Author: Nathan McCarter

UFC Debuts Spectacular Trailer for Upcoming Aldo-McGregor UFC 189 Main Event

UFC 189 is going to be the event of the summer.
Did you think the UFC was going to return to lackluster PPV events after Saturday’s stacked UFC 187? The July pay-per-view is arguably better than what you were just witness to this past weekend. It, too,…

UFC 189 is going to be the event of the summer.

Did you think the UFC was going to return to lackluster PPV events after Saturday’s stacked UFC 187? The July pay-per-view is arguably better than what you were just witness to this past weekend. It, too, includes two title fights.

Robbie Lawler defends the welterweight gold against Rory MacDonald in the co-main event, but the fight everyone awaits is the featherweight title tilt. Conor McGregor challenges longtime champion Jose Aldo for the top prize at 145-pounds.

McGregor has ascended to being one of the brightest stars in the MMA world. He is a big draw. McGregor‘s destruction of Dennis Siver broke Fox Sports 1’s ratings record. It peaked at over three million viewers. That is a monster rating for Fox Sports 1. That fight was the final piece to the puzzle to put him opposite Aldo.

Aldo has dominated this division. His stiffest test was his last fight against Chad Mendes when the two went toe-to-toe for five rounds. At the end of the day, Aldo remained champion with a second victory over Mendes. McGregor is the only fighter in the top five that Aldo has not beaten.

Why is this fight so highly anticipated?

McGregor. Plain and simple. He is an enigma. So charismatic, and so talented. He backs up what he says. His size and talents also make him a legitimate threat to topple Aldo off the mountain. McGregor shies away from no one, including Aldo. After defeating Siver, McGregor hopped out of the cage and got in his face. Aldo was unflinching.

The UFC knows what kind of fight it has on its hand. Thus, we get a stellar trailer to help get the promotion for the event underway.

UFC President Dana White wants this fight to be everything that Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao was not, per MMA Junkie. This trailer has already topped the one released for that fight. It shows the UFC has improved in their ability to craft interesting videos for fights they truly care about.

The UFC used 187 as its platform to release the 189 trailer. The hype had already begun thanks to McGregor and his legion of fans, but now the push is gearing up for an all-out blitz. This is a great trailer that fight fans can watch over and over until the actual fight day arrives.

UFC 189 takes place during International Fight Week on July 11 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Bleacher Report will keep you up-to-date on everything surrounding this stacked event in the days and weeks to come.

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Video: Daniel Cormier and Ryan Bader Exchange Expletives at Press Conference

Daniel Cormier has some interesting press conferences.
In his first press conference as champion there was unexpected drama. Cormier started discussing Ryan Bader, who he was originally slated to fight in New Orleans, and Bader was in the room. Bader s…

Daniel Cormier has some interesting press conferences.

In his first press conference as champion there was unexpected drama. Cormier started discussing Ryan Bader, who he was originally slated to fight in New Orleans, and Bader was in the room. Bader started to respond to DC, and made his way to the table. Shenanigans ensued.

UFC officials stepped in between the two top-five ranked fighters, but Cormier was vocal with some choice words for the title hopeful.

The two had a Twitter exchange prior to UFC 187 where Bader accused Cormier of getting out of their proposed matchup. Cormier of course responded in tow. Cormier reaffirmed his position at the press conference, stating he asked for Bader because he wanted “the easiest fight in the division, I want Ryan Bader.”

There has been very little buzz about this potential matchup, but this post-fight press conference exchange could add a little spice to the potential title tilt. Bader is the only contender coming off a victory, and that would make him the next logical choice should Cormier defend the belt prior to Jones returning to action.

Will Cormier wait? Not according to the man himself.

At the press conference, Cormier said he is 36 years old and will not wait on Jones. As the champion, he has a point. Jones was stripped of the title. There is no logical reason that Cormier should wait on Jones to be reinstated off of an indefinite suspension. That should not be a concern of his.

Bader poses an interesting matchup for Cormier. On paper, he looks to be outmatched. Cormier is the better wrestler and has the better boxing. However, Bader has improved dramatically over the past two years. He has big power in his hands, and Cormier has been taken down inside the Octagon. He was taken down at UFC 187.

Cormier jokingly blamed the post-fight press conference shenanigans on UFC Vice President of Public Relations Dave Sholler. Sholler was the man in between him and Jones in their scuffle last year. Cormier suggested none of this would have happened if White were present.

Bader and Cormier seem to be on a collision course, and the UFC may bite while Jones is on the shelf. Cormier came out of the event without serious injury, and Bader is completely free. The heated exchanges will make for an interesting build for the fight.

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Johnson vs. Cormier: Video Highlights from UFC 187 Main Event

Daniel Cormier is your new UFC light heavyweight champion.
Anthony Johnson entered as the No. 1-ranked light heavyweight, and Cormier as the No. 3-ranked in the division. It was a striker vs. grappler matchup for the vacant gold. After Bruce Buffer fin…

Daniel Cormier is your new UFC light heavyweight champion.

