Author: Damon Martin

Marcus Brimage Plans on Giving Overrated Conor McGregor a “Reality Check”

There seems to be quite a bit of hype surrounding UFC on Fuel 9 competitor Conor McGregor, as he makes his Octagon debut this weekend in Sweden. A two-weight-class champion in another promotion, McGregor has been in the spotlight already with documenta…

There seems to be quite a bit of hype surrounding UFC on Fuel 9 competitor Conor McGregor, as he makes his Octagon debut this weekend in Sweden.

A two-weight-class champion in another promotion, McGregor has been in the spotlight already with documentaries being aired about his rise to success, and that was before he ever even signed with the UFC earlier this year.

His opponent this weekend, Marcus Brimage, has heard all the stories about McGregor, and as he understands it, the young Irishman is going to be a popular pick on Saturday.  He’s watched plenty of video on McGregor, and he’s not really sure where all the hype is coming from outside of a few flashy finishes against subpar opponents.

“I looked the guy up and he’s like the Irish gospel, he’s like the second coming in Ireland.  Everyone’s just going crazy about him saying that he’s on the short path to (Jose) Aldo, he’s got two belts, so I really didn’t give a damn,” Brimage told Bleacher Report.  “I looked up his opponents and I looked up his fights and f—king all his opponents were just scared sh—less before they ever walked into the ring.  They were petrified, they couldn’t even do anything against him before the fights even started.”

Brimage is pretty positive looking at the fights that McGregor‘s had over the past couple of years that he could duplicate those same performances if he lined up similar talent.

“I told everybody I can go back to Alabama state fairgrounds, put some bums in the ring, whoop their asses, and put all my cousins in the stands to make sure it looked good. I could do that, but that doesn’t mean nothing,” said Brimage.  “He fights in Cage Warriors and then he got all his cousins in the stands saying ‘Go Ireland!’ and he clowns the dude and it makes him look fantastic.”

The hype surrounding McGregor also comes with a certain level of expectation, and that brings plenty of pressure behind it as well.

Brimage has already knocked off two other competitors of similar pedigree in Jim Hettes and Maximo Blanco, who appeared to be on the fast track to fame and fortune when he beat them in the Octagon.  Whether he sees his name in lights come Saturday night isn’t important, but Brimage promises to send McGregor back to Ireland with a UFC loss and a big bruised ego to match.

“I’m still gonna come up in there as the underdog, like I always am, and I’m just going to do my thing like I always do,” Brimage stated.  “He’s going to come out there thinking I’m a lollipop that he can just clown and then that’s when he’s going to get a reality check.”

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

Alexander Gustafsson Officially out of UFC on Fuel 9 Main Event

The long saga surrounding Alexander Gustafsson’s status for this weekend’s UFC on Fuel 9 card has finally been determined by the Swedish MMA Federation, and it appears Gegard Mousasi will have a new opponent for Saturday night. Doctors have decided aga…

The long saga surrounding Alexander Gustafsson‘s status for this weekend’s UFC on Fuel 9 card has finally been determined by the Swedish MMA Federation, and it appears Gegard Mousasi will have a new opponent for Saturday night.

Doctors have decided against clearing Gustafsson for action on Saturday’s card after the Swedish-born fighter suffered a cut over his eye just days away from his scheduled bout.

According to a press release emailed to Bleacher Report on Tuesday, the Swedish MMA Federation doctors first checked out Gustafsson‘s condition on March 30, but at the time had no recourse to decide if he would be able to fight or not.

“According to SMMAF regulations the competitors in a match shall be examined by the certified appointed match doctor prior to the match,” read the release. “The examination is always carried out the day before the match, this is to safeguard that a competitor shall never be cleared for a match earlier than the day before the match.

“In the case of Alexander Gustafsson there was a request for an early indicative medical examination, which was immediately performed on March 30th (Easter Eve). The federation doctors that performed the examination informed Gustafsson that his injury was of such a nature that it was very unlikely that he would be medically cleared for a match in the near future. These doctors did not have a mandate to stop the match at the time of that examination.”

The news of Gustafsson‘s pending removal from the upcoming fight card first surfaced on Sunday, when reports out of Sweden began leaking that he had suffered a cut in training and his status for Saturday’s fight card was in jeopardy.

