Mixed martial arts is an ever growing sport, and has evolved massively since the early days circa the 1990’s. With the introduction of the internet and social media, promotions like the UFC have learnt to harness the power of the web to help expand their product to never before seen levels of success. But with
Mixed martial arts is an ever growing sport, and has evolved massively since the early days circa the 1990’s. With the introduction of the internet and social media, promotions like the UFC have learnt to harness the power of the web to help expand their product to never before seen levels of success. But with this widespread use of the internet comes a freedom of speech, a freedom that some abuse to often criminal extents. With their identity safely hidden behind a generic username, the keyboard warriors can be extremely spiteful, especially in MMA.
Two prime examples of when the internet was used to bash UFC fighters recently? Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor. After experiencing their first UFC losses, the two top level stars were also served with a barrage of insulting memes and comments from internet tough guys. It seems that in mixed martial arts, more so than in any other genre, the fans can be extremely unforgiving. Of course you can argue that the UFC itself put these hard feelings in the back of the fan’s minds with their relentless promotion of ‘Rowdy’ and ‘The Notorious,’ but it still doesn’t justify the hate they received.
Two legends of the sport in Mauricio Shogun Rua and Anderson Silva have heard enough, and they blasted the keyboard warriors in recent interviews. Here was Rua’s take on the trolls, as per Combate and translated by BloodyElbow:
“It’s the price you pay when the sport starts to grow. There’s more criticism, more people bugging you. I’m going to give you a pornographic example. I don’t want to generalize, because only a few fans do that. Some people feel good when they go on the internet to criticize. They are like a virgin guy who watches porn all his life and thinks he knows everything about boning, but never had sex. It’s the same thing. Most fans support me. When someone is your fan, they like you as a person and an athlete. Brazilian are fans of results, though. This example goes to that small amount of fans. The virgin who thinks he knows how to bone. They are keyboard warriors.”
So what did former UFC middleweight Anderson Silva make of the criticism he’s received lately?
When Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) announced Miesha Tate would be defending her women’s bantamweight title at UFC 200, a good portion of the mixed martial arts (MMA) community wondered why Amanda Nunes got the nod over Holly Holm.
After all, with Ronda Rousey sidelined until further notice, a rematch against “The Preacher’s Daughter” was the next best thing in terms of dollars and cents sense.
“They tell me Tate chose (Nunes),” manager Lenny Fresquez revealed to Albuquerque Journal. “Holly was offered to her and she chose Nunes. She chose to take a weaker opponent. Holly gave her a chance. We’re pretty disappointed she didn’t return the favor.”
But don’t grab those pitchforks and torches just yet.
“They (UFC) thought that Amanda was the next best girl in line,” Tate told MMA Junkie. “They were like, ‘Look, you just beat Holly. You finished her.’ They didn’t feel that it was necessary to have an immediate rematch; it didn’t warrant an immediate rematch. It wasn’t one of those performances or such a crazy fight that we’ve got to have an immediate rematch.”
Think it’s messy now? Imagine what will happen with a Nunes win.
UFC 200, headlined by the Nate Diaz vs. Conor McGregor rematch, takes place on Sat., July 9, 2016, inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
When Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) announced Miesha Tate would be defending her women’s bantamweight title at UFC 200, a good portion of the mixed martial arts (MMA) community wondered why Amanda Nunes got the nod over Holly Holm.
After all, with Ronda Rousey sidelined until further notice, a rematch against “The Preacher’s Daughter” was the next best thing in terms of dollars and cents sense.
“They tell me Tate chose (Nunes),” manager Lenny Fresquez revealed to Albuquerque Journal. “Holly was offered to her and she chose Nunes. She chose to take a weaker opponent. Holly gave her a chance. We’re pretty disappointed she didn’t return the favor.”
But don’t grab those pitchforks and torches just yet.
“They (UFC) thought that Amanda was the next best girl in line,” Tate told MMA Junkie. “They were like, ‘Look, you just beat Holly. You finished her.’ They didn’t feel that it was necessary to have an immediate rematch; it didn’t warrant an immediate rematch. It wasn’t one of those performances or such a crazy fight that we’ve got to have an immediate rematch.”
Think it’s messy now? Imagine what will happen with a Nunes win.