Anthony Johnson entered as the No. 1-ranked light heavyweight, and Cormier as the No. 3-ranked in the division. It was a striker vs. grappler matchup for the vacant gold. After Bruce Buffer finished the pomp and circumstance it was time to fight.

Johnson opened the fight with a stunning overhand right hand that stunned Cormier. Johnson tried to pounce, but Cormier was able to survive and get hold of Johnson. Once he had his hands around Rumble, Cormier made him carry all of his weight.

There was not a lot of offense thrown, but Cormier used the position to wear down Johnson while he recovered from the hard punch. He got Johnson on the turf to continue tiring him out. It was a close first round due to Johnson’s early success.

In the second round, DC started to take over.

Johnson was already visibly tiring. Cormier covered up from an early Johnson barrage, and once again put his Greco-Roman wrestling to use. Johnson was wilting under the pressure of Cormier‘s superior grappling. Johnson was sucking wind hard. It was a dominant round that saw Cormier earn a couple of 10-8 rounds on the judge’s scorecards.

When the third round started it was obvious Johnson was done.

Cormier put him back on the canvas, worked from half-guard and slowly worked toward a finish. Finally, Johnson gave up his back, and that allowed Cormier to sink in the rear-naked choke. Johnson had to tap out. Cormier got his hand raised, and gold wrapped around his waist.

The former USA Wrestling standout finally culminated a run up the MMA ladder with UFC gold.

Johnson had his moments, but his cardio failed him under the pressure of Cormier. In the wasteland of 205, Johnson will be in prime position to earn another title shot sooner than later. This will be a valuable learning experience.

UFC 187 crowned a new division leader. Cormier wears the gold that used to be Jon Jones’, and perhaps a rematch is just around the corner. Cormier‘s UFC 187 showing also earned him an extra $50,000 with a performance bonus.

That tells you all you need to know about DC’s championship performance.

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Weidman vs. Belfort: Video Highlights from UFC 187 Main Event

UFC 187 saw the legend of Chris Weidman grow. Yes, the legend of Chris Weidman.
The UFC middleweight champion continued his reign of dominance with a quick victory over Vitor Belfort in the co-main event of the evening. He withstood an early barrage of…

UFC 187 saw the legend of Chris Weidman grow. Yes, the legend of Chris Weidman.

The UFC middleweight champion continued his reign of dominance with a quick victory over Vitor Belfort in the co-main event of the evening. He withstood an early barrage of punches and then responded with a beatdown.

It was an interesting fight before the weigh-ins, but Weidman and Belfort jawed back and forth with one another. As MMA Fighting notes, Weidman took the mix and exclaimed that Belfort was still cheating. The surprising promo cut by Weidman made the fight all the more interesting. And with a fire lit under him, he made an example of “The Phenom.”

If that fire continues to burn under Weidman, the rest of the division should be very concerned. Weidman took Belfort down easily, passed into mount more easily and beat Belfort up until the referee stepped in to save the Brazilian.

It was another Brazilian star on the ledger for Weidman. He has now defeated Anderson Silva, Lyoto Machida and Belfort during his title reign. He continues to be more impressive in each outing. Weidman is a dominant champion who is underappreciated. Perhaps his UFC 187 showing will endear him to more fans.

At the Las Vegas fight, 12,615 people saw Weidman destroy his latest challenger.

Weidman has two credible challengers lying in wait in Luke Rockhold and Jacare Souza, but Dana White told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto that there is no announcement on who is next. If the champion had his way, it would be Rockhold, or so he said at the post-fight press conference.

The champ specifically said the only thing he cares about right now is the impending Madison Square Garden fight card should New York legalize the sport of MMA. That event is very important to him, and after Saturday’s performance the UFC should give him whatever he wants.

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UFC 187 Results: The Fight Night Bonuses from Johnson vs. Cormier Fight Card

UFC 187 got off to a rocky start with some lackluster prelims, but the main card turned it up to 11.
All five fights delivered.

Flyweights John Moraga and Joseph Benavidez performed at a high level and had some good grappling exchanges. Lightweights D…

UFC 187 got off to a rocky start with some lackluster prelims, but the main card turned it up to 11.

All five fights delivered.

Flyweights John Moraga and Joseph Benavidez performed at a high level and had some good grappling exchanges. Lightweights Donald Cerrone and John Makdessi showcased their standing in the next fight. Then Andrei Arlovski and Travis Browne tore the house down.

And the night wasn’t over. There were still two title fights to go.

Chris Weidman and Daniel Cormier continued to show the power of USA Wrestling. Both men took their opponents down and dominated. Weidman in quicker fashion with a TKO in the first round, and Cormier got the submission in the third after breaking Anthony Johnson.

After that main card, who won the bonuses? Here’s who:

 

Performance of the Night: Chris Weidman

Weidman got $50,000 in performance bonus money for his destruction of Vitor Belfort.

