Author: Kyle Symes

UFC 184: Vitor Belfort Believes He Is a Better Fighter Without TRT

While everyone seems to think Vitor Belfort will be unable to compete at the same level that he did while using testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), the Brazilian believes he’s actually better off without it.
Speaking to SporTV (translation vi…

While everyone seems to think Vitor Belfort will be unable to compete at the same level that he did while using testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), the Brazilian believes he’s actually better off without it.

Speaking to SporTV (translation via MMA Fighting), Belfort said that he’s actually a better fighter without the TRT:

It was better for me (the end of TRT) because I left a boring treatment that was bothering me, and now I’m stronger, lighter and faster. So, for me, it was wonderful. Doesn’t matter what my blood says, nor the result of the blood test. What matters is what is in my head. It was banned? There is no problem. I took 2014 to improve some techniques. I know that is hard to believe but I’m better now. I have been improving my skills, my kicks, my boxing, my endurance, my grappling, my strength and my footwork.

This would appear to be in contrast to Belfort’s previous stance that he believed he needed TRT based on one doctor’s advice, per MMAjunkie. But the Brazilian’s most recent comments echo that of a fighter with renewed confidence despite having to alter previous medical treatment.

Belfort had long been the face of TRT (and PEDs in general) in the MMA game for years, and it finally came to a head when news broke that he had failed a random drug test for elevated testosterone earlier this year.

He would release documents showing the test results on his Instagram page.

Originally scheduled to face UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman at UFC 181, Belfort will have to wait to get his chance at UFC gold at UFC 184 after Weidman suffered an injury. Belfort was less than enthused about Weidman’s injury.

“To me, he wanted to keep his belt during the Christmas and that was the only way,” Belfort said, per Combate.com (via Bloody Elbow).

Weidman continues to point the focus of their upcoming fight towards Belfort and his drug test results (or lack thereof), but Belfort has had no issues with lab results thus far.

A Belfort-Weidman fight already had plenty of intrigue given the late-career resurgence of the Brazilian, but when you add in the fact that Belfort is claiming to be even better without TRT, fans should be in for quite the spectacle at UFC 184.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC Lightweight Bobby Green Hints at Retirement After UFC Fight Night 57

MMA mans might want to tune into Bobby Green’s showdown with Edson Barboza this Saturday night at UFC Fight Night 57, because it may be the last time Green steps inside the Octagon.
Posting on his Facebook page (h/t to Blo…

MMA mans might want to tune into Bobby Green’s showdown with Edson Barboza this Saturday night at UFC Fight Night 57, because it may be the last time Green steps inside the Octagon.

Posting on his Facebook page (h/t to Bloody Elbow, r/mma), the surging lightweight contender hinted he might be walking away from the sport.

“This might be my last fight thinking about retirement #tired,” read the post.

It would be a shocking move considering Green is undefeated (4-0) inside the Octagon and is riding an eight-fight winning streak. The official UFC rankings have him ranked at No. 7. He’s also coming off the biggest win of his career, a split-decision win over perennial contender and MMA veteran Josh Thomson.

But for all of Green’s triumph inside the cage, there’s been plenty of tragedy outside it as well.

His younger brother was killed in what police believed to be a gang-related shooting earlier this year, per mmajunkie.com. Green’s older brother was also shot in a non-gang-related incident, according to Bloody Elbow.

The retirement talk may be a result from weight-cutting along with training, but considering what Green has been through outside the Octagon, one would assume competing would be a walk in the park for him.

If Green retires from MMA after the Barboza fight, it couldn’t come at a worse time, professionally speaking. Green is just now reaching the upper echelon of the UFC, a point where fighters can finally start making enough money to live comfortably both in the present and in the future.

The UFC is surely concerned about Green mentioning retirement only days away from being in the co-main event. MMA can be a dangerous sport to compete in if a fighter isn’t mentally in the game, and the results can be devastating—especially considering Barboza is touted as one of the best strikers in the division.

