Despite his rivalry with Jon Jones and all that conspired inside of the cage at UFC 214 this past July, UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier is giving “Bones” the benefit of the doubt during his current battle with United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).
Even after finding out that Jones tested positive for a banned substance collected one day prior to their fight at UFC 214, Cormier has remained relatively calm. The reinstated UFC light heavyweight champion understands that Jones is facing a potential “death sentence” if found guilty of his second USADA offense, but “DC” is also urging fans to take a step back and let Team Jones figure everything out.
A post shared by Daniel “DC” Cormier (@dc_mma) on Sep 15, 2017 at 12:07pm PDT
“Life can be such a roller coaster. I think sometimes you have to just take a moment and breathe it in,” Cormier wrote in a recent Instagram post (shown above). “You never know what’s gonna come your way. You try and handle it the best way you can. One thing that has been amazing is the support from you the fans. I have never felt so much love. It’s crazy because this all happened when I lost.
“Guys now I call upon you to take a breathe, lay off of Jones. Let him and his team figure out what’s going on and what happened. I was down and some may have kicked me but the majority of you showed compassion and love. After the fight Jones showed compassion, regardless of what has happened as humans we must show compassion.
“Jon is not on this ride alone, remember this man has a family. Let’s respect that. You don’t show [your] support for me by hurting others. Again I thank you for ur unbelievable support and I trust that you guys will come [through] again.”
This is a very nice message by the champ, especially considering he and Jones have grown to form one of the biggest rivalries in combat sports history, but it does very little to help alleviate the speculation being created by fans. After all, this isn’t the first time Jones has disappointed his followers and burned massive bridges in the process.
Considering Cormier has now lost twice to Jones — even though Jones’ UFC 214 knockout victory was recently overturned to a no contest — he’ll likely be holding out hope that the former light heavyweight king avoids a crippling four-year suspension so he can have one more shot at dethroning him. Until that happens, Cormier, along with everyone else, will have to sit back and see how this familiar soap opera plays out.
Stick with Mania as more Jon Jones news is made available.
Despite his rivalry with Jon Jones and all that conspired inside of the cage at UFC 214 this past July, UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier is giving “Bones” the benefit of the doubt during his current battle with United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).
Even after finding out that Jones tested positive for a banned substance collected one day prior to their fight at UFC 214, Cormier has remained relatively calm. The reinstated UFC light heavyweight champion understands that Jones is facing a potential “death sentence” if found guilty of his second USADA offense, but “DC” is also urging fans to take a step back and let Team Jones figure everything out.
“Life can be such a roller coaster. I think sometimes you have to just take a moment and breathe it in,” Cormier wrote in a recent Instagram post (shown above). “You never know what’s gonna come your way. You try and handle it the best way you can. One thing that has been amazing is the support from you the fans. I have never felt so much love. It’s crazy because this all happened when I lost.
“Guys now I call upon you to take a breathe, lay off of Jones. Let him and his team figure out what’s going on and what happened. I was down and some may have kicked me but the majority of you showed compassion and love. After the fight Jones showed compassion, regardless of what has happened as humans we must show compassion.
“Jon is not on this ride alone, remember this man has a family. Let’s respect that. You don’t show [your] support for me by hurting others. Again I thank you for ur unbelievable support and I trust that you guys will come [through] again.”
This is a very nice message by the champ, especially considering he and Jones have grown to form one of the biggest rivalries in combat sports history, but it does very little to help alleviate the speculation being created by fans. After all, this isn’t the first time Jones has disappointed his followers and burned massive bridges in the process.
Considering Cormier has now lost twice to Jones — even though Jones’ UFC 214 knockout victory was recently overturned to a no contest — he’ll likely be holding out hope that the former light heavyweight king avoids a crippling four-year suspension so he can have one more shot at dethroning him. Until that happens, Cormier, along with everyone else, will have to sit back and see how this familiar soap opera plays out.
Stick with Mania as more Jon Jones news is made available.
Fight fans are in for a real treat tonight (Sat., Sept. 9, 2017) at UFC 215 live on pay-per-view (PPV) from inside Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, when willing brawler Jeremy Stephens welcomes former Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez to the featherweight ranks.
In preparation for the “Fight of the Night” candidate, UFC featured Stephens in the most recent edition of “KO of the Week.” This time, the action focuses around Stephens’ meeting with Brazilian finisher Rony Jason at UFC Fight Night 32 back in 2013. It was just Stephens’ second appearance at 145 pounds, but one of his most memorable Octagon performances to date. In just a matter of 40 seconds, “Lil Heathen” blasted Jason with a ferocious head kick that instantly put the Brazilian out along the cage.
