The prospect of the biggest women’s MMA fight in history happening has been a giant tease up to this point.
There have been rumblings for nearly two years that UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey and Cris “Cyborg” Justino would meet in the Octagon. The conversations have had more starts than stops. For one, Justino has never even made Rousey’s 135-pound weight class.
Most recently, though, UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertittatold ESPN.com last month that the promotion was in negotiations with Justino. And “Cyborg” said on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani on Monday that she believes the Rousey bout will happen.
Justino, 29, still remains under contract with Invicta FC, where she is the women’s featherweight champion. “Cyborg” takes on Charmaine Tweet in the main event of Invicta FC 11 on Feb. 27 in Los Angeles — which just so happens to be one day before Rousey meets Cat Zingano at UFC 184 in the same city.
The Tweet bout is not the last fight on Justino’s contract and Invicta president Shannon Knapp believes “Cyborg” will fight at least one more time for her promotion. However, she feels like the probability of Rousey-Justino happening sometime in the near future is high.
“I can’t really say that it will happen this year,” Knapp told MMAFighting.com. “But what I can tell you is the fans should not give up, because this fight is closer than it has ever been — ever. If it’s gonna happen, I think we’re gonna see it happen possibly by the end of this year or first quarter of next.”
The discussions Knapp have had with Justino have included “Cyborg” hanging around the organization for a bit longer. It’s unclear if she’ll try to cut down to 135 in her next bout or remain at 145. The fight against Tweet will be for Justino’s 145-pound title.
“Invicta is her home,” Knapp said of Justino.
The situation is a difficult one for Knapp. Of course, she has the best interests of Invicta at heart, but as a pioneer of women’s MMA herself, she’d like nothing more than to see Rousey vs. Justino happen. Knapp predicted early last year that the fight would have happened in 2014 and calls it her “all-time fight,” as in the one she wants to see the most in the future.
Knapp and the UFC have a close relationship. Invicta has a broadcast deal with UFC Fight Pass, the UFC’s digital streaming network, and the UFC is helping to promote Invicta FC 11 on its FOX Sports 1 television events. The broadcast deal started in August and has already been renewed through 2015.
“I don’t think I could have asked for a better partnership than the one I’m in right now,” Knapp said.
Next weekend in Los Angeles is primed to be one of the biggest weekends in women’s MMA history. Justino and Rousey will both defend their titles, Invicta will run an all-female card on Friday and Holly Holm will meet Raquel Pennington in the UFC 184 co-main event Saturday.
“I think it’s going to be amazing,” Knapp said. “And definitely I look at it as a landmark weekend for the women.
“Women have certainly carved out their spot in the sport and I think that’s an amazing thing for the female athlete.”
Who knows? Maybe Rousey vs. Cyborg will be the next milestone after that.
The prospect of the biggest women’s MMA fight in history happening has been a giant tease up to this point.
There have been rumblings for nearly two years that UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey and Cris “Cyborg” Justino would meet in the Octagon. The conversations have had more starts than stops. For one, Justino has never even made Rousey’s 135-pound weight class.
Most recently, though, UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertittatold ESPN.com last month that the promotion was in negotiations with Justino. And “Cyborg” said on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani on Monday that she believes the Rousey bout will happen.
Justino, 29, still remains under contract with Invicta FC, where she is the women’s featherweight champion. “Cyborg” takes on Charmaine Tweet in the main event of Invicta FC 11 on Feb. 27 in Los Angeles — which just so happens to be one day before Rousey meets Cat Zingano at UFC 184 in the same city.
The Tweet bout is not the last fight on Justino’s contract and Invicta president Shannon Knapp believes “Cyborg” will fight at least one more time for her promotion. However, she feels like the probability of Rousey-Justino happening sometime in the near future is high.
“I can’t really say that it will happen this year,” Knapp told MMAFighting.com. “But what I can tell you is the fans should not give up, because this fight is closer than it has ever been — ever. If it’s gonna happen, I think we’re gonna see it happen possibly by the end of this year or first quarter of next.”
