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Dana White: If GSP Doesn’t Want Silva, Johny Hendricks Is ‘Next and Soon’

Georges St-Pierre still hasn’t officially weighed in with UFC President Dana White on who he wants to fight next, but all signs are pointing towards a title defense against top contender Johny Hendricks. Earlier this week when appearing on the Joe Roga…

Earlier this week when appearing on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, St-Pierre said that a move down to lightweight would be easier for him than a move up to middleweight for a fight against 185-pound champion Anderson Silva. He then commented that his next fight was “probably Hendricks.”

On Thursday, White spoke to Bleacher Report regarding St-Pierre’s remarks about his body type allowing him an easier move down in weight than up a division. Are these latest comments proof that St-Pierre just has no desire to face Silva in a proposed superfight, or is something else at work?

“It could be,” White answered when asked if St-Pierre doesn’t want to fight Silva. “At one point before his knee he wanted that fight. I don’t know where his head’s at now. I mean saying he’ll go down to 55, he’s a pretty big dude. It’s interesting.”

If St-Pierre doesn’t request a fight with Silva, he will then have to move his attention to Hendricks, who is waiting in the wings for a title shot.

Judging by White’s comments on Thursday, the organization appears to be in at least the early stages of planning St-Pierre’s next title defense at welterweight against the heavy-handed contender from Texas.

“He’s going to have to get his head into it, that’s who he’s going to fight,” White said about St-Pierre facing Hendricks. “If he doesn’t want to do a superfight, nobody’s going to pressure him into a superfight. That’s up to him. But Johny Hendricks is next and soon. He’s next and soon.”

White went on to say that St-Pierre vs. Hendricks is not a done deal yet because he still hasn’t talked to his welterweight champion to get his opinion on what he wants next.

If St-Pierre doesn’t ask for Silva, however, it looks like Hendricks will finally get his title shot and the UFC will look to put the finishing touches on that bout sooner rather than later.

St-Pierre just recently finished filming his scenes for the new film Captain America: The Winter Soldier and is currently embarking on a media tour for the release of his new book. It looks like a talk with White will also be added to his agenda very soon.

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

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Kurt Holobaugh Wants a Fight of the Night and to Make Dana White Say ‘Wow’

UFC newcomer Kurt Holobaugh has heard all the stories about first time Octagon jitters. It’s a famous phobia that infects many debuting fighters, and once they step foot inside the Octagon, game plans, strategies and training go out the window. W…

UFC newcomer Kurt Holobaugh has heard all the stories about first time Octagon jitters.

It’s a famous phobia that infects many debuting fighters, and once they step foot inside the Octagon, game plans, strategies and training go out the window. What was supposed to be well-oiled machine turns into an emotional, nervous mess that struggles to connect a punch or stop a takedown.

Holobaugh will make his UFC debut this weekend, but he’s not worried about nerves heading into his fight against Steven Siler at UFC 159. His only fear comes from the possibility of a defeat, and that’s a motivational factor whether he’s in the UFC or the local regional shows he fought in for years.

“There is a little bit of pressure because losing my first fight was bad enough, but coming into a big time league with two straight losses isn’t going to look good even if I do have a good fight,” Holobaugh told Bleacher Report. “That’s what I think is the most pressure that I don’t want to lose two fights in a row. Fighting in the UFC is a dream, I don’t think anybody should be nervous about it. Fear of losing in the UFC is the only thing on my shoulders.”

Holobaugh didn’t even have time to get nervous for his last fight when he stepped up on 10 days notice to face Pat Healy on the final Strikeforce show in January. While his body is built for featherweight, Holobaugh took the opportunity because he wanted a shot at the big time.

It was definitely a learning experience, and while he still hates the fact that he lost, Holobaugh is a better fighter today because of that moment.

“It was still a loss and it took me a while to get over, but I fought a good fight and I think I definitely had the skill to win that fight,” Holobaugh stated. “A lot of rookie mistakes cost me that fight, but I think I’ve learned from them and I’m hoping it doesn’t happen again.”

Following a tough, three-round grind against a wrestler like Healy, Holobaugh is excited to face a fighter like Siler, who he believes will be just the candidate to put on a show with him. They may be the opening fight on the preliminary card, but Holobaugh wants to get every fan in the arena on their feet and even gain the attention of his new boss at the UFC.