While it’s going to be difficult for Stephens to finish Melendez like he did Jason, the 31-year-old still packs enough punch, and kick, to flatten almost anyone in the featherweight division. Stephens is currently riding a two-fight losing streak so he’ll need a memorable performance at UFC 215 to stay afloat within the top 10.
Fight fans are in for a real treat tonight (Sat., Sept. 9, 2017) at UFC 215 live on pay-per-view (PPV) from inside Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, when willing brawler Jeremy Stephens welcomes former Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez to the featherweight ranks.
In preparation for the “Fight of the Night” candidate, UFC featured Stephens in the most recent edition of “KO of the Week.” This time, the action focuses around Stephens’ meeting with Brazilian finisher Rony Jason at UFC Fight Night 32 back in 2013. It was just Stephens’ second appearance at 145 pounds, but one of his most memorable Octagon performances to date. In just a matter of 40 seconds, “Lil Heathen” blasted Jason with a ferocious head kick that instantly put the Brazilian out along the cage.
While it’s going to be difficult for Stephens to finish Melendez like he did Jason, the 31-year-old still packs enough punch, and kick, to flatten almost anyone in the featherweight division. Stephens is currently riding a two-fight losing streak so he’ll need a memorable performance at UFC 215 to stay afloat within the top 10.
There will be a lot at stake for former Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez later tonight (Sat., Sept. 9, 2017) at UFC 215 live on pay-per-view (PPV) from inside Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Not only is the 35-year-old veteran trying to reinvent himself in the UFC’s featherweight division amidst a three-fight losing streak, but he’ll have to strike his way past established power puncher Jeremy Stephens in the process.
While Melendez hasn’t captured a UFC victory since beating the eyebrow off of Diego Sanchez back at UFC 166, he remains confident in his boxing, unflappable chin, and diverse set of skills. In order to get past a menacing opponent like “Lil Heathen,” Melendez must channel all of his strengths this weekend in Edmonton.
“I’m not afraid to say that I think I am the more skilled, technical, and more intelligent fighter, and I think that will play a difference in this fight,” Melendez said about Stephens during a recent edition of the Fight Society podcast. “I think he’s a very tough fighter. Not a one trick pony, but maybe he does limit in some of his skills, but they’re the most important parts. We start on our feet and we’re striking so it’s very important to be tough in that area, which he’s great at. I’ve watched some video and I feel like I know what to expect. It’s definitely a tough thing to face but I do feel like I know what to expect.
“I feel like I do have more tricks and tools to play out there.”
Considering “El Nino” hasn’t fought since losing to Edson Barboza over one year ago he’ll likely experience some sort of temporary cage rust at UFC 215. But once he’s able to bite down on his mouthpiece and charge forward, Melendez believes he’ll take over Stephens’ spot as the featherweight division’s most feared wrecking machine and move closer to another UFC title shot.
“I feel like I am one big win away from being in title contention at 145,” Melendez said. “Just the way things play out and the way the sport works here, you’re essentially as good as your last fight. I think Jeremy Stephens is a very tough task. He’s a bulldozer in this weight class and we’re pretty much similar. I’d like to take his role over in the weight class. Be the guy who takes the center of the Octagon that you try to run from.
“A very dominant win here can really move me up in status in that weight class.”
If Melendez is able to finish Stephens in epic fashion at UFC 215 he’ll most likely enter the division’s top 10 with ease. And knowing how good “El Nino” can be when he’s at his best, a victory this weekend could spark a lengthy win streak inside of the cage.
There will be a lot at stake for former Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez later tonight (Sat., Sept. 9, 2017) at UFC 215 live on pay-per-view (PPV) from inside Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Not only is the 35-year-old veteran trying to reinvent himself in the UFC’s featherweight division amidst a three-fight losing streak, but he’ll have to strike his way past established power puncher Jeremy Stephens in the process.
While Melendez hasn’t captured a UFC victory since beating the eyebrow off of Diego Sanchez back at UFC 166, he remains confident in his boxing, unflappable chin, and diverse set of skills. In order to get past a menacing opponent like “Lil Heathen,” Melendez must channel all of his strengths this weekend in Edmonton.
“I’m not afraid to say that I think I am the more skilled, technical, and more intelligent fighter, and I think that will play a difference in this fight,” Melendez said about Stephens during a recent edition of the Fight Society podcast. “I think he’s a very tough fighter. Not a one trick pony, but maybe he does limit in some of his skills, but they’re the most important parts. We start on our feet and we’re striking so it’s very important to be tough in that area, which he’s great at. I’ve watched some video and I feel like I know what to expect. It’s definitely a tough thing to face but I do feel like I know what to expect.
