Despite a Thanksgiving day arrest in Texas for driving while intoxicated and unlawfully carrying a weapon, UFC welterweight Geoff Neal will still be fighting Santiago Ponzinibbio at UFC 26…
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Despite a Thanksgiving day arrest in Texas for driving while intoxicated and unlawfully carrying a weapon, UFC welterweight Geoff Neal will still be fighting Santiago Ponzinibbio at UFC 269 on December 11th.
That’s the official word from the UFC, who told ESPN they were “in communication with [Neal] and are in the process of gathering more details.” The details thus far, at least the ones given by Neal’s lawyer Brandon Barnett, certainly downplay the whole situation to some sort of misunderstanding.
According to Barnett, Neal volunteered to give a blood test after being arrested that will prove he was not actually driving drunk. And if he wasn’t driving drunk, then the gun charges will also disappear because the firearm Neal had was legally licensed. It only became unlawful to carry it when committing a crime — in this case the drunk driving.
“If it turns out he was not legally intoxicated — which we expect the blood test will show — there won’t be a gun charge, either,” Barnett told ESPN.
There’s no further details on how Neal’s arrest went down like why he was pulled over and whether he was breathalyzed or refused a breathalyzer test. Not to be cynical, but he wouldn’t be the first person to refuse an immediate breathalyzer test and go for the blood test at the police station the hopes his levels drop below .08.
Then again, he also wouldn’t be the first person to be booked on trumped up charges because some cop decided he wants to hold this guy with a legal firearm in his car.
Whatever the case, it’s gonna take a while for those blood test results to come in — between six weeks and six months. And in the meantime, Neal is free to fight Ponzinibbio in a fight where both men are looking to re-establish themselves following near-career ending infections and break into the welterweight top ten.
Brad Riddell remains in good spirits. The New Zealander suffered his first defeat in the promotion following a third-round TKO loss to Rafael Fiziev in the UFC Vegas 44 co-headliner last night. It was a competitive fight for the most part until Fiziev caught Riddell with a spinning wheel kick to the head with referee […]
It was a competitive fight for the most part until Fiziev caught Riddell with a spinning wheel kick to the head with referee Herb Dean stepping in soon after.
“I’m ok. Congratulations to Rafael Fiziev. Beautiful fight my bro. I had fun in there with you. Thank you for your support everyone,” he wrote on an Instagram story.
Brad Riddell just shared this on Instagram telling Rafael Fiziev “I had fun in there with you” pic.twitter.com/zqI5c7aXl2
Currently ranked No. 12 in the lightweight rankings, he should drop down slightly with the No. 14-ranked Fiziev leapfrogging him. However, Riddell should remain in the top 15 and will likely do so for the considerable future given his overall talent.
Especially if he is able to bounce back with an impressive win and embark on another winning streak.
UFC lightweight Clay Guida feels now is the perfect time to get a rematch against Nate Diaz after his improbable win at UFC Vegas 44.
It was looking to be a disastrous night for Guida against Leonardo Santos after he got caught with some hard strik…
UFC lightweight Clay Guida feels now is the perfect time to get a rematch against Nate Diaz after his improbable win at UFC Vegas 44.
It was looking to be a disastrous night for Guida against Leonardo Santos after he got caught with some hard strikes on the feet and got dropped early in the fight. After somehow surviving some big blows to the head, he was able to grapple his way out of trouble and survive through the first round.
Santos appeared to be gassed out entering Round 2, and Guida took advantage of the opportunity and sunk in a rear-naked choke for the comeback win. It snapped a recent skid of losses in three of his previous four fights.
“We just wanna stay on the gas pedal, stay active, and there’s still one dude out there with our name on him,” Guida said. “I beat him once, I’ll give him another chance. Nate Diaz, I know you’re out there. You can’t run, you can’t hide. I know you’re gonna turn the fight down, you probably won’t even know we want to fight you again. But if you ever want to do it again, buddy, I’ll give you a shot. Let me know.”
Clay Guida Earned A Close Win Over Nate Diaz At UFC 94
Guida has been a mainstay in the UFC’s lightweight division since he made his UFC debut back in 2006 at UFC 64. Coincidentally, his first UFC loss came against Din Thomas in 2007, and Thomas was part of the broadcast crew for his UFC Vegas 44 victory.
Guida has fought most of the top names that have come through the lightweight division; including Diego Sanchez, Anthony Pettis, and Rafael dos Anjos. Despite his long career in the promotion, he has yet to fight for a title.
Since their first fight, Diaz has emerged as a top star in the UFC and has recently focused on a run at welterweight. He most recently fell to Leon Edwards earlier this year at UFC 263.
It’s unclear whether or not Guida still has it in him to make another title run, but Diaz is still searching for an opponent for his UFC return. A throwback matchup between Guida and Diaz could be the fight to make if both sides want to make it happen.
Would you be interested in seeing Clay Guida vs. Nate Diaz 2?