“I think that’s why I’m so excited for this fight because just the stylistic matchup and how we match up,” Holobaugh stated. “This is a chance for me and him to go out and put on a show and set the bar high.

“Me personally, I want a fight of the night. That’s what I’m going for. I want a good back and forth barnburner and I want Dana White to say wow.”

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

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Phil Davis Says Vinny Magalhaes Made a Mistake Calling out a Top-10 Fighter

Phil Davis has never really been in the business of calling out other fighters, but he became the victim of that practice when his next opponent Vinny Magalhaes targeted him on Twitter late last year. Davis and Magalhaes went around and around on Twitt…

Davis and Magalhaes went around and around on Twitter one night in December 2012, arguing about a potential fight that was offered and why it was or was not accepted.

The argument culminated with Davis finally walking away from the social-networking fray, while Magalhaes continued his assault in order to try and land a fight with the former NCAA champion.

The campaign apparently worked, because Magalhaes will get his chance to face Davis this weekend at UFC 159 in New Jersey. For his part, Davis gets the idea behind calling out another fighter, but he was no fan of the way Magalhaes decided to do it.

“I want to be understood on this—there’s nothing wrong with calling guys out,” Davis told Bleacher Report. “There’s nothing wrong with that. There’s just a level of respect that goes along with it. If I was to call a guy out I would say, ‘Listen I respect this man as a fighter, I love his skill set, I’ve been a fan of his, I want to fight him.’ This is what this game’s about. Just because you want to fight a guy doesn’t mean you’re enemies. This is what we do. But to go along with it to say silly things, it makes things more personal.”

Magalhaes‘ taunts included one message on Twitter that said, “I train for 3 weeks I will beat you in 2 rounds. With a full camp, you’d fake an injury in the locker room.” Later in that same exchange, he came back with another zinger aimed at Davis by saying “I’m not that tough actually, exactly why I’m picking a fight with you.”

Needless to say, Davis was not amused by Magalhaes‘ attempts to goad him into a fight, but the very public Twitter exchange likely did play a hand in matching the two light heavyweights together for the fight this weekend.

Davis has no problem facing Magalhaes, but he never quite understood why the multi-time grappling champion decided to go after him on Twitter, instead of calling the guy who could actually get the fight put together in the first place.

“I don’t take orders from fighters. If you want to fight me that’s cool. It looks like you need to talk to somebody else. Guess what? I don’t make matchups. I fight people,” Davis stated. “So you go to your friendly neighborhood matchmaker and let him make the decisions. Tell him. If he thinks it’s a fight that makes sense he’ll make it.”

Magalhaes is no stranger to Twitter campaigns during his career. While outside the UFC, Magalhaes was very vocal in his attempts to get back in the promotion, and his time finally came last year. He made the most of the opportunity winning his fight against Igor Pokrajac by armbar at UFC 152.

Now he has a chance to face a top-10 light heavyweight, but Davis warns Magalhaes to be careful what he wishes for—because he just might get it.

“He fought a couple good guys, but simply put, if I were him, I would have done it differently. Fighting a guy in the top 10 when you’re one fight in, it doesn’t behoove you very much,” Davis said. “He can do whatever he wants to do with his career.”

As for his own career, Davis isn’t planning on going the Magalhaes route any time soon. He’s happy to fight whoever the UFC matches him up with, and until he’s ready for a title shot, Davis plans on avoiding the game of calling out other fighters.

“Until I’m in the position to fight for the championship, I never say this is the best fight. It’s just, what is my next opponent? What is my next move? Whenever the boss calls and says this is who we’re fighting, I say, ‘Alright, and when do I need to be ready?'” Davis said. “It’s as simple as that.”

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

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Roy Nelson in Favor of UFC Heavyweight Grand Prix Instead of Promotion Politics

There still exists a certain nostalgia in mixed martial arts for Pride Fighting Championships—the organization that at one time was the largest promotion in the sport while operating primarily out of Japan. The big lights and pageantry were part …

The big lights and pageantry were part of the show, but the real selling point of Pride during its heyday were the amazing fights and drama that went along with every event. The biggest staple of Pride over the years was the concept of a Grand Prix—a tournament putting together the best of the best in a weight class that would happen over a few events culminating in a final champion crowned at the end.

