Author: Mike Hodges

Dana White and the UFC Seeking Policy to Test Thier Own Fighters

Performance-enhancing drugs have been landing some of MMA’s prominent fighters in hot water recently, and UFC president Dana White is hoping to put an end to it as soon as possible.The outspoken boss recently sat down for an exclusive interview with th…

Performance-enhancing drugs have been landing some of MMA’s prominent fighters in hot water recently, and UFC president Dana White is hoping to put an end to it as soon as possible.

The outspoken boss recently sat down for an exclusive interview with the Los Angeles Times to discuss the impact that PEDs have had on the sport and how he intends to stop it.

“The steroid, [performance-enhancing drug] thing affects the whole sport. The key is to make sure these guys never get on it, because once they do, they change,” White told the Los Angeles Times. 

Ahead of this weekend’s upcoming event, UFC 146 in Las Vegas, the company originally scheduled a headliner between two of the sport’s dominant heavyweights in Junior dos Santos and Alistair Overeem.

But Overeem would be replaced by UFC veteran Frank Mir after the Dutchman failed his pre-fight drug test.

The negative publicity Overeem’s drug test brought upon the UFC has prompted White to take immediate action and assure that the company institutes a clean, drug-free environment.

“We’re going to do our own testing, order these guys into [a lab]; we’re sorting it out now. You have to do this to save the sport,” he said. 

“You can’t have these guys fighting on this stuff.”

Say what you will about how White conducts himself in front of the media, but when it comes to protecting his brand’s image, he will do whatever it takes to get it done. 

His passion for the sport is evident, and by setting up a drug policy for the UFC, White is hoping to provide a safe, clean atmosphere where professional athletes can compete at the highest level without gaining any unfair advantage over their opponents.

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UFC 146, Daniel Cormier Wants Name Recognition Next, Wants Shane Carwin

Daniel Cormier’s dominant victory over Josh Barnett has cemented the Olympic wrestler’s status as the hottest heavyweight prospect in the sport and has fans considering him as a legitimate challenger for the UFC heavyweight title.Cormier, who trains ou…

Daniel Cormier‘s dominant victory over Josh Barnett has cemented the Olympic wrestler’s status as the hottest heavyweight prospect in the sport and has fans considering him as a legitimate challenger for the UFC heavyweight title.

Cormier, who trains out of the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, now has his sights set on entering the UFC, where he will be only a few fights away from a title shot.

But, until then, he will be obligated to finish out his contract with Strikeforce, where he hopes to face a much more recognizable opponent.

“I think if there is a plus one and Zuffa’s going to send someone over it is going to have to be someone that is very good you know? Maybe Carwin, as he’s coming back,” Cormier said during an appearance on The MMA Hour.

“He’s a guy with a lot of name value and I don’t necessarily know if that’s a step up [from Josh Barnett] but that is somebody with name value.”

After running through Antonio Silva and Barnett, there is not much left for Cormier to accomplish while competing in Strikeforce. 

Cormier remains undefeated in his professional career, owning a 10-0 record, and it would be pointless for the 33-year-old to be competing in rematches or against lesser competition right now.

Cormier suggested that this weekend’s UFC 146 could present some opportunities for him and line him up for a future bout with the UFC’s top contenders. 

But, after defeating a credible opponent in Barnett, it’s evident that Cormier is ready to test his skills in the sport’s premier organization.

For now, he’ll have to wait and see.

“Nothing really adds up right now, I don’t know, I don’t know how to guess what they are going to do,” he said. “There are not too many guys that are a step up from that Josh Barnett that showed up on Saturday.”

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UFC 146: Frank Mir Says He Feels Most Comfortable Against Pure Strikers

Heading into this weekend’s title bout at UFC 146, Frank Mir isn’t being given a fair advantage on the feet against his opponent, Junior dos Santos.Mir is attempting to leave Las Vegas with the heavyweight title around his waist despite odds makers lab…

Heading into this weekend’s title bout at UFC 146, Frank Mir isn’t being given a fair advantage on the feet against his opponent, Junior dos Santos.

Mir is attempting to leave Las Vegas with the heavyweight title around his waist despite odds makers labeling him as a significant underdog against the Brazilian.

While most critics will point to Mir’s world-class jiu-jitsu as his only chance of winning the bout, the former UFC heavyweight champion believes his striking is being overlooked.

Having defeated such notable strikers like Cheick Kongo, Tim Sylvia and Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic, Mir feels he can compete with the champion.

“I think that sometimes it’s overlooked,” Mir told ESPN.co.uk when asked about his striking skills. “Sometimes it comes down to style. And with my style I’ve predominantly done better with people that use more striking or know the submission games.”

Mir’s striking ability has improved throughout the years but fans consider his chin to be susceptible. Out of his five career losses, four of them have seen Mir succumb to strikes via KO/TKO.

Combine that with dos Santos’ hand speed and knockout power, and many fans lean towards the champion to walk away with the title.

But Mir could be provide some difficulty for “Cigano” if he is able to avoid the Brazilian’s exchanges in the pocket and stay on the outside.