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Rose Namajunas and Others Blast Roufusport over Fighter Death

Duke Roufus has his hands full prepping UFC lightweight Anthony Pettis for a showdown with Gilbert Melendez at UFC 181, but he and his team are currently on the receiving end of a barrage of negative PR.
Following an article posted by John Diedrich of …

Duke Roufus has his hands full prepping UFC lightweight Anthony Pettis for a showdown with Gilbert Melendez at UFC 181, but he and his team are currently on the receiving end of a barrage of negative PR.

Following an article posted by John Diedrich of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel explaining the events that led to the death of Dennis Munson, former students and coaches have lashed out at Roufus and how his gym is run.

Although the incident took place back in March, the MJS article was published over the weekend. Diedrich’s account is very in-depth, does a great job of collecting facts from nearly everyone who was present and paints the picture of numerous examples of incompetency that led to Munson’s death.

It is definitely worth a read to not only explain the details of the situation at hand, but also provide examples of what combat sports officials shouldn’t do in future bouts.

The problems began with Munson having to weigh in the same day as the event, a practice that’s been heavily criticized for not allowing fighters to rehydrate themselves properly. Munson’s brother also stated in Diedrich’s report that he cannot remember his brother drinking anything, despite the fact that his brother said he was thirsty.

The downward spiral continued with a seeming lack of interest in fighter safety on the part of the ringside physician and Munson’s corner. Squabbles over what treatment to provide and where to send Munson also likely contributed to Munon’s death.

In addition, there was a video of the bout that clearly showed Munson was practically out on his feet during the final moments of the fight. And there are 32 seconds of crucial video edited out, which happens to be the time that Munson collapsed to the floor.

While Diedrich did an excellent job of pointing out all the mistakes that occurred in March, his findings have opened a whole new can of worms.

Rose Namajunas, who is a current competitor on The Ultimate Fighter 20, has used her Instagram account to paint Roufusport in a negative light. She also contributed a post on the ongoing discussion on the Underground forums, explaining why she decided to make her comments.

Littered throughout the Underground forum (as well as on Namajunas’ Instagram page) are posts from former students and even former coaches who confirm that the mentality inside Roufusport is not conducive to success.

The claims levied against the gym and coaches also seem to indicate that there’s some validity behind the recent findings that Roufusport fighters have the highest injury percentage amongst major MMA camps, according to a report by LastWordonSports.com.

The aforementioned Pettis is making his first title defense after winning the UFC strap back in August 2013, after sitting on the sidelines due to a knee injury and coaching on TUF. Erik Koch saw his title aspirations come to a screeching halt as a result of injuries as well.

Chico Camus, a Milwaukee native, had a falling-out with Roufus in which the coach questioned Camus’ commitment level. However, it appears that the two sides reconciled, with Camus returning.

Roufusport has emerged as one of the top go-to spots in the Midwest for MMA training. It currently has the Pettis brothers under its roof, along with former Bellator and current ONE FC champion Ben Askren.

Currently, neither Roufus‘ nor Roufusport’s official Twitter page has made any mention about the recent backlash.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 179 Results: Fight for Jose Aldo to Take Next

As if anyone needed further validation of Jose Aldo’s greatness, the champ put on a display at UFC 179 that reminded fans of his former WEC days.
Aldo’s fight with Chad Mendes started nearly the same as the T.J. Dillashaw vs. Renan Barao…

As if anyone needed further validation of Jose Aldo’s greatness, the champ put on a display at UFC 179 that reminded fans of his former WEC days.

Aldo’s fight with Chad Mendes started nearly the same as the T.J. Dillashaw vs. Renan Barao bout earlier this year, with the Team Alpha Male fighter dropping the champion early. But instead of the knockdown setting the tone for the entire fight, Aldo’s championship resolve showed through as the Brazilian scored a knockdown of his own to end the first frame.

In the end, Aldo did enough to defeat Mendes and retain his belt. The champion may have been marked up on his face more than we’ve seen in quite some time, but Aldo cemented (if it wasn’t clear before the fight) that he’s the best featherweight of all time.

The fight with Mendes was billed as a grudge match between two rival gyms, so there was some emotional investment with both fighters heading into this fight. Given that and Aldo’s bruises, it will likely be some time before we see the Brazilian back in the cage.

When Aldo does return, he’ll have no shortage of bout agreements to sign.