Several notable legends built their reputations as a part of the Pride Grand Prix including Fedor Emelianenko and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, and if Roy Nelson had his way the legendary tournament would be revived—this time in the UFC Octagon.

Nelson was a big fan of the Pride Grand Prix‘s when they ran from 2000 until the organization folded in 2007. He believes the tournament format took away any question about who truly was the best fighter at the time and allowed the true champion to be crowned.

“Here’s the thing about tournaments, the cream always rises to the top and it’s a good reset button,” Nelson told MMA‘s Great Debate Radio. “It’s good to have March Madness and you’ve got the Cinderella story. It’s what made Pride great with the Grand Prix. It wasn’t just Pride. It was because Pride always had the Grand Prix. You waited for that whether it was heavyweight or middleweight or whatever.

“The thing is everybody forgets the UFC was the originator of the tournament format. How did Royce Gracie win? Nobody would have picked Royce Gracie to win besides his parents who put the whole thing together. He still had to fight to take the politics out of their hands. He had to beat somebody to become champion.”

Nelson isn’t the first fighter to express an opinion about how someone does or doesn’t receive a title shot in the UFC. This year alone two fighters have been matched up in title fights despite coming off losses (Nick Diaz at UFC 158, Chael Sonnen at UFC 159).

The benefit of the tournament, or in this case the Grand Prix, is that it takes away the politics of promotion and allows the best fighter left standing defined as the best in the world.

Most recently Strikeforce attempted their own version of a heavyweight grand prix with eight of the best in the division matched up in one tournament. Unfortunately, in the midst of the grand prix, the promotion ended up being sold to Zuffa (parent company of the UFC), and top stars like Alistair Overeem were forced out of the tournament due to injury and eventually exited the organization altogether.

Still, Nelson believes that if not for the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix current top-ranked fighter Daniel Cormier could still be searching for the best way to be noticed in the sport.

“That’s how Daniel Cormier got introduced and basically took a lot of the politics out of the game. At that point he rose to the top,” Nelson said. “The Grand Prix‘s changed a lot of the politics and especially if you just did a real money format. Like at the end of the day there’s a $10 million dollar prize or something stupid like that. People would tune into watch that just because it’s a Grand Prix, it’s a real Grand Prix.”

The UFC has done a couple of tournaments since Zuffa took over ownership of the promotion, but typically they have never completely been on board with that type of format for determining contenders or champions.

Nelson would love to see the Grand Prix resurrected especially now with the UFC heavyweight division thriving at a higher level than it’s been at in years. With champion Cain Velasquez sitting atop the mountain, there is a huge list of contenders that sit waiting for their shot at the gold.

Nelson believes a UFC Heavyweight Grand Prix would not only determine a true champion, it would be one of the biggest events of all time.

“It’s definitely one of those things people would tune into watch,” Nelson commented. “It’s just because it’s an epic tournament. You can’t really do it with the 135-er’s because you can’t name eight guys. Heavyweight division you can. 170-pound division you could, maybe the 55-er’s although I think they are all 45-er’s now. It would definitely be something the fans would want to see. That’s something myself I’d tune in.”

The likelihood of a UFC Heavyweight Grand Prix happening is probably slim, but Nelson would still love to see it because it removes anybody from saying a fighter didn’t deserve a title shot. Winning the Grand Prix tournament defines what the best in MMA is all about.

“The one thing with the tournament it’s always a reset button,” Nelson said. “It’s always a rebuilding year, it’s like football or baseball or any other sports league. In our sport sometimes people only go off of your one win or your one loss, but at the end of the day it still comes down to politics when it comes to fighting for that belt.”

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

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Georges St-Pierre Says His Next Fight ‘Probably’ Against Johny Hendricks

There is nothing in writing and no contracts have been signed, but Georges St-Pierre may have just made Johny Hendricks’ day with his comments on Tuesday. Appearing on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast as part of his book tour this week, St-Pierre talke…

There is nothing in writing and no contracts have been signed, but Georges St-Pierre may have just made Johny Hendricks’ day with his comments on Tuesday.

Appearing on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast as part of his book tour this week, St-Pierre talked about a great number of subjects during his hour-long interview, but just before he had to leave the subject of his next fight finally came up.

