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Daniel Cormier: Why The Hell Is Jon Jones Still Interim Champ?

Daniel Cormier vs. Jon Jones has been booked four times, but it’s only happened once for a variety of unfortunate set of circumstances or another, many of which have to do with Jones’ sad string of baffling troubles which seem to be building on one another. That’s left current champion Cormier angling for a bout

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Daniel Cormier vs. Jon Jones has been booked four times, but it’s only happened once for a variety of unfortunate set of circumstances or another, many of which have to do with Jones’ sad string of baffling troubles which seem to be building on one another.

That’s left current champion Cormier angling for a bout with Anthony “Rumble” Johnson, the man whom he beat to originally win the the title at UFC 187 after Jones was arrested for fleeing the scene after hitting a 25-year-old pregnant woman and breaking her arm. “Rumble” has since won three straight bouts by dominating knockout, yet UFC President Dana White recently teased a potential fight between him and Jones.

After he was removed from the main event of UFC 200 and temporarily suspended by USADA for testing positive for estrogen blocker clomiphene and aromatase inhibitor Letrozole metabolites, Jones has recently teased he’d be back sooner than later, and rumors have suggested he only got flagged because he was on Cialis. Even if he does get off and is able to fight, however, Cormier doesn’t want to be scheduled to fight Jones.

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He told Brian Stann on SiriusXM (via MMA Fighting) that he can’t believe Jones is still the interim champ, and is adamant any Jones vs. Johnson bout should not be for the interim title because he is healthy:

“Now one thing I completely disagree with, completely – and I don’t care who hears it – why in the hell would Jon still be the interim champion? That makes no sense. That makes absolutely no sense. They should not be fighting for an interim championship. That makes no sense at all. I don’t even know why he would still be the interim champion. His ass was disqualified. Take that freakin’ belt off of him. That’s stupid.

“I hope to God Dana misspoke, because that makes absolutely no sense. They aren’t fighting for some interim title if they fight. They can fight in the main event because it’s a big fight but it’s a fun fight. If they fight, they fight to determine the number one contender it’s not some interim championship fight. That makes no sense at all…You’d have an interim champion defending the interim championship while the actual champion is actually still there. That makes no sense whatsoever.”

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Hard to argue against the common sense of that statement, but the UFC has already seen one interim title bout take place this year while Conor McGregor was engrossed in his feud with Nate Diaz. Cormier admitted he needed at least 10-12 weeks to prepare for his next fight, so that put any hope for a true light heavyweight title bout in 2016 on hold.

Jones would still most likely be suspended for the rest of the year even if he does get off with the tainted supplement defense, as fighters like Yoel Romero and Tim Means both received six-month sits for the same.

“DC” and “Rumble” have both agreed that Jones should have to work his way back up, but there will always be those who argue Jones never lost the belt and should therefore always have a clear shot at it until he loses. Which side are you on?

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Top Seven Pay-Per-View Draws In UFC History

Mixed martial arts is a business, and the UFC, specifically, is based primarily on the pay-per-view (PPV) model, meaning that the promotion’s biggest shows and biggest successes come through PPV. Of course, the UFC has begun to produce more and more fights on free television in recent memory, but the biggest stars the company has

The post Top Seven Pay-Per-View Draws In UFC History appeared first on LowKick MMA.

Mixed martial arts is a business, and the UFC, specifically, is based primarily on the pay-per-view (PPV) model, meaning that the promotion’s biggest shows and biggest successes come through PPV. Of course, the UFC has begun to produce more and more fights on free television in recent memory, but the biggest stars the company has to offer have and likely always will reside on PPV.

With that being said, being the most talented fighter doesn’t always carry over to being a PPV draw so to say. Look no further than dominant flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson to understand this statement. “Mighty Mouse” is the reigning pound-for-pound king, but his PPV sales have never been the most impressive.