Dos Santos’ striking has proved to be successful against all of the heavyweight division so far, but Mir isn’t intimidated to engage. 

“I’ve had to work harder on the wrestling-based [fighters] as far as control and position and so that’s why, if you look at my training, it’s geared towards wrestling more because I am so comfortable with the boxing and the kick-boxing aspects and also dealing with submission guys,” Mir told ESPN.co.uk.

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Jon Jones: Does His Arrest Affect His Image with the UFC?

Nobody saw this coming at all.Jon Jones’ recent arrest this past weekend has certainly brought disbelief for some fans, but have also brought more headaches for the UFC, particularly UFC president Dana White.The UFC has had their fair share of employee…

Nobody saw this coming at all.

Jon Jones’ recent arrest this past weekend has certainly brought disbelief for some fans, but have also brought more headaches for the UFC, particularly UFC president Dana White.

The UFC has had their fair share of employees with run-ins with the law, but the company has invested a lot of stock into the 24-year-old light heavyweight champion, and he arguably possesses the most potential out of the entire roster.

Jones’ image has been carefully manufactured to appeal to nearly all audiences, but despite the UFC’s best efforts, fans haven’t been too interested in the champion.

And following this incident, it isn’t likely going to change—and it will not help either.

The impact of Jones’ incident could determine how the champion is perceived throughout the rest of his career, and it could affect his image with future endorsements with mainstream sponsors, like Nike and Gatorade.

Jones will likely have to face a huge amount of scrutiny from the fans and the media, and it’s not likely to end anytime soon. 

For now, the champion won’t serve any jail time, but this is not the kind of publicity that the company would want reflected on one of its top stars, let alone on their brand.

For a fighter the UFC has spent a lot time marketing as the company’s next big star, it will take some time before the company puts their faith in him once again.

Perhaps as the sport progresses, the UFC will take another chance at promoting him, but it is a better option to continue marketing current stars like Anderson Silva and Georges St-Pierre.

Jones needs a break. And so do the fans too.

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Anderson Silva Says He Won’t Leave the Middleweight Division

Anderson Silva has no intentions on leaving the middleweight division.The constant demand for the Brazilian to change weight classes has been ongoing for a few years. But despite having previous success at 205 pounds, Silva doesn’t plan on going anywhe…

Anderson Silva has no intentions on leaving the middleweight division.

The constant demand for the Brazilian to change weight classes has been ongoing for a few years. But despite having previous success at 205 pounds, Silva doesn’t plan on going anywhere and vacating the UFC middleweight title.

Silva said some of his teammates compete in the heavier weight classes. As a result, he won’t move up.

“‘We have a couple of athletes on the above division, which are Rafael Feijao (Strikeforce), who’s a big name in the division and Fabio Maldonado, who just fought and lost by points. We have many guys in this division,'” Silva told TATAME.com. 

Silva has not been the only fighter whom fans have dreamed of seeing switching weight classes, in hopes of watching potential fights with some of the sport’s top stars. Other champions like Georges St-Pierre and Jose Aldo have also faced the same amount of criticism.

It’s often the case when one fighter tends to dominate his division that fans believe a possible move to a heavier weight class could benefit his career. It was no more evident than in his bout against Forrest Griffin in 2009, when Silva displayed such skill and ability to dispatch his larger opponent in less than three minutes.

Of course, if Silva were to move up, he’d likely face current champion Jon Jones, but “The Spider” believes there are plenty of contenders that could challenge the 24-year-old.

“‘I’m gonna leave it to Maldonado, Feijao or even Rogerio (Nogueira) too. They are on his weight division, so they’ll deal with him,'” he said to TATAME.com. 

Meanwhile, Silva is currently preparing for a title defense against Chael Sonnen scheduled for UFC 148.

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Chael Sonnen Appears on TMZ Live to Promote New Book, Bout with Anderson Silva

Chael Sonnen has been making his rounds throughout the media lately.In his most recent appearance, Sonnen was featured on TMZ Live and stopped by to promote his new book, The Voice of Reason.The middleweight contender discussed a variety of topics incl…

Chael Sonnen has been making his rounds throughout the media lately.

In his most recent appearance, Sonnen was featured on TMZ Live and stopped by to promote his new book, The Voice of Reason.

The middleweight contender discussed a variety of topics including his political views, disliking vegans and, of course, his upcoming bout with Anderson Silva at UFC 148.

“We fought for five rounds and he gets a submission in the fifth (round), now I didn’t understand the rules. I thought if you tapped, you lost that round,” Sonnen said as he recalled his first bout with the Brazilian at UFC 117 in 2010.

Sonnen’s media appearances have certainly made him a much more recognizable fighter and one of the sport’s most talked-about athletes in recent memory.

While he might be perceived as arrogant and outspoken, Sonnen’s charm and charismatic personality allows journalists to feel more comfortable around him and be more open with their questions.

As Sonnen continues to promote his new book, it will not only further his image, but it will also further the UFC’s image as an overall brand. Once considered as “human cock-fighting,” UFC fighters are becoming more accepted by mainstream media and are looked upon more as professional athletes than fighters.

UFC 148 is on July 7, live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

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