The discussions Knapp have had with Justino have included “Cyborg” hanging around the organization for a bit longer. It’s unclear if she’ll try to cut down to 135 in her next bout or remain at 145. The fight against Tweet will be for Justino’s 145-pound title.
“Invicta is her home,” Knapp said of Justino.
The situation is a difficult one for Knapp. Of course, she has the best interests of Invicta at heart, but as a pioneer of women’s MMA herself, she’d like nothing more than to see Rousey vs. Justino happen. Knapp predicted early last year that the fight would have happened in 2014 and calls it her “all-time fight,” as in the one she wants to see the most in the future.
Knapp and the UFC have a close relationship. Invicta has a broadcast deal with UFC Fight Pass, the UFC’s digital streaming network, and the UFC is helping to promote Invicta FC 11 on its FOX Sports 1 television events. The broadcast deal started in August and has already been renewed through 2015.
“I don’t think I could have asked for a better partnership than the one I’m in right now,” Knapp said.
Next weekend in Los Angeles is primed to be one of the biggest weekends in women’s MMA history. Justino and Rousey will both defend their titles, Invicta will run an all-female card on Friday and Holly Holm will meet Raquel Pennington in the UFC 184 co-main event Saturday.
“I think it’s going to be amazing,” Knapp said. “And definitely I look at it as a landmark weekend for the women.
“Women have certainly carved out their spot in the sport and I think that’s an amazing thing for the female athlete.”
Who knows? Maybe Rousey vs. Cyborg will be the next milestone after that.
Antonio Silva is one of the most physically imposing specimens that the UFC heavyweight division has to offer. What you do with that strength is ultimately measured in wins and losses and “Bigfoot” has racked up plenty of “Ls” as of late.
The No….
Antonio Silva is one of the most physically imposing specimens that the UFC heavyweight division has to offer. What you do with that strength is ultimately measured in wins and losses and “Bigfoot” has racked up plenty of “Ls” as of late.
The No. 8-ranked Silva draws the No. 13-ranked Frank Mir at UFC Fight Night 61 in Porto Alegre, Brazil on February 22. Silva is 0-2-(1) in his last three bouts and has been finished twice against heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez and former UFC champion Andrei Arlovski.
In between those Octagon appearances, the former heavyweight title challenger tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone, effectively turning a previous majority draw with Mark Hunt into a no-contest. The pair’s bloody battle in Brisbane, Australia surely added to the legacy of Silva, who is also known for bludgeoning former Strikeforce heavyweight champion FedorEmelianenko silly.
An early 2014 ban by the UFC on testosterone-replacement therapy put the then-34-year-old in a bind. TRT, though, was what helped Silva lead a healthy life and what also forced him into a September surgery to remove a tumor on his pituitary gland.
“The surgery went very well and it really helped me,” Silva told Bleacher Report’s Duane Finley with the assistance of his translator, Alexis Davis. “I’m a lot lighter than I usually am. I’m feeling much better. I have to continue adapting to get better results and continue my career.”
Bigfoot began fighting professionally in mixed martial arts 10 years ago in the famed English fight promotion, Cage Warriors. It was there where he captured two belts, both the heavyweight and super heavyweight titles, before debuting stateside in 2007.
Silva would later catapult himself into the sport’s most prestigious promotion off the strength of his successful Elite XC and Strikeforce campaigns. Right away, Silva was thrown right into the heap atop the UFC’s 265-pound ladder against then top contender Velasquez in May 2012.
He would be dismissed in the first frame by the heavy-handed Mexican at UFC 146.
Whereas Silva came into the Octagon with much promise—11 career knockouts and three submissions (one due to strikes) prior to his debut—the 6’7” giant can now forget about lofty expectations. He’s just fighting for job security.
In fact, he won’t be the only one trying to dodge the proverbial UFC ax come Sunday in Brazil. The pressure will be on both Silva and Mir south of the equator as each looks to stop the bleeding.
