matmuratov vs. Filip Rzadek.

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Bellator 108 preview:

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Action from FCC 8:

Rob Beech vs. Tom Bankevics.

Mitchell Head vs. Azi Thomas.

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Michael Beaumont vs. Mark Armstrong from UCMMA 36.

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TWEETS

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Penn bringing in the big guns.

Great stopping by the @TUFonFS1 house to visit @bjpenndotcom pic.twitter.com/O9Zi7heexb

— Johny Hendricks (@JohnyHendricks) November 14, 2013

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It’s been awhile.

I respect fighters like Beltran.. But dude ain’t ready 4 tomorrow. http://t.co/Lkcj4kga69

Quinton Jackson (@Rampage4real) November 14, 2013

@Rampage4real you better kickass tomorrow. So I can still make you twerk!!

Tito Ortiz (@titoortiz) November 14, 2013

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I think we’ll have a lot to look forward to.

Picture of @bisping training. His eye better be ready for April. pic.twitter.com/bGYhUPMuhj

Tim Kennedy (@TimKennedyMMA) November 15, 2013

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Terrifying.

I am on a mission and I will not let any one take my focus away!!!! Essa é minha missão e não deixarei… http://t.co/mEyG1sLRd1

Vitor Belfort (@vitorbelfort) November 14, 2013

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Keep your head on a swivel out there.

One of the most ignorant & sickening things I’ve heard in the news. I feel compelled to do something about this. http://t.co/hz59P3zPZY

Kenny Florian (@kennyflorian) November 14, 2013

These Jersey kids playing A game called knockout.. disgusting. Pussies sneaking up and KOing innocent people.

Jeff Curran (@BigFrogBJJ) November 15, 2013

What the hell is wrong with kids these days!! This new game “knock out” is going to get one of these kids hurt badly or worst!

Michael Johnson (@FollowTheMenace) November 14, 2013

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About that…

Who would you guys like to see me fight now that I am a free agent??? @ufc @lorenzofertitta

— Ben Askren (@Benaskren) November 14, 2013

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Outstanding.

Caught @realskipbayless riding his scooter to work again wearing his cowboy coat! pic.twitter.com/K8lmakGOwf

— Chris Weidman (@ChrisWeidmanUFC) November 14, 2013

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Probably a good thing.

More nervous about this presser than any fight…

Tim Elliott (@TElliott125) November 14, 2013

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FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Announced yesterday (Nov. 14 2013)

cancelled Jon Jones vs. Glover Teixeira at UFC 170

Cole Miller vs. Sam Sicilia at UFC Fight Night 35

T.J. Dillashaw vs. Mike Easton at UFC Fight Night 35

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FANPOST OF THE DAY

Today’s Fanpost of the Day comes via griff111.

MMA: Can it be a truly mainstream sport, worldwide

“Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.”
– Winston Churchill

Now hear me out. Hold the vitriol till you read the entire article if possible. I know us MMA fans can be a little sensitive to criticism, but playing devils advocate can stimulate the discussion, and find solutions to problems; or indicate that perceived problems are phantoms, and not worth worrying our little heads over.

Dana White was hit with a dose of reality recently at a football game, when someone in his core demographic of 18 to 35 years old struck up a conversation asking what it was he did. After saying those three famous letters White probably expected some sort of sign of recognition from his new friend. Instead White was met with a blank stare and questions which indicated that the UFC might as well be the XYZ to this guy. He had no knowledge of the MMA powerhouse. For someone who is as much of a star in the MMA world as his fighters, this must have been a somewhat humbling experience. So, aspirations to be bigger than the NFL may have to be parked for a while.

However, the bigger question for me as someone from the UK is not whether the sport will ever be a mainstream US sport, but whether it’ll ever be a worldwide mainstream sport. Obviously, I’m thinking about this from the UK viewpoint, but the questions are easily transferable to other markets, and UK in the post is easily replaced with Sweden, Ireland etc.

Check out the rest of the post here.

Star-divide

Found something you’d like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me up on Twitter @SaintMMA and we’ll include it in tomorrow’s column.

Don’t hold your breath waiting for so-called ‘superfights’ in the UFC. According to UFC president Dana White, the window may have closed on that pipe dream.

“This whole superfight thing has been destroyed,” White told media during Thursday’s media scrum. “I think it’s dead now. It was fun for a little while. I think it’s over.”

