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Well, that’s certainly one way to spin it.
Daniel Cormier is saying that, instead of a reward, the UFC is actually punishing Brock Lesnar with a title shot. Via FloCombat’s Damon Martin:
“Brock Lesnar’s getting punished for all his discretions,” Cormier told FloCombat following his win at UFC 226. “All the bad that he’s done, all the times that he’s left the UFC and come back to the UFC—even right now it could be seen as preferential treatment [since] he’s walking into a title fight.
“This isn’t preferential treatment for Brock Lesnar. This is a punishment.”
Doesn’t make sense to you? Cormier proceeds to elaborate.
“I’m telling you: The UFC is clear as day, [and] they are not rewarding Brock Lesnar,” Cormier said. “They are punishing him for some of the things he has done over the course of his career.”
Still not making sense? Perhaps DC really thinks that in an age where Conor McGregor fought in the second-biggest boxing match of all time and the U.S. has a reality TV star for a president, he can actually convince people up is down. His argument hinges on one important fact: he feels the UFC know he will beat Brock; they are putting Lesnar in with him over another, more winnable fight as punishment.
“I feel great going into the matchup with Brock,” Cormier said. “He’s a big, tough guy, a strong guy. He’s going to come in and he’s going to try and wrestle me. But once that wrestling fails him and his cardio fails him, he will not be able to handle what I’m bringing to the cage.
”He’s not going to be able to handle the pressure. He’s not going to be able to handle the power. He’s not going to be able to handle the approach. It’s just a different approach.”
“Once I figure his timing and feel his power, which I’m not afraid of, I think he’s going to be like, ‘Oh my goodness, I’m in over my head,’” Cormier said. “But at that point you’re already in the Octagon and there’s no escaping it.”
Of course, this cornerstone fails to support DC’s logic, because the UFC also know Lesnar doesn’t have many more fights in him — judging by his teeth he probably doesn’t have a lot of life either — so they probably don’t care a lot whether he wins or loses (he is 0-2-1 since 2010. Wins and losses really don’t seem to matter that much at Lesnar’s fight schedule.) The UFC just want Brock in the biggest possible bouts at this point. In addition, DC is acting like a win over Lesnar won’t set him up as a bigger draw if and when Jon Jones returns.
I won’t fault DC for the angle, though. It’s straight out of a pro wrestling handbook, a good line to play up before a big fight. That’s what we are in for with a Lesnar return. But as Cormier himself reminds us, nothing is scripted once the cage doors close.
Insomnia
Israel Adesanya weighs back in on the Brendan Schaub vs. Dana White controversy.
Violent Bob Ross inspires artwork that is a touch less peaceful than the landscapes his namesake inspired.
Sage wins over hay
Super Sage vs a big bale of hay #UFCBoise pic.twitter.com/H0irp4MRnL
— LORD HONKY HUMUNGUS (@Mr_Honky) July 13, 2018
Well…
Racist in #Chicago drops the n-bomb on brotha minding his business and catches the Blue Line to FadeTown. #TrumpsAmerica #Resist #3rdRailFade #Nah #PunchANazi2018 pic.twitter.com/vFuc9n3a42
— BushMaster Flex (@theori) July 13, 2018
Credit to his girl but these guys were intent on throwing hands at each other in wild and sloppy fashion.
Adam Pacman Jones is taking his talents from Madden 19 to UFC 3 this year pic.twitter.com/BCq0y2EIWZ
— NFL Humor (@NFLHumor) July 11, 2018
Yoel Romero is still going at it
Hey @dc_mma what’s my record against AKA? If you no fight 205 stay heavy and god bless you. I know you know #iluhju #seeyousoonboi and no forget the #towel 206.2 https://t.co/Uw8GkmrlNA
— Peoples Champ (@YoelRomeroMMA) July 13, 2018
Alright, Zak Ottow get creativity points for this.
Nick Newell is a comedic genius for this.
I’m good then https://t.co/fnn3Nrq4vE
— Nick Newell (@NotoriousNewell) July 13, 2018
Al Iaquinta Realty is an all-time great fighter parody account.
All these Eskimo tweets… you know how hard it is to sell an igloo?
— Ragin’ Al (@IAQUINTAREALTY) July 13, 2018
Slips, Rips, KO Clips
Ong Bak elbow
Zebaztian Kadestam #OngBak pic.twitter.com/L1w31ZKqTw
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) July 13, 2018
Adelin Mihaila TKOd Costin Mincu in 1R (ACB KB) pic.twitter.com/cC54wFmgxk
— Jolassanda (@Jolassanda) July 13, 2018
So this is why they say not to lead with your face
This is what ‘they’ mean by twisting someone into a pretzel
Body knees do remind you you are mortal.
the mortal knee by Tunghong Sor.Chitlada (MX) pic.twitter.com/2G9tEe9yAG
— Jolassanda (@Jolassanda) July 13, 2018
Spin, spin again, until lions become unconscious lions
dead
spinning back fist KO by Xiong Dai Li (MX) pic.twitter.com/GMw830gDc3— Jolassanda (@Jolassanda) July 13, 2018
Yes, that is a melting.
Meanwhile, in Japan…
Kyokutaisei gets his first win pic.twitter.com/i20wiQQVi4
— MEGATON (@BasedDongeezus) July 13, 2018
Quick Hits and Good Reads
- BJ Penn will only return if the UFC find him an opponent he can beat. Paging Mike Jackson! Also, if that’s your request, just stay retired, BJ.
- In another instance of a living legend just saying things, Shogun believes he absolutely deserves the next crack at Daniel Cormier’s belt because of course he does.
Podcasts and Video
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I didn’t realize my first MMA fight from 2013 was online- well, the first round anyway. The whole thing felt surreal and my own punches felt like feathers, but I had broken my nose in fight camp so I wasn’t about to have gone through that pain for nothing.
The MMA Ratings podcast
Random Land
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