In a day and age where stars and ‘money fights’ seem to be all the rage, let’s take a look at the top seven pay-per-view draws in UFC history:

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Randy Orton Unloads On ‘Little Person’ Conor McGregor

The worlds of pro wrestling and mixed martial arts were merged once again this past Saturday. After 18 months of being signed to the promotion, CM Punk made his debut at UFC 203. It wasn’t only his first UFC fight, it was his MMA debut also. The signing of (real name) Phillip Brooks was met

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The worlds of pro wrestling and mixed martial arts were merged once again this past Saturday. After 18 months of being signed to the promotion, CM Punk made his debut at UFC 203. It wasn’t only his first UFC fight, it was his MMA debut also. The signing of (real name) Phillip Brooks was met with a fair dose of criticism from fighters and fans. Following such a long period between his signing and first fight, CM Punk’s debut was a wash in all respects.

Mickey Gall took the initiative and dominated Punk from the opening bell. Taking just seconds to get his bewildered foe to the canvas, Gall pummelled the former WWE star with conviction. The BJJ brown belt sunk in a fight ending choke which also apparently ended the CM Punk experiment in the UFC. Where the ex-WWE champion scored a huge victory was in the UFC 203 salaries. Although he didn’t top the list, Brooks made a cool $500K. That’s a staggering 16.6 times the $30K (15 to show + 15 to win) Gall made.

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The First & Last?

Was this the first and last time we’ll see CM Punk in the UFC? According to UFC president Dana White, most probably the WWE veteran won’t be having his next fight under the same promotion. In terms of UFC fighters getting in the WWE mix, UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor has been trolling his way in to pro wrestler’s hearts for a few weeks now. Blasting the entire WWE roster as ‘pussies,’ the brash Irishman started a social media frenzy with some of pro wrestling’s biggest stars.

When CM Punk got squashed at UFC 203, there was obviously a lot of talk from his old colleagues in the WWE. The wrestling organization even put on a re-enactment of Punk’s UFC loss featuring Dolph Ziggler and The Miz. Someone who was a little less harsh was Randy Orton. ‘The Viper’ voiced his respect towards Punk, but also took the opportunity to fire a few shots at Conor McGregor too.

 

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Jon Jones could remain UFC interim champion … and Daniel Cormier is NOT happy about it

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier wants fights that make sense for his weight class, because the only way to keep mixed martial arts (MMA) more sport than spectacle is by maintaining the integrity…

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier wants fights that make sense for his weight class, because the only way to keep mixed martial arts (MMA) more sport than spectacle is by maintaining the integrity of each division.

Perhaps he missed some of this year’s top headlines.

Conor McGregor was afforded a pair of welterweight fights before making a single title defense at 145 pounds, while CM Punk wrangled himself a pay-per-view (PPV) bout without ever competing in combat sports. Oh, and some old dude who hasn’t won back-to-back contests in five years just earned a middleweight title shot.

Welcome to UFC.

As for Cormier’s latest gripe? It seems UFC President Dana White is considering a light heavyweight showdown between longtime nemesis Jon Jones and top contender Anthony Johnson, a bout that was originally slated for UFC 187 in early 2015. If and when it comes to fruition, “Bones” may be able to once again call himself interim champion.

A “stupid” decision, according to Cormier’s conversation with Brian Stann (via MMA Fighting):

“Now one thing I completely disagree with, completely — and I don’t care who hears it — why in the hell would Jon still be the interim champion? That makes no sense at all. I don’t even know why he would still be the interim champion. His ass was disqualified. Take that freakin’ belt off of him. That’s stupid. I hope to God Dana misspoke, because that makes absolutely no sense. If they fight, they fight to determine the number one contender, it’s not some interim championship fight. That makes no sense at all. You’d have an interim champion defending the interim championship while the actual champion is actually still there. That makes no sense whatsoever.”

The audio:

Belts! Belts for everyone!

Jones has been holding the division hostage for the past 18 months. After a hit-and-run accident sidelined him for a year — and stripped him of the light heavyweight title — “Bones” was popped by United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) just days before his Cormier rematch at UFC 200.

Sandwiched between those incidents was an uninspired decision win over Ovince Saint Preux at UFC 197.

