Now, let’s all try not to get too excited about the news we’re about to deliver, because we all know the long and heartbreaking history of one of the competitors involved, but OMG DOMMY CRUZ VS TJ DILLY IS FINALLY GON’ HAPPEN!!!!!!
Now, let’s all try not to get too excited about the news we’re about to deliver, because we all know the long and heartbreaking history of one of the competitors involved, but OMG DOMMY CRUZ VS TJ DILLY IS FINALLY GON’ HAPPEN!!!!!!
Actual details after the jump.
After being cleared to resume training by his doctors earlier this week, Dominick Cruz was immediately booked to take on the man who rose to championship gold in his absence, TJ Dillashaw. The two will determine who is the true bantamweight champion once and for all on January 16th at UFC Fight Night 81 at a location TBD (but potentially the TD Garden in Boston). That’s right, we’re getting possibly the greatest bantamweight matchup of all time…FO FREE.
“The Dominator” has not competed since his shellacking of Takeya Mizugaki back in September of 2014, which itself came following a three year layoff he spent recovering, re-injuring, and re-re-recovering from various ACL, *A*CL, and groin injuries (and lest we forget, ACL injuries as well). Dillashaw, meanwhile, has risen to the top 5 pound-for-pound rankings with his recent destructions of Joe Soto and Renan Barao, the latter of which came in an absolutely brilliant performance at UFC on FOX 16 in July.
As if that news wasn’t great enough, it looks like we’ll be treated to an incredible lightweight matchup at Fight Night 81 as well, in the form of former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis vs. former Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez. On the heels of a title-losing effort against Rafael Dos Anjos at UFC 185, Pettis will look to put himself back in title contention with a win over Alvarez, who is fresh off a decision victory over a slightly juiced-up Gil Melendez at UFC 188.
What a card this will be if all goes according to plan.
(We’ll be sure to let you know when Cruz blows both his knees out in November.)
Sources say MGM is currently meeting with writers to pen the script with with no shortage of scribes getting in line for the opportunity to do so. Production set to begin in 2016. … Rousey thought the idea of starring in a remake was a great idea but wanted to be respectful when pursuing the project. Sources say Rousey recently reached out to Swayze’s widow, Lisa Niemi, to ask for her blessing to star in the remake, which insiders say Niemi gladly gave.
And with all due respect to Ms. Rousey, this is f*cking tragic.
Sources say MGM is currently meeting with writers to pen the script with with no shortage of scribes getting in line for the opportunity to do so. Production set to begin in 2016. … Rousey thought the idea of starring in a remake was a great idea but wanted to be respectful when pursuing the project. Sources say Rousey recently reached out to Swayze’s widow, Lisa Niemi, to ask for her blessing to star in the remake, which insiders say Niemi gladly gave.
And with all due respect to Ms. Rousey, this is f*cking tragic.
Roadhouse is more than just an absolutely ludicrous premise packed into one of the most gloriously cheesy movies of all time, it’s a movie that helped define an era, for better or worse. The haircuts, the music (Three words: Jeff. Frickin. Healey.), the SAM GODDAMN ELLIOT — can you think of a movie that comes to mind quicker when you think of the 80′s than Roadhouse? And now, it’s being turned into what will surely be another rote, unidentifiable action movie of the modern era (see also, Transporter: Refueled), starring a woman with the acting chops of a concrete block. Again, I say that last part with all due respect.
What’s next? A remake of The Warriors starring the members of Team Alpha Male? Fight Club starring Carlos Condit and CM Punk? Oh God, I’ve already done the casting agents jobs for them. (*jams scissors into eyes*) (*jumps off roof*)
Look, I know we’re an MMA site that should probably just be happy Ms. Rousey will be bringing even more exposure to our fine sport, but in the sea of originality that Hollywood has become, does anyone honestly think this will be all that entertaining? Goodbye, “I thought you’d be taller” jokes. Sayonara, Jeff Healey ripping blues guitar solos from behind a chicken wire cage*. Farewell, Wade Garrett referring to the Double Deuce as “The Double Douche.”
……………………..
Actually, that last one might work even better this time around.
