Author: Hunter Homistek

Renan Barao’s Teammate Johnny Eduardo: TJ Dillashaw ‘Has Hands Like a Barbie’

UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw earned the respect of Renan Barao and his Nova Uniao teammates at UFC 173. 
But that doesn’t mean the former UFC champ and his crew lack confidence heading into the Dillashaw vs. Barao sequel at UFC on Fox 16…

UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw earned the respect of Renan Barao and his Nova Uniao teammates at UFC 173. 

But that doesn’t mean the former UFC champ and his crew lack confidence heading into the Dillashaw vs. Barao sequel at UFC on Fox 16 in Chicago Saturday, June 25. 

Despite losing via fifth-round TKO to Dillashaw in 2014, Barao and his camp feel Dillashaw doesn’t pose a serious threat in the power department.

“It’s going to be a tough fight, of course,” said Nova Uniao’s Johnny Eduardo, UFC bantamweight and training partner to Barao, in a recent “UFC Embedded” video. “But I think TJ is not as strong as he looks. He has hands like a Barbie. 

“If he had heavy hands, he would have taken Barao down in the first or second round.” 

While it’s nice to hear Barao’s teammates rally behind him leading up to the rematch in Chicago, it’s hard to see where Eduardo is coming from with this one. 

Dillashaw blasted Barao with a right hand from hell during their first fight, dropping the then-champion to the canvas and nearly ending the fight in Round 1. From there, the Team Alpha Male product dominated through his diverse and precise striking game before scoring a knockout with a head kick and follow-up punches in Round 5. 

Even though that punch in Round 1 didn’t directly signal the bout’s conclusion, there’s no doubt it affected Barao’s performance moving forward in the fight. Barao himself admitted he had no memory of the fight after that punch, so there’s no doubt Dillashaw’s “Barbie” hands Ken can do some serious damage. 

Since their first encounter, Dillashaw and Barao have notched one victory apiece—the champ over Joe Soto at UFC 177 and Barao over Mitch Gagnon at UFC Fight Night 58. 

For both men, this upcoming rematch at UFC on Fox 16 represents a significant step up in competition, as they are unquestionably the two best fighters in the UFC’s 135-pound division today. 

Despite the fact Eduardo doesn’t believe in Dillashaw’s power, I think the champion retains his title via ground-and-pound some time in Round 4. 

How do you see this one playing out? Did Dillashaw get lucky the first time around, or is he destined to control the bantamweight throne for the foreseeable future? 

Sound off below, and we’ll discuss. 

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Jose Aldo Returning to Training in Two Weeks, Promises to Crush Conor McGregor

Jose Aldo must not like to watch another featherweight parade a shiny golden belt around town. 
Just one day after the Brazilian UFC champion watched Conor McGregor score a knockout victory at UFC 189, capturing the interim UFC featherweight title…

Jose Aldo must not like to watch another featherweight parade a shiny golden belt around town. 

Just one day after the Brazilian UFC champion watched Conor McGregor score a knockout victory at UFC 189, capturing the interim UFC featherweight title in the process, Aldo spoke with radio show Rock Bola about his immediate future. 

If his words are any indication, he’s motivated, he’s hungry and he’s coming for McGregor. 

“We will run through him (McGregor) no matter when the fight happens, but his time will come,” Aldo told Rock Bola (translation courtesy of MMAFighting.com’s Guilherme Cruz). “When it does, you can be sure we will smash him.”

Of course, Aldo’s showdown with McGregor was supposed to be in the rearview mirror by now. The two were originally scheduled to fight July 11 at UFC 189, but Aldo was forced out of that bout just two weeks before the event took place with a rib injury. 

Despite the setback, Aldo is still focused on McGregor. He’s anxiously awaiting his chance to tangle with the Irish sensation inside the UFC Octagon, and he’s already making plans to get back to training. 

“I’m still recovering, (and I) should be back to training in two weeks,” Aldo said. “I’ll do more exams. As soon as the doctor clears me, I’ll be back to training.”

There’s no doubt McGregor brought out something different in the longtime UFC champion. Aldo speaks with part anger, part determination when McGregor‘s name pops up in conversation, and it appears we’re in for an all-time great showdown when the two finally square off. 