As of now, there is no timetable for his return and Jones still has to avoid a suspension from USADA. In addition, the promotion has yet to reveal if “Bones” remains the interim champion — a title he captured with the “OSP” win — as Cormier awaits his next assignment.

Still lots of pieces to this 205-pound puzzle.

Report: Nick Diaz Still Suspended By NSAC For Non Payment

Popular UFC welterweight Nick Diaz became a cult icon over the past 18 months. The Cesar Gracie Jiu Jitsu product was already famous for his gruff attitude and exciting fights, but when he took on the Nevada Commission it became a different story. After allegedly failing a drug test on the same night he passed

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Popular UFC welterweight Nick Diaz became a cult icon over the past 18 months. The Cesar Gracie Jiu Jitsu product was already famous for his gruff attitude and exciting fights, but when he took on the Nevada Commission it became a different story. After allegedly failing a drug test on the same night he passed two, Diaz’s fighting future became an uncertainty. Following his decision loss to Anderson Silva at UFC 183, a bigger fight was on the horizon. The authority of the NSAC was challenged by Diaz and his legal team, but this had massive consequences.

Nick Diaz’s lawyer seemed to pull out an air-tight defense during the hearing. The Commission was arguably presented with a large dose of reasonable doubt in the saga of Diaz’s failed drug test. Incidentally his Brazilian opponent ‘The Spider’ had failed for anabolic steroids after their fight. The NAC abused their position somewhat, handing down an archaic five-year suspension for Nick Diaz. Suddenly it looked as though Diaz was done fighting, much to the dismay of the MMA community.

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Free Nick Diaz

Here is where things took a turn for the better. The support shown for Nick Diaz far surpassed the realms of mixed martial arts, even sports in general. The ‘free Nick Diaz’ campaign hit the ground running. In no time pop icons such as Cher, the entire UFC roster and stars of movie and TV were rallying for Diaz. White House petitions were signed and a GoFundMe page was set up to help Diaz pay his $165,000 fine. Although the petition was snubbed by the government who said they had no jurisdiction in the matter, the appeals were eventually heard by the NAC.

Diaz’s fine was reduced to $100K, and his suspension dropped to 18 months. Officially the suspension was over and done with on August 1, 2016, but it isn’t over yet. Due to an outstanding balance of $75K, Diaz was unable to corner his younger brother Nate at both UFC 196 & UFC 202. This is not the only issue though. As per Damon Martin, the Nevada Commission won’t let Diaz fight until the sum of his fine is settled.

What happened to the page set up to help Diaz pay his fine? Unlike the White House petition that reached 115,000 signatures, fans only managed to muster $925 to donate to Nick Diaz. That said, perhaps some of Nate’s cash from his two fights against Conor McGregor could help out?

We’ll keep you updated.

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Bellator 161’s Anastasia Yankova ready to surprise MMA fans against ‘dangerous’ Veta Arteaga

Bellator 161: “Kongo vs. Johnson” takes place this Friday night (Sept. 16, 2016) at H-E-B Center in Cedar Park, Texas, featuring a main event between two Heavyweight contenders, Cheick Kongo and Tony Johnson, who are looking to move cl…

Bellator 161: “Kongo vs. Johnson” takes place this Friday night (Sept. 16, 2016) at H-E-B Center in Cedar Park, Texas, featuring a main event between two Heavyweight contenders, Cheick Kongo and Tony Johnson, who are looking to move closer to the currently vacant title.

At the other end of the weight spectrum is a fight that’s likely to draw interest because of a fighter well known for her Internet fandom. Anastasia Yankova is young (25), talented (3-0), and wants to be an inspiration to men and women alike. The budding star of the Flyweight division in Bellator will be tested in her United States debut by Veta Arteaga, who is just a little bit older (28), but also holds a perfect record to date (2-0) in mixed martial arts (MMA).

So what does this latest challenge mean to Yankova? For a starters, it means coming to San Jose, Calif., before the fight to train with and learn from the fighters at American Kickboxing Academy.

