It may not seem like a big deal on the surface, but the news that UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has signed a global endorsement deal with industry giant Nike is one of the biggest bombshells in a long time.The deal has been in the works for …
It may not seem like a big deal on the surface, but the news that UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has signed a global endorsement deal with industry giant Nike is one of the biggest bombshells in a long time.
The deal has been in the works for quite some time, and according to a report from MMAFighting, it was recently finalized. It’s expected to be announced next week, but Jones has already tweeted a confirmation:
Blessed to be signed by the biggest sports apparel company in the world #NIKE Dreams do come true
As part of the deal, Jones will receive the works from Nike. Much like every other major athlete with a Nike contract, he’ll have his own line of shoes and other clothing items, and he’ll be featured in a major marketing effort from the company.
In the cage, Jones will no longer wear UFC-specific clothing. Instead, he’ll be covered nearly head to toe in Nike gear.
Jones is the first MMA fighter to sign a global endorsement deal with Nike. Anderson Silva also has a Nike contract, but it’s specific to Brazil. What Jones now has is much, much bigger.
I don’t need to tell you how important a moment this is for the sport of mixed martial arts. Nike is one of the most recognized brands in the world and is a juggernaut in the sporting industry. Jones will be pushed as one of the premiere athletes in the world alongside some of the most recognizable faces in the market.
This is a major win for Jones, obviously, but it’s also a major win for the UFC. Jones is one of the most marketable guys on its roster, and he’s going to receive the most visible push into the mainstream of any mixed martial artist in history.
So much for the idea of BJ Penn heading back to his old American Kickboxing Academy stomping grounds for a little bit of training before his bout with Rory MacDonald, whenever it happens.Penn, who worked with Dave Camarillo and Bob Cook at AKA back in …
So much for the idea of BJ Penn heading back to his old American Kickboxing Academy stomping grounds for a little bit of training before his bout with Rory MacDonald, whenever it happens.
Penn, who worked with Dave Camarillo and Bob Cook at AKA back in the mid 90s, recently said he was interested in getting in a little bit of training time at his former gym, but hinted that one AKA stalwart wasn’t keen on the idea, as reported by Tim Burke of bloodyelbow.com. Penn said:
We’re over here in Honolulu right now, training. We’re gonna be here for a month, and then we’re gonna see where we’re gonna train next month. We’re trying to get up to AKA, but Fitch is trying to give me some problems about that. And all Jon Fitch has to do is look on the wall [at AKA]. Whose picture is on the wall holding the belt? That’s all Jon Fitch has to know.
Why does Fitch have a problem with the idea of Penn coming in for training? Well, it seems there are some bad feelings still lingering from the controversial and closely-contested draw between the fighters back at UFC 127 in early 2011.
And make no mistake about it. There are indeed bad feelings lingering about, especially from Fitch. Check out his comments from Tuesday’s conference call designed to promote the new AKA reality show Fight Factory, which debuts August 15 on NuvoTV:
Here at AKA, we’ve got fighters who come out to fight, fighters who will face anyone and don’t hide from any opponents. You’ve also got cowards out there like BJ Penn who say they want to fight people, but then they run and hide.
He’s a coward. He wouldn’t be welcomed here.
Well, then. It looks like Penn won’t be returning to AKA any time soon, or at least as long as Fitch is around. We rarely hear Fitch turn up the heat like this.
And it sounds to me like Fitch still wants that do-over with Penn. He might get the chance down the road, but he first needs to get past Brazilian super-prospect Erick Silva at UFC 153 in October. That’s far from a sure thing, of course. But if Fitch can do it, perhaps we’ll see him line up across the cage from Penn one more time.
Roy Nelson and Dana White have never had the best relationship.In fact, it was likely that relationship that forced Nelson to go through the Ultimate Fighter house in order to get into the UFC in the first place. Nelson was a heavyweight with great cre…
Roy Nelson and Dana White have never had the best relationship.
In fact, it was likely that relationship that forced Nelson to go through the Ultimate Fighter house in order to get into the UFC in the first place. Nelson was a heavyweight with great credentials and plenty of talent, and yet he was forced to do the reality show and prove himself against fighters with barely 1/10th of his fighting experience.
