Although Ronda Rousey had plenty of bad blood with the last challengers to her Strikeforce women’s bantamweight title, Liz Carmouche is all smiles.During a recent photo shoot (via Fight Hub TV) for the upcoming UFC 157: Primetime series, Rousey co…
Although Ronda Rousey had plenty of bad blood with the last challengers to her Strikeforce women’s bantamweight title, Liz Carmouche is all smiles.
During a recent photo shoot (via Fight Hub TV) for the upcoming UFC 157: Primetime series, Rousey could barely keep a straight face when taking pictures with her opponent, as Carmouche disarmed the steely champion with an unusual tactic.
As Carmouche told the Fight Hub TV camera crew, “I was just saying whatever they said, and turning it into something sexual.”
It seemed to work well enough, as Rousey continually cracked up during the session despite trying to maintain a fierce “game face” for the shoot:
She’s a smart chick, dude. She’s smart, because if she was getting in my face it would get me more riled up. [But,] she was making me bust up laughing. She’s smart.
Getting friendly with the champ might be the wisest move that Carmouche could make.
As former Strikeforce fighter Miesha Tate learned the hard way, aggressively getting in Rousey’s face is definitely a bad idea, especially if you don’t want to get your forehead shoved in during a tense stare-down (via Integrated Fitness).
Rousey and Carmouche will headline UFC 157 on Feb. 23 at Anaheim’s Honda Center, with the card highlighted by the upcoming three-part Primetime series. Episode 1 will debut on Friday, Feb. 8 at 9 p.m. PT/12 a.m. ET on Fuel TV.
Despite 16 years of wear-and-tear fighting against the absolute best mixed martial artists in the world, Brazilian superstar Vitor Belfort has never looked better.At his age, few men do.Even with 32 professional MMA bouts under his belt since 1996…
Despite 16 years of wear-and-tear fighting against the absolute best mixed martial artists in the world, Brazilian superstar VitorBelfort has never looked better.
At his age, few men do.
Even with 32 professional MMA bouts under his belt since 1996, “The Phenom” looks like he’s barely slowed down at all, as seen at UFC on FX 7 when he violently shut down co-headliner Michael Bisping with a spectacular high kick.
But was it all his own natural talent? Or was Belfort aided by something extra?
No, we’re not talking about any sort of divine favor from God, although He’s certainly one of Belfort‘s most prominent and often-mentioned sponsors.
What’s really the question of the hour is whether or not Belfort is on testosterone replacement therapy, better-known to most as “TRT.”
And if not testosterone, is he “on” anything at all?
It’s hard to tell, as Belfort has always been one of those freakishly muscular figures reminiscent of horrible 1990s comic book covers. But even ESPN writer Brett Okamotocouldn’t get a straight answer out of the UFC veteran, despite asking point-blank:
ESPN: Some fighters in their 30s have been diagnosed with low testosterone levels and received exemptions to use testosterone replacement therapy [TRT]. Have you ever applied for TRT or would you consider it?
Belfort: If a question is private, I have the choice to answer or not. If I make it public, it’s not private anymore. If I want to say something private I will say it, but I keep to myself and I respect the laws of the sport… This is too controversial, why am I going to say something that doesn’t accomplish anything? If it’s legal, they know what to do. If it’s legal, there’s nothing to say about it. It’s legal.
Wow. Talk about implausible deniability.
Maybe Belfort‘s trying desperately to abide by that pesky Ninth Commandment, or maybe he’s just afraid to make any kind of stance against MMA’s rampant drug problem.
After all, his new training camp—the aptly-named “Blackzilians”—includes the likes of Alistair Overeem, Thiago Silva and Melvin Guillard, who have four positive drug tests between the lot of them.
