Author: Jordy McElroy

Dana White ‘Too Upset’ to Even Talk About Alistair Overeem

In just one failed drug test, Alistair Overeem has managed to upset his peers, fans and UFC President Dana White.During the post-fight press conference for UFC on Fuel 2, White deflected several questions regarding the former Strikeforce heavyweight ch…

In just one failed drug test, Alistair Overeem has managed to upset his peers, fans and UFC President Dana White.

During the post-fight press conference for UFC on Fuel 2, White deflected several questions regarding the former Strikeforce heavyweight champion.

Gareth A. Davies of Telegraph.com was on the scene as a visibly upset White pleaded that reporters not ask him about Overeem.

“Somebody will talk to you about Overeem. Dude, please, I will snap and freak out, and I don’t want to do that,” White said. “I can’t talk about it. Yeah, I don’t want to talk about it. I’m too upset about it. Seriously, I can’t talk about it.”

“You want Lorenzo [Fertitta]? Lorenzo’s peanut butter man. He’s [expletive] smooth. Let him talk to you. I can’t talk about this.”

In a random pre-fight drug test, Overeem’s test results came back positive for elevated testosterone levels. Overeem was slated to face Junior Dos Santos for the UFC title on May 26, but the failed testing puts the highly anticipated heavyweight showdown in jeopardy.

Typically, a failed testing is grounds for an immediate one-year suspension, but since Overeem wasn’t licensed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, he can’t be punished in this particular case.

White’s frustration with Overeem likely comes from the huge question mark now placed on the UFC 146 main event.

Overeem has already applied for a new license, and he is set to stand before the commission on April 24 to state his case.

If denied license, Overeem would be out of the UFC 146 main event, and according to Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer, he wouldn’t be able to reapply for at least a year.

Depending on the hearing, it’ll be interesting to see whether or not the UFC axes Overeem or simply chalks the situation up as an error in judgment.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Tim Sylvia Willing to Go on TUF Just to Get Another Shot in UFC

Desperate times call for desperate measures.Tim Sylvia is on a mission to get another shot in the UFC. After his initial pleas were recently shot down by UFC President Dana White, the former two-time UFC heavyweight champion has been backed into a corn…

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Tim Sylvia is on a mission to get another shot in the UFC. After his initial pleas were recently shot down by UFC President Dana White, the former two-time UFC heavyweight champion has been backed into a corner with one final hope left.

In an interview on The Hammerfisting Podcast, Sylvia was asked if he would consider competing on The Ultimate Fighter for a UFC contract.

“Absolutely. I helped coach Season 2 with Matt [Hughes] and Rich [Franklin] because it was half heavyweights,” said Sylvia.

“They needed some help with the big boys, and those are two of my best friends in the fighting industry, so I went out there and stayed with those guys and helped them with their heavyweights and stuff like that, and made some pretty good friends. I watch The Ultimate Fighter, and I would definitely do it if I needed to.”

Sylvia competing on TUF would certainly draw more viewers, but it may not be enough to convince White.

Despite everything Sylvia has offered to do, White still isn’t budging on his decision to pass on the former heavyweight star. Sylvia has even offered to fight for free.

Why no love for the former UFC champ?

Sylvia believes he may be blackballed from the UFC thanks to his decision to jump ship to Affliction and challenge Fedor Emelianenko in July 2008. Unfortunately, it proved to be a terrible decision, seeing as the promotion folded shortly thereafter.

What say you? Should the UFC give Sylvia another shot or is it time to leave the past behind and move on with future stars?

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Tito Ortiz: ‘Boxing Had Ali, Pro-Wrestling Had Hogan and MMA Has Tito Ortiz’

Love him or hate him, Tito Ortiz has forever etched his name in MMA history.The former UFC light heavyweight champion will step into the Octagon for the final time on July 7, which should serve as the end of an era.For years, Ortiz, Randy Couture and C…

Love him or hate him, Tito Ortiz has forever etched his name in MMA history.

