Several UFC fighters have recently gotten involved in a number of campaigns to help young people around the world through programs aimed at important matters like anti-bullying, and now lightweight fighter Myles Jury has taken his time to do something …
Several UFC fighters have recently gotten involved in a number of campaigns to help young people around the world through programs aimed at important matters like anti-bullying, and now lightweight fighter Myles Jury has taken his time to do something for troubled youths in Iowa.
The Woodward Academy in Iowa is a school where troubled kids described by the school and their program that “targets youth new to the criminal justice system and are in need of a short-term intervention, a community residential program for youth who are in need of a longer length of stay, and a program for males in need of sexual offender treatment.”
More than 3,300 students have enrolled at the school just outside of Des Moines, Iowa, and recently Jury appeared there to speak to the students.
Jury grew up making some of the same mistakes these kids did, but he found a positive outlet through martial arts, and he shares his message in hopes of helping them escape similar pitfalls.
The long wait for Mark Hunt to travel to the United States appears to finally be over, and the heavyweight slugger should be on a plane either Sunday or Monday headed for Las Vegas to fight at UFC 160. Hunt has been waiting for two weeks to receive hi…
The long wait for Mark Hunt to travel to the United States appears to finally be over, and the heavyweight slugger should be on a plane either Sunday or Monday headed for Las Vegas to fight at UFC 160.
Hunt has been waiting for two weeks to receive his travel visa to be able to come to the United States, but because of an arrest that happened in 2002 involving the former K-1 fighter, he’s been delayed and unable to get on a plane thus far.
While Hunt was never actually charged with a crime in the incident, he was unable to secure a travel visa for the past couple of weeks, and there was some worry his fight at UFC 160 against former heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos was in jeopardy.
Fortunately for Hunt, the red tape that was preventing his travel was cut down over the weekend, and as promised by UFC officials as of last week, the New Zealand fighter will be on a plane headed to the United States shortly (Hunt is expected to be on a plane on Sunday evening with an arrival time in the U.S. on Monday).
Hunt first confirmed the news via Twitter on Sunday.
Representatives from Hunt’s camp also confirmed via email to Bleacher Report that the fighter would be on a plane very soon traveling to the United States.
The good news is that Hunt will be able to fight and the UFC won’t have to scramble for a last-minute replacement for the co-main event on a major pay-per-view card.
If there is a downside, however, it’s the fact that Hunt will be traveling halfway around the world only four days before his scheduled showdown with a former UFC heavyweight champion.
Hunt’s trip was supposed to take place two weeks ago to allow him time to acclimate his body to the time difference, food and other variables that can affect a fighter leading into a bout.Several competitors from countries like Japan have noted in the past that long travel schedules that see them arrive close to a fight date can be a factor when it comes to their performance.
Hunt has traveled long distances for fights for most of his professional career, so hopefully this late-notice trip to the United States won’t stop him from putting on the best performance possible when he faces Dos Santos on Saturday night in Las Vegas.
Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.
For the second fight in a row, Vitor Belfort finished an opponent with a devastating head kick, this time around putting away former Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold Saturday night in the latest UFC on FX main event. With just over two …
For the second fight in a row, VitorBelfort finished an opponent with a devastating head kick, this time around putting away former Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold Saturday night in the latest UFC on FX main event.
With just over two minutes gone in the fight, Belfort launched a quick, spinning heel kick that landed flush on Rockhold‘s jaw sending him crashing to the mat.
The spinning kick was similar to the ones landed by UFC lightweight EdsonBarboza (finishing Terry Etim) and former Ultimate Fighter finalist Uriah Hall (putting away Adam Cella). Rockhold deserves some credit because he’s the only one of the three who had the kick land and didn’t get completely knocked out from the impact, but Belfort didn’t need much morebesides a few punches to put Rockhold‘s lights out and pick up another win at 185 pounds.