*I swear to God, if Healy is replaced by an EDM-blasting DJ in this reboot, I will burn my local Cineplex to the ground. TO THE GROUND.
At this point, it seems that flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson is forever destined to be one of the most dominant, yet simultaneously unbankable fighters in the history of the sport. Last Saturday was no exception, as the man they call “Mighty Mouse” turned in one of his best performances to date against rival John Dodson while headlining the lowest live gate for a UFC pay-per-view in 11 years. No respect, no respect, I tells ya.
Either the UFC has absolutely no idea how to market him, or casual fans are simply refusing to warm up to “little flyweights” (Ed note: My God, maybe Michael Bisping was right). Regardless, the UFC might want to start relegating Johnson to the FOX/FS1 cards, or at the very minimum, placing him in the co-main spot on a pay-per-views, because something just isn’t clicking with the UFC’s “f*cking idiot” fanbase.
Of course, Johnson wasn’t given much support in the form of a noteworthy undercard, which, save for a few noteworthy moments, didn’t really do much to entice those seated at the MGM Grand.
At this point, it seems that flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson is forever destined to be one of the most dominant, yet simultaneously unbankable fighters in the history of the sport. Last Saturday was no exception, as the man they call “Mighty Mouse” turned in one of his best performances to date against rival John Dodson while headlining the lowest live gate for a UFC pay-per-view in 11 years. No respect, no respect, I tells ya.
Either the UFC has absolutely no idea how to market him, or casual fans are simply refusing to warm up to “little flyweights” (Ed note: My God, maybe Michael Bisping was right). Regardless, the UFC might want to start relegating Johnson to the FOX/FS1 cards, or at the very minimum, placing him in the co-main spot on a pay-per-views, because something just isn’t clicking with the UFC’s “f*cking idiot” fanbase.
Of course, Johnson wasn’t given much support in the form of a noteworthy undercard, which, save for a few noteworthy moments, didn’t really do much to entice those seated at the MGM Grand.
Highlights after the jump.
Three round heavyweight fights, amiright Nation? Seeing one that entertains from the opening bell to the judges’ decision is kind of like seeing a double rainbow, on Mars, at night, and UFC 191′s co-main event was no exception. Both Andrei Arlovski and Frank Mir were riding a pair of emphatic first round knockouts heading into their UFC 191 clash, leading both fans and pundits alike to all but slap a #1 contender label on the bout. As it turns out, that “first round” qualifier might have been the key to both men’s feelgood comeback stories.
To say the fight underwhelmed would be an understatement, so I’ll just leave it to the UFC studio analysts to explain. Arlovski did manage to come out with the decision win, however, improving his UFC win streak to four in a row.
While Arlovski vs. Mir might not have lived up to expectations, Anthony Johnson vs. Jimi Manuwa sure as hell did. “Rumble” started off strong early, landing some heavy leg kicks and surprisingly taking Manuwa down on a couple occasions, then flattened the Brit like he had been doing yoga in the weight room early in the second. Say what you want about Johnson, but he is possibly the hardest hitting fighter in the entire UFC and a goddamn nightmare matchup for anyone in the light heavyweight division.
Elsewhere on the main card, Paige VanZant once again proved that a limitless gas tank and endless aggression often lead to victory. VanZant was all over opponent Alex Chambers from the opening bell until the effortless armbar finish she secured in the third round. While her striking still has a way to go if she is ever to stand a chance against Joanna Champion, there’s no denying that VanZant is a prospect to watch in the strawweight division.
Of course, the UFC has neglected to upload any highlights from UFC 191′s most entertaining fight: Francisco Rivera vs. John Lineker, but I believe this gif best sums up how we all reacted to what was 2 minutes of absolute, unbridled insanity.
The full results for UFC 191 are below.
