UFC featherweight champion the “Notorious” Conor McGregor was set to move up in weight and challenge lightweight kingpin Rafael dos Anjos in the main event of March 5’s UFC 196. A highly anticipated super fight for sure, the MMA world was let down earlier today (February 23, 2016) when it was announced that dos Anjos
UFC featherweight champion the “Notorious” Conor McGregor was set to move up in weight and challenge lightweight kingpin Rafael dos Anjos in the main event of March 5’s UFC 196.
A highly anticipated super fight for sure, the MMA world was let down earlier today (February 23, 2016) when it was announced that dos Anjos would be forced out of the bout due to a foot injury.
On just over a week’s notice, it’s tough to find a replacement opponent for McGregor, but the UFC is attempting to do so, and UFC president Dana White has confirmed that the “Notorious” one will remain on the card.
However, McGregor, famously dubbed as the “money fight”, is obviously a huge draw, making the task a tad bit easier.
Many UFC fighters were quick to jump at the opportunity via social media, and it appears to be a two man race between fan favorites Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone and outspoken bad boy Nate Diaz, two men who both have history with McGregor.
Cerrone just fought this past weekend (February 21, 2013) at welterweight, submitting Alex Oliveira in the first round at UFC Fight Night 83. It may be tough for him to get down to 155-pounds on such short notice, but it appears as if he will be attempting to do so.
Diaz, on the other hand, was quick to take a shot at McGregor via twitter:
A close friend of the Stockton native also took to twitter to comment on the situation, claiming that an offer had been made to Diaz, but that it wasn’t enough to get him down to lightweight in the time given:
The offer isn’t even in the ballpark of what it would take to get Nate to make 155lbs on two weeks.
John Dodson, who won season 18 of The Ultimate Fighter as a bantamweight, will return to the weight class on April 16th for a showdown with Manny Gamburyan at UFC on FOX 19 in Tampa, Florida. Two-time UFC flyweight title challenger John Dods…
John Dodson, who won season 18 of The Ultimate Fighter as a bantamweight, will return to the weight class on April 16th for a showdown with Manny Gamburyan at UFC on FOX 19 in Tampa, Florida.
Two-time UFC flyweight title challenger John Dodson has his first opponent in his return to bantamweight. Dodson will fight Manny Gamburyan at UFC on FOX 19 on April 16th at Tampa, Florida’s Amelie Arena. The Albuquerque Journal reported the booking on Tuesday.
Dodson (17-7) won The Ultimate Fighter with a knockout win over T.J. Dillashaw in the bantamweight final back in 2011, but he dropped to the UFC’s flyweight division when it formed in 2012. After beating Tim Elliott and Jussier Formiga, Dodson earned a title shot vs. Demetrious Johnson in 2013, which he lost in a close but competitive decision. After winning three straight, he earned a rematch against the champ at UFC 191. The one-sided loss to Mighty Mouse prompted “The Magician” to return to 135.
Gamburyan (15-8, 1 NC) has been at bantamweight for just two fights, but he’s managed victories in both of his outings. The former WEC featherweight title challenger and TUF 5 (lightweight) alum submitted Cody Gibson at UFC 178, then earned a unanimous decision over Scott Jorgensen last July.
It’s not the coveted Swimsuit Edition, but a cover is a cover.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight champion Conor McGregor will grace the cover of the next issue of Sports Illustrated, which is slated to hit SI.com on Weds., F…
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight champion Conor McGregor will grace the cover of the next issue of Sports Illustrated, which is slated to hit SI.com on Weds., Feb. 24, 2016 accompanied by a short film dubbed: “Conor McGregor Unfiltered.”
Check it out:
McGregor is the first male mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter to earn the honors since Roger Huerta did it way back in 2007 for his push kick on Leonard Garcia at UFC 69.
In the latest issue of SI, Conor opens up about how he went from humble beginnings in the sport to becoming perhaps the biggest star currently on the UFC roster. He also chimes in on his extravagant lifestyle as well as his future plans.
Of course, those plans will no longer include a lightweight title fight against division champion Rafael dos Anjos — at least for now — as “RDA” was forced out of their UFC 196 fight on March 5, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada with an injury.
To learn more about that unfortunate situation click here and here.
Preview all the action at the Glory 27 Superfight Series here. The card, headlined by Joe Schilling vs. Mike Lemaire, airs live on UFC Fight Pass this Friday, February 26.
This Friday night is Glory 27 Chicago. Glory 27 airs live Friday, February 26 with a fight time of 10:00 p.m. ET for the main card on ESPN3. Before that, the Glory Superfight Series will make its UFC Fight Pass debut with a nice card headlined by Joe Schilling. The Glory Superfight Series has a fight time of 7:30 p.m. ET live on Fight Pass. Here, we break down the complete Superfight card – check back later this week for the main card.