Right now, McGregor is listed as the betting favorite in the fight, something that should add a little more fuel to Aldo’s fire. While there’s no official date set for this champion vs. champion matchup, ESPN’s Brett Okamoto reported that the UFC is targeting Jan. 2 in Las Vegas for the fight. 

Who do you think takes this one? Does McGregor unify the belts, or does Aldo prove once again why he has ruled the featherweight roost since the beginning of time in the UFC’s featherweight class? 

Sound off, and we’ll discuss this historic tilt. 

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Conor McGregor Opens as 2-1 Favorite over UFC Featherweight Champ Jose Aldo

Jose Aldo can add a new title to his resume: underdog. 
Nick Kalikas of MMAOddsBreaker.com has opened the betting lines for an Aldo vs. Conor McGregor showdown, and McGregor is currently the favorite at minus-180. Aldo, on the other hand, sits at …

Jose Aldo can add a new title to his resume: underdog. 

Nick Kalikas of MMAOddsBreaker.com has opened the betting lines for an Aldo vs. Conor McGregor showdown, and McGregor is currently the favorite at minus-180. Aldo, on the other hand, sits at plus-150.

Kalikas explained his reasoning to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto. 

“McGregor answered several important questions, displaying both a terrific chin and a resilient spirit when facing adversity for the first time in his UFC career, despite entering the fight amidst rumors of an injured knee,” Kalikas said. “At this point, I have to open Conor near a 2-to-1 favorite. The line might seem a bit high, but make no mistake, the books will need Aldo when it’s all said and done.”

While this might seem a bit shocking, McGregor was actually a favorite against Aldo before the UFC featherweight champ bowed out of their UFC 189 showdown. Aldo opened as a minus-210 favorite when the bout was announced, but McGregor supporters eventually swung the line in the Irishman’s favor.

After McGregor’s impressive TKO victory over Chad Mendes Saturday evening in Las Vegas, Kalikas sees him as the favorite for an eventual bout with Aldo. 

According to Okamoto, who spoke with UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, the Aldo vs. McGregor title unification bout will likely take place some time in late December 2015 or in January 2016. 

By then the line could swing in the champ’s favor, and he will undoubtedly receive some play as an underdog to facilitate that process. 

While McGregor has looked sensational, Aldo’s history speaks for itself. The Brazilian champ hasn’t lost since 2005, winning 18 straight since that time. 

He’s defended his UFC title seven consecutive times, defeating the likes of Mendes, Frankie Edgar and Kenny Florian during that stretch. There’s no doubt that against any other man in the division, he’d open as the favorite, but McGregor commands a different level of respect and admiration. 

What do you think of this opening line? Is Aldo being overlooked? 

Sound off below, and we’ll discuss. 

 

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UFC 189 Salaries Revealed: McGregor, Mendes Each Pocket $500k

Conor McGregor can stock up on more alligator-skin dress shoes after his UFC 189 victory over Chad Mendes. 
According to a release from the Nevada State Athletic Commission obtained by the MMA Report, both McGregor and Mendes made $500,0…

Conor McGregor can stock up on more alligator-skin dress shoes after his UFC 189 victory over Chad Mendes. 

According to a release from the Nevada State Athletic Commission obtained by the MMA Report, both McGregor and Mendes made $500,000 for their roles in Saturday’s main event. 

For those into math and big numbers, that means they were each making $3 million per hour (the fight lasted almost exactly 10 minutes). 

Here’s the full breakdown: 

  • Conor McGregor: $500,000 (no win bonus)
  • Chad Mendes: $500,000
  • Robbie Lawler: $300,000 (includes $150,000 win bonus)
  • Rory MacDonald: $59,000
  • Jeremy Stephens: $72,000 (includes $40,000 win bonus) 
  • Dennis Bermudez: $34,000
  • Gunnar Nelson: $58,000 (includes $29,000 win bonus)
  • Brandon Thatch: $22,000
  • Thomas Almeida: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus)
  • Brad Pickett: $30,000
  • Matt Brown: $92,000 (includes $46,000 win bonus)
  • Tim Means: $23,000
  • Alex Garcia: $30,000 (includes $15,000 win bonus)
  • Mike Swick: $48,000
  • John Howard: $42,000 (includes $21,000 win bonus)
  • Cathal Pendred: $10,000
  • Cody Garbrandt: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus)
  • Henry Briones: $10,000
  • Louis Smolka: $30,000 (includes $15,000 win bonus)
  • Neil Seery: $15,000
  • Cody Pfister: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus)
  • Yosdenis Cedeno: $13,000

