Author: Joseph Zucker

Wanderlei Silva Reportedly Released from UFC Contract: Latest Details, Reaction

Steven Marrocco of MMAjunkie.com reported Thursday the UFC released Wanderlei Silva from his contract with the company.The news coincides with Silva recanting his previous claim this past summer that the UFC fixed fights.Silva provided a full statement…

Steven Marrocco of MMAjunkie.com reported Thursday the UFC released Wanderlei Silva from his contract with the company.

The news coincides with Silva recanting his previous claim this past summer that the UFC fixed fights.

Silva provided a full statement on his Facebook page:

In July of last year, I posted a number of comments on Facebook and Twitter, which included repeated claims that the UFC “fixed fights” and that I could “prove it.” I hereby retract any such statements in their entirety as I failed to understand that the term “fight-fixing” specifically refers to the illegal action or practice of dishonestly determining the outcome of a contest before it occurs. I understand the UFC’s reputation would be harmed if my fans and others actually believed the UFC engaged in fight fixing, and I have no evidence to support such a claim. I apologize for any misunderstanding my comments may have caused.

The 39-year-old found himself in hot water after going on social media and ranting about UFC.

“They have no respect for anyone,” he wrote, per Guilherme Cruz of MMAFighting.com. “I made it clear for all of you that I won’t ever fight for this event again, UFCircus! Fixed fights, and I can prove it. I haven’t dropped the bomb yet, I haven’t said what I know.“

The controversial firing of cutman Jacob Duran sent Silva over the edge and precipitated his disparaging comments.

Shortly thereafter, UFC’s parent company, Zuffa, filed suit against Silva, claiming he defamed the organization.

“Over the past year, Silva has continued to criticize Zuffa, its owners and executive officers, and the (Nevada State Athletic Commission),” claimed Colby Williams, a lawyer representing Zuffa, per Marrocco. “While Zuffa has monitored Silva’s remarks, the company has largely dismissed Silva’s attacks as the misguided rants of a disgruntled ex-fighter. Silva’s latest outburst, however, indisputably crossed the line and necessitates swift legal redress.”

Thursday brings arguably the optimal solution for both parties.

Silva is free to pursue fights outside of UFC, and Bleacher Report’s Jeremy Botter already has one opponent lined up:

UFC, meanwhile, got Silva to walk back on his claims and thus will be able to move on from the whole situation.

Whether they’re valid or not, allegations of fight-fixing are always damaging for an organizing body. The quicker the UFC could put the issue to bed, the better.

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Aldo vs. McGregor: Career Stats, Highlights for Both Fighters Ahead of UFC 194

After nearly a year of hype, Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor will finally face off Saturday to determine an undisputed UFC featherweight champion.
The two were originally supposed to fight in July, but a rib injury forced Aldo to back out of UFC 189, with…

After nearly a year of hype, Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor will finally face off Saturday to determine an undisputed UFC featherweight champion.

The two were originally supposed to fight in July, but a rib injury forced Aldo to back out of UFC 189, with Chad Mendes taking his place on the card.

You could argue the injury was actually a net positive. By beating Mendes, McGregor added another impressive win to his resume, thus silencing some of the doubters who questioned his credentials when compared to Aldo.

Here’s a look at the two fighters by the numbers:

McGregor and Aldo make for great aesthetic foils. It would be a tad simplistic to label the former an offensive fighter and the latter a defensive fighter. With that said, their respective strengths complement one another well.

McGregor is a flashy fighter who attacks his opponent almost right from the opening bell. He boasts incredible power and a seemingly limitless amount of injury. Sixteen of his 18 wins have come by knockout, and only one of his 20 fights went past the second round.

The essence of McGregor—the bravado, aggression and constant wave of offense—was on show in his victory over Dustin Poirier at UFC 178:

Aldo, on the other hand, is the more measured fighter. There are no wasted movements from the Brazilian in the Octagon as he displays a ruthless efficiency against his opponents. Aldo isn’t averse to mixing it up, but he’s at his best when he’s dictating the pace of a fight and letting his opponent come to him.

His TKO of Chan Sung Jung at UFC 163 isn’t his most exciting fight, but it is one of the better showcases for what kind of fighter he is:

Openly antagonizing your opponent can sometimes do more harm than good—see Chael Sonnen and Anderson Silva—but to date, McGregor has more than backed up his constant boasts.

The Irish star wasn’t shy about offering his prediction for Saturday’s fight, per UFC:

“I feel my fist will go through his head at 100 miles per hour and that will be that,” McGregor said, per Jim Rome.

However, McGregor’s mouth may prove his undoing against Aldo.

