Author: McKinley Noble

Will Georges St-Pierre’s Unhealthy Obsession with Nick Diaz Cost Him His Title?

Nick Diaz is in Georges St-Pierre’s head.Through all the trash-talking, missed press conferences, canceled fights, rambling YouTube videos and scathing interview clips, the Stockton native has already breached GSP’s typically cool outer shell.That much…

Nick Diaz is in Georges St-Pierre’s head.

Through all the trash-talking, missed press conferences, canceled fights, rambling YouTube videos and scathing interview clips, the Stockton native has already breached GSP’s typically cool outer shell.

That much was never more clear than when UFC president Dana White officially made St-Pierre vs. Diaz the main event of UFC 158, a grudge match years in the making.

It doesn’t matter that Diaz is coming off of a loss.

GSP just wants to hurt him.

As White has told fans and press repeatedly through the last year, GSP asked for this fight, incensed beyond measure at Diaz’s words and actions in the weeks before their original dance date at UFC 137. Now, he’s determined to beat him as badly as humanly possible.

But will that attitude cost Georges St-Pierre the UFC Welterweight Championship?

Let’s back-track to the build-up for UFC 154, where St-Pierre told anyone who asked that fans would see a new “Rush” in the Octagon. More aggressive. More daring. Willing to take chances. When he faced Carlos Condit, we would see a whole new GSP in action.

“Yeah, sure,” some of us said. It sounded like another boring 50-45 decision in the works.

And how wrong we were.

St-Pierre walked out of his title fight beaten, bloody and bruised, but it was the most thrillingly violent contest that Canada had seen since his fights with Jon Fitch and BJ Penn. GSP had also beaten Condit almost as badly, while the former interim champion was swollen and cut up.

But GSP almost lost.

In a heart-stopping moment during the third round, Condit pulled off a brilliant head kick, flooring GSP and nearly winning the bout. It was the closest anyone had come to dethroning him in years.

Would that have happened if GSP had played it safe? If he wasn’t so desperate to put on a show and go in for the kill? Is that what happens when “Rush” gets emotional?

If that’s the case, maybe his upcoming match with Diaz is more dangerous than it looks.

St-Pierre’s obsession with Diaz is odd and uncharacteristic, and could possibly hint at another grueling battle for five violent rounds. He can walk into the Octagon at UFC 158 with all the anger he wants, but Diaz feeds off rage like a rabid animal, often handing it back to his opponents in the form of hundreds of punches.

What if, in a bold attempt to become the second man to ever finish Diaz during a fight, GSP’s aggression leaves him open to a monstrous counter-punch?

(Of course, Diaz would likely rather go straight edge than throw a proper head kick.)

Maybe going into this match with a grudge isn’t the best idea.

A focused, calculating St-Pierre is an unbeatable fighter.

But an angry champion looking to squash a hated rival at any costs might be very beatable. For once, MMA fans have to wonder—will GSP’s obsession with Diaz be his greatest asset? Or will it ultimately cause his downfall?

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.

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Dan Henderson’s Coach Says Ronda Rousey Doesn’t Deserve UFC 157 Main Event

Despite having no UFC fights on her record, Ronda Rousey will make history by becoming the first woman to headline a UFC pay-per-view event on her very first fight with the promotion.But some members of the MMA community don’t like it, and that include…

Despite having no UFC fights on her record, Ronda Rousey will make history by becoming the first woman to headline a UFC pay-per-view event on her very first fight with the promotion.

But some members of the MMA community don’t like it, and that includes Dan Henderson‘s striking coach, Gus Pugliese.

Gracie Mag reports that Henderson’s trainer made a detailed post on Facebook explaining his stance on UFC 157 being headlined by the newly-crowned women’s bantamweight champion, whom Pugliese claims doesn’t deserve to take a main event five-round fight away from Henderson:

Ronda is the champion of Strikeforce with 6 wins in less than 2 years of a mma professional career. That’s impressive regardless of who she has fought. However, she is not the UFC champion yet. She still has to win this fight to get that belt.

On the other hand, we have Hendo, who has also been the Strikeforce champion (never lost the belt),Pride champion in 2 different weight classes; he has been ranked #1 contender for the UFC 205lbs, and by many pound for pound best fighter. His resume is second to none, moreover, he is fighting a former champion, Lyoto Machida.

Now why aren’t they main event? Is Ronda a better market value?

I don’t know, but her fight could be quick as usual and we could be missing another historic 5 rds fight between 2 legends and possible hall of famers. I’m not saying she doesn’t deserve to headline an UFC event, but certainly not this one.

