Author: Damon Martin

UFC Champion Renan Barao Injured and out of UFC 161 Main Event

UFC 161 is currently without a main event after interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao suffered a foot injury in training that will force him out of his scheduled bout against top contender Eddie Wineland. The news of Barao’s injury first surfaced o…

UFC 161 is currently without a main event after interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao suffered a foot injury in training that will force him out of his scheduled bout against top contender Eddie Wineland.

The news of Barao‘s injury first surfaced on Saturday during UFC on FX 8, which took place in the champion’s native country of Brazil.

At the time, UFC officials were hesitant to count Barao out of the fight just yet until he had a chance to visit with doctors on Monday. 

As of Tuesday, however, UFC representatives confirmed with Bleacher Report that Barao is officially out of UFC 161.  UFC President Dana White initially confirmed the news with MMAJunkie.com, stating that Barao‘s injuries were severe enough that he would be unable to fight Wineland on June 15.

According to White, Barao suffered torn ligaments in his foot and had to be pulled from the show due to the injuries.

It leaves the UFC with a tough spot to fill seeing as the UFC 161 card is less than a month away now, and options would seem few and far between to replace the entire main event.

Two featured light heavyweight bouts are on the card already with former champion Rashad Evans taking on Dan Henderson, while Mauricio “Shogun” Rua faces Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in a rematch of an epic battle the two Brazilians had while competing under the Pride banner.

As of Tuesday, White was unable to confirm if the UFC had an alternate plan in place for a new headliner for UFC 161 or if the current card would move forward with either of the light heavyweight fights moving up to take the main event spot.

Barao‘s injury also muddies up the UFC bantamweight division even more because while he is serving as the interim title holder, 135-pound champion Dominick Cruz remains on the mend following back-to-back knee surgeries that have kept him out of action for more than a year.

It’s unclear when Barao will be able to return to action, and Cruz’s timeline has not been determined either until he gets doctor’s clearance to get back into full training following the two difficult surgeries.

Meanwhile, it leaves top contender Eddie Wineland in a difficult position as the top contender with no fight as of now.  If Barao‘s injuries are not too severe he could potentially return and face Wineland later this year, which would also give Cruz more time to heal up before unifying the titles when he gets back in the cage.

Either way, right now, UFC 161 stands without a defined main event with Barao out due to injury and no word on a fight that could fill the space instead.

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Uriah Hall Talks About the Influence Ronda Rousey Has Had on His UFC Career

Former Ultimate Fighter finalist Uriah Hall had a mountain of expectations following him into his finale fight against former teammate Kelvin Gastelum last month in Las Vegas.Hall came up short in his efforts and he was accused of not taking Gastelum s…

Former Ultimate Fighter finalist Uriah Hall had a mountain of expectations following him into his finale fight against former teammate Kelvin Gastelum last month in Las Vegas.

Hall came up short in his efforts and he was accused of not taking Gastelum seriously, letting the hype of the show go to his head, and all manner of problems that cost him the fight.

Needless to say, Hall didn’t buy any of that and just chalked it up to a bad day for him and a good day for Gastelum

After the fight, Hall was ready to immediately jump back into training to try to forget the bad memories of the loss he just suffered, but instead, UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey offered him some sage advice and he took it.

“After the finale, she convinced me to come down there and just take some time off,” Hall said about Rousey. “I was actually ready to go back to training. Just hanging out with her and watching how her mindset is with a lot of things, and it motivated me to get back in there and just push even harder.”

Following his exit from his old gym at Team Tiger Schulmann’s in New York, Hall has landed at Mark Munoz’s Reign Training Center for now while he’s on the West Coast to pick up some training.

While there, he discussed several hot topics, including Vitor Belfort’s dramatic spinning head kick knockout from over the weekend that mimicked Hall’s own finish while on The Ultimate Fighter.  He also talks about his time on the show and much more.