Even before this fight was officially announced, Aldo has had to deal with constant verbal barbs from McGregor in addition to McGregor’s slightly more physical provocations, including his exiting of the Octagon and facing off with Aldo at UFC Fight Night 59 in Boston last January. He also grabbed Aldo’s featherweight title at a press conference ahead of UFC 189:

All the while, Aldo has been keeping track of McGregor’s antics and storing them away. Bleacher Report’s Jeremy Botter believes he’s going to unleash all of that built-up anger this weekend:

Ronda Rousey’s loss to Holly Holm proved nothing is sacred in the Octagon. All it takes is one punch to change the course of a fight.

Aldo is the more well-rounded fighter, but McGregor only needs to land one major strike and the unified featherweight title is his.

While it’s unfortunate fans have had to wait so long to see Aldo and McGregor go head-to-head, the wait will be more than worth it once the opening bell rings at UFC 194.

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Holly Holm May Fight Another Opponent Before Ronda Rousey Rematch

Ronda Rousey has left no doubt she intends to get a rematch with UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm; the only question is when the two will oppose one another again in the Octagon.
“I need to come back. I need to beat this chick,” said Rousey…

Ronda Rousey has left no doubt she intends to get a rematch with UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm; the only question is when the two will oppose one another again in the Octagon.

“I need to come back. I need to beat this chick,” said Rousey in an interview with Ramona Shelburne for ESPN The Magazine. (Note: Link contains NSFW language.) “Who knows if I’m going to pop my teeth out or break my jaw or rip my lip open. I have to f—–g do it.”

Holm’s manager, Lenny Fresquez, cast some doubt that Holm would immediately take on Rousey in her first title defense, telling the Los Angeles Times‘ Lance Pugmire that UFC threw out the prospect of a fight on July 9 at UFC 200 in Las Vegas.    

“I’m not sure Ronda will be ready for a July fight,” Fresquez said. “She took a severe beating, and I don’t think it’s in her best interest to take the next fight so fast. They told me she’s been ready and cleared, but …”

Instead, Fresquez identified Miesha Tate as a more likely option for his client.

“We’d like to fight Miesha,” he said. “We understand there are risks, but Holly’s a dominant champion, and she wants to fight the best. Right now, Miesha is the best.”

Following Rousey’s defeat to Holm, UFC suspended her for up to 180 days for medical reasons. The 28-year-old was immediately hospitalized after the fight, and she needed plastic surgery to repair a cut in her lip.

“It might be three to six months before I can eat an apple, let alone take an impact,” Rousey told Shelburne.

A rematch between Holm and Rousey would unquestionably be a profitable fight and potentially one of the highest-grossing bouts in UFC history. Still, Rousey can’t afford to rush her return to the Octagon.

Meanwhile, Holm has every right to look in a different direction should Rousey not be physically ready to fight in the summer. Tate is the No. 2-ranked fighter in UFC’s women’s bantamweight division, so she’d be the best challenger for Holm if Rousey is unavailable.

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Ronda Rousey Comments on Health After Knockout Loss to Holly Holm at UFC 193

Ronda Rousey’s UFC career isn’t over following her shocking defeat to Holly Holm at UFC 193, but the former women’s bantamweight champion admitted she plans on taking a break from the Octagon.
“I just wanted to thank everyone for the love and support,”…

Ronda Rousey‘s UFC career isn’t over following her shocking defeat to Holly Holm at UFC 193, but the former women’s bantamweight champion admitted she plans on taking a break from the Octagon.

“I just wanted to thank everyone for the love and support,” Rousey wrote in an Instagram post Sunday night. “I appreciate the concerns about my health, but I’m fine. As I had mentioned before, I’m going to take a little bit of time, but I’ll be back.”

Holm delivered one of the biggest sporting upsets in recent memory after she thoroughly outclassed Rousey en route to a second-round knockout:

“[Rousey] was transported [to the hospital] because she got knocked out,” said UFC President Dana White after the fight, per Steven Marrocco of MMAjunkie. “Then her lip was split in half, so they had to sew her lip.”

The talk of a possible rematch between Holm and Rousey happened almost instantaneously as Holm was declared the new champion. MMAFighting.com’s Luke Thomas isn’t so sure that would be a good idea for Rousey:   

Holm vs. Rousey would be the biggest return fight in women’s MMA. Too much money would be on the line to think it will never happen at some point.

Still, given both Rousey’s injuries and her desire for some time away from the UFC, it may be a little while until she gets another crack at Holm.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Ronda Rousey Comments on Health After Knockout Loss to Holly Holm at UFC 193

Ronda Rousey’s UFC career isn’t over following her shocking defeat to Holly Holm at UFC 193, but the former women’s bantamweight champion admitted she plans on taking a break from the Octagon.
“I just wanted to thank everyone for the love and support,”…

Ronda Rousey‘s UFC career isn’t over following her shocking defeat to Holly Holm at UFC 193, but the former women’s bantamweight champion admitted she plans on taking a break from the Octagon.

