Former WEC champion Mike Brown is returning for a featherweight bout at UFC on Fox Sports 1-1, where he’ll face Akira Corassani on August 17.That news was made official by the UFC on Friday (via Twitter) during a torrent of announcements for upcom…
Former WEC champion Mike Brown is returning for a featherweight bout at UFC on Fox Sports 1-1, where he’ll face Akira Corassani on August 17.
That news was made official by the UFC on Friday (via Twitter) during a torrent of announcements for upcoming fight cards.
Both men are looking to continue hard-fought winning streaks in their divisions, with Brown heading back into action more than a year after his last outing at UFC 146.
During the past couple of years, Brown has suffered from a string of injuries that have hindered his training and general health, including a torn ligament in his left hand (via MMA Fighting) and a knee injury that sidelined him from UFC on FX 1.
Brown had briefly considered retirement from MMA after a win against Daniel Pineda but instead signed a new five-fight UFC contract.
Corassani hasn’t been that much more active in comparison to his opponent, having fought only once a year so far since February 2011.
But this most recent fight announcement will give the Ultimate Fighter alumnus a relatively quick turnaround at just under five months—his most recent bout at UFC Sweden 2 (also known as UFC on Fuel TV 9) ended in a stellar unanimous-decision victory over Robbie Peralta.
Neither fighter is currently included in the official UFC rankings at featherweight, but the presence of Conor McGregor vs. Andy Ogle on the same card may determine some future matchmaking potential after the night is over.
More often than not, some of the easiest UFC matches to make are the ones where both fighters are already talking about each other.That’s exactly what’s happening right now with Cung Le and Michael Bisping.Both international headliners recently spoke t…
More often than not, some of the easiest UFC matches to make are the ones where both fighters are already talking about each other.
That’s exactly what’s happening right now with Cung Le and Michael Bisping.
Both international headliners recently spoke to ESPN about the possibility of facing each other in the Octagon during a future event, and both men are reportedly into the idea.
As Le states, he has a few fights left on his contract that would be ripe for “high-profile” opponents, but he would also do a coaching stint on The Ultimate Fighter:
“I’d like to have high-profile fights and a shot at coaching on TUF, whether it’s here [in the United States] or in China, wherever,” said Le, who has won two fights in a row. “I have a few more fights and they should be good fights for me.
“I’m not going to accept just any fight, and at this point in my career I don’t have to. I’ve worked hard to be where I am. I’ve had a few setbacks, but other than that, I’m just going to heal up and whatever happens, happens.”
When asked about the likelihood of that match, Bisping also told ESPN that he would be on-board with the idea, especially since Le is “on a two-fight win streak” and “just knocked out Rich Franklin.”
In addition to his star power—drawn from acting roles in films like “Bodyguards and Assassins”, “Tekken” and “Dragon Eyes”—Le also carries the distinction of being a former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion, a title he held briefly prior to joining the UFC.
Le isn’t the only fighter to call out Bisping, who is coming off a controversial UFC 159 win over Alan Belcher due to a technical decision caused by an eye poke.
Luke Rockhold, the last Strikeforce middleweight to hold the defunct company’s title, also called out Bisping via Twitter, despite being knocked out by Vitor Belfort just days ago:
@bisping u dont have opponent, I dont have opponent, u talk shit about “practice” i say we set the record straight once & for all @danawhite— Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) May 28, 2013
However, that grudge match is likely on ice for now.
Bisping was quick to retort to Rockhold’s challenge, sardonically suggesting that his rival should win a fight in the UFC before calling him out:
Since joining the UFC, Le and Rockhold have both severed as headliners for events outside of the United States, with Le headlining the UFC’s first card in China during UFC on Fuel TV 6.
Rockhold found himself a fish out of water in his title eliminator against Belfort, though, competing outside the United States for the first time in his career at UFC on FX 8.
Pornographic actress Jenna Jameson went after former UFC champion Tito Ortiz via Twitter on Thursday, accusing the MMA legend of a history of drug abuse.Naturally, Ortiz is refuting his ex-wife’s claims, but he also states that Jameson did more damage …
Pornographic actress Jenna Jameson went after former UFC champion Tito Ortiz via Twitter on Thursday, accusing the MMA legend of a history of drug abuse.
Naturally, Ortiz is refuting his ex-wife’s claims, but he also states that Jameson did more damage to their family than he ever did.
During an in-depth interview with MMA Junkie, Ortiz spoke candidly and at-length about his destructive relationship with the former porn star and Playboy model, stating that Jameson “ruined” his life and his fighting career.