UFC 200, headlined by the Nate Diaz vs. Conor McGregor rematch, takes place on Sat., July 9, 2016, inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Manny Pacquiao, Timothy Bradley’s ridiculous abs (the rest of Timothy Bradley, too) and a few other dangerous individuals will hit the scales later this evening (Fri., April 8, 2016) in preparation for HBO Boxing’s “Pacquiao vs. Bradley 3” pay-per-…
Manny Pacquiao, Timothy Bradley’s ridiculous abs (the rest of Timothy Bradley, too) and a few other dangerous individuals will hit the scales later this evening (Fri., April 8, 2016) in preparation for HBO Boxing’s “Pacquiao vs. Bradley 3” pay-per-view (PPV) event tomorrow night. The fine folks at HBO Sports have provided a live stream of the scale-tipping event, which you can watch in the video player above, beginning around at 6 p.m. ET.
The eponymous PPV main event sees Pacquiao face Bradley for the third time at Welterweight (147 pounds). The series is currently even (1-1), with Bradley taking a controversial decision in 2012 and Pacquiao avenging it two years later via unanimous decision.
The UFC machine does not stop now days, and even without an event scheduled for this weekend, some of the promotion’s biggest stars are hard at work on social media and in the gym. The latest big headlines have included Jon Jones’ recent run-in with the law for allegedly drag racing, Daniel Cormier dropping out
The UFC machine does not stop now days, and even without an event scheduled for this weekend, some of the promotion’s biggest stars are hard at work on social media and in the gym. The latest big headlines have included Jon Jones’ recent run-in with the law for allegedly drag racing, Daniel Cormier dropping out of UFC 197 and being replaced by Ovince St. Preux against ‘Bones,’ and also Tony Ferguson forced out of UFC on FOX 19. ‘El Cucuy’ is replaced by Darrell Horcher, who faces Khabib Nurmagomedov in his first UFC fight, talk about in at the deep end.
Conor McGregor remains on the comeback trail from his first UFC loss, after being submitted by Nate Diaz on March 5. He faces his welterweight foe once again at the landmark July 9 UFC 200 card. Miesha Tate draws Amanda Nunes while Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm take up the sidelines, and Jose Aldo faces Frankie Edgar for a second time, all at UFC 200. With so much going on, social media has burst in to life over the past 24 hours, and we’ve gathered some of the hottest Tweets and other posts from around the web.
Stars such as Holly Holm, Jon Jones, Conor McGregor, Sage Northcutt, Carlos Condit and many ore have all been very active. Enjoy!
We’ll find out this Sunday (April 10, 2016) when Ben Rothwell collides with former division champion Junior dos Santos in the UFC Fight Night 86 main event inside Zagreb Arena in Zagreb, Croatia, live on FOX Sports 1.
“Big” Ben (36-9) is riding a torrid four-fight win streak — with four finishes — including last month’s submission victory over No. 9-ranked Josh Barnett. Prior to disposing of “The Warmaster,” Rothwell rid himself of Matt Mitrione, not long after knocking out No. 3-ranked Alistair Overeem.
Dos Santos (17-4) has some of the most dangerous hands in the entire weight class and once ruled the heavyweight division with an iron fist. Unfortunately, “Cigano” looked a bit punchy his last time out, crumbling in a heap against the aforementioned Overeem at UFC on FOX 17 and is now just 2-3 over his last five.
We’ll find out this Sunday (April 10, 2016) when Ben Rothwell collides with former division champion Junior dos Santos in the UFC Fight Night 86 main event inside Zagreb Arena in Zagreb, Croatia, live on FOX Sports 1.
“Big” Ben (36-9) is riding a torrid four-fight win streak — with four finishes — including last month’s submission victory over No. 9-ranked Josh Barnett. Prior to disposing of “The Warmaster,” Rothwell rid himself of Matt Mitrione, not long after knocking out No. 3-ranked Alistair Overeem.
Dos Santos (17-4) has some of the most dangerous hands in the entire weight class and once ruled the heavyweight division with an iron fist. Unfortunately, “Cigano” looked a bit punchy his last time out, crumbling in a heap against the aforementioned Overeem at UFC on FOX 17 and is now just 2-3 over his last five.
Get a detailed breakdown of the betting lines for UFC Fight Night 86, which is set to hit Arena Zagreb in Zagreb, Croatia, this weekend (Sun., April 10, 2016), including best bets, underdogs, favorites, and much more!
Here come the Heavyweights!
The biggest Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) division will take center stage this Sunday (April 10, 2016) when the Octagon touches down inside Arena Zagreb in Zagreb, Croatia, for the first time ever. In the UFC Fight Night 86 main event, Ben Rothwell looks to continue his unexpected resurgence at the expense of former champion Junior dos Santos, while Derrick Lewis steps in on short notice to face Matt Mitrione in the co-main event.
Elsewhere on the FOX Sports 1-televised card, Francis Ngannou and Timothy Johnson welcome Curtis Blaydes and Marcin Tybura, respectively, to UFC.