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Kyle Noke Wants Ultimate Fighter Coaching Job and Then Fight Patrick Cote

Former The Ultimate Fighter competitor Kyle Noke is hoping that he can bring his UFC career full circle by putting his name in the hat to become a coach on the new international season of the reality show, which pits his native Australia against Canada…

Former The Ultimate Fighter competitor Kyle Noke is hoping that he can bring his UFC career full circle by putting his name in the hat to become a coach on the new international season of the reality show, which pits his native Australia against Canada.

Noke, who was one of the first fighters to come to prominence out of Australia, has been nursing a wrist injury after having surgery just weeks ago, but he’s already targeting his next mission in the UFC.

While he missed out on the first season of the international reality show while fellow countryman George Sotiropoulos took on Ross Pearson, Noke is ready for the challenge in the next version.

“That’s something that I definitely want to do, and I think me versus probably Patrick Cote would be the most logical choice for the coaching job,” Noke told MMA’s Great Debate Radio recently.  “I’d love to fight him, I’d love to see it.  I know he’s been tweeting about it and would love the job also.  So we both want the job, let’s get in there and do it.

“He’s another big guy, he just came down a weight division.  I think that would be a great fight, and it would be a great show to have me versus him.”

Cote also told Bleacher Report recently, after inking a new multi-fight deal with the UFC, that a job coaching Team Canada on the The Ultimate Fighter would be a dream come true.  Just like Noke, Cote is a former contestant on the reality show and has plenty of real world UFC experience to pass on to the next crop of Octagon hopefuls.

For his part more than anything, Noke just wants to be a part of the show so he can continue to help drive the sport of MMA in his native country.  While he trains primarily in New Mexico now as part of Team Greg Jackson, Noke still travels home whenever he can to help fighters in Australia as well.

He believes being on the The Ultimate Fighter would be a great showcase to take the sport to the next level, and he wants to be a part of it.

“It would mean a lot to me.  I’d love to have the opportunity to coach the young Australians, and help them pursue their dreams and it would mean the world to me,” Noke stated.  “It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do, and I’d be happy.”

Noke thinks that Cote is the natural choice as an opponent and as a fellow coach on the reality show, but no matter who he’d be matched up with, he wants in as the head of Team Australia.

If it’s Cote or another Canadian, it really doesn’t matter much to Noke.  He just wants to be a part of this season and represent Australia like he’s been doing since day one when he first stepped on the mats.

“I think it would be the best option for both of us.  Either way I don’t care who it is,” Noke stated.   “I want the job and I’m prepared to fight anyone for it.  For me, Patrick would probably be the best opposing coach.”

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained first hand unless otherwise noted.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Kyle Noke Wants Ultimate Fighter Coaching Job and Then Fight Patrick Cote

Former The Ultimate Fighter competitor Kyle Noke is hoping that he can bring his UFC career full circle by putting his name in the hat to become a coach on the new international season of the reality show, which pits his native Australia against Canada…

Former The Ultimate Fighter competitor Kyle Noke is hoping that he can bring his UFC career full circle by putting his name in the hat to become a coach on the new international season of the reality show, which pits his native Australia against Canada.

Noke, who was one of the first fighters to come to prominence out of Australia, has been nursing a wrist injury after having surgery just weeks ago, but he’s already targeting his next mission in the UFC.

While he missed out on the first season of the international reality show while fellow countryman George Sotiropoulos took on Ross Pearson, Noke is ready for the challenge in the next version.

“That’s something that I definitely want to do, and I think me versus probably Patrick Cote would be the most logical choice for the coaching job,” Noke told MMA‘s Great Debate Radio recently.  “I’d love to fight him, I’d love to see it.  I know he’s been tweeting about it and would love the job also.  So we both want the job, let’s get in there and do it.

“He’s another big guy, he just came down a weight division.  I think that would be a great fight, and it would be a great show to have me versus him.”

Cote also told Bleacher Report recently, after inking a new multi-fight deal with the UFC, that a job coaching Team Canada on the The Ultimate Fighter would be a dream come true.  Just like Noke, Cote is a former contestant on the reality show and has plenty of real world UFC experience to pass on to the next crop of Octagon hopefuls.