Moreover, Ortiz also says that Jameson refuses to be a part of her children’s lives, leaving him to carry the weight of their feud alone:
I’m just trying to do the right thing and take care of my kids and do what’s right and not hurt my kids’ future. She’s doing that already by going on the Internet and saying that I have drug abuse and I faked drug tests for the UFC and this and that. Whatever. I worked hard. I had been a world champion before I even knew the chick. Since I’ve been with the girl, I’ve tried to help her, and I went outside my box to try and help. She ruined me. What, I won two fights since I was with her and lost seven?
I went through so much drama. All my fans know all the problems I had with her during my fights. It seems like every time that I had a fight coming up, she was getting a DUI or she was on the Internet or she was partying and just kind of ruining me mentally before my fights. I had enough with her, and I walked away, and I took full custody of the kids. For her to say that I keep her from seeing her kids is B.S. I give her the opportunity, and she flakes. She doesn’t show up.
According to TMZ and various other sources, Ortiz and Jameson began a relationship in mid-2006, around the same time that Ortiz was rebuilding his UFC career after back-to-back losses against Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell.
Right after losing the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship, Ortiz surged back with a 5-0 winning streak against Patrick Cote, VitorBelfort, Forrest Griffin and Ken Shamrock (who Ortiz bested twice in a row).
But from 2007 to 2010—the same time frame that made up the bulk of Ortiz’s domestic partnership with Jameson—”The People’s Champ” never won a single fight, suffering a horrendous 0-4-1 slide that pushed him into temporary retirement.
Ortiz has notably never tested positive for steroids, performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) or any other type of illegal substance, despite a career marked with various injuries, something that he says he endured while supporting his family:
“[Jameson] accused me of drug use,” Ortiz said. “I’ve been in the UFC for 15 years. I’ve taken drug tests at every single one of my fights. I take them months before my fight, a month before my fight, right before my fight, after the fight. She can try to bash me as much as possible, but it is what it is. When someone has a problem like she does, she can’t help herself. I tried for seven years to help her. Right now, it’s just about my children.
“I’m here every single day supporting my kids. She had an opportunity to see her kids, and all of a sudden, she calls the monitor saying she can’t do it today. I don’t understand it. I don’t want to bash her. I work hard for my children. That’s it. I tried to help somebody who doesn’t want to be helped. That’s it. She can sit here and bash me all she wants on social media. Her fans can believe her. But I’m going to court right now.”
Jameson’s tirade on Twitter hasn’t ended at current publishing time, though, with the troubled starlet continuing to post photos of various painkillers and medicines that she claims Ortiz used to cheat several UFC drug testing screens.
For her part, Jameson’s own life has been highlighted by heavy substance abuse and criminal offenses.
Aside from three misdemeanor counts in July 2012 including a DUI arrest (via Huffington Post), Jameson has recently been charged with battery and assault as recently as this past April (via The Daily Mail) for beating her assistant with a “brass knuckle” iPhone case.
Ortiz continues to maintain that none of Jameson’s accusations are true, with the two currently engaged in a custody battle over their twin four-year-old sons, Jesse and Journey.
Pornographic actress Jenna Jameson went after former UFC champion Tito Ortiz via Twitter on Thursday, accusing the MMA legend of a history of drug abuse.Naturally, Ortiz is refuting his ex-wife’s claims, but he also states that Jameson did more damage …
Pornographic actress Jenna Jameson went after former UFC champion Tito Ortiz via Twitter on Thursday, accusing the MMA legend of a history of drug abuse.
Naturally, Ortiz is refuting his ex-wife’s claims, but he also states that Jameson did more damage to their family than he ever did.
During an in-depth interview with MMA Junkie, Ortiz spoke candidly and at-length about his destructive relationship with the former porn star and Playboy model, stating that Jameson “ruined” his life and his fighting career.
Moreover, Ortiz also says that Jameson refuses to be a part of her children’s lives, leaving him to carry the weight of their feud alone:
I’m just trying to do the right thing and take care of my kids and do what’s right and not hurt my kids’ future. She’s doing that already by going on the Internet and saying that I have drug abuse and I faked drug tests for the UFC and this and that. Whatever. I worked hard. I had been a world champion before I even knew the chick. Since I’ve been with the girl, I’ve tried to help her, and I went outside my box to try and help. She ruined me. What, I won two fights since I was with her and lost seven?
I went through so much drama. All my fans know all the problems I had with her during my fights. It seems like every time that I had a fight coming up, she was getting a DUI or she was on the Internet or she was partying and just kind of ruining me mentally before my fights. I had enough with her, and I walked away, and I took full custody of the kids. For her to say that I keep her from seeing her kids is B.S. I give her the opportunity, and she flakes. She doesn’t show up.