“I feel like I do have more tricks and tools to play out there.”
Considering “El Nino” hasn’t fought since losing to Edson Barboza over one year ago he’ll likely experience some sort of temporary cage rust at UFC 215. But once he’s able to bite down on his mouthpiece and charge forward, Melendez believes he’ll take over Stephens’ spot as the featherweight division’s most feared wrecking machine and move closer to another UFC title shot.
“I feel like I am one big win away from being in title contention at 145,” Melendez said. “Just the way things play out and the way the sport works here, you’re essentially as good as your last fight. I think Jeremy Stephens is a very tough task. He’s a bulldozer in this weight class and we’re pretty much similar. I’d like to take his role over in the weight class. Be the guy who takes the center of the Octagon that you try to run from.
“A very dominant win here can really move me up in status in that weight class.”
If Melendez is able to finish Stephens in epic fashion at UFC 215 he’ll most likely enter the division’s top 10 with ease. And knowing how good “El Nino” can be when he’s at his best, a victory this weekend could spark a lengthy win streak inside of the cage.
Reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes will be back in action later tonight (Sat., Sept. 9, 2017) at UFC 215 live on pay-per-view (PPV) from inside Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, when she defends her 135-pound title opposite Russian powerhouse Valentina Shevchenko. The main event clash will be a rematch from an original meeting back at UFC 196, which “Lioness” defeated Shevchenko via unanimous decision.
Before Nunes vs. Shevchenko 2 headlines a rather solid PPV main card, a slew of UFC 215 preliminary bouts are scheduled to take place on Fight Pass and FOX Sports 1. Check out below to find out when and where you can catch the action.
How to watch UFC 215 Fight Pass “Prelims” (Start time: 7 p.m. ET)
Australia – FUEL TV New Zealand – Sky Sports American Samoa – FOX South East Asia Brunei – FOX South East Asia Cambodia – FOX South East Asia China – FOX South East Asia Cook Islands – FOX South East Asia Fiji – FOX South East Asia French Polynesia – FOX South East Asia Futuna Island – FOX South East Asia Hong Kong – FOX South East Asia Indonesia – FOX South East Asia Kiribati Islands – FOX South East Asia Laos – FOX South East Asia Macau – FOX South East Asia Malaysia – FOX South East Asia Micronesia – FOX South East Asia Myanmar – FOX South East Asia Nauru – FOX South East Asia New Caledonia – FOX South East Asia Niue – FOX South East Asia N. Mariana Islands – FOX South East Asia Papua New Guinea – FOX South East Asia Pitcairn Islands – FOX South East Asia Palau – FOX South East Asia Singapore – FOX South East Asia Solomon Islands – FOX South East Asia South Pacific Islands – FOX South East Asia Tahiti – FOX South East Asia Thailand – FOX South East Asia Tokelau – FOX South East Asia Tonga – FOX South East Asia Tuvalu – FOX South East Asia Vanuatu – FOX South East Asia Vietnam – FOX South East Asia Wallis Islands – FOX South East Asia Western Samoa – FOX South East Asia
Europe / Middle East / Africa
United Kingdom / Ireland – BT Sport 1 Algeria – Abu Dhabi Sports Armenia – Setanta Sports Azerbaijan – Setanta Sports Bahrain – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Belarus – Setanta Sports Chad – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Comoros Islands – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Djibouti – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Egypt – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Georgia – Setanta Sports Iraq – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Jordan – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Kazakhstan – Setanta Sports Kuwait – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Kyrgyzstan – Setanta Sports Lebanon – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Moldova – Setanta Sports Mauritania – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Morocco – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Oman – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Palestine – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Qatar – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Saudi Arabia – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Tajikistan – Setanta Sports Turkmenistan – Setanta Sports Tunisia – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 United Arab Emirates – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Uzbekistan – Setanta Sports Yemen – Abu Dhabi Sports 6
If you find yourself mobile tonight and unable to view UFC 215 from the comfort of your own home, feel free to find a participating bar near you!
Reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes will be back in action later tonight (Sat., Sept. 9, 2017) at UFC 215 live on pay-per-view (PPV) from inside Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, when she defends her 135-pound title opposite Russian powerhouse Valentina Shevchenko. The main event clash will be a rematch from an original meeting back at UFC 196, which “Lioness” defeated Shevchenko via unanimous decision.