Belfort is actually undefeated at the weight outside of one loss, and that’s where his win creates a big problem in the UFC’s middleweight division.
The Brazilian has now knocked off two top-five contenders in a row, with Rockhold and Michael Bisping in his previous fight.For any other fighter, it would almost seem a lock for a title shot in his next bout, but for Belfort that assumption can’t happen just yet for a number of reasons.
The first obstacle is middleweight champion Anderson Silva.
Belfort and Silva met already at UFC 126 in 2011 and ended in one of the most stunning knockouts in mixed martial arts history.Silva threw a front kick that landed straight on Belfort‘s mouth, knocking him to the ground in dramatic fashion.
Add to that the knockout happened in the first round in a one-sided fight that Silva controlled and no matter what streak he’s on currently, it’s hard to put Belfort back in against the champion a second time.Silva has never been keen on rematches, although he did grant one to both ChaelSonnen and former UFC champion Rich Franklin since he’s been middleweight champion.
Silva next faces Chris Weidman at UFC 162 in July. With a win, he would seem poised to focus on fights that would further define his legacy, like bouts against welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre or light heavyweight king Jon Jones.It’s unknown if Silva would have any interest at all in taking on Belfort a second time.
The other major obstacle for Belfort right now is his use of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).
While the treatment is 100 percent legal by all standards in mixed martial arts, fighters are required to receive a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) by any state commission leading up to a fight.Belfort has now openly been using TRT for his last two fights, but he’s only fought in Brazil while being on the controversial treatment.
In the past with cards in Brazil, the UFC acted as a governing body to test the competing athletes.Recently, a commission was formed in Brazil, approving Belfort‘s continued TRT use.
Belfort would also need TRT approval for fights in the United States or other areas with recognized commissions.
Unfortunately for Belfort, he tested positive for steroids after competing in a Pride Fighting Championships bout in 2006 in Las Vegas.While there’s no proof why Belfort has low testosterone, steroid abuse is a known cause of the problem in men.
Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizerspoke to Bleacher Report in March and stated that because of Belfort‘s past conviction for steroid use, it’s unlikely they would grant him TRT exemption in the state.
“I don’t see VitorBelfort getting a TRT exemption from us,” Kizer told Bleacher Report. “I really don’t and I feel kind of bad for him in some ways because if he has learned from his mistakes and now he’s trying to do it the right way and his levels are low with the treatment good for him and I hope he is doing that. The rules are the rules and you have to draw the line somewhere.”
The line in the sand for TRT usage seems to be a past suspension for steroids, and that could prevent “the Phenom” from using the treatment in a fight in Las Vegas or some other major areas in the U.S. if other commissions follow suit.
It would mean that Belfort‘s fights would have to continue to take place in Brazil or England or other areas where the UFC acts as the governing body. If that’s the case, it’s going to make a title fight with Belfort involved a hard sell, especially with the lion’s share of major UFC championship fights taking place in the United States and Canada.
The only other scenario would be Belfort discontinuing his use of TRT all together.
At the post-fight press conference in Brazil, Belfort didn’t seem too interested in talking about TRT or a potential matchup with Silva down the road anyway, according to Tatame reporter Guilherme Cruz.
Belfort‘s best hope for a title shot might be to begin rooting for Chris Weidman at UFC 162, and then ask for the fight to take place in Brazil.Otherwise, Belfort may have to settle for big fights taking place in his native country with no title implications on the line.
It’s not an ideal spot for any fighter to be in, but at 36 years of age, Belfort could certainly earn a nice living being a part of major cards in Brazil time and again. But another shot at UFC gold may never happen in his career.
Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report.
UFC lightweight Nate Diaz decided to voice his opinion about another fighter on Thursday while using a homophobic slur, and on Friday it cost him $20,000. Diaz took to Twitter this week to speak out against bantamweight fighter Bryan Caraway, boasting …
UFC lightweight Nate Diaz decided to voice his opinion about another fighter on Thursday while using a homophobic slur, and on Friday it cost him $20,000.