Main card
Demetrious Johnson def. John Dodson via unanimous decision
Andrei Arlovski def. Frank Mir via unanimous decision
Anthony Johnson def. Jimi Manuwa via second-round KO
Corey Anderson def. Jan Blachowicz by unanimous decision
Paige VanZant def. Alex Chambers via submission (armbar)
Undercard
Ross Pearson def. Paul Felder via split decision
John Lineker def. Francisco Rivera via submission (guillotine)
Raquel Pennington def. Jessica Andrade via submission (rear-naked choke)
Tiago Trator def. Clay Collard via split decision
Joe Riggs def. Ron Stallings via DQ (illegal upkick)
Joaquim Silva def. Nazareno Malegarie via split decision
Team Alpha Male’s TJ Dillashaw has had perhaps one of the quickest and most unexpected rises to greatness in the sport’s history. In just over a year, he has gone from the guy that P4P king Renan Barao was going to eat for lunch to the UFC’s reigning bantamweight champion and a top pound-for-pounder in his own right. On the heels of a vicious shellacking of Barao in their UFC on FOX 16 rematch, there’s really only one challenge left for Dillashaw to face: Women’s Bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey.
Yep, we’re talking man vs. woman fights again, it seems.
Dillashaw recently sat down with our partners at MadeMan for a lengthy interview, dishing on everything from how to get six-pack abs how he would take down a heavyweight in a street fight. Of course, with Ronda Rousey being the talk of the town these days, Dillashaw was eventually asked how he’d see himself fairing in a hypothetical fight against “Rowdy.” His answer was about as good as you could hope for.
It wouldn’t be much of a fight? Umm… of course. I’m going to give her the benefit of the doubt. But it’s one of those things where I’m going to be the bad guy no matter what if it happens. You know? I’d be an asshole for knocking her out or I’d be looked down upon for losing. So it’s a lose-lose situation, but yeah, I mean, I definitely see myself winning that fight very, in my mind, easily.
Yeah, but could he do it while sporting an evening gown and six inch heels? These are the kind of questions we should really be devoting numerous articles to, Nation.
Team Alpha Male’s TJ Dillashaw has had perhaps one of the quickest and most unexpected rises to greatness in the sport’s history. In just over a year, he has gone from the guy that P4P king Renan Barao was going to eat for lunch to the UFC’s reigning bantamweight champion and a top pound-for-pounder in his own right. On the heels of a vicious shellacking of Barao in their UFC on FOX 16 rematch, there’s really only one challenge left for Dillashaw to face: Women’s Bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey.
Yep, we’re talking man vs. woman fights again, it seems.
Dillashaw recently sat down with our partners at MadeMan for a lengthy interview, dishing on everything from how to get six-pack abs how he would take down a heavyweight in a street fight. Of course, with Ronda Rousey being the talk of the town these days, Dillashaw was eventually asked how he’d see himself fairing in a hypothetical fight against “Rowdy.” His answer was about as good as you could hope for.
It wouldn’t be much of a fight? Umm… of course. I’m going to give her the benefit of the doubt. But it’s one of those things where I’m going to be the bad guy no matter what if it happens. You know? I’d be an asshole for knocking her out or I’d be looked down upon for losing. So it’s a lose-lose situation, but yeah, I mean, I definitely see myself winning that fight very, in my mind, easily.
Yeah, but could he do it while sporting an evening gown and six inch heels? These are the kind of questions we should really be devoting numerous articles to, Nation.
(The gang engages in a rousing game of Fuck, Marry, Kill: Dana White, Ronda Rousey, and Bigfoot Silva)
I may not having been putting much faith into the 22nd season of The Ultimate Fighter, because, you know, it’s the 22nd goddamn season of The Ultimate Fighter (Unofficial tagline: “Where not even the coaches fight, because whatever, fuck you.”), but after seeing Conor McGregor and Urijah Faber‘s amazing interview on last night’s edition of UFC Tonight, I might just have to see how this season plays out. It’s a testament to both the salesmanship of McGregor and the unflappable likeability of Faber.
For close to 15 minutes, the two coaches playfully bickered about everything from pay-per-view numbers to whether or not TJ Dillashaw is a “snake in the grass,” all while hosts Kenny Florian and Brian Stann tried to contain their laughter and occasionally chimed in. But what separated this interview from most was the near complete lack of malice between the two — perhaps because they aren’t actually scheduled to fight anytime soon. It was like watching two old friends argue about who was the better high school athlete, in that you could sense a mutual respect underneath it all (despite McGregor’s early assertion that Faber was “harmless”). Even when McGregor was aiming his best zingers at the members of Team Alpha Male, Faber never rose above the level of “slight amusement.”