Nelson is a quirky dude. I’m sure you’ve figured that out by now. He rarely gives straight answers to serious questions and always seems to have an agenda. So you can see why he irks White at every turn, because White likes it when fighters “play the game.”
Nelson never plays the game. Even after being chosen to coach the next season of The Ultimate Fighter, Nelson refuses to fall in line. In fact, he’s turning up his crazy vibe to levels we haven’t seen him reach during his UFC tenure.
Check out this tweet Nelson sent out on Monday evening:
The Juice is good @danawhite says so as long as you don’t over do it Retweet @ufc . Now I know why Overeem is OK… fb.me/IP37wRgc
Here’s the thing about TRT. It’s absolutely 100% legal. As sports medicine continues to advance, this is one of those things where every guy’s testosterone level starts to drop as they get older and this is basically sports science now where they can bring it back up to a normal level.
And I think it’s great, it’s absolutely fair, it’s legal. The problem is, there are guys who say if this much is good THIS MUCH must be great, so you have guys who are always trying to do more than they’re supposed to do. The big job is policing it, making sure that it’s not being abused, that guys are using it the way it’s supposed to be used.
Yes, White’s position has seemingly changed—and drastically so—inside of a month. And that should be pointed out, but Nelson probably isn’t the best person to be doing the pointing. Not if he wants to keep his job anyway.
But this is just the latest in a string of silly Nelson incidents over the past few weeks. If you’ll recall, Nelson famously tried to get Victor Conte and Kurt Angle as part of his coaching staff for The Ultimate Fighter, but was denied by the UFC.
Nelson knew that Zuffa would deny both of those men spots on the show—and for good reason—but he still insisted on trying to get them installed as assistants and then made the information public. He’s essentially needling his boss in the public eye, and his boss is a man who doesn’t take kindly to needling, especially when it involves one of the more sensitive subjects affecting the sport.
White also recently said that Nelson has been a “huge pain in the ass” since filming for the newest edition of the reality show started. I’m not sure what he’s trying to accomplish, but one thing is for sure: I would not be surprised, in the slightest, if Nelson finds himself without a job if he loses to Shane Carwin when they square off in December.
Look, I understand that the Olympics makes the heart grow fonder for the spirit of competition and national pride and all of that good stuff. It happens every time the Games come around. Back in the days of my youth, I wanted to strap on some giant ski…
Look, I understand that the Olympics makes the heart grow fonder for the spirit of competition and national pride and all of that good stuff. It happens every time the Games come around. Back in the days of my youth, I wanted to strap on some giant skis and be a long-jumper. That all changed the very moment I first laid my eyes on a real-life long-jump ramp, but the spirit was there all the same.
And so I understand the constantly-voiced desire to see mixed martial arts become an officially-sanctioned aspect of the Olympics. I mean, who wouldn’t love to see nations compete against each other for the right to call themselves the best fighting country in the world? That’s the thing that has driven gargantuan ratings for NBC, the official not-quite-live home for the event here in the United States.
What, you think people tuned in because they’re suddenly vested in finding out who the best gymnast or sprinter in the world is? Don’t be ridiculous. They’re glued to that new television set in the living room because they’re patriotic as hell—at least once every couple of years—and because they don’t want to be left out when the chatter around the water cooler the next morning invariably turns to the previous day’s glorious rowing scene on the Thames.
MMA fans want to see their sport on the world’s biggest stage. I can’t blame them. When one of the featured events of the last few television broadcasts was a bunch of people flopping around on a trampoline, it’s tough not to imagine mixed martial arts as a featured event. And hey, the Olympics already have boxing, wrestling and judo, so why not combine them all together and save time? Everybody wins. Right?
Well, not really. And there’s a good reason that MMA will never, ever be a sanctioned athletic event in any Olympic games: because it’s just too violent.
Imagine, if you will, doing the Ultimate Fighter tournament with sixteen dudes. This is just a theoretical tournament, by the way. And imagine that this tournament, instead of taking place during television tapings that lasts six or seven weeks, must instead take place over the course or two or three days.