As noted before, this is the first time that Henderson has not been featured as a headliner since April 2010, with four Strikeforce events and a UFC 139 bout against Mauricio Rua on-record since then.

UFC president Dana White has expressed his own stance on the issue as well, telling MMA media members after the TUF 16 Finale that no matter what, the champion of a division will headline a card over a non-champion.

Obviously, that includes Ronda Rousey, whom Dana White describes as a “badass” that deserves to lead UFC 157 on Feb. 23 at Anaheim’s Honda Center. Rousey will therefore make her first title defense against top-ranked female bantamweight Liz Carmouche as the main event, while Henderson vs. Machida remains a three-round co-main event.

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Cain Velasquez Tore His ACL Before Junior Dos Santos Fight at UFC on FOX

During the main event of the first UFC on FOX fight card, hours of pre-fight buildup ended in anticlimatic fashion when Junior dos Santos knocked out Cain Velasquez early.It appeared that Velasquez had gotten “caught” on the feet, but a recent video sh…

During the main event of the first UFC on FOX fight card, hours of pre-fight buildup ended in anticlimatic fashion when Junior dos Santos knocked out Cain Velasquez early.

It appeared that Velasquez had gotten “caught” on the feet, but a recent video shows that the former heavyweight champion came into the bout injured.

MiddleEasy shares a video of Velasquez tearing his ACL just days before the fight, captured on film by videographer Bobby Razak:

Just fourteen days before his UFC on FOX showdown against Junior dos Santos on November 12, 2011, Bobby Razak set up his cameras in order to prepare for a Dethrone commercial and managed to capture Cain Velasquez tearing his ACL on the training mat.

Razak didn’t release the video for the obvious reasons, but now over a year later the MMA world is on the verge of another Junior dos Santos vs. Cain Velasquez showdown and we thought this video would be highly appropriate leading up to UFC 155.

As shown in the footage, the injury to Velasquez’s knee occurred in a freak accident, with the American Kickboxing Academy member visibly in pain after the ACL tear.

ACL injuries have plagued several UFC fighters in the last couple of years, with the most high profile injury sidelining welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre for several months of an 18 month layoff.

Even lightweight contender Gray Maynard has gone down to a knee injury (citing a persisting three-year affliction), pulling himself out of a UFC 155 bout with Joe Lauzon.

Additionally, UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz looks to potentially miss all of 2013 due to surgical complications stemming from an ACL tear suffered during filming of The Ultimate Fighter: Live.

Unlike most fighters, though, Velasquez concealed his injury (or at the very least, may have suffered through it at the UFC’s request) throughout the aftermath. It’s possible that it may have affected his footwork, as JDS was able to hit him standing with a long overhand right behind the ear.

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UFC’s Rory MacDonald on Taunting BJ Penn: ‘I Never Said One Word to Him’

Although Rory MacDonald issued a one-sided beating on BJ Penn during their bout at UFC on FOX 5, the Tristar Gym talent earned some critics in Seattle.MacDonald peppered the UFC legend with combinations and sharp kicks over three rounds, nearly stoppin…

Although Rory MacDonald issued a one-sided beating on BJ Penn during their bout at UFC on FOX 5, the Tristar Gym talent earned some critics in Seattle.

MacDonald peppered the UFC legend with combinations and sharp kicks over three rounds, nearly stopping Penn on the feet. However, the Canadian drew criticism from those who thought he was purposely dragging on the match to make a point.

But to make matters worse, MacDonald is also being accused of verbally taunting Penn and doing the “Ali Shuffle” for added insult.

But when MMAInterviews.TV‘s Spencer Lazara asked Rory Mac about his tactics during the fight, MacDonald claimed that nothing Penn said in the buildup changed his game plan at all:

Lazara: I know [Penn] had said that you were a “bulldozer” and that you didn’t have the technique. ‘That something that really bothered you, that you wanted to go out there and showcase?

MacDonald: No, I just fought the way I fought. His words didn’t change anything. I’m sure now he has a different opinion on my technique, but y’know—it’s cool.

Additionally, Lazara asked MacDonald about what he said to Penn during the fight, likely referring to some occurrences when both fighters were in the clinch during Round 3:

Lazara: There were some times [when] you were saying a couple times to him during the fight…

MacDonald: No, no I wasn’t. That’s one thing [I saw] when I was watching the fight. They said that I was talking to [Penn], but I never said one word to him.

Trash-talking or not, footwork, grappling and striking more than spoke for “Ares” during his 14th career win and fourth straight victory.