(The gang engages in a rousing game of Fuck, Marry, Kill: Dana White, Ronda Rousey, and Bigfoot Silva)
I may not having been putting much faith into the 22nd season of The Ultimate Fighter, because, you know, it’s the 22nd goddamn season of The Ultimate Fighter (Unofficial tagline: “Where not even the coaches fight, because whatever, fuck you.”), but after seeing Conor McGregor and Urijah Faber‘s amazing interview on last night’s edition of UFC Tonight, I might just have to see how this season plays out. It’s a testament to both the salesmanship of McGregor and the unflappable likeability of Faber.
For close to 15 minutes, the two coaches playfully bickered about everything from pay-per-view numbers to whether or not TJ Dillashaw is a “snake in the grass,” all while hosts Kenny Florian and Brian Stann tried to contain their laughter and occasionally chimed in. But what separated this interview from most was the near complete lack of malice between the two — perhaps because they aren’t actually scheduled to fight anytime soon. It was like watching two old friends argue about who was the better high school athlete, in that you could sense a mutual respect underneath it all (despite McGregor’s early assertion that Faber was “harmless”). Even when McGregor was aiming his best zingers at the members of Team Alpha Male, Faber never rose above the level of “slight amusement.”
Video after the jump.
After watching this interview, not only am I guaranteed to tune in for the first few episodes of TUF 22 (which is more than I could say for the past dozen incarnations or so), but I’m already drafting up the pilot of a buddy cop drama starring these two.
“One’s a perpetually arrogant loudmouth and former beat cop from the mean streets of Dublin. The other is Matthew McConaughey’s kid brother. Together, they are The Mouth & The Chin.”
Reason #1001 Not to Rob *Anyone* in Brazil: If they aren’t ready to lay you out with a 2×4, chances are they know Jiu-Jitsu.
It seems like fairly obvious advice, but it’s something I bet Wesley Sousa de Araujo (aka the desperate sumbitch in the video above) wish had known before he and a friend attempted to steal strawweight fighter Monique Bastos‘ phone on her way to Jiu-Jitsu class Tuesday night.
Reason #1001 Not to Rob *Anyone* in Brazil: If they aren’t ready to lay you out with a 2×4, chances are they know Jiu-Jitsu.
It seems like fairly obvious advice, but it’s something I bet Wesley Sousa de Araujo (aka the desperate sumbitch in the video above) wish had known before he and a friend attempted to steal strawweight fighter Monique Bastos‘ phone on her way to Jiu-Jitsu class Tuesday night.
I was going to my jiu-jitsu training when they arrived on a motorcycle and said they wanted our phones,” Bastos said. “I tried to hold my phone, and I realized they were not armed. When they tried to escape, I lifted the rear wheel of the bike and they fell on the ground. The guy who took my phone ran away, but I was able to get the other one.
Can you imagine how frightening it would be to think you’re robbing this tiny, innocent little woman, only to have her go beast mode on your bike and then pummel you into submission? I’ll tell you one thing, that sure does not bode well Araujo’s chances in the big house. He’s gonna end up someone’s little acai berry in there.
Bastos, who was scheduled to compete under the Jungle Fight banner until a sickness (I’m guessing it was gamma radiation poisoning) sidelined her temporarily.
“I’ve been through this a few times before, and it’s the second time I fought back,” said Bastos to MMAFghting. “There were two guys, and they were using knives, but I was able to use my jiu-jitsu and get my phone back. It’s a huge risk, but I did it to defend myself and my friends, so I used what I learned.”
With all due respect to Ms. Bastos, at what point do you just give the guys your damn phone already? On the list of things I’d be willing to take a knife to the ribs for, the cell phone is virtually non-existent. Unless it had Emily Ratajkowski’s number on it, that is, in which case I must’ve already stolen the phone from someone else, so what do I care?