Before Nunes vs. Shevchenko 2 headlines a rather solid PPV main card, a slew of UFC 215 preliminary bouts are scheduled to take place on Fight Pass and FOX Sports 1. Check out below to find out when and where you can catch the action.
How to watch UFC 215 Fight Pass “Prelims” (Start time: 7 p.m. ET)
Australia – FUEL TV New Zealand – Sky Sports American Samoa – FOX South East Asia Brunei – FOX South East Asia Cambodia – FOX South East Asia China – FOX South East Asia Cook Islands – FOX South East Asia Fiji – FOX South East Asia French Polynesia – FOX South East Asia Futuna Island – FOX South East Asia Hong Kong – FOX South East Asia Indonesia – FOX South East Asia Kiribati Islands – FOX South East Asia Laos – FOX South East Asia Macau – FOX South East Asia Malaysia – FOX South East Asia Micronesia – FOX South East Asia Myanmar – FOX South East Asia Nauru – FOX South East Asia New Caledonia – FOX South East Asia Niue – FOX South East Asia N. Mariana Islands – FOX South East Asia Papua New Guinea – FOX South East Asia Pitcairn Islands – FOX South East Asia Palau – FOX South East Asia Singapore – FOX South East Asia Solomon Islands – FOX South East Asia South Pacific Islands – FOX South East Asia Tahiti – FOX South East Asia Thailand – FOX South East Asia Tokelau – FOX South East Asia Tonga – FOX South East Asia Tuvalu – FOX South East Asia Vanuatu – FOX South East Asia Vietnam – FOX South East Asia Wallis Islands – FOX South East Asia Western Samoa – FOX South East Asia
Europe / Middle East / Africa
United Kingdom / Ireland – BT Sport 1 Algeria – Abu Dhabi Sports Armenia – Setanta Sports Azerbaijan – Setanta Sports Bahrain – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Belarus – Setanta Sports Chad – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Comoros Islands – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Djibouti – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Egypt – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Georgia – Setanta Sports Iraq – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Jordan – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Kazakhstan – Setanta Sports Kuwait – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Kyrgyzstan – Setanta Sports Lebanon – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Moldova – Setanta Sports Mauritania – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Morocco – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Oman – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Palestine – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Qatar – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Saudi Arabia – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Tajikistan – Setanta Sports Turkmenistan – Setanta Sports Tunisia – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 United Arab Emirates – Abu Dhabi Sports 6 Uzbekistan – Setanta Sports Yemen – Abu Dhabi Sports 6
If you find yourself mobile tonight and unable to view UFC 215 from the comfort of your own home, feel free to find a participating bar near you!
Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold will return to the Octagon at UFC Fight Night 116 on Sept. 16 live on FOX Sports 1 from inside PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa., when he takes on former World Series of Fighting (WSOF) two-division titleholder David Branch. It will be Rockhold’s first appearance since getting knocked out by Michael Bisping at UFC 199 last year to lose his 185-pound title.
In preparation for the return of Rockhold, UFC has opened up its vault and provided fight fans with a look back at one of the California native’s most memorable Octagon performances. The full fight video replay, which can be seen above, showcases Rockhold’s 2015 meeting with former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida at UFC on FOX 15 in Newark, N.J.
After dominating “The Dragon” from the opening bell, Rockhold got on top of the Brazilian in Round 2, landed heavy ground-and-pound, forced him to turn onto his stomach, and proceeded to lock in the rear-naked choke submission finish. It was just the second time Machida had ever been submitted inside of the Octagon (Jon Jones being the first to conquer that stat line) and the key victory that catapulted Rockhold into a middleweight title fight with then champion Chris Weidman.
While Rockhold hasn’t competed since his loss to “The Count” in June of 2016, the former UFC king is only 32 years of age. If he can take care of business at UFC Fight Night 116 and knock off a rising contender like Branch, Rockhold may immediately position himself to challenge for the 185-pound crown in early 2018, especially if Bisping is able to get past Georges St-Pierre at UFC 217 in New York City.
For more UFC Fight Night 116 fight card news click here.
Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold will return to the Octagon at UFC Fight Night 116 on Sept. 16 live on FOX Sports 1 from inside PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa., when he takes on former World Series of Fighting (WSOF) two-division titleholder David Branch. It will be Rockhold’s first appearance since getting knocked out by Michael Bisping at UFC 199 last year to lose his 185-pound title.
In preparation for the return of Rockhold, UFC has opened up its vault and provided fight fans with a look back at one of the California native’s most memorable Octagon performances. The full fight video replay, which can be seen above, showcases Rockhold’s 2015 meeting with former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida at UFC on FOX 15 in Newark, N.J.