For his part more than anything, Noke just wants to be a part of the show so he can continue to help drive the sport of MMA in his native country.  While he trains primarily in New Mexico now as part of Team Greg Jackson, Noke still travels home whenever he can to help fighters in Australia as well.

He believes being on the The Ultimate Fighter would be a great showcase to take the sport to the next level, and he wants to be a part of it.

“It would mean a lot to me.  I’d love to have the opportunity to coach the young Australians, and help them pursue their dreams and it would mean the world to me,” Noke stated.  “It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do, and I’d be happy.”

Noke thinks that Cote is the natural choice as an opponent and as a fellow coach on the reality show, but no matter who he’d be matched up with, he wants in as the head of Team Australia.

If it’s Cote or another Canadian, it really doesn’t matter much to Noke.  He just wants to be a part of this season and represent Australia like he’s been doing since day one when he first stepped on the mats.

“I think it would be the best option for both of us.  Either way I don’t care who it is,” Noke stated.   “I want the job and I’m prepared to fight anyone for it.  For me, Patrick would probably be the best opposing coach.”

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained first hand unless otherwise noted.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva Isn’t Looking for Revenge, Only the Gold at UFC 160

If there’s one thing to be said about UFC 160 main event fighter Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva, it’s that he has the ability to rise to the occasion when the entire world seems to be counting him out. In February of 2011, Silva was matched up with former pou…

If there’s one thing to be said about UFC 160 main event fighter Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva, it’s that he has the ability to rise to the occasion when the entire world seems to be counting him out.

In February of 2011, Silva was matched up with former pound-for-pound king and heavyweight icon Fedor Emelianenko in the opening round of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. Emelianenko was entering the fight off a loss to Fabricio Werdum, but many considered it to be a fluke mistake the Russian made getting caught in a triangle choke early in the opening round.

The bout with Silva was supposed to be Emelianenko‘s charge back to the top of the rankings, but what happened in the fight was a far cry from a triumphant return.  Silva manhandled Emelianenko for the better part of 10 minutes before the fight was stopped due to damage the Russian endured while battling the giant Brazilian fighter.

Silva once again had the odds stacked against him when he faced former Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem in February at UFC 156.  It seemed everybody had already anointed Overeem as the next challenger to the UFC heavyweight title and his fight with Silva was merely a formality.

Unfortunately for Overeem, Silva had much different plans and instead knocked out the former K-1 kickboxing champion in the third round to not only shock the world but claim his spot as the top contender in the heavyweight division.

Now just a few days away from his first crack at the UFC heavyweight title, Silva is again facing what seem to be insurmountable odds.

Silva’s title shot comes against Cain Velasquez—the same fighter who gave him a very rude welcome to the Octagon by beating him in the first round by TKO almost exactly one year ago.  So heading into the rematch, Silva is again in familiar territory.

He isn’t one to look at his history and believe that upsets are something he just excels at when he steps in the cage.  Silva knows that if his preparation is on point, he can beat any fighter on the planet whether he’s the favorite or a huge underdog.

“I don’t want and don’t like to show anyone some type of proof,” Silva told Bleacher Report in an exclusive interview.  “Just that I train hard and try to achieve good victories because I love to fight.”

If proving naysayers wrong doesn’t serve as Silva’s motivation, how about good, old fashioned revenge?

It’s hard to erase the image of Velasquez taking Silva down in their last fight and literally pounding him into a bloody mess that preceded the end of the night for the Brazilian.  Maybe it’s his best poker face, but according to Silva, this fight isn’t about revenge or redemption.

It’s about facing the best heavyweight in the world and when the fight is over taking home the UFC gold.

“I don’t think about revenge,” Silva stated.  “I’m professional and all I want is to fight and win.  There is a feeling of a rematch and I want the belt.  This is an extra motive.

“This is definitely a great moment in my career, but I don’t put pressure on myself.  This fight is just another important fight in my life.”

While their last fight ended with Silva wearing a crimson mask, it also provided him with a large amount of knowledge for how Velasquez may approach this rematch. He felt the UFC champion’s strength and wrestling in their last fight, and it gives Silva plenty of ammunition to load up for the rematch this Saturday night.