Moreover, Belfort himself has tested positive for steroids (via MMA Weekly) in the past, something Bisping was all too keen to remind everyone (via MMA Mania). That’s likely why Belfort danced around the subject with ESPN, saying that he is no one’s judge or jury:
That’s the problem with the rule, is that everyone is so radical. That’s my opinion. I’m very faithful to the things I believe in and I’m working on myself. I don’t like to judge. When you judge people, it sounds like you are God. We live in a freedom country. It is what it is.
But at the end of the day, this is a case where firm answers (or lies) would go a long way.
Yes, Belfort has always looked fast and powerful, especially at middleweight.
But with the question of TRT hanging in the air, it only prompts the eye to be a little more critical of the middleweight (and part-time light heavyweight) when he steps on the scale or into the Octagon.
“Did he always look that ripped?”
“Can you believe how fast he is?”
Just to be fair, it’s very possible that Belfort looks stronger than ever because of that miraculous-sounding Dolce Diet.
Maybe it’s that unshakable faith in Jesus Christ helping his fists fly straight and true, right smack into the back of his opponents’ heads.
But until Belfort comes clean, there’s always going to be that doubt.
Has clean living, a smarter diet, the Florida air, a new camp and saying extra prayers pushed “The Phenom” back into the elite ranks of this sport?
Or has he simply found a new way to augment his natural fighting ability?
Until someone eventually talks—or a positive test turns up for high testosterone—the answer will have to stay concealed with at least three people: Belfort, whoever manages his supplements and Jesus Christ.
McKinley Noble is an MMA conspiracy theorist and FightFans Radio writer. His work has appeared in GamePro, Macworld and PC World. Talk with him on Twitter.
Going into Saturday’s fight card, there weren’t a lot of high-interest matches for UFC on FX 7, a card loaded with gritty Brazilian fighters and lesser known talents.But even though the prelim fights dragged the night to a crawl, they were still pepper…
Going into Saturday’s fight card, there weren’t a lot of high-interest matches for UFC on FX 7, a card loaded with gritty Brazilian fighters and lesser known talents.
But even though the prelim fights dragged the night to a crawl, they were still peppered with occasional moments here and there.
Lots of close fights, complete blowouts and several poor officiating spots were all over the place, with much of the action dedicated to the main card, all building up to a pretty engaging night of MMA.
Read along and watch the highlights as we count down the most memorable moments of UFC on FX 7, from well before the big night all the way to the end of the big show.
Pedro Nobre was booed on his way out of the Octagon at UFC on FX 7, holding the back of his head like he’d been hit with a baseball bat.However, the real truth is that Yuri Alcantara seemed to barely touch him.During their bantamweight bout on the…
Pedro Nobre was booed on his way out of the Octagon at UFC on FX 7, holding the back of his head like he’d been hit with a baseball bat.
However, the real truth is that Yuri Alcantara seemed to barely touch him.
During their bantamweight bout on the FX undercard at Ibirapuera Arena in Sao Paulo, Nobre gamely fought off one of the longest, more grizzly kimura attempts in MMA history.
Midway into the first round, Alcantara nearly completed that submission attempt, even locking his leg over Nobre’s face before losing the advantage and taking Nobre’s back.
What followed afterward was absurd.
Alcantara, visibly measuring his punches’ accuracy to avoid a foul, found himself stopped by veteran referee Dan Miragliotta as Nobre complained about illegal punches to the back of the head.
Upon viewing the replay, though, it all seemed to be an act.
Alcantara barely seemed to hit anywhere close to the illegal “mohawk” area on the back of Nobre’s head, with color commentator and retired UFC fighter Kenny Florian pointing out that the strikes barely had any force to them.
But Nobre continued to act like he’d been hit with a gunshot, prompting ringside officials and his cornermen to carry him out the ring. Fans visibly booed the “wounded” fighter, with even UFC president Dana White calling out Nobre for his antics:
That was BS!!! Pedro is an award winning actor and horrible call by Dan M — Dana White (@danawhite) January 19, 2013
“It couldn’t be more clear,” Florian added. “Landed right on the ear.”