According to TMZ and various other sources, Ortiz and Jameson began a relationship in mid-2006, around the same time that Ortiz was rebuilding his UFC career after back-to-back losses against Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell.
Right after losing the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship, Ortiz quickly surged back with a 5-0 winning streak against Patrick Cote, Vitor Belfort, Forrest Griffin and Ken Shamrock (whom Ortiz bested twice in a row).
But from 2007 to 2010—the same time frame that made up the bulk of Ortiz’s domestic partnership with Jameson—”The People’s Champ” never won a single fight, suffering a horrendous 0-4-1 slide that edged him toward temporary retirement.
By the time Ortiz and Jameson had split in mid-2011, Ortiz re-entered the Octagon for UFC 132, facing off against top-ranked Ultimate Fighter veteran Ryan Bader.
Shockingly, Ortiz defeated Bader in an “Upset of the Year” performance, stunning the younger, stronger fighter with powerful strikes and a quick guillotine choke submission—less than two minutes into the first round of their bout.
Ortiz has notably never tested positive for steroids, performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) or any other type of illegal substance, despite a career marked with various injuries, something that he says he endured while supporting his family:
“[Jameson] accused me of drug use,” Ortiz said. “I’ve been in the UFC for 15 years. I’ve taken drug tests at every single one of my fights. I take them months before my fight, a month before my fight, right before my fight, after the fight. She can try to bash me as much as possible, but it is what it is. When someone has a problem like she does, she can’t help herself. I tried for seven years to help her. Right now, it’s just about my children.
“I’m here every single day supporting my kids. She had an opportunity to see her kids, and all of a sudden, she calls the monitor saying she can’t do it today. I don’t understand it. I don’t want to bash her. I work hard for my children. That’s it. I tried to help somebody who doesn’t want to be helped. That’s it. She can sit here and bash me all she wants on social media. Her fans can believe her. But I’m going to court right now.”
Jameson’s tirade on Twitter hasn’t ended at current publishing time, though, with the troubled starlet continuing to post photos of various painkillers and medicines that she claims Ortiz used to cheat several UFC drug testing screens.
So far, no illegal substances have been shown, with the photos showing legal, nonsteroidal drugs such as prescription ibuprofen.
Perhaps the presence of painkillers isn’t terribly surprisingly, though, since Ortiz has been competing in MMA since May 1997.
For her part, Jameson’s own life has been highlighted by heavy substance abuse and criminal offenses.
Aside from three misdemeanor counts in July 2012 including a DUI arrest (via Huffington Post), Jameson has recently been charged with battery and assault as recently as this past April (via The Daily Mail) for beating her assistant with a “brass knuckle” iPhone case.
Ortiz continues to maintain none of Jameson’s accusations are true, with the two currently engaged in a custody battle over their twin four-year-old sons, Jesse and Journey—and there doesn’t seem to be any timetable for the end of their legal struggle.
According to famed pornography star and retired actress Jenna Jameson, former UFC champion Tito Ortiz was “addicted” to drugs during his MMA career.Those are bold claims, but do they hold water?That remains to be seen, but Ortiz’s ex-wife went on a Twi…
According to famed pornography star and retired actress Jenna Jameson, former UFC champion Tito Ortiz was “addicted” to drugs during his MMA career.
Those are bold claims, but do they hold water?
That remains to be seen, but Ortiz’s ex-wife went on a Twitter rampage this Thursday with several cryptic messages stating that “The People’s Champ” faked several UFC drug tests throughout his career and regularly fed alcohol to his children:
My ex took my poor children away from me for NO reason. He did drugs and faked drug tests for UFC. I all my time with my babies, he partied — Jenna Jameson (@jennajameson) May 30, 2013
And I have proof! — Jenna Jameson (@jennajameson) May 30, 2013
Jameson continued on, threatening to provide proof of Ortiz’s drug use while claiming that her ex-husband abused drugs throughout their relationship.
Later on, Jameson attempted to make good on her claim, posting a photo on Twitter that allegedly shows a portion of Ortiz’s home stash.
Jameson also alleged that Ortiz “used a fake penis and ordered urine” in order to falsify his UFC test results and that he attempted to kill her when they were still together.
So far, Ortiz has not responded via Twitter.
According to TMZ, Ortiz and Jameson first began dating in October 2006, not long after Jameson had divorced her former husband, pornographic actor Jay Grdina.
In March 2009, the couple later gave birth two twin boys (via E! Online).
Their relationship eventually fell apart when Ortiz was arrested during a domestic abuse case in April 2010, which Ortiz later claimed (via MMA Junkie) had occurred due to his then-wife suffering a severe addiction to Oxycontin, a prescription opiate.