New Jersey hosted ECI 3 with 185 lb. bracket and super fights The Emerald City Invitational returned on Saturday, December 4th to Martinsville, New Jersey for its third event, this time featuring a 16-man 18…
ECI 3 poster
New Jersey hosted ECI 3 with 185 lb. bracket and super fights
The Emerald City Invitational returned on Saturday, December 4th to Martinsville, New Jersey for its third event, this time featuring a 16-man 185 lb. bracket and a pair of super fights. The 185 lb. bracket included Giancarlo Bodoni, Steve Kasten, Enrique Galarza, Steve Joachim, Josh Hayden, Isiah Wright, Nick Ronan, Matteo Martinez, Oliver Taza, Nick Domgjoni, Aaron Harris, Jay Rodriguez, Andre Petroski, Sean Yadimarco, Alan Sanchez, and Jon Piersma. The super fights were a 145 lb. match between Amanda Leve of Precision Jiu-Jitsu and Lauren Jones of Black Hole Jiu-Jitsu and a 135 lb. match between Estevan Martinez of ZR Team and Eric Naples of Robson Moura Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The matches were contested under EBI rules, with 10 minute submission only rounds and overtime rounds where competitors could start either on their opponent’s back or in the arm bar position.
Taza continues to impress with well-rounded game ahead of ADCC
Coming into the 185 lb. bracket Oliver Taza had faced some of the toughest 77kg grapplers in the world. He qualified for the 2022 ADCC World Championships by winning the European Trials in September and has since had super fights with Levi Jones Leary and Dante Leon. He’s shown a very well rounded skillset in his recent performances, scoring takedowns, sweeps, guard passes, and submissions.
Taza started out strong in the bracket, submitting his first opponent with an outside heel hook and his next two opponents with inside heel hooks, all in relatively short order. His opponent in the final was former teammate Nick Ronan, who had quite the day himself, defeating ADCC Trials winner Giancarlo Bodoni by heel hook in the semifinals. The regulation period was action packed, with Taza often dictating the pace and scoring takedowns, sweeps, and guard passes, but was unable to lock in a submission.
In overtime, Nick Ronan chose to start from the back position. Ronan moved to the body triangle and Taza was able to pummel his legs inside, breaking apart the triangle and getting the angle he needed to escape and come up in Ronan’s closed guard. Taza started from the arm bar position, but Ronan was able to escape, setting up a second overtime round. Ronan again chose the back control and Taza escaped again, utilizing great leg pummeling and defensive skills. Taza chose the arm bar position for a second time, but this time was able to lock up an inverted triangle, forcing the tap from Ronan. Look for Taza to continue competing regularly in the lead up to the 2022 ADCC World Championships in September.
Giant slayers Estevan Martinez and Amanda Leve score wins in OT
Estevan Martinez and Amanda Leve are the most prolific giant slayers in jiu-jitsu. Estevan’s nickname is the “Giant Slayer” as he often competes in the open class despite being a rooster weight. Amanda Leve recently beat Gabi Garcia at the WNO Championships, likely being outweighed by around 100 lbs. In the first of the two featured super fights of the night, Estevan faced Eric Naples of Robson Moura Jiu-Jitsu. The regulation period started pretty even, with Estevan spending most of the time on top trying to pass Eric’s tough reverse de la riva guard. In true Estevan fashion, he attempted to pass Eric’s guard with cartwheels and backflips, getting around the legs but not securing a submission.
In overtime, Estevan chose the back position and finished a rear naked choke in just 22 seconds. Naples had to finish Estevan in less time to win, but Estevan was able to work his way to the feet and shake Naples off to escape and secure the win.
The second super fight of the event saw Amanda Leve of Precision Jiu-Jitsu take on Lauren Jones of Black Hole Jiu-Jitsu. Jones pulled guard and Amanda passed to side control less than a minute into the match. Lauren recovered momentarily, but Leve utilized an over under pass to get around the legs for a second time. She used a gift wrap control to get Jones to turn away, inserting one hook and immediately attacking the neck. Jones cleared the hook and escaped, but Leve went right back into a similar sequence, stacking Jone’s hips and passing again to the back position. This time Leve got both hooks and eventually secured a body triangle. Although she had some solid attempts at a rear naked choke, Jones was able to turn and face Leve and come on top into the closed guard.
In overtime, Amanda Leve chose to start on the back but was unable to finish. Jones chose the arm bar position and Leve got to her feet and pulled her arm out to escape. Amanda again chose the back position but Jones did a great job hand fighting and avoiding the choke. Jones once again selected the arm bar position and Amanda utilized a similar route to escape, winning the match via ride time in overtime.