After dominating “The Dragon” from the opening bell, Rockhold got on top of the Brazilian in Round 2, landed heavy ground-and-pound, forced him to turn onto his stomach, and proceeded to lock in the rear-naked choke submission finish. It was just the second time Machida had ever been submitted inside of the Octagon (Jon Jones being the first to conquer that stat line) and the key victory that catapulted Rockhold into a middleweight title fight with then champion Chris Weidman.
While Rockhold hasn’t competed since his loss to “The Count” in June of 2016, the former UFC king is only 32 years of age. If he can take care of business at UFC Fight Night 116 and knock off a rising contender like Branch, Rockhold may immediately position himself to challenge for the 185-pound crown in early 2018, especially if Bisping is able to get past Georges St-Pierre at UFC 217 in New York City.
For more UFC Fight Night 116 fight card news click here.
Veteran welterweight Neil Magny isn’t the most outspoken fighter on the UFC roster, but he’s trying his best to be heard. While the undervalued 170-pound contender gears up for his bout opposite former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos tomorrow night (Sat., Sept. 9, 2017) at UFC 215 live on pay-per-view (PPV) from inside Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, he’s also taking this time to address his combat peers.
Magny, who has a 12-4 promotional record with one main event billing to his name since making his UFC debut in 2013, has been aiming to organize the UFC roster to help benefit fighter control. As of now, the Brooklyn native has been unsuccessful in his efforts.
“It’s not going so well at all, actually,” Magny said earlier this week during UFC 215’s media day (h/t MMA Fighting). “It’s pretty sad that, like, the fighters’ biggest downfall is the other fighters. I know that people are like, trying to turn it into saying ‘it should be us against the business,’ but in the reality of the business, it’s just, fighters are looking out for themselves and are screwing over all the other fighters.”
Remember, Magny already attempted to create widespread comradery in 2017. This past May, the 30-year-old planned on speaking in front of hundreds of fighters during the promotion’s Athlete Retreat in Las Vegas, but his speech was put on ice for a Snoop Dogg performance.
Despite a bunch of early failures, Magny remains positive and is doing everything in his power to help out his fellow UFC fighters, even if they aren’t receptive to the idea.
“I’ve been trying to stay true to my word and support every person I can,” Magny said. “I followed over 100 other UFC fighters and [if anyone has] an appearance coming up or a seminar coming up, I’ll share it, I’ll retweet it, as soon as possible. Some guys are catching on and doing it was well, but some of them are like ‘ehh, whatever, I’m done.’”
If Magny can continue to win inside of the Octagon it should only help his cause outside of it. Because no matter how passionate the welterweight is about helping out his fellow combat athletes, nobody is going to pay attention to a guy unless he’s winning.
Veteran welterweight Neil Magny isn’t the most outspoken fighter on the UFC roster, but he’s trying his best to be heard. While the undervalued 170-pound contender gears up for his bout opposite former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos tomorrow night (Sat., Sept. 9, 2017) at UFC 215 live on pay-per-view (PPV) from inside Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, he’s also taking this time to address his combat peers.
Magny, who has a 12-4 promotional record with one main event billing to his name since making his UFC debut in 2013, has been aiming to organize the UFC roster to help benefit fighter control. As of now, the Brooklyn native has been unsuccessful in his efforts.
“It’s not going so well at all, actually,” Magny said earlier this week during UFC 215’s media day (h/t MMA Fighting). “It’s pretty sad that, like, the fighters’ biggest downfall is the other fighters. I know that people are like, trying to turn it into saying ‘it should be us against the business,’ but in the reality of the business, it’s just, fighters are looking out for themselves and are screwing over all the other fighters.”
Remember, Magny already attempted to create widespread comradery in 2017. This past May, the 30-year-old planned on speaking in front of hundreds of fighters during the promotion’s Athlete Retreat in Las Vegas, but his speech was put on ice for a Snoop Dogg performance.
Despite a bunch of early failures, Magny remains positive and is doing everything in his power to help out his fellow UFC fighters, even if they aren’t receptive to the idea.
“I’ve been trying to stay true to my word and support every person I can,” Magny said. “I followed over 100 other UFC fighters and [if anyone has] an appearance coming up or a seminar coming up, I’ll share it, I’ll retweet it, as soon as possible. Some guys are catching on and doing it was well, but some of them are like ‘ehh, whatever, I’m done.’”
If Magny can continue to win inside of the Octagon it should only help his cause outside of it. Because no matter how passionate the welterweight is about helping out his fellow combat athletes, nobody is going to pay attention to a guy unless he’s winning.