The former UFC light heavyweight champion will step into the Octagon for the final time on July 7, which should serve as the end of an era.

For years, Ortiz, Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell have been seen as the modern day pioneers of the UFC. With Couture and Liddell already enjoying post-UFC endeavors, Ortiz will be the last of the three to finally hang up the gloves.

He recently spoke with GroundandPoundTV about his final fight in the UFC and how he hopes to remembered. 

“This year, my last fight in the UFC, yep, my last fight in the UFC, I want to take it seriously and make sure I get the most out of it. I’m fighting Forrest Griffin. I won the first one, and he won the second one, so we’re gonna do it for a trilogy, and I’m gonna get my hand raised.”

The Ortiz and Griffin rivalry began back in April 2006. Ortiz returned after over a year’s hiatus and earned a split decision over the Season 1 winner of “The Ultimate Fighter.” Griffin would return the favor nearly a year later at UFC 106, where he also won by split decision.

Ortiz hopes to end his career in spectacular fashion, but after everything he’s done in the sport, he feels that he really doesn’t have anything left to prove.

“There’s nothing I need to prove in the UFC anymore. I’m the longest light heavyweight champion in history. Jon Jones may beat that, and if he does beat it, he’s a good guy and I would like him to beat the record, but I don’t think he will. I’ve done everything underneath the sun in Mixed Martial Arts.

I’ve been an ambassador of the sport to bringing it across the world, and I’ve fought the most consecutive bouts in the UFC. I’ve been competing longer than any UFC fighter, and it’s time to say enough’s enough, and I’m ready for it. I’m ready to go onto other things in my life in the business stuff.”

Ortiz has always been a controversial figure in the sport, but it’s hard to disagree with him going down as an all-time great.

Along with Couture, Liddell, Dana White and the Fertitta brothers, Ortiz deserves a healthy portion of the credit for the UFC growing into what it is today.

“There’s a few people that don’t give me the respect that I think I deserve, but there’s a lot of fans who give me a lot of respect. Of course the people who follow me on Twitter @TitoOrtiz, and you can just hear them, the way they talk about me. ‘I’m a legend, I’m an icon of the sport.’ Boxing had Muhammad Ali, professional wrestling had Hulk Hogan and Mixed Martial Arts has Tito Ortiz.” 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Alistair Overeem Confident He’ll Still Fight JDS for UFC Title

The MMA world is already searching for a replacement contender, but Alistair Overeem remains confident that he’ll still be the guy challenging Junior Dos Santos for the UFC heavyweight title.After failing his pre-fight drug test for UFC 146, the former…

The MMA world is already searching for a replacement contender, but Alistair Overeem remains confident that he’ll still be the guy challenging Junior Dos Santos for the UFC heavyweight title.

After failing his pre-fight drug test for UFC 146, the former Strikeforce heavyweight champion finally broke his silence on Thursday and addressed the media regarding his bout with Dos Santos.

Overeem agreed to do the interview with Spike TV’s MMA Uncensored Live,but he refused to talk about performance-enhancing drugs and his pending case with the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

“I am bigger, I am stronger, I’m better in the standup, and I’m better on the ground. So for me, I’m not thinking about what he’s going to do to me,” Overeem said.

“I’m thinking about what I’m going to do to him, and I’m only thinking about what I’m going to do to him. I’m going to be ready wherever the fight takes me. I do prefer to strike. I do prefer a knockout over a submission win, but I’m going to be ready for anything. I’m strong, I’m fast, I feel good. I’m gonna get this guy.”

Overeem tested for an abnormally high T/E (testosterone to epitestosterone) ratio of 14:1 (whereas the average healthy male tests 1:1), and recently applied for a Nevada license. But before he can be granted license to fight, he must undergo a hearing before the commission, which is slated for April 24.

The most interesting part about Overeem’s recent interview is his composure. He seems incredibly confident he will be awarded license to fight Dos Santos on May 26.

