Author: Sal DeRose

Georges St-Pierre Has Goal to Become the David Beckham of MMA

Every athlete admires other athletes, whether it be while they’re growing up or while they’re performing at the highest level.UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre has a goal to become the David Beckham of MMA.”‘My goal one day is to be the David…

Every athlete admires other athletes, whether it be while they’re growing up or while they’re performing at the highest level.

UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre has a goal to become the David Beckham of MMA.

“‘My goal one day is to be the David Beckham of MMA but I still have a lot to do to reach that point. Mr Beckham is a great role model and I aspire to do the same,'” said St-Pierre in an interview with The Sun.

What athlete wouldn’t strive to become Beckham? Charismatic, raking in millions of dollars and married to a Spice Girl? Sounds pretty good.

Beckham, of course, was a role model for many kids, whether it be when he was with Manchester United or Real Madrid, or now over here in the United States playing for the Los Angeles Galaxy. Beckham has also spent time out on loan with Italian giants, A.C. Milan and has made numerous appearances for the English national team.

St-Pierre and Beckham also share the same agency, as both are signed to Creative Artists Agency that boasts some of the top players in the world’s biggest sports.

St-Pierre didn’t stop at Beckham, though. He was also asked about a potential mega-fight with UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva. The possibility of the mega-fight has loomed for a few years now and hasn’t come to fruition just yet.

“‘It’s not impossible but right now, I don’t think about it. I’m coming back from an injury and I have to get back to my own title in my own weight category first,'” said St-Pierre.

“‘There are a lot of challengers there and I want to make sure I clean out my division. I don’t want to leave my division unless I’ve done everything that I want to have done.'”

Silva defends his title against Chael Sonnen on July 7th at UFC 148, while St-Pierre will unify the welterweight belts sometime later this year against Carlos Condit if his knee rehab goes according to plan.

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Vitor Belfort Wants Michael Bisping, Then a Title Shot

In a move that some thought wasn’t good for a title-shot-wanting Vitor Belfort, Belfort was matched up with Wanderlei Silva at the inaugural “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil” with a coaches showdown scheduled in Brazil at UFC 147.Like the seemingly millio…

In a move that some thought wasn’t good for a title-shot-wanting Vitor Belfort, Belfort was matched up with Wanderlei Silva at the inaugural “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil” with a coaches showdown scheduled in Brazil at UFC 147.

Like the seemingly millions of other fighters cursed by bad luck this year, Belfort had to withdraw from his fight with Silva due to injury. Now though, Belfort doesn’t feel that Silva is the right man to get him to the title picture after Silva lost last weekend to Belfort’s replacement, Rich Franklin.

“Actually, [Wanderlei] is a fight that will not take me to the title. I mean, I would face Wanderlei… but only because its the fight the fans want to see. Whatever the UFC decides, it has to be done. I don’t know how long he will get medical suspension because he took many hits, both he and Rich Franklin actually,” Belfort told SPORTV.com in an interview translated by Fighters Only.

Who would be the perfect opponent for Belfort when he returns to the cage? Maybe another injured middleweight who was on the cusp of the title shot earlier this year?

“I guess Wanderlei will be able to fight in October but I only want that my next bout that accredits me to dispute the belt. I don’t know, maybe Michael Bisping. I was only defeated once recently, by Anderson Silva, and all my wins were very convincing.

“I think I deserve this chance for my legacy. Some fighters are like: ‘Ah, the guy who has the belt is my friend, I don’t want [to fight] him’ – well, I want it,” Belfort said.

Belfort is 35-years-old and fought for the title in February 2011 at UFC 126 and lost by what is now the most famous front kick knockout in MMA. Belfort’s loss to Silva has been followed by two straight wins over Yoshihiro Akiyama (knockout victory at UFC 133) and a win over Anthony Johnson (submission victory at UFC 142).

Bisping was originally set to face Tim Boetsch at UFC 149 before an injury took him out of the fight. Bisping is coming off of a loss to Chael Sonnen in a close decision at UFC on FOX 2.

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UFC 149: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira’s Doctor Explains Why He Won’t Fight

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira was one of many to pull out of UFC 149.UFC 149 was to be Nogueira’s return to the cage after Frank Mir snapped in half the upper bone in his right arm because Nogueira refused to tap. It was that very injury that caused him to …

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira was one of many to pull out of UFC 149.

UFC 149 was to be Nogueira’s return to the cage after Frank Mir snapped in half the upper bone in his right arm because Nogueira refused to tap. It was that very injury that caused him to pull out of UFC 149, according to Nogueira.

“I was sad because my fight was called off. Unfortunately I felt my arm in the latest trainings specifics for MMA. I can’t fight with pain and don’t have a good performance,” Nogueira wrote on Twitter.

Nogueira underwent surgery after the Mir fight to fix the injury, and it seems as though he came back a little too soon to training.