MacDonald will return to action at UFC 158 against Carlos Condit, whom he challenged to a rematch from their bout at UFC 155. Citing that he was “embarrassed” in defeat, MacDonald narrowly lost that fight via a comeback TKO in the third and final round with just three seconds left on the clock.

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UFC 158: Dana White Says GSP Will Defend His Title, With or Without Nick Diaz

Welterweight contender Nick Diaz may have gotten himself into another title shot, but he could just as easily lose his second chance at Georges St-Pierre’s belt.In a rare feat of matchmaking for the promotion, UFC 158 has been booked as a triple-headli…

Welterweight contender Nick Diaz may have gotten himself into another title shot, but he could just as easily lose his second chance at Georges St-Pierre’s belt.

In a rare feat of matchmaking for the promotion, UFC 158 has been booked as a triple-headliner with six MMA elite 170-pound fighters.

That’s why UFC president Dana White told the media during a post-TUF 16 Finale scrum that no matter what, St-Pierre will be defending his belt on March 16, 2013 at the Bell Centre in Montreal—whether Nick Diaz wants to show up or not (via MMA Fight Corner):

“There’s no guarantees with Nick Diaz,” said White. “I got nine welterweights on the show that are all in the top five, so if he falls out, we’ll still have a GSP fight.”

White also dismissed a question about the frustration of technical No.1 contender Johny Hendricks, who was originally promised a title shot before the aftermath of UFC 154.

Hendricks has been vocal in interviews and on Twitter about being passed over for a money fight with Diaz, who lost his own title eliminator against Condit prior to a suspension after testing positive for marijuana.

However, White says Hendricks’ wounded pride doesn’t matter:

Georges St-Pierre is the champion. The champ wants to fight Diaz. [Hendricks] can be as frustrated as he wants to be. When he’s got the belt and defends it and breaks records as long as Georges St-Pierre, then I might listen to him.

Dissent in the ranks regardless, it looks like GSP, Nick Diaz and Hendricks will share the top of UFC 158’s main card alongside fellow top welterweights Jake Ellenberger, Carlos Condit and Rory MacDonald. Condit vs. MacDonald will be a rematch of their “Fight of the Night” UFC 115 bout, where Condit narrowly defeated GSP‘s younger teammate by TKO.

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UFC 157: Dana White Explains Why Ronda Rousey Will Headline in Her First Fight

Just in case anyone is wondering why Ronda Rousey is headlining her first UFC event ahead of title contenders Dan Henderson vs. Lyoto Machida, Dana White has three simple words for you.”She’s the champ.”That was the backbone of the UFC president’s rebu…

Just in case anyone is wondering why Ronda Rousey is headlining her first UFC event ahead of title contenders Dan Henderson vs. Lyoto Machida, Dana White has three simple words for you.

“She’s the champ.”

That was the backbone of the UFC president’s rebuttal to media members at the Ultimate Fighter 16 Finale on Saturday as he fielded questions (via MMA Fight Corner):

She’s the champ. You will never see a situation in any fight, whether men, women, the lightest weight division there is. If you’re the champion, you’re the headliner. You’re the top of the card. I’ve seen some people talking s— about, “Oh, the women’s fight is headlining.” Ronda Rousey is a badass, she’s the champ, her opponent stepped up to the plate and wanted this fight with her when no one, others didn’t. I don’t give a s— what they say, that’s a fact.

White also reiterated the fact that the UFC, unlike other promotions, has made a point to never underbook their own fighters where they’re holding a champion belt.

Regardless of the fighter or the specific weight class, the champion always gets top billing—which apparently includes the UFC’s newly-crowned women’s bantamweight title-holder:

What people don’t realize is there was a time and a day when we put the [155-pound] division and headlined it with a title fight and people said, “You can’t headline a title fight [with] BJ Penn and Jens Pulver in a title fight headlining. This is ridiculous.” BJ Penn became one of the biggest stars in mixed martial arts and a huge pay-per-view draw.

Public skepticism aside, Rousey will enter the UFC as the main event for her first bout on Feb. 23 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

“Rowdy” Rousey will be defending her title against top-ranked bantamweight Liz Carmouche, a fellow Strikeforce veteran and two-time Invicta FC fighter.

This marks the third MMA event in a row where Rousey‘s led the card as the main attraction, following two Strikeforce title bouts against Miesha Tate and Sarah Kaufman.

Notably, Henderson vs. Machida will be slotted as the co-main event for the evening, marking the first time that the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion and two-division PRIDE champion has not headlined an MMA event since his UFC 100 bout with Michael Bisping.

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