“Actually (it’s been) really good. I like San Jose and I like AKA. I’m really happy to finish my training camp here. I’m happy that my coach can come with me here. Everything’s okay. The hard work is done now — it’s just only two days (more) hard work and after that it’s just cut(ting) weight. I feel that I’m ready now and I’m so excited. I’m really happy now. It’s a really great time I think.”

Given the reception she’s received from overly enthusiastic fans in the past it would be natural to wonder how MMA fans in the United States would treat her, but with a laugh Yankova said it’s been nothing but positive so far.

“I’m really surprised that a lot of people know me in San Jose … in America. Before it’s normal for Russia (to be known) and not surprising to me when I’m walking up the street in Moscow and go to (the) mall in Moscow, but here it really surprises me. I don’t feel like I’m a big star, you know? But, sometimes I’m really surprised and really happy that guys come to AKA that ask me for a photo and an autograph, or come with a big photo — print my photo — and I’m like WOWWW. I feel that I inspire people in America too now.”

That much attention could be a distraction for a fighter preparing for a tough opponent like Veta Arteaga. If she’s concerned about it though it doesn’t come across that way — for her the attention is validation of her hard work.

“No, it’s good for me. You go out from (the) gym after really hard sparring and you feel yourself like ‘Oh my God’ you know? You cut weight and you finish your training camp and you feel not really healthy, but it’s normal. In one week, you will be okay, but now you feel like you’re so tired. So people come to the gym only for (a) photo with you, you think like ‘Oh my God yes – I do everything right. I go to my goal and people see it and understand it.'”

Right now her goal is to continue to show off the same submission skills she displayed at Bellator 152. Yankova is aware people will compare her belt rank to Arteaga’s, but is still confident she can prevail.

“(She’s) a good opponent, a really dangerous opponent. If you fight with girl who have really good jiu-jitsu game, be careful. Purple belt is not won here in gym, it’s not through here in gym, it (takes) a really long time. Yes, I don’t have purple belt, I have just only white belt, and I don’t train jiu-jitsu (a) long time, but I have best coach and best gym in the world. I think I’m ready. I’m not afraid or scared. It’s a challenge for me. I think I can and I will (do it).”

That single-minded determination to show off her jiu-jitsu might leave fans wondering if she’ll ever improve as a striker. Yankova doesn’t plan on being a predictable opponent for anybody.

“I like surprising people, and um, first time second time third time everybody everyone (is) waiting on the stand up. I like surprising people (though) and if I can, if I feel that I can finish it, for sure I will. For now for sure my plan is jiu-jitsu, I think it’s not a secret.”

I asked Yankova if she has any favorite training partners at AKA. She was reluctant to cite anybody specifically but given their respective backgrounds one name she mentions won’t surprise you.

“You train with real stars and really legend(ary) fighters. It’s not an easy question because there are a lot of guys bigger than me but a lot of guys really help me. It’s not sparring because I’m little and I’m girl and it’s (a) big difference. I’m like a kid you know? I understand that. We train with Khabib (Nurmagomedov), Khabib every time say ‘C’mon work! Work! C’mon, c’mon!’ It’s good. It’s not sparring partner for sure.”

Considering what Nurmagomedov did to Darrell Horcher I wouldn’t be anxious to spar with him either (nor any bears he previously sparred with). Finally I asked Yankova if she still feels any nerves before a big fight.

“For sure I am excited. For sure I am not super calm. It’s not bad. It’s (a) good feeling. I like this feeling. Now it’s…”

At this point she called on her translator to help her finish the thought.

“The week of the fight, once I get to the hotel and to the city, then I really start to feel like ‘Okay what about the fight?’ Not anxiety but that anticipation and that anxiousness comes on – but I like it. I think it’s a great feeling.”

“Anticipation” is definitely how fight fans are feeling too about seeing her U.S. debut at Bellator 161 on Sept. 16 in Cedar Park, Texas.

Complete audio of our interview is below and complete Bellator MMA coverage can be found right here on fight night.

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