The 35-year-old Mir hasn’t seen his hand raised in over three years. Since his UFC 140 win over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in December 2011, he’s dropped four straight in the cage, falling out of the Top 10 in the heavyweight rankings.
The former two-time heavyweight champion remains one of the best Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialists in his division and is an underrated striker.
Mir became the first fighter to knock out and submit the former Pride heavyweight champion Nogueira. He also finished another Pride legend, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, with strikes in the UFC.
Even though his back is against the wall, the Nevada native remains calm, cool and confident ahead of what could be his Octagon swan song.
“Anybody with decent skill, like he has – he’s a black belt in jiu-jitsu – could submit me,” claimed Mir, per The Fight Network (h/t Bloody Elbow). “I’m very much of a scientist. If I was to put money on it, I wouldn’t bet a dollar that he could submit me. Because statistically looking, well, who has he submitted?”
Silva has submitted two foes via his grappling prowess, one being former Sengoku competitor Jim York and the other Elite XC veteran Jonathan Wiezorek. Both have mat experience and boast a total of 13 submission victories between them.
It would be fair to conclude that Mir has the advantage on the ground, especially because he employs his jiu-jitsu quite more often than the Brazilian Silva. Nine men have tapped when caught in his clutches, including notable BJJ black belts Nogueira and Roberto Traven, who is a sixth-degree black belt.
But to say that Silva can’t defeat Mir at his own game is entirely the wrong conversation to have. The pair’s tussle may not last long enough for that to occur.
While he dons the same belt as Mir, we all know where Silva’s bread is buttered. He cashes most of his UFC checks due to the massive haymakers he throws.
It was only two years ago that Silva reeled off two impressive knockouts of top-notch strikers Travis Browne and Alistair Overeem. The latter, a come-from-behind victory against a former K-1 kickboxing champion in Overeem, was eye-opening.
Silva absorbed a barrage of punches and kicks from the Dutchman before capitalizing on an overzealous mistake made by “The Reem.” The victory not only showcased Silva’s will to win but also his strong chin; a definitive trait lacking on the part of Mir.
“The former UFC champion has suffered many knockout losses in his career. Mir’s FightMetric stat for striking defense is a mere 37 percent, and he absorbs just over 4 strikes per minute. That is not a recipe for success,” Bleacher Report’s Nathan McCarter noted.
Mir has crumbled against the power of fighters like Shane Carwin, Junior dos Santos and Josh Barnett. He’s also been the far more mistake-prone fighter of the two as of late.
What this fight comes down to is which fighter will have the easier time imposing their game plan. All signs point towards Silva.
While his takedown defense isn’t the greatest—the Brazilian defends them at a 65 percent clip, per FightMetric—Silva isn’t exactly facing a high-caliber wrestler. Mir doesn’t shoot for takedowns, preferring instead to pursue trips or underhooks against the fence.
As long as Silva stays relatively mobile, and keeps a wide stance, he should remain upright for the duration of the fight.
While Mir’s striking has evolved gradually throughout his career, it’s not nearly of the same quality that Silva has dealt with. Not to mention he’s a southpaw. Mir will need to be aware of Silva’s right hand at all times.
However, speed kills and this will be the first time, in a long time, where the American has the advantage.
“He [Mir] will be able to exploit many holes in Silva’s game this weekend because of that. He will be able to be more active on his feet against Silva and have the potential to hurt him,” predicts McCarter.
The fight could very well play out this way, should Mir begin to tee off early with the poise, pressure and trademark right uppercut he has shown in the past. This is where Silva’s intangibles, I believe, will come into play.
If Bigfoot can fend off being finished by equally as dangerous strikers and submission artists such as Overeem and Fabricio Werdum, I think he can handle Mir.
Francisco Rivera will remain with a loss on his record despite getting poked in the eye en route to defeat.
The Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) ruled that it could not overturn the result of Rivera’s fight with Urijah Faber from UFC 181 dur…
Francisco Rivera will remain with a loss on his record despite getting poked in the eye en route to defeat.
The Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) ruled that it could not overturn the result of Rivera’s fight with Urijah Faber from UFC 181 during its monthly meeting Tuesday in Las Vegas. Because referee Mario Yamasaki missed the eye-poke and didn’t misinterpret a rule, the NAC could not change the bout to a no contest, per commission regulations.
“I would phrase it that we’re powerless to change this decision,” commissioner Skip Avansino said.
In the second round of their fight Dec. 6, Faber poked Rivera in the eye and Rivera covered up. Faber pounced and seconds later finished the bout with a bulldog choke.
Yamasaki issued a statement to the commission saying he missed the foul. Due to that fact, deputy attorney general Christopher Eccles argued that the NAC did not have the ability to change the result, per regulations. A result can only change if a referee misinterpreted a rule. Also, Yamasaki could not use instant replay in this instance, because it can only be utilized if the fight was stopped immediately after the foul.
The commission agreed with Eccles’ argument and upheld the result — a win for Faber and loss for Rivera.
The NAC did leave the door open for reform and better use of its instant replay system in future meetings. Faber, a veteran of MMA, was on the phone for the meeting Tuesday and asked the commissioners how long instant replay has been available in the sport. He was informed since 2007. Bill Brady added that in seven years as a commissioner, he has seen instant replay used only once and that was in a boxing match.
Rivera (10-4, 1 NC) did well in the first round against Faber and many had him winning the fight when the foul happened. He has now lost two straight bouts in the UFC bantamweight division.
Faber (32-7), one of the most popular lighter weight fighters ever, is now on a two-fight winning streak. He’s scheduled to face Frankie Edgar in the main event of UFC Fight Night 66 on May 16 in Manila.
The UFC’s next trip to Australia is quickly getting booked up.
Middleweights Brad Tavares and Robert Whittaker will meet in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Miocic on May 10 in Adelaide, Australia, the UFC announced Tuesday.
Al…
The UFC’s next trip to Australia is quickly getting booked up.
Middleweights Brad Tavares and Robert Whittaker will meet in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Miocic on May 10 in Adelaide, Australia, the UFC announced Tuesday.
Tavares (13-3) rebounded from two straight losses to beat Nate Marquardt by unanuimous decision at UFC 182 on Jan. 3 in Las Vegas. The Ultimate Fighter alum is still just 27 years old and only has three losses on his resume. He’s one of the most consistent middleweights in the UFC.
Whittaker (13-4), an exciting up-and-coming striker, has won two in a row, including a TKO of Clint Hester in Australia back in November. That was Whittaker’s 185-pound debut. Before, he competed in the UFC at welterweight. Whittaker, 24, is a native of New Zealand who currently trains out of New South Wales, Australia.
Perosh (15-8), a wily 42-year-old light heavyweight, has won two of his last three, including a dominant first-round submission of Guto Inocente on that Sydney show in November. Matthews (8-0) is a 20-year-old rising star who has finished both his fights in the UFC. Rawlings (5-4) is one of the most well-known names coming off TUF 20 and a popular Australian women’s MMA star despite having lost two straight bouts.
UFC Fight Night 65 will be headlined by a heavyweight fight between Mark Hunt and Stipe Miocic. This will be the UFC’s first event in Australia in 2015, but there will be at least one or two more.
The Texas regulatory body has no plans to test any UFC 185 fighters out of competition.
Greg Alvarez, the Texas Combative Sports Program director, told MMAFighting.com on Tuesday that the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) h…
The Texas regulatory body has no plans to test any UFC 185 fighters out of competition.
Greg Alvarez, the Texas Combative Sports Program director, told MMAFighting.com on Tuesday that the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) has no policy in place that would enable random, out-of-competition testing before MMA fights and boxing matches. UFC 185 takes place March 14 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
“Nobody has ever brought it up,” Alvarez said. “If it gets brought up at our medical board, then it would get put on the agenda and we would talk about it.”