That, in a nutshell, is why it will never work as an Olympic sport. The likeliness of completing any kind of tournament as originally conceived is incredibly low. Boxing is also an inherently violent sport, but Olympic boxing is a watered-down and greatly different sport than the one you throw down $70 on from time to time. Headgear and rule changes make it more of a point-fighting sport, which is mostly different from boxing altogether.
Do you want to see MMA take the same route? A bunch of you could barely contain your grief when Carlos Condit beat Nick Diaz using the same kind of style, so I cannot imagine the outcry we’d hear over the Olympics taking the same route as a whole. And make no mistake about it: if mixed martial arts made it to the Olympics (which it won’t), it would be a highly-bastardized and much safer product than you see on television. Chances are you’d probably hate it.
But none of this matters, because it’s never going to become a sanctioned sport. MMA fans should instead focus their efforts on getting Brazilian jiu-jitsu in front of the people who can help make the sport an Olympic reality. Or they should just watch wrestling, or judo, and see if they can pick out some of the people who might someday become future stars in MMA.
But please, just stop talking about MMA becoming an Olympic sport.
With all apologies to Benson Henderson and Frankie Edgar, their main event at UFC 150 on Saturday night isn’t the biggest fight to watch out for this month. It just isn’t. That honor, esteemed reader, goes to Ronda Rousey and Sarah Kaufman, two ex…
With all apologies to Benson Henderson and Frankie Edgar, their main event at UFC 150 on Saturday night isn’t the biggest fight to watch out for this month. It just isn’t.
That honor, esteemed reader, goes to Ronda Rousey and Sarah Kaufman, two extraordinary fighters who will take their own bow in San Diego next weekend.
You probably think I’m nuts right about now, but allow me to explain myself.
Rousey is a superstar in the making. I’m not talking about “a superstar in Strikeforce” or “a superstar for a female fighter.” Rousey has already far surpassed those two niche monikers, leaving them coughing up dust during her meteoric rise over the past 12 months.
What Rousey is chasing now is a level of renown known by only a few of her male counterparts in the UFC. She’s on her way to the territory currently occupied by Georges St-Pierre and Anderson Silva and Jon Jones. But in truth, she has the potential to be far bigger as a mainstream star than any of them.
And that’s why every fight is important for Rousey, no matter the circumstance. There’s a lot more at stake than just the Strikeforce bantamweight title.
Because, as Rousey goes, so goes female fighting. Her continued success will, without a doubt, lead to female fighters being accepted into the UFC’s ranks within the next two years.
If Rousey falters and folks start losing interest in seeing females beating each other up in the cage? That’s not so certain at all.
That’s why, every time Rousey steps in the cage, it’s considered an important fight. Especially when she’s facing an opponent with the skills that Kaufman possesses.
Rousey’s made easy work of everyone she’s faced thus far—including Meisha Tate, who many thought would be too great all-around for Rousey to contend with. But Kaufman excels in the one area that we haven’t seen Rousey develop just yet: the striking game.
I love that I’ll get to see Benson Henderson and Frankie Edgar tie up again on Saturday night. It should be a thrilling bout, full of the kind of twists and turns and submissions and kicks that MMA fans crave. But it’s not the most important bout of the month. For that, you’ll have to tune in to Showtime on August 17.
The most exciting UFC on Fox event is now in the books, and so it’s time to take a look at what might be next for some of the winners and losers. LYOTO MACHIDA vs. JON JONESLet’s face it: Machida isn’t the best option to face Jon Jones for a secon…
The most exciting UFC on Fox event is now in the books, and so it’s time to take a look at what might be next for some of the winners and losers.
LYOTO MACHIDA vs. JON JONES
Let’s face it: Machida isn’t the best option to face Jon Jones for a second time. But then again, there really are no best options.
That’s the current state of the UFC’s light heavyweight division, a weight class that Jones has so thoroughly decimated over the past 16 months. Who of the four men involved in Saturday night’s two featured Fox fights would you like to see face Jones again?
Rua, who took the worst beating of his career? Bader, who was made to look less like a prospect and more like a kid learning the intricacies of MMA from an elder statesman? Or Vera, who ended up screaming in agony with a broken orbital bone the last time he faced Jones?