Most notably, Jeremy Stephens was fined $8,000 for missing weight, but he made up for that misstep by netting a $40,000 win bonus with a ferocious flying-knee knockout in Round 3 of his main card tilt against Dennis Bermudez. The $8,000 he lost went to his opponent, a small consolation prize for getting flattened in highlight-reel fashion. 

Mike Swick also out-earned his opponent, Alex Garcia, $48,000 to $30,000, despite losing the fight. 

Swick had not fought since December of 2012 prior to his UFC 189 appearance, but he had performed under the Zuffa banner 17 times prior, three in the WEC and 14 inside the UFC Octagon. It may look strange at first glance to see a fighter make less than his opponent even with a win bonus, but Swick has earned his keep with a long, steady, problem-free career. 

As a final housekeeping note, MMA writer Mike Chiappetta reported on Twitter that McGregor will also see an additional $3 to 4 million through PPV points. 

While that sounds like a solid chunk of change on first read—and don’t get me wrong, it is—it’s still a small, small percentage of what the UFC itself stands to make from the event.

Banking a couple million dollars is never a bad thing, but if we’re looking at percentages, the gate alone for UFC 189 was reported at $7.2 million. UFC President Dana White is also feeling froggy about the PPV buys, saying in a post-fight presser that the event could pull seven digits. 

That’s $50 million in PPV buys if everyone bought the standard definition format (and spoiler alert: there were surely a ton of high-definition buys). All things considered, McGregor can’t be mad about his pull, but in a strange sense, it feels underwhelming when you really examine the payout. 

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Jose Aldo vs. Conor McGregor: Can ‘Take 2’ Live Up to the Hype?

It didn’t go down when we wanted, but Jose Aldo vs. Conor McGregor is still coming. 
And our patience will be rewarded. 
After Aldo pulled out of his scheduled UFC 189 bout with McGregor just two weeks before their play date, the MMA universe…

It didn’t go down when we wanted, but Jose Aldo vs. Conor McGregor is still coming. 

And our patience will be rewarded. 

After Aldo pulled out of his scheduled UFC 189 bout with McGregor just two weeks before their play date, the MMA universe erupted.

The gods of the fighting realm are cruel and unfair. They robbed us of the biggest, most-hyped main event of the year.  

They took away our fun and excitement. 

Only the same gods secretly had our best interest at heart. We just didn’t know it at the time. While we were grumbling and pouting, the powers that be called up Chad “Money” Mendes to face McGregor in Aldo’s absence. 

It wasn’t what we wanted, but it’d do. 

And with our our full attention focused on the main event switcheroo, the gods had the time and privacy to do something extraordinary. They arranged what was arguably the best pay-per-view card in UFC history. 

How psyched were you for Dennis Bermudez vs. Jeremy Stephens before it actually went down? 

Did you know Robbie Lawler vs. Rory MacDonald part two would be a surefire Fight of the Year contender? 

The warm-up fights before the main event, crazy as it may seem, are the reason why Aldo’s injury ultimately didn’t matter. The good vibes rolled so fiercely by the time McGregor set foot inside the cage that nothing could ruin our night. 

In four fights, we had four spectacular finishes, and McGregor would soon add a fifth. 

With his second-round TKO over Mendes, the stage for an Aldo showdown was set—finally—and the production crew added a few spotlights and a laser show in the meantime. 

This bout carries even more glitz and glamour after UFC 189, largely because McGregor went out and performed. He faced his toughest test to date in Mendes, who pushed Aldo for five full rounds in the not-too-distant past, and he emerged the same as always: hand raised, opponent woozy. 