Of course, the injury is a little more complex than it seems, so here is a quote from Nogueira’s physiotherapist, Angela Cortes, to explain the injury:

“The objectives that were set to reach the prime of the preparation in the period of training had been obtained,” she says.

“But during the intense sessions of sparring Rodrigo related discomfort followed by pain in the arm that went under surgery, caused by takedowns and impact from punches on the region where the screws are placed.”

Nogueira was expected to face Cheick Kongo at UFC 149, which takes place in Calgary on July 21. He is 2-3 in his last five fights, which includes two losses to Mir and a loss to Cain Velasquez. Nogueira’s only two wins came against Brendan Schaub last August and over Randy Couture in August of 2009.

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Alistair Overeem Fighting by End of 2012? Up to the NSAC, Says Lorenzo Fertitta

Alistair Overeem is currently serving a nine-month suspension for his failed drug test and until that suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission runs up, the UFC will not book an Overeem fight.Overeem tweeted on Monday that he would be back b…

Alistair Overeem is currently serving a nine-month suspension for his failed drug test and until that suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission runs up, the UFC will not book an Overeem fight.

Overeem tweeted on Monday that he would be back by December to take the belt.

Currently, Overeem is unable to be licensed by the NSAC until December 27th, which means if he wanted to, he could fight on a New Year’s Eve card for the UFC.

According to UFC co-owner, Lorenzo Fertitta, the UFC will wait until the NSAC licenses the suspended fighter before getting a fight for the former Strikeforce, K-1 and Dream champion.

“That’s speculation,” Fertitta texted to ESPN.com. “It’s in the NSAC’s hands. [The UFC] can’t be presumptuous.”

Overeem was set to face current UFC heavyweight champion, Junior dos Santos, in May at UFC 146. Due to a failed drug test, Overeem was then pulled from the fight and then suspended for nine months by the NSAC.

Overeem’s failed drug test came after an iffy situation that involved a hearing with NSAC prior to his UFC 141 fight with Brock Lesnar.

The failed drug test was due to an elevate testosterone-to-epitestosterone level of 14:1. In a hearing with the NSAC on April 24, Overeem admitted to giving himself injections with a substance that contained testosterone for a rib injury and that the injection was prescribed by Dr. Hector Molina.

The UFC is still unsure whether or not Overeem will immediately fight for the title or take another fight when he returns from suspension at the end of the year.

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Thiago Alves Hoping for Return to the Cage by the End of the Year

Thiago Alves was just one casualty of the heavily cursed UFC 149 card.While training in Florida for his upcoming fight against Siyar Bahadurzada, Alves tore his pectoral muscle and had to pull out of UFC 149.Now, though, Alves seems poised and ready to…

Thiago Alves was just one casualty of the heavily cursed UFC 149 card.

While training in Florida for his upcoming fight against Siyar Bahadurzada, Alves tore his pectoral muscle and had to pull out of UFC 149.

Now, though, Alves seems poised and ready to get back into fighting by December.

“Great news, just talked to my doctor and my (physical therapist). They both told me I’ll be back fighting again by December. I can’t wait!” Alves wrote on Twitter.

Alves was just one of many fighters who have pulled out of the plagued UFC 149 card.

Including Alves, the total number of changes to the card has reached six. That also includes a change to Alves’ fight—he was originally set to face Yoshihiro Akiyama, who later pulled out due to injury.

The Brazilian-born fighter is currently still rehabbing and going through recovery at home in Florida and waiting for the doctor’s OK to return to the cage.

Alves seemed like he was back and better than ever in his last fight against Martin Kampmann. He controlled the first two rounds and eventually got caught in a guillotine that helped Kampmann complete his come-from-behind win.

The 28-year-old American Top Team member is currently 2-3 in his last five fights since being beaten by Georges St-Pierre for the welterweight title at UFC 100 in July of 2009.

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B/R Official Rankings for June: The Top 10 Featherweights in MMA

After May saw Dustin Poirier fall from the top and Chan Sung Jung rise to his spot, June is now set with a new set of rankings containing the best featherweights in MMA.The month of June itself might not impact the rankings a lot, but this summer the f…

After May saw Dustin Poirier fall from the top and Chan Sung Jung rise to his spot, June is now set with a new set of rankings containing the best featherweights in MMA.

The month of June itself might not impact the rankings a lot, but this summer the featherweight rankings can surely undergo massive changes at their forefront when Jose Aldo defends his belt against Erik Koch in July.

Outside of the future matches, the rankings will see a couple new fresh faces after Charles Oliveira’s win last weekend and the retirement of Kenny Florian removes him from the rankings.

So which fighters got on the month of June’s rankings?

 

These rankings are the combined efforts of some of Bleacher Report MMA’s best writers, as we continue to try and provide you with the best content on the web.

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