In reality, Machida gave Jones the best fight he’s had since assuming he ascended to the championship throne. That isn’t saying much, but we play with the cards we are dealt. I’d love to see someone like Alexander Gustafsson or Glover Teixeira get their crack. And someday, they will. But right now, they’re just not intriguing enough opponents to draw in the casual fanbase.
That leaves Machida. While he doesn’t make for the most interesting opponent for Jones, he’ll have to do because he’s the best of the realistic options at this point.
I do have one request, however: Put this fight in the main event of the December Fox card.
We’ve already paid to see it once, and I can’t imagine a lot of people will be all that interested in paying for it a second time. Plus, it would pay off the contender storyline from Saturday’s event, wrapping everything up with a nice, red bow.
MAURICIO RUA vs. ALEXANDER GUSTAFSSON
Rua needs another big win before he can convince Dana White that he really wants a second crack at Jones.
Truth is, maybe Rua just isn’t all that eager to step back in the cage with Jones. Perhaps he knows what the rest of us could sense just from watching the first fight last year: that it would take a miracle for Rua to beat Jones, even on his very best day. And Rua’s very best days are dwindling fast.
Gustafsson would provide a good litmus test. He’s often compared to Jones, and for good reason, because they possess many of the same physical attributes. But Gustafsson needs a big win before being considered ready for title contention. Beating Shogun may not mean what it once did, but it would mean enough.
BRANDON VERA vs. RYAN BADER
This one is easy. Vera didn’t beat Shogun on Saturday night, but he proved that he’s still got the fire to compete with the best in the division. After the past few years, I never thought I’d use those words to describe Vera. But here we are.
Vera accomplished the rarest of feats on Saturday night: He elevated his stock despite being finished in a fight. And while he probably will never achieve those lofty double-title standards he set for himself so many years ago, he’s no doubt earned a hall pass to stick around the promotion.
A bout with Bader, who was knocked into next week after trying to score on the increasingly frustrating Machida, makes perfect sense. Both guys are coming off losses on television, and both guys need bouts that will either keep them relevant or elevate their standing in the division. This accomplishes both.
JOE LAUZON vs. GRAY MAYNARD
Lauzon’s out-of-nowhere triangle submission win over Jamie Varner was par for the course. Which is to say it was incredibly exciting and Lauzon ended up scoring multiple fight night bonuses. Just another night at the office for J-Lau.
For his next trick, I’d like to see him paired with Gray Maynard. Maynard is treading water, nowhere close to securing another lightweight title shot in the next 12 months. I like the idea of pairing up the two former members of Team Penn from the fifth season of The Ultimate Fighter.
JAMIE VARNER vs. DONALD CERRONE/MELVIN GUILLARD LOSER
Varner pulled off the same feat as Vera: scoring fans despite his loss to Joe Lauzon in a Fight of the Year contender.
Varner has come from the brink of retirement back to the UFC, where he’s putting on thrilling performances and showing none of the immaturity that raised fans’ ire during his WEC run. Personally, I’d love to see him face Donald Cerrone. The UFC loves trilogies, and this is one that needs to be finished.
But in order for that to happen, Cerrone would need to lose to Melvin Guillard, because his standing in the division will be far greater than Varner if he defeats Guillard on Saturday night. Either way, matching Varner up with the loser of the UFC 150 co-main event makes perfect sense on every level.
PHIL DAVIS vs. WAGNER PRADO
Let’s be real: we’re going to see this one again.
After all, the first one ended with Prado bleeding his own eye blood after a nasty unintentional eye poke from Davis. Prado was understandably upset with the ref’s decision to call off the fight, but again, he was bleeding. From his eye. Not only is that disgusting, but it’s a perfectly acceptable reason to end a fight prematurely.
No harm, no foul. Well, there was some harm and it was almost certainly a foul, but we’ll get to see it again regardless.
I’d also like to send an obligatory “chill out, dude” to Rashad Evans, who laid into Davis for not using his wrestling and trying to strike in post-fight commentary on Fuel. Dude, the fight was roughly one minute old. As Davis said, there was plenty of time for wrestling.
It may not seem like a big deal on the surface, but the news that UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has signed a global endorsement deal with industry giant Nike is one of the biggest bombshells in a long time.