Many felt Aldo would steamroll the untested and “all talk” McGregor as they strolled into UFC 189, but you’d be delusional to carry those same beliefs now. Mendes, even on two weeks’ notice, is a serious challenge for any featherweight. 

McGregor smiled as he absorbed crushing blow after crushing blow, punches that can—and have—obliterated lesser men. 

He fantastically popped back up after an early takedown, taunting Mendes with a “see, that wasn’t too bad” attitude that was equal parts insanity and brilliance. 

And it is this magnificence that makes Jose Aldo vs. Conor McGregor Redux the hottest feature film on the UFC’s radar right now. It was good before, but now it will be even better, even crazier, even more outrageous. 

If you couldn’t stand McGregor before, imagine how he’ll act with a belt of his own. You just know he’ll declare his belt the true championship, belittling everything Aldo has done and will do in the process. 

Aldo, meanwhile, will respond to allegations that his injury was overblown, that he could have made it to the cage Saturday in Las Vegas to face the Irishman. 

Something tells me the longtime champ isn’t going to react too pleasantly the next time he and McGregor are face to face. 

So the feud intensifies. 

Because now McGregor owns a legitimate, top-level scalp, and he can place it on his mantle right next to his UFC championship strap. 

What was once unknown and questioned is now cemented in fact. The argument that Aldo is clearly miles ahead of McGregor in the fight game just doesn’t hold up after Saturday evening. 

Before, the fight was super fun and anticipated because of the talk. 

Now, it’s the action that has everyone frothing at the mouth.

McGregor is for real, and there’s no doubt he will give Aldo a fight. He might even beat him. If he doesn’t, it will only further catapult Aldo into the land of the legendary, intensifying “greatest of all time” discussions in the process. 

Take 2 of your previously scheduled Aldo vs. McGregor programming is coming as early as Jan. 2, according to UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta (h/t ESPN’s Brett Okamoto), so settle in and get comfy. 

UFC 189 was only an appetizer. 

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NSFW: Listen to What Conor McGregor Says to Chad Mendes After Knocking Him out

Conor McGregor is many things. 
“Reserved” is not one of them. 
After finishing Chad Mendes at UFC 189 Saturday in Las Vegas, McGregor shared a moment with his foe inside the cage, opening up a bit and baring his true feelings. 
For all …

Conor McGregor is many things. 

“Reserved” is not one of them. 

After finishing Chad Mendes at UFC 189 Saturday in Las Vegas, McGregor shared a moment with his foe inside the cage, opening up a bit and baring his true feelings. 

For all the trash-talking leading up to this fight, it’s clear McGregor has respect for one man. It’s also clear his feud with another man, one UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo, is genuine. 

Grab a set of headphones and listen carefully in the video above from YouTube user TvMaLsv British. Pay close attention from eight seconds to 16 seconds in the video. 

Did you catch it? 

If not, don’t worry. The detectives at Reddit.com’s MMA subreddit, /r/MMA, already transcribed this one. Here’s what McGregor says: 

“You’re a legend for taking this fight….He’s a juice-head p—y.” 

The respect for Mendes is cool to hear. McGregor talks so much that we sometimes forget there’s a good dude underneath the surface, and his budding camaraderie with Mendes revealed a different side of the trash-talking Irishman. 

But just a few seconds after praising Mendes for stepping up to the plate, McGregor talked about some “juice-head p—y.”

Who, oh who, could that be? 

It’s obvious McGregor is referring to Aldo, the 145-pound champion who pulled out of his scheduled showdown at UFC 189 just two weeks before the fight with a rib injury. UFC President Dana White insists Aldo’s rib was not broken, and McGregor undoubtedly buys into that narrative as well. 

That explains the “p—y” part.

A little drug test fiasco leading up to July 11, then, explains the “juice-head” part. 

While Aldo’s tests eventually came back clean, it’s clear McGregor has lost all respect (if he ever had any) for the featherweight king. 

This just makes their eventual showdown—which may take place Jan. 2 in Las Vegas, per White at the UFC 189 press conference (h/t ESPN’s Brett Okamoto)—all the more intriguing. 

Stay tuned to Bleacher Report as the McGregor vs. Aldo champion vs. champion matchup continues to develop. 

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