In an interview with MMAWeekly, Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer admitted Overeem’s chances of fighting are pretty dim.

Unless Overeem knows something we don’t, it’s highly unlikely he’ll get the green light from the commission.

If there is a trump card up his sleeve, it’ll have to be extraordinary to convince the commission otherwise.

There are always two sides to every story, and fans are certainly eager to hear Overeem’s side on April 24. 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Tito Ortiz to Join Brock Lesnar and The Rock in WWE?

What are the chances of seeing Tito Ortiz step into a WWE ring against Brock Lesnar and The Rock?Pretty good, at least according to Ortiz.In a recent interview with MMA H.E.A.T.’s Karyn Bryant, the former UFC light heavyweight champion talked about lif…

What are the chances of seeing Tito Ortiz step into a WWE ring against Brock Lesnar and The Rock?

Pretty good, at least according to Ortiz.

In a recent interview with MMA H.E.A.T.’s Karyn Bryant, the former UFC light heavyweight champion talked about life after the UFC and the possibility of venturing from the Octagon to the Squared Circle.

Ya, I think [the fight against Forrest Griffin] is going to be my last. Right now, these young guys coming up, you know, [Alexander] Gustafsson, Johnny Bones Jones, these kids are 23 years old. I can’t do that same type of work anymore. I’m 37, and I have grinded my body literally to a stone.

I don’t know, you look at it and you see Brock Lesnar in the WWE now all of a sudden. He’s gone back to his roots. I don’t know. Could Tito do that stuff? Wow, that’d be interesting huh?

The world of professional wrestling wouldn’t be foreign to Ortiz, who appeared in a few shows for TNA back in May 2005.

There’s a lot of fans. I mean [the WWE] is a great promotion. There’s a lot of great things that could happen with that. Let’s fight and see who the real “People’s Champ” is. The Rock? I don’t know. You never know.

Ortiz and Lesnar certainly wouldn’t be the only fighters to jump ship. Ken Shamrock, Dan Severn and Sean O’Haire have all competed in the WWE.

Ortiz has always been a major draw for the UFC and he should garner plenty of interest from the WWE and TNA.

Tito Ortiz or The Rock? Will the real “People’s Champ” please stand up?

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Did Jon Jones Steal Rashad Evans’ Moves?

Jon Jones and Rashad Evans have been playing the blame game for months, but one thing is clear, there’s a little bit of “Sugar” in Jones’ style.In a promo for the upcoming UFC light heavyweight title bout, Evans blamed Jones for mimicking some of his s…

Jon Jones and Rashad Evans have been playing the blame game for months, but one thing is clear, there’s a little bit of “Sugar” in Jones’ style.

In a promo for the upcoming UFC light heavyweight title bout, Evans blamed Jones for mimicking some of his signature moves.

“He crawls like me. When he starts to fight, he crouches down like me. He got that from me,” said Evans.

It’s hard to disagree with the former UFC champion.

Evans has been crouching and crawling around the Octagon well before Jones came into existence.

With that said, Jones’ supposed “thievery” only pertains to pre-fight rituals. Outside of the crouching and crawling, Jones and Evans are completely different fighters.

Athletes borrow from one another all the time. Usually, it’s taken as a sign of respect.

NBA star Lebron James looked up to Michael Jordan his entire life. He mimicked his hero by wearing the same number and doing the ceremonial powder toss before games, but it all ends after that.

James isn’t Jordan on the court.

Perhaps, Jones looked up to Evans at one point in his career. With everything he’s accomplished, it’s easy to forget that Jones is only 24 years of age. He is still very impressionable in the sport.

As he matures as a fighter, it’s only natural he picks up on things he sees from other successful, experienced fighters.

If anything, Evans should take it as a compliment. It validates a lot of the things he’s said up to this point.

The winner of this fight won’t be decided by who crouches and crawls the best. It will be decided by who is the best fighter.

The world waits patiently for April 21 to find out whether that’s Jones or Evans.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com