#1 JOE SCHILLING (20-6 Overall; 6-2 Glory) vs. #9 MIKE LEMAIRE (14-2 Overall; 2-2 Glory) – Middleweight
This Superfight headliner is a late addition to the card and an interesting fight, partly for what’s going on behind the scenes. Originally, Lemaire was in the Glory 27 tournament, however when the Superfight Series was added to UFC Fight Pass, they added the popular Schilling as a headliner, and brought Lemaire over as his opponent. Interestingly, Schilling is both a Bellator fighter and one of the marquee fighters for Bellator Kickboxing. He’s been a major figure for Glory throughout their past few years, and indications are that he is currently working through the last fights on his Glory contract before moving over to Bellator.
In the ring, this is a battle between two American Muay Thai fighters. Both men have extensive Muay Thai experience, with Lemaire having competed primarily in Lion Fight recently. That likely means this will be a very technical encounter, though one that has the potential to be a bit clinch heavy. #1 Middleweight contender Schilling is a true pressure fighter – he succeeds by pouring the offense on and stifling his opponents, not allowing them to get off. For Lemaire to win here, he’ll need to use his power and counters to stop that Schilling attack and push him back, allowing him to do his own work. It’s a tough task, and while I think Lemaire will have some success, I don’t see him being able to slow down Schilling enough to stop Stitch Em Up from outpointing him every round.
Prediction: Joe Schilling, decision
#5 ANDERSON SILVA (38-13-1 Overall; 4-5 Glory) vs. #12 MAURICE GREENE (4-1 Overall; 1-0 Glory) – Heavyweight
Brazil’s Anderson “Braddock” Silva is a veteran road warrior type of fighter who has competed against anyone and everyone throughout the international kickboxing scene. He’s had good wins over opponents like Sergei Kharitonov, Remy Bonjasky, and Hesdy Gerges, but has never quite crossed that threshold into top contender status. Silva has trained out of the famed Chakuriki Gym with Thom Harinck, and is the kind of all around technically skilled veteran that will be a tough challenge for any opponent.
Greene (who sports the incredible nickname “Moe the Pirate”) takes a massive step up in competition here. He’s just a 4 year pro with a 2-1 MMA record and limited time in kickboxing. He looked good in his Glory debut last year, knocking out Ashley Epps at Glory 21. Greene is a big fighter at 6’9″, and will need to use his reach masterfully if he wants to score the biggest win of his career here. Greene currently lives in Chicago, so expect a vocal crowd for him.
Prediction: Anderson Silva, decision
#10 GUTO INOCENTE (28-7 Overall; Glory debut) vs. #17 DEMOREO DENNIS (9-5 Overall; 0-1 Glory) – Heavyweight
This Heavyweight fight features a name that may be familiar to casual fans. Guto Inocente is an MMA fighter with a combined 1-2 record in Strikeforce and the UFC. It’s hard to know his exact kickboxing record, but he has a fair amount of experience, including winning regional titles primarily in Brazil. Inocente trains with the Blackzilians, and continues to spend time in both kickboxing and MMA. Dennis lost his Glory debut to Chi Lewis Parry via KO at Glory 21. He also had a high profile kickboxing loss to Pat Barry at Legacy Kickboxing 1 last year. Dennis is 5-3 in MMA, and trains out of Oklahoma City. This is a close fight between two men who know their way around a kickboxing ring, but the experience edge has to go to the Brazilian.
Prediction: Guto Inocente, KO
RICHARD ABRAHAM (7-3 Overall, Glory Debut) vs. PAWEL JEDRZEJCZYK (19-6-1 Overall; Glory Debut) – Welterweight
Two debuting Glory fighters here. Abraham is a more traditional Muay Thai fighter coming out of Chicago. He has faced some tough competition, including Lion Fight losses to Ky Hollenbeck and Jo Nattawut. Jedrzejczyk is a Polish fighter who also brings that traditional Muay Thai style. He’s competed in the big arenas in Thailand and has held a number of Muay Thai titles. Though neither man is well known, this is a sleeper candidate for fight of the night, as it is two talented Muay Thai fighters who will be bringing their all to impress in their debut. Watch out for this one.