Fortunately, Alcantara won’t draw a loss for his so-called foul shots.
Although Nobre may have been looking for a win via disqualification, Miragliotta ruled the match as a “no contest” result.
Nobre didn’t win any fans in his UFC debut, as his performance was ridiculed by an audibly angry Brazilian crowd. But Alcantara is arguably worse off, as he left the cage without the possibility of a victory to make up for his time and training.
Despite the fact that former UFC champion Vitor Belfort is walking into this weekend’s card as the hometown favorite in Brazil, he’s the real villain of UFC on FX 7.At least, that’s what Michael Bisping has been telling the press all month.And may…
Despite the fact that former UFC champion Vitor Belfort is walking into this weekend’s card as the hometown favorite in Brazil, he’s the real villain of UFC on FX 7.
At least, that’s what Michael Bisping has been telling the press all month.
And maybe he’s right.
If you look at the situation critically, Belfort just might be the real bad guy in this title eliminator fight.
Although Bisping says that he’s merely hyping the fight and has “nothing but respect” for his opponent, he’s pointedly called Belfort everything from a “cheater” (via SporTV) to a “two-faced” phony (via Yahoo).
Frankly, that kind of trash talk should hit a little close to home for the Brazilian.
After all, unlike Bisping, Belfort has cheated on his way up to the top, both intentionally and unintentionally.
In most video packages and highlight reels, “The Phenom” is hailed as a UFC legend who’s been part of the mixed martial arts scene since he was 19 years old.
But what’s almost never mentioned is how he fluked his way into a temporary championship reign by accidentally slicing Randy Couture’s eye at UFC 46 in a match that should’ve been ruled a “no contest.”
What you also don’t hear from the commentary team is how Belfort subsequently tested positive for steroids (via MMAWeekly.com) and ran away to London after losing to Dan Henderson at Pride 32.
Or maybe if you look closely, you’ll see more recent fights with Rich Franklin and Yoshihiro Akiyama—two men Belfort defeated with swarming (and illegal) back-of-the-head punches.
But Bisping?
He’s never tested positive for drugs or high testosterone.
Bisping’s also never ended a fight with illegal strikes.
Compared to the Englishman, whose most egregious mishap was hitting Jorge Rivera with an illegal knee in their UFC 137 match, Belfort practically looks like the Devil.
(Considering that Rivera and his team had spent the preceding months trash-talking and bashing Bisping online with hilariouslystupidvideos, it’s fair to say that knee was probably intentional.)
It’s not just Belfort’s history that’s against him, but also his attitude.
Maybe he doesn’t look scared enough to start a scuffle with Bisping at the UFC on FX 7 pre-fight press conference, but questions from ESPN about boosting his muscles on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) seemed to rattle him plenty.
I was disappointed Vitor Belfort started talking in tongues when asked about TRT recently. He had a little more to say on Monday when he was asked directly about my concerns that all his recent UFC fights were won by illegal punches to the back of the head. In between lengthy references to the New Testament, Belfort basically said he doesn’t care if he hits opponents behind the head.
Can’t argue with that.
Again, it’s hard to call anyone who fights for a living a “coward”—stepping into this kind of sport takes a certain level of guts and courage.
But even fellow like Brazilians Anderson Silva and Wanderlei Silva have called Belfort just that (both here and here, via Bloody Elbow and Cage Potato), stating that his courage fades through most fights.
With that context, it’s hard to defend him from any sort of moral high ground.
Besides, the UFC has lately gotten into the habit of giving popular fighters like Nick Diaz, Chael Sonnen and Frankie Edgar title shots, even though they’re coming off losses
In contrast, Bisping’s battle to earn his fair chance at the UFC Middleweight Championship is much more sympathetic.
Maybe “The Count” won’t be the most popular fighter in the house when he steps into the Ibirapuera Arena in Sao Paulo on Saturday. But all trash-talking and jokes aside, Bisping’s definitely not the bad guy.