Diaz took to Twitter this week to speak out against bantamweight fighter Bryan Caraway, boasting that he received a Submission of the Night bonus only after the original recipient, Pat Healy, was suspended for failing a post-fight drug test for marijuana.
While the message Diaz was stating was his own opinion, the use of a homophobic slur in doing so brought down the UFC hammer after the violation of the recently instituted fighter code of conduct.
It took less than 24 hours for the UFC to decide Diaz’s punishment, which will result in a brief suspension (which he would have likely sat out anyways after being knocked out in his last fight on April 20) and a hefty fine.
UFC lightweight Nate Diaz has received an immediate 90-day suspension and $20,000 fine for violating the UFC’s fighter code of conduct. The language used in his tweet was regrettable, offensive and inconsistent with the values and culture of the organization, and is not tolerated.
The money will be donated to charity.
The tweet that contained the offensive message has since been deleted from Diaz’s Twitter account.
Diaz becomes the third fighter in a matter of weeks to fall victim to the UFC’s code of conduct policy.
UFC heavyweight Matt Mitrione faced a fine and a brief suspension after making derogatory remarks about transgender fighter Fallon Fox.While the amount of his fine was never released, UFC President Dana White promised it hit him hard in the wallet.
UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva decided to miss a press obligation recently in the promotion of his July bout against Chris Weidman at UFC 162. The missed meeting cost the Brazilian $50,000 for his failure to appear at the press function.
Diaz now becomes the latest fighter in just a matter of weeks to end up on the wrong side of the UFC, and he’ll now be $20,000 lighter for the effort.
Just for the sake of reference, Diaz earned $15,000 for his last fight at UFC on Fox 7 in a losing effort to Josh Thomson.Prior to that fight, Diaz took home $50,000 for his bout against Benson Henderson in the main event of UFC on Fox 5 last December.
The UFC did not release the name of the charity that would receive the fine paid by Diaz.
Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report
Former UFC fighter Paul Kelly awaits sentencing now after being convicted on heroin trafficking charges in an England court on Friday. Kelly, who competed in the UFC a total of nine times while amassing a 5-4 record overall, found himself in hot water…
Former UFC fighter Paul Kelly awaits sentencing now after being convicted on heroin trafficking charges in an England court on Friday.
Kelly, who competed in the UFC a total of nine times while amassing a 5-4 record overall, found himself in hot water after being arrested last year as part of a drug sting operation.Kelly last fought in the Octagon in 2011 in a Fight of the Night effort as he lost to Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone by rear-naked choke.
At the time, Kelly professed his innocence on Twitter proclaiming that there were “no cash, no drugs, no sting!” and continued by saying “Just to clarify yes my house was raided by mersyside matrix division who found no drugs or anything of any criminal nature.”
Kelly remained positive just a day ago, before the verdict was read and he took to Twitter once more to gain support from those who believed in his innocence.
Now almost a year to the day after his initial arrest, Kelly was found guilty of trafficking heroin and faces a lengthy jail sentence for the conviction.
According to a report from the Liverpool Echo, Kelly and two friends, were convicted on charges stemming from raids between 2011 and 2012 that accused the former UFC fighter of being involved in a large drug syndicate in England.
During the trial, prosecutors argued that Kelly’s financial situation worsened after he was cut from the UFC in 2011. The fighter stated he was making close to $100,000 a year and did not need to deal drugs for money.
The jury disagreed, and after a four-day trial Kelly was found guilty in a unanimous vote. The judge who was overseeing the proceedings believed that it was Kelly who was the boss of the group of men convicted of the heroin trafficking charges.
The Liverpool Echo reported that when the verdict was read, Kelly ripped up from his seat shouting “I’ve got two kids!” while his father had to be thrown out of the courtroom due to an outburst.
With the conviction now secured, Kelly was taken into custody where he will await sentencing next month.
Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report
Jon Jones may be healing a mangled toe, but he’s already eyeing the record he so desperately wants to break to be considered the greatest light heavyweight champion in MMA history. In his last fight at UFC 159 in April, Jones suffered one of the most h…
Jon Jones may be healing a mangled toe, but he’s already eyeing the record he so desperately wants to break to be considered the greatest light heavyweight champion in MMA history.
In his last fight at UFC 159 in April, Jones suffered one of the most horrific injuries during his victory over ChaelSonnen.The dislocated toe looked like something out of a horror film, but amazingly enough, the diagnosis wasn’t as nearly as bad as the image that showed Jones’ toe dangling from his foot.
Now a few weeks removed from the injury, Jones is healing quickly. If time permits, he might even surprise a few people with the schedule he keeps this year.
“Everything’s good.He’s got to be in the boot for about six weeks, about five weeks now left to go and then he gets to take it off and he’ll test his foot and we’ll see what’s next,” Jones’ manager MalkiKawa told MMA’s Great Debate Radio this week.
“For right now he’s just anxious to get that boot off and make sure his toe is good to go.As long as he feels good coming off that boot and when he goes to put pressure on it, he can walk without a boot, and his toe is strong and everything’s good there then it shouldn’t (delay his return).One thing about Jon is he’s not going to take any chances whatsoever.As long as his foot heals properly and he’s got no issues with it, it shouldn’t delay anything.
“I’ll just tell you this, I wouldn’t be surprised if Jon fights two more times this year.That’s very aggressive and I know that’s crazy, but it’s something that he discussed with me and we talked about it.I told Superman to relax a little bit, you’re injured right now, but he’s got an aggressive timeline in his head. Certain goals and accomplishments that he wants and we’re looking to get that record.”
The record that Kawa is speaking about is the one currently held by both Jones and former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz for title defenses in the 205-pound division.Both fighters defended the belt five times, but with one more win in the weight class, the record will belong solely to Jones.
It’s something the UFC’s reigning light heavyweight champion has talked about numerous times, and that goal is still his top priority right now.While there may be a move to heavyweight one day or even the potential for superfights in the future, Jones wants to be defined as the best ever at 205 pounds before moving on to conquer the rest of the MMA world.
“The truth and the fact of the matter is before we can talk any superfight or any move in weight class or anything to that effect, Jon Jones wants to win his next fight at light heavyweight, he wants to break that record, he wants to own that record solely. He wants to be considered the greatest light heavyweight of all time at this point,” Kawa stated.“I already think he is the greatest light heavyweight of all time, record or no record.
“That being said, he’s got to win that next fight, after that me and Jon will sit down and we’ll take the next route and see what the next opportunity is for his career.”
While Jones fighting at light heavyweight may seem to squash everyone’s hopes for a potential superfight later this year against middleweight champion Anderson Silva, it doesn’t necessarily eliminate that from happening. If Jones vs. Silva were to take place, it’s likely the Brazilian legend would be the one moving up to 205 pounds to accept the challenge.
Silva is currently locked up at middleweight for his fight at UFC 162 against Chris Weidman, so Kawa and Jones are looking forward to a challenge in the light heavyweight division and the crop of current contenders.
“His next fight is at light heavyweight and his next fight will be against somebody that’s considered the No. 1 guy,” Kawa stated.“He’ll get that next defense and once he breaks that record, after that all the speculation can happen.
“I think he really wants to fight Alexander Gustafsson next.Alexander called him out and I think Jon has said in numerous interviews that he would like to fight him next.We’re just going to wait and see what happens.”
Despite his foot being in a protective boot, Jones isn’t slowing down in his off time.The 205-pound champion has been traveling the country with his manager looking at new potential sponsors and endorsement deals while letting his toe heal.The business of Jon Jones is flourishing just like his fight career, and the sky is the limit for this talented and gifted athlete.
Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report, and all quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