Want to make some money from this without worrying about currency conversion? Here’s how.
Before we get into the numbers, I’d like to make an apology. My advice has been lackluster throughout the year; sometimes it’s been bad judging (Marion Reneau vs. Ashlee Evans-Smith, Nina Ansaroff vs. Justine Kish), sometimes it’s been bad refereeing (Matt Mitrione vs. Travis Browne), and sometimes my assessments have just been way off (Chas Skelly vs. Darren Elkins, Johnny Case vs. Jake Matthews). Still, no matter the cause, I’m deeply sorry.
In any case, the hypothetical balance has hit almost zero, so I’m adding another hypothetical $200 to it. Let’s see if we can’t rebuild:
UFC Fight Night 86 Odds For The Undercard:
Nicolas Dalby (-170) vs. Zak Cummings (+150) Mairbek Taisumov (-300) vs. Damir Hadzovic (+250) Ian Entwistle (-145) vs. Alejandro Perez (+125) Damian Stasiak (-125) vs. Filip Pejic (+105) Lucas Martins (-115) vs. Robert Whiteford (-105) Jared Cannonier (-155) vs. Cyril Asker (+135) Bojan Velickovic (-165) vs. Alessio Di Chirico (+145)
Thoughts: While the bulk of the bargains are on the main card, as I’ll touch on later, there is a value here: Zak Cummings.
Dalby is the better striker by a fair margin, but lacks the stopping power and wrestling he would need to shut down Cummings’ overpowering grappling game. Cummings should also enjoy a considerable size advantage, having fought at middleweight and even light heavyweight in the past. Though the short notice has me a bit worried, especially considering Cummings’ aforementioned size and history of weight cutting issues, he’s worth a moderate bet if he doesn’t look too grim on the scale.
UFC Fight Night 86 Odds For The Main Card:
Junior Dos Santos (-130) vs. Ben Rothwell (+110) Derrick Lewis (-140) vs. Gabriel Gonzaga (+120) Francis Ngannou (-135) vs. Curtis Blaydes (+115) Marcin Tybura (-175) vs. Timothy Johnson (+155) Jan Blachowicz (-360) vs. Igor Pokrajac (+300) Maryna Moroz (-185) vs. Cristina Stanciu (+160)
Thoughts: In descending order of value, Curtis Blaydes, Derrick Lewis, and Ben Rothwell all strike me as worthwhile investments.
Ngannou is gigantic and powerful, which can carry you a fair distance in the heavyweight division, but Blaydes is a goliath in his own right with a solid wrestling background. In addition, Ngannou can be painfully slow and plodding at times, which ought to significantly aid Blaydes’ pursuit of the takedown. He’s certainly worth a look.
At this point in his career, Gabriel Gonzaga has one weapon worth speaking of: a step-back counter right with which he knocked out Shawn Jordan and repeatedly dinged Stipe Miocic and Konstantin Erokhin. His wrestling remains iffy and has jiu-jitsu from both the top and bottom has been strangely ineffective for some time. Against Lewis, who has the takedown prowess to bowl Gonzaga over, the cardio to stay dangerous late, and the raw power to disintegrate the Brazilian’s infamous chin, that’s just not enough. Lewis should score a stoppage before long, so make sure you’re in position to benefit.
Dos Santos, as the venerable Jack Slack broke down in a recent piece, does not like pressure. He repeatedly backs straight into the cage and gets mauled while trying to circle off, all the while lacking the proper foot positioning to unleash his cataclysmic power. Rothwell’s relentless forward march and power, bolstered by a chin that I’d argue is the best in the division at the moment, seem well-equipped to handle the fading Brazilian. As a longtime and loyal fan of Junior, it pains me to say this, but I just don’t think he has enough left in him for a resurgence. A bit on Rothwell makes sense.
UFC Fight Night 86 Best Bets:
Single bet — Zak Cummings: Bet $30 to make $45
Single bet — Curtis Blaydes: Bet $40 to make $46
Single bet — Derrick Lewis: Bet $70 to make $50
Single bet — Ben Rothwell: Bet $30 to make $33
Lots of big boys means lots of potential for big finishes. See you Sunday, Maniacs!
Initial Investment For 2016: $200 (+$200 infusion) Current Balance: $208.35
Get a detailed breakdown of the betting lines for UFC Fight Night 86, which is set to hit Arena Zagreb in Zagreb, Croatia, this weekend (Sun., April 10, 2016), including best bets, underdogs, favorites, and much more!
Here come the Heavyweights!