White’s comments seemingly put to rest the endless debate over which UFC champ would rise to rule them all in some sort of catch weight exhibition match. Due to years of dominance from welterweight and middleweight champions Georges St-Pierre and Anderson Silva, talk of getting them into the cage together reached a fevered pitch the past few years. With the emergence of light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, Silva now had another option, likely better suited for him given his one-offs at 205lbs.

Silva, the chain holding this entire notion together, snapped this past July at UFC 162 when Chris Weidman connected on Silva, handing The Spider his first UFC loss. At least Weidman had the forethought to apologize for ruining the UFC’s plans.

With no long-standing champion to face either St-Pierre or Jones, White and Co. sound soured on the concept in general. Even so, Jones declared Tuesday that he’d be confident facing the elite of the UFC’s heavyweight division, including champion Cain Velasquez. With Jones racking up title defenses and the world scanning the horizon for any sort of challenge to Velasquez, it’s conceivable the UFC reconsiders its posture on superfights sooner than later.

Star-divide

5 MUST-READ STORIES

Scrum. Get the latest from Dana White’s UFC 167 pre-fight media scrum.

Take that back. Actually, Jon Jones will not face Glover Teixeira next February at UFC 170.

Not interested. Dana White again declares the UFC is not interested in former Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren, but WSOF is.

20 in 20. Chuck Mindenhall’s series reaches 1995, the year Dan Severn became ‘The Beast.’ “I knew I was going to have to half kill my opponent. And basically, I just about did that twice. I think I delivered well over 300 headbutts in that match against him. And 20 or 30 minutes after that match was done they rushed him off to the hospital because his skull was swelling. I popped two Ibuprofen and I was good to go.”

No interim title. The UFC will not pursue an interim title as lightweight champion Anthony Pettis heals from a torn PCL.

Star-divide

MEDIA STEW

Star-divide

UFC 167: Pre-fight Press Conference.

Star-divide

Johny Hendricks gets nerdy.

Star-divide

Mark Coleman says ground and pound is becoming a lost art.

Star-divide

Action from DRAKA 14:

Ilya Goldfinches vs. Karen Karapetyan.

Alexander Matmuratov vs. Filip Rzadek.

Star-divide

Bellator 108 preview:

Star-divide

Action from FCC 8:

Rob Beech vs. Tom Bankevics.

Mitchell Head vs. Azi Thomas.

Star-divide

Michael Beaumont vs. Mark Armstrong from UCMMA 36.

Star-divide

TWEETS

Star-divide

Penn bringing in the big guns.

Star-divide

It’s been awhile.

Star-divide

I think we’ll have a lot to look forward to.

Star-divide

Terrifying.

Star-divide

Keep your head on a swivel out there.

Star-divide

About that…

Star-divide

Outstanding.

Star-divide

Probably a good thing.

Star-divide

FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Announced yesterday (Nov. 14 2013)

cancelled Jon Jones vs. Glover Teixeira at UFC 170

Cole Miller vs. Sam Sicilia at UFC Fight Night 35

T.J. Dillashaw vs. Mike Easton at UFC Fight Night 35

Star-divide

FANPOST OF THE DAY

Today’s Fanpost of the Day comes via griff111.

MMA: Can it be a truly mainstream sport, worldwide

“Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.”
– Winston Churchill

Now hear me out. Hold the vitriol till you read the entire article if possible. I know us MMA fans can be a little sensitive to criticism, but playing devils advocate can stimulate the discussion, and find solutions to problems; or indicate that perceived problems are phantoms, and not worth worrying our little heads over.

Dana White was hit with a dose of reality recently at a football game, when someone in his core demographic of 18 to 35 years old struck up a conversation asking what it was he did. After saying those three famous letters White probably expected some sort of sign of recognition from his new friend. Instead White was met with a blank stare and questions which indicated that the UFC might as well be the XYZ to this guy. He had no knowledge of the MMA powerhouse. For someone who is as much of a star in the MMA world as his fighters, this must have been a somewhat humbling experience. So, aspirations to be bigger than the NFL may have to be parked for a while.

However, the bigger question for me as someone from the UK is not whether the sport will ever be a mainstream US sport, but whether it’ll ever be a worldwide mainstream sport. Obviously, I’m thinking about this from the UK viewpoint, but the questions are easily transferable to other markets, and UK in the post is easily replaced with Sweden, Ireland etc.

Check out the rest of the post here.

Star-divide

Found something you’d like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me up on Twitter @SaintMMA and we’ll include it in tomorrow’s column.