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5 UFC Fighters Who Have Fallen off the Radar

The world of MMA can be tricky to navigate. It’s even harder when the pressure of competing in the Octagon is added on top of an already high-pressure situation.
Fighters are only as good as their last fight, and some guys have struggled with that rece…

The world of MMA can be tricky to navigate. It’s even harder when the pressure of competing in the Octagon is added on top of an already high-pressure situation.

Fighters are only as good as their last fight, and some guys have struggled with that recently. Staying active is a surefire way to get fans to pay attention to your career, but so too is winning.

The fighters on this list have fallen completely off the radar due to a number of factors. Some have been on the sidelines for far too long, while some haven’t had their hand raised in the Octagon in a while. Others have experienced a combination of both.

Many of the fighters were in the mix for title contention, but now they’re struggling. Luckily, most have plans lined up down the road that should get them back into the title conversation, but a few have seemingly no direction back to the Octagon.

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Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva Slams ‘Despicable’ Alistair Overeem

This week has not been kind to former Strikeforce heavyweight champ Alistair Overeem. Not only did he lose his UFC Fight Night 50 co-main event bout against Ben Rothwell, but it seems like everyone is jumping at the chance to kick the man while he’s do…

This week has not been kind to former Strikeforce heavyweight champ Alistair Overeem. Not only did he lose his UFC Fight Night 50 co-main event bout against Ben Rothwell, but it seems like everyone is jumping at the chance to kick the man while he’s down.

The latest to join in the discussion is Overeem’s UFC 156 opponent, Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva. The Brazilian spoke to Combate (translated by The Underground and MMA Mania) about Overeem and had some less than flattering words.

I was flying to Brazil and at the airport and I had the opportunity to sit and watch the Overeem fight. He is a comedy, a cartoon. You have to feel sorry for a guy like that. … You don’t win the fight talking. We get better through training, through going out there and doing your best. Unfortunately it’s the opposite with Overeem—he really likes to talk.

Overeem is just 2-3 during his UFC tenure. He also failed a drug test prior to UFC 146 that caused him to miss out on his only opportunity to fight for a UFC title.

But each one of us lives his own life. He is reaping what he sowed. Who plants the good reaps good. He’s a despicable person and does not deserve much attention from people…He’s a guy who just leaves enmity wherever he goes. It’s sad to see a person like him, because we never wish harm on a person, never want to see a person in this situation.

Silva also jokingly took credit for breaking The Reem after their UFC 156 encounter.

“It may be that I gave him issues with his chin,” said Silva. “But I’m sure he was psychologically shaken. When he sees a big guy, he must get scared, close his eyes, and remember something.”

The Brazilian was on the receiving end of a calculated beating in their UFC 156 fight before deciding to wake up his inner beast in the third round. What followed was one of the top comebacks in recent history and one of 2013’s most memorable moments, as Silva knocked out Overeem with a thunderous flurry of strikes.

Following his loss to Rothwell, Anthony “Rumble” Johnson took the opportunity to add to the reasons why he’s not a fan of Overeem. Rothwell also didn’t appreciate Overeem’s kicks directly to his knee in their fight, calling him a dirty fighter.

It’s not surprising that Silva wouldn’t have anything good to say about Overeem considering their rivalry. Prior to the fight, the two had an encounter during the UFC 156 faceoffs. Following the KO loss, Silva taunted his fallen foe along with posting an interesting picture, mocking Overeem.

To his credit, Overeem is remaining positive about his recent loss to Rothwell. Criticism is nothing new to Overeem, as he’s been one of the most polarizing fighters throughout his MMA career.

He transformed himself from a small light heavyweight to a hulking heavyweight fighter throughout his career and dominated competition outside of the UFC. He also achieved one of kickboxing’s greatest titles, a K-1 Grand Prix in 2010.

He also has a pretty good running documentary program called The Reem. No matter your feelings on the man, the series provides an excellent in-depth look behind the scenes of his career.

The words being slung his way by former training partners isn’t likely to affect Overeem moving forward. He’s called them “pathetic” recently and seems focused on not making the same mistakes while training at Greg Jackson’s camp.

But as the negative comments roll in, it’s clear that it’s going to take a miracle for some people to change their mind on how they view Overeem.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com