Since that time, UFC officials including president Dana White have gone on the record on numerous occasions stating that the fight between Gustafsson and Mousasi was going ahead as planned.

Still, rumors persisted that Gustafsson might not gain clearance in time to fight on Saturday, and the doctors in Sweden decided to follow up with a second check on Tuesday and made the final call that he would not be allowed to compete this weekend.

“The SMMAF Medical Committee has today reviewed the circumstances regarding Gustafsson and his injury,” the commission stated via press release. “The SMMAF Medical Committee recognizes that a competitor cannot be medically cleared earlier than the day before the match. However, bearing in mind that a correct medical examination that met the regulatory demands has been performed, nothing in the SMMAF regulations hinders the SMMAF Medical Committee from making a decision to stop Gustafsson from competing. As it is clear that Alexander Gustafsson will not be fit to compete as planned and cannot be medically cleared on Friday the 5th of April, the SMMAF Medical Committee has today decided that Alexander Gustafsson will not be allowed to participate in the planned match on April 6th.”

The unfortunate side of this news is the fact that Gustafsson‘s exit from the card happens just four days away from the event, and the options have to be limited for what the UFC can do to even possibly replace him by fight night.

His opponent Gegard Mousasi is already in Sweden and obviously awaits word like the rest of the world on what happens next. UFC officials have yet to make any statement about the UFC on Fuel 9 main event.

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Gegard Mousasi: Popular Fighters Get More Respect Despite Doing Far Less

Gegard Mousasi has fought all over the world, held titles in several different organizations and faced top talent in multiple weight classes, but still he’s being regarded as a bit of an unknown underdog heading into his first UFC fight. Throughout his…

Gegard Mousasi has fought all over the world, held titles in several different organizations and faced top talent in multiple weight classes, but still he’s being regarded as a bit of an unknown underdog heading into his first UFC fight.

Throughout his career, Mousasi has never backed down from a challenge. From fighting heavyweights like Mark Hunt during an open weight grand prix in Japan to standing toe-to-toe K-1 kickboxers like Musashi on their terms under their rules, Mousasi is a man who enjoys having the odds stacked against him.

It’s one thing when those odds are because he’s facing a bigger opponent or fighting someone strictly in their own discipline, but it’s entirely another because Mousasi just happens to be facing a fighter with a bigger, more well known name than his own.

“I have to prove to be considered at least a good fighter. I feel people still don’t give me credit for being a good fighter. At least give me credit for being a good fighter, but certain fighters get that and I don’t,” Mousasi said when speaking to Bleacher Report. “I still feel those fighters have performed far less than me, but because they’re more popular and have fought popular guys. I can’t mention names, but I’ve seen fighters lose, they get beat up, and still no one doubts their abilities as a fighter.

“Somehow with me, I haven’t fought a lot in the U.S. or I haven’t fought as big names that are in the UFC, but certain things that make people think a certain way.”

Mousasi admits that some of his animosity stems from the reaction he’s received from some fans on social networks like Twitter, who have attacked him since signing on for his UFC debut. Of course he recognizes that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but he wishes there was a more tactful way of expressing things.

“I feel everything is positive, but you always have some certain people that talk a certain way like fans that they have their opinion but they say it in a rude way,” said Mousasi. “It’s like why don’t you come do the same work and I’m going to rip on you. Of course there are certain people who talk like ‘you’re going to get knocked the f—k out’ or they talk certain ways that are not appropriate, they don’t have any respect.

“But people like that you’re always going to have. I want to see them do something with their lives and let me talk about them a certain way and see how they are going to feel. Fans have their right to their opinion. Of course that’s what makes it exciting, but some people don’t know how to talk. They should have a little bit more respect towards the fighters.”

With his new deal in place, Mousasi has his chance to showcase what he’s been doing for years, but now he’s competing on the largest platform in the MMA world in the UFC. 

“They’re considered the best, so fighting them is going to put me as one of the best,” said Mousasi.   “Of course it’s better for me to fight these well known names than somebody you don’t know, but you can still lose to those guys. I’m getting more rewarded fighting a guy with a big name than fighting someone that’s less known. It’s all about the popularity of some fighters, but it’s a great thing for me to fight some of these big names.

“I’m going to definitely take advantage of the opportunity.”