“Cain Velasquez is an excellent wrestling and a complete athlete and I respect him a lot,” Silva said.  “I am training well and I am going to do what my trainers taught me because I am sure it will work.  For every attack, there is a defense and a counterattack.”

Silva doesn’t care much about how this fight plays out in terms of him gunning for a knockout or a submission.  If he walks out of UFC 160 with the heavyweight title, he’s going to be a very happy man.

So when it came down to a prediction on how the fight with Velasquez will end—Silva kept it simple and said “with my arms raised in the air.”

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained first hand unless otherwise noted.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Manager: Carlos Condit Targeting August/September Return to the Octagon

UFC welterweight contender Carlos Condit wasn’t kidding after his last fight against Johny Hendricks that he really wanted to concentrate on bettering his wrestling before returning to the Octagon. In his last two fights, Condit struggled to stop the o…

UFC welterweight contender Carlos Condit wasn’t kidding after his last fight against Johny Hendricks that he really wanted to concentrate on bettering his wrestling before returning to the Octagon.

In his last two fights, Condit struggled to stop the offensive wrestling advances of both Hendricks and UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre. Takedowns were the biggest difference in scoring during both bouts, and following his second consecutive loss he wanted to dedicate himself to adding that element to his game.

Now more than two months removed from the fight with Hendricks, Condit is starting to receive calls from the UFC about his return to action, and it appears that a late summer date could be the time when the “Natural Born Killer” next appears in the cage.

According to Condit‘s manager Malki Kawa, the New Mexico-based fighter has a potential fight being offered to him, but no deal has been struck just yet to make it happen. Kawa says when Condit reappears in the UFC he wants to make sure wrestling is never a reason he loses a fight again, so timing is crucial for his return.

“There actually is a fight on the radar,” Kawa revealed when speaking to MMA‘s Great Debate Radio. “The UFC has been talking about a fight for Carlos Condit, but Carlos right now at this moment is looking to improve his wrestling. He’s really concentrating on that a lot. I’ll have a conversation with Carlos this week and figure out if he wants to do something in August or September.”

Condit‘s personal timetable would land him on a card in September, possibly even the recently announced UFC 165 fight card taking place in Toronto that month. The UFC would like to place Condit on a card in August, but it’s unknown at this time which date will end up on his calendar.

“I think his timetable is September, and I think the UFC wants him to come back and fight some time in August,” Kawa stated. “So we’ll see what happens, I think right now he really wants to perfect his wrestling.”

While Condit‘s record may sport two losses in a row on it, that doesn’t mean his career is by any means at a crossroads where he desperately needs a win. Condit is still ranked No. 2 in the world at 170 pounds according to the official UFC ranking system, and the only losses he’s suffered in the past few years came at the hands of the welterweight champion and the current No. 1 contender.

Still the right fight needs to happen for Condit to get back into title contention and in the win column. 

A couple of names brought up to Kawa included former UFC welterweight title contender Nick Diaz and top-10 fighter Martin Kampmann. Both would be interesting rematches for Condit, who holds a win over Diaz and suffered his first loss in the UFC to Kampmann.

“I think those are two fights that definitely interest Carlos. I think any fight that gets him back into title contention is an interesting fight to him,” Kawa said. “If Nick was interested in that rematch, I think we’d give it to him. I think it’s a big-money fight, and I think it’s an opportunity for Carlos to go out there and finish him this time. I think the Kampmann fight is interesting only from the aspect of him avenging that loss.”

Currently, Diaz remains retired after suffering a loss to St-Pierre at UFC 158 in March, but a rematch with Condit could potentially serve as motivation to draw the Stockton, Calif., native out of hibernation. Kampmann hasn’t fought since his own loss to Hendricks in November 2012, but a fight against Condit may be the right way to jump back into the deep end of the welterweight division for the veteran contender.

Either way, decisions on Condit‘s next fight will be made soon with the August UFC cards filling up now, and September won’t fall far behind.

“He told me September, the UFC wants him in August,” Kawa revealed.  “We’ll figure it out and see what happens.  It’s all up to him and what he decides what he wants to do.”

 

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

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