Prediction: Pawel Jedrzejczyk, Decision
#7 CASEY GREENE (4-5 Overall, 3-2 Glory) vs. DANIEL MORALES (Glory Debut) – Welterweight
Greene is an entertaining fighter who went 2-2 in Glory last year, making it to the finals of the Glory 23 tournament at Middleweight (he also went 3-0 in MMA last year, bringing his record there up to 4-1). He dropped down to Welterweight after that and scored an impressive KO win over veteran Francois Ambang. Morales is a local fighter out of the Evolution MMA gym. He’s 4-1 in MMA and 1-0 in Boxing, though his kickboxing record is unknown. He also was on the Combate Americas MMA show. It’s hard to get a read on him as a kickboxer, so I have to go with the more seasoned Greene here.
Prediction: Casey Greene, KO
Join us here at Bloody Elbow Friday night for live Glory 27 coverage.
Preview all the action at the Glory 27 Superfight Series here. The card, headlined by Joe Schilling vs. Mike Lemaire, airs live on UFC Fight Pass this Friday, February 26.
This Friday night is Glory 27 Chicago. Glory 27 airs live Friday, February 26 with a fight time of 10:00 p.m. ET for the main card on ESPN3. Before that, the Glory Superfight Series will make its UFC Fight Pass debut with a nice card headlined by Joe Schilling. The Glory Superfight Series has a fight time of 7:30 p.m. ET live on Fight Pass. Here, we break down the complete Superfight card – check back later this week for the main card.
#1 JOE SCHILLING (20-6 Overall; 6-2 Glory) vs. #9 MIKE LEMAIRE (14-2 Overall; 2-2 Glory) – Middleweight
This Superfight headliner is a late addition to the card and an interesting fight, partly for what’s going on behind the scenes. Originally, Lemaire was in the Glory 27 tournament, however when the Superfight Series was added to UFC Fight Pass, they added the popular Schilling as a headliner, and brought Lemaire over as his opponent. Interestingly, Schilling is both a Bellator fighter and one of the marquee fighters for Bellator Kickboxing. He’s been a major figure for Glory throughout their past few years, and indications are that he is currently working through the last fights on his Glory contract before moving over to Bellator.
In the ring, this is a battle between two American Muay Thai fighters. Both men have extensive Muay Thai experience, with Lemaire having competed primarily in Lion Fight recently. That likely means this will be a very technical encounter, though one that has the potential to be a bit clinch heavy. #1 Middleweight contender Schilling is a true pressure fighter – he succeeds by pouring the offense on and stifling his opponents, not allowing them to get off. For Lemaire to win here, he’ll need to use his power and counters to stop that Schilling attack and push him back, allowing him to do his own work. It’s a tough task, and while I think Lemaire will have some success, I don’t see him being able to slow down Schilling enough to stop Stitch Em Up from outpointing him every round.
Prediction: Joe Schilling, decision
#5 ANDERSON SILVA (38-13-1 Overall; 4-5 Glory) vs. #12 MAURICE GREENE (4-1 Overall; 1-0 Glory) – Heavyweight
Brazil’s Anderson “Braddock” Silva is a veteran road warrior type of fighter who has competed against anyone and everyone throughout the international kickboxing scene. He’s had good wins over opponents like Sergei Kharitonov, Remy Bonjasky, and Hesdy Gerges, but has never quite crossed that threshold into top contender status. Silva has trained out of the famed Chakuriki Gym with Thom Harinck, and is the kind of all around technically skilled veteran that will be a tough challenge for any opponent.
Greene (who sports the incredible nickname “Moe the Pirate”) takes a massive step up in competition here. He’s just a 4 year pro with a 2-1 MMA record and limited time in kickboxing. He looked good in his Glory debut last year, knocking out Ashley Epps at Glory 21. Greene is a big fighter at 6’9″, and will need to use his reach masterfully if he wants to score the biggest win of his career here. Greene currently lives in Chicago, so expect a vocal crowd for him.
Prediction: Anderson Silva, decision
#10 GUTO INOCENTE (28-7 Overall; Glory debut) vs. #17 DEMOREO DENNIS (9-5 Overall; 0-1 Glory) – Heavyweight
This Heavyweight fight features a name that may be familiar to casual fans. Guto Inocente is an MMA fighter with a combined 1-2 record in Strikeforce and the UFC. It’s hard to know his exact kickboxing record, but he has a fair amount of experience, including winning regional titles primarily in Brazil. Inocente trains with the Blackzilians, and continues to spend time in both kickboxing and MMA. Dennis lost his Glory debut to Chi Lewis Parry via KO at Glory 21. He also had a high profile kickboxing loss to Pat Barry at Legacy Kickboxing 1 last year. Dennis is 5-3 in MMA, and trains out of Oklahoma City. This is a close fight between two men who know their way around a kickboxing ring, but the experience edge has to go to the Brazilian.