St-Pierre hasn’t committed to anything since his victory over Nick Diaz at UFC 158 in mid-March, and the world has been wondering if he would indeed face Hendricks next or if he was targeting a showdown with middleweight king Anderson Silva instead.

While he made no definitive statements during the interview, St-Pierre appears closer to another defense of his welterweight title than testing the waters in a higher division against Silva in a potential superfight.

“Probably Hendricks,” St-Pierre stated when asked what’s likely next for him. “We’ll see what’s going to happen. We’ll see with this fight. Now (Anderson Silva) is fighting Weidman and (Johny) Hendricks is freaking out and wants to fight me. We’ll see what’s going to happen.”

In all likelihood, St-Pierre will have a major part in the final decision on who he faces because as of just a few days ago UFC president Dana White was planning on talking to the champion to see where his mind was at when approaching his next trip to the Octagon.

St-Pierre believes he still has business to conduct at 170 pounds, and in all reality he’s not sure unless Silva moves down in weight that the fight with the most dominant fighter in UFC history even makes much sense.

“I know Silva is fighting Chris Weidman. Anderson Silva is very big. I’m 190 pounds,” St-Pierre said. “It’s a lot of weight difference. If this fight happens one day we’re going to have to decide what weight class and everything.

“I don’t do a lot of weight cutting. It would be easier for me to go and fight at 155 than fighting at 185. I would be more at my weight naturally. There’s guys at 155 that walk around at 190 like me. They think I’m big because I have a large frame, but I’m not a big guy. I’m not thick.”

No decision has been made as of yet and White said following the close of UFC on Fox 7 last weekend that he still hadn’t spoken to St-Pierre about his next fight.

With Silva already locked up against Weidman in July at UFC 162, all signs are pointing towards a St-Pierre vs. Hendricks fight happening later this year.

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report

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UFC on Fox 7 Final Ratings Return Good Results Without NFL Support

The final ratings for UFC on Fox 7 have been returned with the numbers coming in slightly higher than initial reports for the card featuring lightweight champion Benson Henderson successfully defending his title against Gilbert Melendez. According to a…

According to a report emailed to Bleacher Report from Nielsen Ratings, UFC on Fox 7 averaged 3.7 million viewers over the broadcast that kicked off at 8 p.m. ET last Saturday night. The show’s initial ratings were reported as 3.31 million viewers, but information hadn’t been returned from the main event, which went well past the 10 p.m. cut off time for the show.

The show peaked during the main event between Henderson and Melendez with 4.7 million viewers according to a press release from Fox sent to Bleacher Report. The UFC on Fox 7 broadcast also ranked No. 1 overall in the coveted 18-49 demographic as well.

The ratings for UFC on Fox 7 are down from both of the last two UFC cards held on Fox despite the perception of the show being a stronger line-up from top to bottom in terms of overall talent. UFC on Fox 5 last December averaged 4.4 million viewers, and that was followed up by UFC on Fox 6 in January that pulled in 4.2 million viewers.

UFC on Fox 5 also featured lightweight champion Benson Henderson as well as former title holder B.J. Penn, while UFC on Fox 6 showcased a flyweight title fight and the final Octagon appearance of former light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

While those two shows did feature established stars like Penn and Jackson, the real difference for UFC on Fox 7 is the fact that there was no promotional help from Fox’s biggest sports entity—the NFL.

When the UFC has had NFL games ongoing while promoting their upcoming event, the numbers have always ended up higher than other shows. UFC on Fox 3 (held in May 2012) and UFC on Fox 4 (held in August 2012) were the two lowest rated shows for the promotion since coming to the network giant in 2011.

UFC on Fox 3 had an average of 2.4 million viewers while UFC on Fox 4 had 2.44 million viewers.

The biggest positive for UFC on Fox 7 is the fact that it pulled in 3.7 million viewers with no support from the NFL on Fox broadcasts that would routinely advertise the upcoming cards. The card pulled much higher numbers than the previous two shows without NFL support for the UFC on Fox.

The next UFC on Fox card will take place on July 27 from the Key Arena in Seattle, Wash. While a few bouts have been named for the card, no main event has been announced by the promotion as of yet.

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com