No matter who Mousasi ends up facing at UFC on Fuel 9 or for his next fight, he’s ready to seize this moment and show the world he belongs among the best of the best at 205 pounds and beyond.

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

CB Dollaway Injured; Chris Camozzi Gets the Call to Face Cezar Mutante in Brazil

A change has been made to the upcoming UFC on FX 8 card in Brazil as Ultimate Fighter Brasil winner Cezar “Mutante” Ferreira will face a new opponent after C.B. Dollaway suffered an undisclosed injury, forcing him off the card (BloodyElbow.com). UFC of…

A change has been made to the upcoming UFC on FX 8 card in Brazil as Ultimate Fighter Brasil winner Cezar “Mutante” Ferreira will face a new opponent after C.B. Dollaway suffered an undisclosed injury, forcing him off the card (BloodyElbow.com).

UFC officials announced on Monday that Dollaway, a former Ultimate Fighter finalist himself, fell to injury during his training camp and would be unable to fight on May 18 at the next major UFC on FX card.

In his place will step another Ultimate Fighter alum as Colorado fighter Chris Camozzi gets the call to travel back to Brazil and face Ferreira in his home country.

A winner of four fights in a row, Camozzi gets a quick turnaround following his last fight where he defeated Nick Ring at UFC 158 in Montreal in mid-March.

This will be Camozzi‘s second trip to Brazil in less than a year.  He went there in October 2012 and picked up a unanimous decision victory over Luis Cane.

Now Camozzi will step up on short notice to try to defeat the first-ever Ultimate Fighter: Brasil champion right in his own backyard.

It’s been a strange trip for Ferreira to finally get back in the Octagon after taking part in the inaugural season of TUF: Brasil in 2012.  Ferreira was coached by close friend and mentor Vitor Belfort as the first pick for his team and gave dominant performances to make the finals.

Unfortunately, injury struck down Ferreira‘s original opponent, Daniel Sarafian, and he instead defeated fellow TUF cast member Sergio Moraes to win the season title.  Since that time, Ferreira has been on the sidelines out of action and when he returns in May, it will have been nearly one year since his last bout.

Stylistically the fight is also a big change for the Brazilian as he transitions from a wrestling-first fighter like Dollaway to a dangerous striker in Camozzi.

Ferreira will undoubtedly have the support of his home country fans on his side, however, as well as the moral support of his former coach Vitor Belfort, who fights in the main event on the same card against Luke Rockhold.

 

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Daniel Cormier Promises “If Frank Mir Gets Finished, It Will Be Because He Quit”

Throughout his MMA career, Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix champion Daniel Cormier has avoided trash talk for the most part. The former Olympian is considered to be one of the friendliest and most well-spoken competitors outside the cage, and is gen…

Throughout his MMA career, Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix champion Daniel Cormier has avoided trash talk for the most part.

The former Olympian is considered to be one of the friendliest and most well-spoken competitors outside the cage, and is generally regarded as a fighter who lets his actions speak louder than words when it comes to any pre-fight banter with an opponent.

Recently, however, Cormier had a hard time ignoring some comments made by Frank Mir, his next opponent at UFC on Fox 7.

In a recent interview, Mir said that he was surprised at Cormier not being able to put away an opponent outside of a referee just putting a stop to the fight and stated, “he wasn’t able to put the guy away through a lack of finishing abilities, through a lack of finishing moves.”

He added more insult to injury when speaking about Cormier‘s performance against Josh Barnett, which ended in a unanimous decision, saying that the eventual Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix winner “doesn’t really have much finishing ability.”

Needless to say, despite his friendly demeanor, Cormier took exception to the comments, but also knows that part of fighting Mir is learning to listen to him talk about his opponents even after he’s been beaten by them.

“Frank’s being Frank,” Cormier told Bleacher Report. “There are select few people in this world that can be in a situation that’s supposed to humble you and it just doesn’t happen. I think that’s happened time and time again with Frank. He’s talked about Brock (Lesnar) and he got beat up by Brock, and he still talks bad about Brock. Case one, Frank should have been humbled by the beating Brock put on him, but it didn’t work.”