He had to take a few punches during Belfort‘s early flurry, but he was never in big danger. He covered up nicely while Belfort wasted energy. Then came the takedown. Once Belfort was down, Weidman easily passed into mount where he landed quality ground-and-pound.

The first-round TKO finish was certainly worth the bonus cash.

 

Performance of the Night: Daniel Cormier

It was almost a short night for Cormier.

DC got dropped by an early overhand right from Johnson, but he was able to recover. Once he regained his bearings, DC was able to initiate his game plan. Cormier‘s wrestling is vastly superior to Johnson’s, and he made him carry his weight.

Johnson gassed visibly very quickly. In the second round, Johnson was only able to muster a short burst of strikes before once again meeting the mat. In the third, Cormier finished with a rear-naked choke.

After the fight, Cormier called out Jon Jones. Jones is still indefinitely suspended, but UFC President Dana White said earlier in the week he will get an immediate title shot once he is reinstated. Thus, it would appear the second fight between the rivals is on tap once Jones is clear to return.

But this is all about UFC 187. Cormier‘s championship showing earned him pocket change.

 

Fight of the Night: Andrei Arlovski vs. Travis Browne

There is no other choice than the crazy, insane, fantastic heavyweight scrap between Andrei Arlovski and Travis Browne.

It was bonkers.

Arlovski rocked Browne repeatedly only to nearly suffer a knockout loss. Arlovski worked back up to his feet and hurt Browne again! This time he was able to finish. And I am underselling what happened in that fight. The round of the year.

The heavyweight tilt may very well be at the top of the list for Fight of the Year in 2015. It was that good. Time will tell what the victory does for Arlovski, but there is little doubt this was one of his most memorable fights. It was an instant classic. Fantastic fight worth every penny.

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Andrei Arlovski vs. Travis Browne: What We Learned from UFC 187 Tilt

Andrei Arlovski defeated Travis Browne in a wild heavyweight contest at UFC 187.
These two went to war in a slugfest—one that Arlovski got the better of.

Arlovski and Browne earned bonus checks with that performance. They threw down and got the …

Andrei Arlovski defeated Travis Browne in a wild heavyweight contest at UFC 187.

These two went to war in a slugfest—one that Arlovski got the better of.

Arlovski and Browne earned bonus checks with that performance. They threw down and got the crowd on their feet. After Arlovski stunned Browne early in the first round, it was all uphill from there. Arlovski went after the finish, but Browne’s chin held up.

Shot after shot, and suddenly Browne tagged Arlovski. Then he rebounded to knock out Browne in Round 1. It is exhausting just typing the action that these top-10 heavyweights brought. This is what we learned from this extraordinary bout.

 

What We’ll Remember About This Fight

That round. Wow! Chaos. Beautiful chaos.

Arlovski stuns and staggers Browne multiple times, only to be dropped by Browne. Arlovski gets back up and puts it to Browne again! It was crazy. The referee stepped in to save Browne, but these two most certainly earned Fight of the Night.

It was remarkable.

 

What We Learned About Travis Browne

He is not a legitimate title threat.

Browne is big. He should have been able to stick Arlovski on the outside. Instead, his style allowed The Pit Bull to easily come over the top to catch him. Browne has the raw ability to be a threat, but he has not put it together.

The elite of this division are a mountain in front of Browne—a mountain he cannot climb at this time. There are still plenty of entertaining fights for Browne and plenty of time for him to start to put the pieces of the puzzle in place.

 

What We Learned About Andrei Arlovski

He still has it.

The former UFC heavyweight champion was counted out not too long ago. He was left for dead as just another relic on the downside of his career. Suddenly, look who is back in contention for a title shot. 

He has even started to settle concerns about his chin. He has eaten some heavy shots and not gone out. In this one, he absorbed a tough shot and quickly got back up to finish the fight. He is a contender. The UFC has another old-timer doing work.

 

What’s Next for Browne

It has to be another top-10 fight, and the only man who makes sense is Mark Hunt. The UFC would be best-served by finding a slow, unranked heavyweight for Browne, but that’s not the position he is in.

Hunt is coming off a loss, and a fight with Browne would be a great affair. It could be a good co-main event for the future UFC Japan card later this year. Hunt has a big following in Japan, and it is a good way to get him on the card.

 

What’s Next for Arlovski

Arlovski got his third straight win in the UFC and his fifth overall. That is enough to earn a title shot.

Sure, Stipe Miocic beat down Mark Hunt and is ranked higher, but Arlovski is on a better streak. And after his UFC 187 performance, who doesn’t want another redemption story with Arlovski getting a title shot?

Miocic is not even on a winning streak. A singular win over Hunt shouldn’t be enough to earn a title shot. What Arlovski has done—he last lost to Anthony Johnson in March 2013—is phenomenal. He earned a title shot if he is healthy enough.

Give him the winner of the UFC 188 title unification bout between Cain Velasquez and Fabricio Werdum.

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