“I just wanted to thank everyone for the love and support,” Rousey wrote in an Instagram post Sunday night. “I appreciate the concerns about my health, but I’m fine. As I had mentioned before, I’m going to take a little bit of time, but I’ll be back.”

Holm delivered one of the biggest sporting upsets in recent memory after she thoroughly outclassed Rousey en route to a second-round knockout:

“[Rousey] was transported [to the hospital] because she got knocked out,” said UFC President Dana White after the fight, per Steven Marrocco of MMAjunkie. “Then her lip was split in half, so they had to sew her lip.”

The talk of a possible rematch between Holm and Rousey happened almost instantaneously as Holm was declared the new champion. MMAFighting.com’s Luke Thomas isn’t so sure that would be a good idea for Rousey:   

Holm vs. Rousey would be the biggest return fight in women’s MMA. Too much money would be on the line to think it will never happen at some point.

Still, given both Rousey’s injuries and her desire for some time away from the UFC, it may be a little while until she gets another crack at Holm.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Rousey vs. Holm: Career Stats, Highlights for Both Fighters Ahead of UFC 193

Holly Holm prevailed in her first two UFC fights, but she faces the biggest test of her career Saturday, Nov. 14: Ronda Rousey. The two will clash at UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia.
Like the 12 women before her, Holm enters this fight at a decided dis…

Holly Holm prevailed in her first two UFC fights, but she faces the biggest test of her career Saturday, Nov. 14: Ronda Rousey. The two will clash at UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia.

Like the 12 women before her, Holm enters this fight at a decided disadvantage. Rousey is the most dominant athlete in any sport, especially after Floyd Mayweather’s retirement from boxing. Mayweather was the only other star who could challenge Rousey’s mastery over her domain.

The UFC women’s bantamweight champion has won 12 of her professional fights, and only one of those bouts lasted beyond the first round. In addition, nine of her victories have come in one minute or less.

As much as she has done as a boxer and mixed martial arts fighter, Holm’s resume simply doesn’t stack up. She’s 2-0 in UFC and 9-0 in MMA, with her last two victories coming against Raquel Pennington and Marion Reneau.

Here’s the tale of the tape between the two fighters:

According to Odds Shark, Holm opened as a 33-4 underdog, and the long odds are to be expected considering Holm doesn’t exactly have a strong body of work through which she has proved herself.

While she went 33-2-3 as a professional boxer, boxing and MMA are two completely different disciplines. Holm can strike with the best of them, but the whole of her skill set is still somewhat lacking, to the extent many questioned whether she has proved herself worthy of a title challenge.

As Yahoo Sports’ Kevin Iole wrote:

There is a school of thought, though, that after UFC officials saw Holm’s first two bouts, they were concerned she’d lose before she would get to Rousey. In order to preserve the matchup between the two unbeaten fighters, they gave her the fight sooner than they otherwise might have, the thinking goes.

Holm has had more time to smooth out some of her rougher edges in the Octagon, but she’s not all of a sudden going to be a significantly different fighter after a few months of training.

The 34-year-old would be wise not to repeat the same game plan she utilized against Reneau back in July. Holm was the more aggressive of the two fighters, and while her strikes didn’t land at a great rate, she connected enough times to secure the victory:

In theory, blitzing Rousey right at the opening bell doesn’t seem like a bad strategy. The champion might be a bit vulnerable as she attempts to get her bearings in the fight.

In practice, just ask Cat Zingano how quickly a fight can turn when you take a more aggressive approach against Rousey:

Holm’s best chance to win will be forcing Rousey to move around the Octagon and use her striking ability, which has never been her forte.

Rousey’s coach, Edmond Tarverdyan, on the other hand, remains confident no amount of running or dodging from Holm will save her, per Submission Radio (via Fox Sports’ Elias Cepeda).

It doesn’t matter if she [Holm] tries to keep the distance or how long she wants to keep it. Champ knows exactly what she’s going to be doing in there. And even if she runs, I always say, you can run but you can’t hide. And she’s not going to be able run quicker backwards as Ronda can move forward. That’s not gonna happen. We’re not going to see that. Ronda’s legs are the best.

Simply pushing this fight to Round 2 would be a victory in and of itself for Holm since Miesha Tate is the only woman to do that against Rousey in the past.

Rousey may one day suffer her first defeat in the Octagon. However, Sunday is unlikely to be that day, and Holm is unlikely the person to make it happen.

 

Note: All fighter stats are courtesy of FightMetric.com.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com