Full results for the 185lb. bracket can be found below:
Giancarlo Bodoni def. Steve Kasten via submission (rear naked choke)
Enrique Galarza def. Steve Joachim via submission (Estima lock)
Josh Hayden def. Isiah Wright via submission (outside heel hook)
Nick Ronan def. Matteo Martinez via ride time in OT
Oliver Taza def. Nick Domgjoni via submission (outside heel hook)
Jay Rodriguez def. Aaron Harris via submission (inside heel hook)
Sean Yadimarco def. Andre Petroski via submission (inside heel hook)
Alan Sanchez def. Jon Perisma via submission in OT (arm bar)
Quarterfinals
Giancarlo Bodoni def. Enrique Galarza via submission in OT (rear naked choke)
Nick Ronan def. Josh Hayden via escape time in OT
Oliver Taza def. Jay Rodriguez via submission (inside heel hook)
Sean Yadimarco def. Alan Sanchez via submission (rear naked choke in OT)
Semifinals
Nick Ronan def. Giancarlo Bodoni via submission (inside heel hook)
Oliver Taza def. Alan Sanchez via submission (inside heel hook)
Finals
Oliver Taza def. Nick Ronan via submission in OT (inverted triangle)
UFC bantamweight contender Julianna Peña pleaded to Dana White for a shot at Amanda Nunes, and she’ll get her chance at UFC 269.
Peña will face Nunes in her first shot at the UFC bantamweight title after years in the promotion. She most recently de…
UFC bantamweight contender Julianna Peña pleaded to Dana White for a shot at Amanda Nunes, and she’ll get her chance at UFC 269.
Peña will face Nunes in her first shot at the UFC bantamweight title after years in the promotion. She most recently defeated Sara McMann by submission at UFC 257.
White gave Peña a shot in the UFC after she earned a dominant victory over Jessica Rakoczy on The Ultimate Fighter: Season 18.
Peña hasn’t mince words when it comes to her thoughts about her chances against Nunes in the UFC 269 co-main event. During a recent interview with TMZ Sports, White praised Peña for her confidence and approach to the upcoming title fight.
“I love that about Julianna Peña,” White said. “She’s a savage. She is an absolute lunatic. She got in a fistfight with a bouncer in a bar, OK? She got into a full-blown fistfight with a bouncer in a bar, and the bouncer called the police. Let’s put it that way. [LAUGHS] Julianna is a fighter, and there’s no doubt in my mind that she’s gonna come in and go to war with Amanda Nunes. How that turns out, we will see (on) Saturday.”
Julianna Peña Is Looking To Prove To Dana White That She Can Win
Pena has gone off on Nunes in a series of recent interviews leading up to her fight with Nunes. The two top bantamweights were originally scheduled to fight at UFC 265, but Nunes withdrew from the bout on short notice. Pena has said that Nunes can’t claim the status of the women’s MMA GOAT without fighting her.
White has been very vocal when it comes to Nunes’ dominance inside the octagon. He’s called Nunes the undisputed female GOAT and has said that other fighters such as Kayla Harrison and Cris “Cyborg” Justino don’t belong in the same discussion as her.
What are your predictions for Amanda Nunes vs. Julianna Peña at UFC 269?
On another day, Rob Font believes he beats Jose Aldo. Font suffered a unanimous decision defeat to Aldo in the main event of UFC Vegas 44 last night. It was a competitive fight throughout, however, Aldo landed the bigger and cleaner shots. Not to mention the Brazilian also scored multiple knockdowns and controlled Font whenever […]
On another day, Rob Font believes he beats Jose Aldo.
Font suffered a unanimous decision defeat to Aldo in the main event of UFC Vegas 44 last night. It was a competitive fight throughout, however, Aldo landed the bigger and cleaner shots.
Not to mention the Brazilian also scored multiple knockdowns and controlled Font whenever the action was on the ground.
In the end, all three judges scored it to Aldo with two judges scoring every round to the former featherweight king.
It was a tough pill to swallow, but there was no shame in losing to one of the greatest fighters of all time for Font who feels he could still defeat Aldo.
“He caught me with some clean shots I didn’t see, and it was hard to see that extra third and fourth shot with my eye all swollen up,” Font said in his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier (via Middle Easy). “But that guy’s a legend. He’s tough. I feel I can beat him, but it just wasn’t my night. Hats off to him.”
Rob Font: This Will Make Me Better
Despite the setback, Font still remains one of the top bantamweights in the world. And having gone five rounds with Aldo, he knows he will only get better in the future.
“Hats off to Jose Aldo. I’ll be back,” Font added. “I know for a fact this will make me better, and I just went five rounds with one of the legends in this sport, and I’m going to get better off of this fight, for sure.”
What did you think of Rob Font’s performance? Who should he face next?
Brad Riddell remains in good spirits. The New Zealander suffered his first defeat in the promotion following a third-round TKO loss to Rafael Fiziev in the UFC Vegas 44 co-headliner last night. It was a competitive fight for the most part until Fiziev caught Riddell with a spinning wheel kick to the head with referee […]
On another day, Rob Font believes he beats Jose Aldo. Font suffered a unanimous decision defeat to Aldo in the main event of UFC Vegas 44 last night. It was a competitive fight throughout, however, Aldo landed the bigger and cleaner shots. Not to mention the Brazilian also scored multiple knockdowns and controlled Font whenever […]