At the time, Jameson insisted that Ortiz hadn’t beaten her, although she was reportedly injured with a medical brace on her right arm (via NY Daily News).
The OC Weekly reported in May 2011 that the couple had officially split up, with TMZ previously citing in April 2011 that Jameson had moved out of her Huntington Beach home with Ortiz, an event followed by several arrests and public incidents.
Ortiz, a UFC Hall of Famer and record-setting champion, competed in MMA for over 15 years while never once failing a pre-fight or post-fight drug test.
Behind most great fighters are great managers, but who are the best in the business today?That question opened up a recent online spat between two of the biggest names in the professional world of MMA and pro wrestling, as super-agents Malki Kawa …
Behind most great fighters are great managers, but who are the best in the business today?
That question opened up a recent online spat between two of the biggest names in the professional world of MMA and pro wrestling, as super-agents Malki Kawa and Paul Heyman went after each other online via Twitter this Thursday.
Kawa started things off with a single shot at Heyman, leading the former ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling) owner to respond in kind:
Malki Kawa > Paul heyman — malki kawa (@malkikawa) May 30, 2013
From there, both managers went into a multi-hour argument, directly targeting each other over their respective career achievements, along with their stable of clients:
I rep more champs and his best one only had the belt for 465 days. Not in my league “@jeremybotter: You see … m.tmi.me/XcNnb— malki kawa (@malkikawa) May 30, 2013
Truth be told, I had to Google @malkikawa once the esteemed @jeremybotter pointed out that someone was be douchey on Twitter today. — Paul Heyman (@HeymanHustle) May 30, 2013
That’s a direct referral to former WWE champion CM Punk, one of Heyman’s most notable clients (both in storyline and real life), who recently lost his WWE title to The Rock (Dwayne Johnson) at the 2013 Royal Rumble.
By contrast, Kawa’s company, First Round Management, represents several MMA champions such as Miesha Tate, Benson Henderson, Carlos Condit, Frank Mir and, most famously, UFC light heavyweight titan Jon Jones.
Arguably, the comparison is apples to oranges.
Not only do Kawa and Heyman work in entirely different industries, but Jones’ record-seeking title reign over the UFC light heavyweight division—over 800 days and counting—completely dwarfs CM Punk’s 434-day run with the WWE Championship.
(Note: Anderson Silva currently holds the record for longest UFC title reign at over 2,400 days.)
That didn’t stop Kawa and Heyman from continuing to dig at each other, with Kawa even claiming he and Jones could beat Heyman and Lesnar in a WWE match:
So thanks to @malkikawa for making my day. Have 1 of your clients on the Hustle. Or send @mieshatate my way when she dumps her BF. — Paul Heyman (@HeymanHustle) May 30, 2013
But things suddenly took a turn for the nasty when the topic of sponsorship money came into play, with Heyman suggesting that Lesnar currently makes more money as a WWE star than Jon Jones does as a UFC champion:
OK, time for some people to smarten the F up. @frontrowbrian (1) I doubt ANYONE in @ufc makes more than @brocklesnar does in @wwe. — Paul Heyman (@HeymanHustle) May 30, 2013
Notably, Lesnar’s massive crossover appeal with WWE and MMA fans made him one of the best pay-per-view draws in UFC history, drawing over an estimated one million buys on three separate occasions as a UFC headliner (via MMA Payout).
But the question remains whether or not Lesnar makes more money in pro wrestling than he did with the UFC, although Heyman suggests there’s no comparison.
(2) @frontrowbrian If you knew what Brock DOES make from his sponsors, you would never make that asinine statement. — Paul Heyman (@HeymanHustle) May 30, 2013
(4) @frontrowbrian You’re comparing a legit sports agent to a PERFORMER? WTF is wrong with you? Does ur credibility mean nothing to you? — Paul Heyman (@HeymanHustle) May 30, 2013
Regardless of social media posturing, the simple fact remains that Lesnar still ranks amongst the highest-paid pay-per-view headliners in either MMA or pro wrestling.
And although Jon Jones is expected to eventually move into the heavyweight division before the end of his career, don’t hold your breath expecting him to jump into a ring against Brock Lesnar (even if the PPV rate would be amazing).
Not only would the UFC never take the risk of Jones getting injured during a pro wrestling event, but the company also doesn’t co-promote with anyone—especially not a substantial corporate rival like World Wrestling Entertainment.
Former WEC champion Mike Brown is returning for a featherweight bout at UFC on Fox Sports 1-1, where he’ll face Akira Corassani on August 17.