“Case two, talked about Shane Carwin and Shane Carwin finished him, still didn’t humble him. Talked about Junior Dos Santos after Junior Dos Santos beat him up. So there are a select few people in this world that when you’re in a situation that’s supposed to humble you, it doesn’t necessarily work out that way. Frank Mir’s one of those guys.”

As far as breaking down Mir’s assessment of his skills, on paper it doesn’t really hold water considering Cormier has won eight of his 11 pro fights by TKO or submission with only three fights making it to the judges’ scorecards.

Mir will get the chance firsthand on April 20 to see how Cormier can fight in the cage, but he’s got a warning to issue for the former UFC heavyweight champion.

“To the point of me not being a guy that can finish fights, I’m going to tell you right now and this is 100 percent true—Frank Mir says I can’t finish fights? Okay that’s fine,” Cromier said. “My intention in this fight is not to finish Frank Mir. I’m going beat up on Frank Mir for 15 minutes and I’m going to make him stay in that cage with me.”

“If Frank Mir gets finished, it will be because he quit.”

Cormier wants to leave no doubt in Mir’s mind that if this fight ends it’s because the former UFC champion couldn’t take anymore, taps out and asks for it to be over.

“We’ve all seen some of his fights where we’re like ‘what exactly happened there?’. Know that in this one, if he gets finished it will be because he quits,” Cormier stated. “I’m going to make him check out of that fight, I’m not going to do it for him. I’m not going to do it for him. When he wants out of the fight, he’ll get out of the fight.”

“So watch the fight on April 20. If Frank Mir gets finished it’s because he checked out.”

Now for as fired up as Cormier seems to be about Mir’s comments as encapsulated by his response, he’s not going to get goaded into a fight that doesn’t make sense for him. Cormier is smart enough to know his strong suit and what Mir does well in the cage, and he’s not going to become some risk-taking fighter just to prove a point.

“I’m not going to go in there and put myself at risk because Frank Mir is talking trash about me or because Frank Mir doesn’t really respect me,” said Cormier. “At the end of all if it, it’s easy to see what Frank said and the only thing I take away from it is that he honestly just doesn’t think I’m very good and doesn’t respect my skills or many of the things I’ve accomplished in my life. That’s the biggest mistake anyone could make in a competitive situation.”

Cormier hopes to make Mir pay for his disrespect when they meet as the co-main event at UFC on Fox 7 on April 20 in San Jose.

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

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC Returns to Boston for Fox Sports 1 Launch Show on August 17

The UFC will help kick off the launch of the new Fox Sports 1 channel with a major show headed to UFC president Dana White’s hometown of Boston on Aug. 17. White teased earlier this month at UFC 158 that the company was planning a return to Boston in t…

The UFC will help kick off the launch of the new Fox Sports 1 channel with a major show headed to UFC president Dana White‘s hometown of Boston on Aug. 17.

White teased earlier this month at UFC 158 that the company was planning a return to Boston in the near future, and it looks like August is that time.

The UFC has only done one show in Boston since MMA became fully regulated in the state of Massachusetts with its card in August 2010, headlined with the lightweight title rematch between Frankie Edgar and BJ Penn.

The card also featured the lone appearance of former boxing champion James Toney as he faced off with UFC Hall of Fame inductee Randy Couture at the show.

The show on Aug. 17 will be a launching pad for the debut week of Fox’s new all-sports channel called Fox Sports 1.  The new network will replace Fox’s Speed Channel and debuts the same day with UFC being the first major live event to be showcased that evening.

Fox Sports 1 is the network’s vision to compete in the all-sports broadcasting race with other companies like ESPN. The UFC will be an integral part of the new station with multiple live cards airing for the remainder of 2013 and years to come.

The first card on the network will be the Aug. 17 show at the TD Garden Arena in Boston, and as White teased, the UFC is planning a major card for the launch of its new broadcast partner.

As it currently stands, the UFC already has two other major shows planned for August, with UFC 163 taking place in Brazil on Aug. 3 and UFC 164 scheduled for Aug. 31 in Milwaukee as part of the Hometown Throwdown in coordination with Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

If the UFC’s last venture into Boston is any indication, the show should be a big success.  UFC 118 drew a crowd of 14,169 in live attendance and pulled a gate of just over $2.8 million. 

No fights have been announced as of yet for the upcoming Fox Sports 1 card, but more announcements are expected in the coming days.

 

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com