Some of the UFC’s most high-profile fighters have tested positive in random, out-of-competition screenings recently in Nevada. Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva failed a Jan. 9 test for anabolic steroid metabolites ahead of his UFC 183 main event against Nick Diaz on Jan. 31. The results did not come back until three days after the fight and Silva is facing discipline from the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC).
Jon Jones, the UFC light heavyweight champion, popped for cocaine metabolites in an out-of-competition test, but the recreational drug is not prohibited out of competition so Jones faced no penalty from the NAC. He was fined $25,000 by the UFC for violating its code of conduct.
Alvarez said the TDLR will administer pre-fight, in-competition testing the day of UFC 185 for all fighters at the sanctioning body’s cost. He said no one from the UFC has spoken to him about implementing random testing. The UFC has volunteered to pay for out-of-competition testing in Nevada and California.
The director said it usually takes five to 10 days to get the results back from the pre-fight tests. Alvarez said he has read the news about Silva and others failing tests, but there are no current plans to change the way things are done in Texas until it is added to their medical advisory board agenda.
“When we test, we test whether it’s going to affect their ability that day in that fight,” Alvarez said.
“The way it’s set up here in Texas, we don’t do that pre-testing beforehand. Just the day of.”
The UFC has continued to join the mainstream sports industry through a number of large-scale moves. Its recent partnership with Reebok has created special sponsorship deals for key fighters on its roster. However, as more top-name fighters are selected…
The UFC has continued to join the mainstream sports industry through a number of large-scale moves. Its recent partnership with Reebok has created special sponsorship deals for key fighters on its roster. However, as more top-name fighters are selected, it opens up an interesting vein of conversation as to whether or not the sport of MMA is about more than fighting.
According toFox Sports, Paige VanZant has joined the ranks of UFC fighters who are signed to specialized deals with Reebok. That list includes names such as Jon Jones, Ronda Rousey and ConorMcGregor. Yet VanZant‘s signing has created a bit of controversy at this point in time.
VanZant has a 4-1 professional record which includes one appearance in the Octagon. Even though she has such a small body of work compared to other fighters, she was still given an opportunity that many will not see. Some, however, feel the move was justified.
“She has the personality,” UFC President Dana White said during “The Download” on UFC.com. “Some people have that ‘it factor’ that you can’t teach people, and Paige has it.”
Still, this signing does not sit well with everyone in the promotion. Current women’s strawweight champion Carla Esparza is one who has come out against the message that this signing sends.
“If you are asking me if I feel overlooked by the ‘UFC machine’ while Paige seemingly is getting a lot of play, then I would be lying if I said that thought didn’t cross my mind,” Esparza said in a statement to MMA Junkie. “I get that it’s a business and they have their reasons, so I just have to keep doing what I do, and maybe I will feel that recognition soon.”
Esparza is not the only champion who is without a major deal. Demetrious Johnson, Cain Velasquez, Chris Weidman, TJ Dillashaw and Jose Aldo are other title holders that have not inked specific deals. Aldo is in a similar position as Esparza, as another major name in his division, McGregor, was offered a deal before he was; even though Aldo is the longest UFC title holder to date.
VanZant and McGregor both offer a type of appeal that can attract fans more so than the champions within their divisions. Esparza and Aldo are not known for being talkative or attention-grabbing outside of the cage. Deals such as these will continue to go to the fighters who gain the most attention from fight fans while both in and out of competition.
A simple Google search reveals some interesting stats. As of February 17, the term “Paige VanZant” returns 26,000 results while the term “Carla Esparza” returns 5,590. This is an example as to how VanZant is more of an attraction than Esparza, even if she does not have the resume.
Mixed martial arts needs names such as these to continue to attract attention to build bigger fights. While individuals such as Esparza may be upset with the current direction of the sport, it is a necessary evil for the continued growth of the promotion.
Antonio Silva is one of the most physically imposing specimens that the UFC heavyweight division has to offer. What you do with that strength is ultimately measured in wins and losses and “Bigfoot” has racked up plenty of “Ls” as of late. 