Prediction: Guto Inocente, KO
RICHARD ABRAHAM (7-3 Overall, Glory Debut) vs. PAWEL JEDRZEJCZYK (19-6-1 Overall; Glory Debut) – Welterweight
Two debuting Glory fighters here. Abraham is a more traditional Muay Thai fighter coming out of Chicago. He has faced some tough competition, including Lion Fight losses to Ky Hollenbeck and Jo Nattawut. Jedrzejczyk is a Polish fighter who also brings that traditional Muay Thai style. He’s competed in the big arenas in Thailand and has held a number of Muay Thai titles. Though neither man is well known, this is a sleeper candidate for fight of the night, as it is two talented Muay Thai fighters who will be bringing their all to impress in their debut. Watch out for this one.
Prediction: Pawel Jedrzejczyk, Decision
#7 CASEY GREENE (4-5 Overall, 3-2 Glory) vs. DANIEL MORALES (Glory Debut) – Welterweight
Greene is an entertaining fighter who went 2-2 in Glory last year, making it to the finals of the Glory 23 tournament at Middleweight (he also went 3-0 in MMA last year, bringing his record there up to 4-1). He dropped down to Welterweight after that and scored an impressive KO win over veteran Francois Ambang. Morales is a local fighter out of the Evolution MMA gym. He’s 4-1 in MMA and 1-0 in Boxing, though his kickboxing record is unknown. He also was on the Combate Americas MMA show. It’s hard to get a read on him as a kickboxer, so I have to go with the more seasoned Greene here.
Prediction: Casey Greene, KO
Join us here at Bloody Elbow Friday night for live Glory 27 coverage.
Well, if you thought that Bellator’s outrageous Kimbo Slice vs Dada 5000 fight last weekend was the last of the freak show fights in the sport of mixed martial arts, you were far off. Disturbing, horrific, crazy, shocking. All words that come to mind with the video below via Middle Easy. While Women’s MMA has
Well, if you thought that Bellator’s outrageous Kimbo Slice vs Dada 5000 fight last weekend was the last of the freak show fights in the sport of mixed martial arts, you were far off.
Disturbing, horrific, crazy, shocking. All words that come to mind with the video below via Middle Easy.
While Women’s MMA has become acceptable and widely adored over the years, footage has surfaced of a recent fight between a 24-year-old female and a 68-year-old woman.
Yes, you read that correctly. 68-years-old.
Laura Dettman, the younger of the two, poses a 3-2 fighting record, and faced off with Ann Perez, the elder of the two, in a Colorado-based Sparta Combat League show.
While Perez does indeed have experience training in martial arts, the fact that she actually competed in a fight is a bit ludicrous to say the least. The worst part of it all is that she suffered a vicious TKO loss via ground and pound from Dettman.
It’s safe to say that some crazy things go on in this sport.
Earlier, it was looking as if re-emerging lightweight contender Nate Diaz is the leader in the Conor McGregor sweepstakes, or he was if you go by various social media posts from those close to him today. First, Jose Garcia, Diaz’s strength and conditioning coach, posted about it on Facebook, and screen grabs of the posts quickly spread on Twitter:
Mardones had tweeted earlier (before he was first called in by DIaz) that Donald Cerrone was the favorite to get the McGregor fight, so it looks like they’re both out. One would think that if that’s the case, Anthony Pettis is next on the agenda to fight McGregor, and if not him, then someone like Tony Ferguson or Eddie Alvarez who’s on the cusp of a lightweight title shot, or even Diego Sanchez, who’s on the card (against Jim Miller) and would have more name value than some of the contenders.At one point, there were rumors that McGregor wanted to fight Sanchez at 155 pounds on UFC’s Mexico City debut card in 2014 when Joe Lauzon pulled out, but nothing came of it.
Earlier, it was looking as if re-emerging lightweight contender Nate Diaz is the leader in the Conor McGregor sweepstakes, or he was if you go by various social media posts from those close to him today. First, Jose Garcia, Diaz’s strength and conditioning coach, posted about it on Facebook, and screen grabs of the posts quickly spread on Twitter:
Mardones had tweeted earlier (before he was first called in by DIaz) that Donald Cerrone was the favorite to get the McGregor fight, so it looks like they’re both out. One would think that if that’s the case, Anthony Pettis is next on the agenda to fight McGregor, and if not him, then someone like Tony Ferguson or Eddie Alvarez who’s on the cusp of a lightweight title shot, or even Diego Sanchez, who’s on the card (against Jim Miller) and would have more name value than some of the contenders.At one point, there were rumors that McGregor wanted to fight Sanchez at 155 pounds on UFC’s Mexico City debut card in 2014 when Joe Lauzon pulled out, but nothing came of it.
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