The biggest Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) division will take center stage this Sunday (April 10, 2016) when the Octagon touches down inside Arena Zagreb in Zagreb, Croatia, for the first time ever. In the UFC Fight Night 86 main event, Ben Rothwell looks to continue his unexpected resurgence at the expense of former champion Junior dos Santos, while Derrick Lewis steps in on short notice to face Matt Mitrione in the co-main event.
Elsewhere on the FOX Sports 1-televised card, Francis Ngannou and Timothy Johnson welcome Curtis Blaydes and Marcin Tybura, respectively, to UFC.
Want to make some money from this without worrying about currency conversion? Here’s how.
Before we get into the numbers, I’d like to make an apology. My advice has been lackluster throughout the year; sometimes it’s been bad judging (Marion Reneau vs. Ashlee Evans-Smith, Nina Ansaroff vs. Justine Kish), sometimes it’s been bad refereeing (Matt Mitrione vs. Travis Browne), and sometimes my assessments have just been way off (Chas Skelly vs. Darren Elkins, Johnny Case vs. Jake Matthews). Still, no matter the cause, I’m deeply sorry.
In any case, the hypothetical balance has hit almost zero, so I’m adding another hypothetical $200 to it. Let’s see if we can’t rebuild:
UFC Fight Night 86 Odds For The Undercard:
Nicolas Dalby (-170) vs. Zak Cummings (+150) Mairbek Taisumov (-300) vs. Damir Hadzovic (+250) Ian Entwistle (-145) vs. Alejandro Perez (+125) Damian Stasiak (-125) vs. Filip Pejic (+105) Lucas Martins (-115) vs. Robert Whiteford (-105) Jared Cannonier (-155) vs. Cyril Asker (+135) Bojan Velickovic (-165) vs. Alessio Di Chirico (+145)
Thoughts: While the bulk of the bargains are on the main card, as I’ll touch on later, there is a value here: Zak Cummings.
Dalby is the better striker by a fair margin, but lacks the stopping power and wrestling he would need to shut down Cummings’ overpowering grappling game. Cummings should also enjoy a considerable size advantage, having fought at middleweight and even light heavyweight in the past. Though the short notice has me a bit worried, especially considering Cummings’ aforementioned size and history of weight cutting issues, he’s worth a moderate bet if he doesn’t look too grim on the scale.
UFC Fight Night 86 Odds For The Main Card:
Junior Dos Santos (-130) vs. Ben Rothwell (+110) Derrick Lewis (-140) vs. Gabriel Gonzaga (+120) Francis Ngannou (-135) vs. Curtis Blaydes (+115) Marcin Tybura (-175) vs. Timothy Johnson (+155) Jan Blachowicz (-360) vs. Igor Pokrajac (+300) Maryna Moroz (-185) vs. Cristina Stanciu (+160)
Thoughts: In descending order of value, Curtis Blaydes, Derrick Lewis, and Ben Rothwell all strike me as worthwhile investments.
Ngannou is gigantic and powerful, which can carry you a fair distance in the heavyweight division, but Blaydes is a goliath in his own right with a solid wrestling background. In addition, Ngannou can be painfully slow and plodding at times, which ought to significantly aid Blaydes’ pursuit of the takedown. He’s certainly worth a look.
At this point in his career, Gabriel Gonzaga has one weapon worth speaking of: a step-back counter right with which he knocked out Shawn Jordan and repeatedly dinged Stipe Miocic and Konstantin Erokhin. His wrestling remains iffy and has jiu-jitsu from both the top and bottom has been strangely ineffective for some time. Against Lewis, who has the takedown prowess to bowl Gonzaga over, the cardio to stay dangerous late, and the raw power to disintegrate the Brazilian’s infamous chin, that’s just not enough. Lewis should score a stoppage before long, so make sure you’re in position to benefit.
Dos Santos, as the venerable Jack Slack broke down in a recent piece, does not like pressure. He repeatedly backs straight into the cage and gets mauled while trying to circle off, all the while lacking the proper foot positioning to unleash his cataclysmic power. Rothwell’s relentless forward march and power, bolstered by a chin that I’d argue is the best in the division at the moment, seem well-equipped to handle the fading Brazilian. As a longtime and loyal fan of Junior, it pains me to say this, but I just don’t think he has enough left in him for a resurgence. A bit on Rothwell makes sense.
UFC Fight Night 86 Best Bets:
Single bet — Zak Cummings: Bet $30 to make $45
Single bet — Curtis Blaydes: Bet $40 to make $46
Single bet — Derrick Lewis: Bet $70 to make $50
Single bet — Ben Rothwell: Bet $30 to make $33
Lots of big boys means lots of potential for big finishes. See you Sunday, Maniacs!
