UFC fighter Daniel Cormier apparently did not appreciate that Jon Jones called him a coward when he appeared on The MMA Hour on Monday (h/t Shaun Al-Shatti of MMAFighting.com).
Cormier took to Twitter to let his opinions be heard in a…
UFC fighter Daniel Cormier apparently did not appreciate that Jon Jones called him a coward when he appeared on The MMA Hour on Monday (h/t Shaun Al-Shatti of MMAFighting.com).
Cormier took to Twitter to let his opinions be heard in a rant that included more than just the two tweets below (warning: tweets contain NSFW language):
Jones’ comments came after Cormier offered on The MMA Hour to assist Ovince Saint Preux in his preparation for a battle against Jones at UFC 197 on April 23. Saint Preux passed on the invitation, but Jones still seemed to take issue with the offer (h/t Al-Shatti):
[Cormier] is an absolute coward who will never beat me. And I say that not from an arrogant place. I say that from a place where, me getting my belt back, it means everything to me. That belt right now is a big part of my life. It means everything to me. Me losing to OSP should be the last thing that [Cormier] would want, because if I were to somehow lose, that means he doesn’t get to avenge his only loss.
Jones appeared to have some fun with Cormier’s anger:
Former UFC fighter Mikey Burnett and his son, Freddie, were reportedly shot in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Monday night.
Tess Maune of News on 6 in Tulsa reported the story and noted both men “are expected to survive” the incident.
Maune cited a family member …
Former UFC fighter Mikey Burnett and his son, Freddie, were reportedly shot in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Monday night.
Tess Maune of News on 6 in Tulsa reported the story and noted both men “are expected to survive” the incident.
Maune cited a family member who said Burnett and Freddie were working out at a gym before two men attempted to rob them at their car. “We’re told Freddie tried to fight off the suspected robbers when they held up his dad,” Maune wrote.
Burnett was reportedly shot three times in the abdomen, while Freddie was shot in the leg.
Paighten Harkins of the Tulsa World reported both were taken to the hospital in the aftermath. Harkins also noted Freddie is only 18 years old.
“[Sergeant Robert] Rohloff said both victims’ condition had stabilized,” per Harkins.
Sara Whaley of Fox23 in Tulsa provided a look at the scene:
According to Sherdog, Burnett, who is from Tulsa, sported a 5-2 record in his career. He last appeared in a fight Jan. 8, 1999, when he beat Townsend Saunders at UFC 18.
Tim Means was scheduled to fight Donald Cerrone Feb. 21 in Pittsburgh, but the UFC needs to find a replacement because of a possible Anti-Doping Policy violation.
According to UFC.com on Wednesday, “The UFC organization was notified today th…
Tim Means was scheduled to fight Donald Cerrone Feb. 21 in Pittsburgh, but the UFC needs to find a replacement because of a possible Anti-Doping Policy violation.
According to UFC.com on Wednesday, “The UFC organization was notified today that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has informed Tim Means of a potential Anti-Doping Policy violation stemming from an out-of-competition sample collection.”
The USADA is the independent administrator for the UFC’s anti-doping policy. The UFC.com report said “there is a full and fair review process that is afforded to all athletes before any sanctions are imposed.”
However, there is not enough time between Wednesday’s news and the Feb. 21 bout to conduct the full review, so UFC Fight Night 83 will need a new main event.
Damon Martin of Fox Sports noted the timing was particularly cruel for the 31-year-old fighter: “This is the first potential positive drug test for Means and it comes at the worst possible time as he was about to headline his first UFC card.”
Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com weighed in on the development on Twitter: “Re: USADA testing, important to note there is an appeals process. Worth remembering before outright labeling fighters cheaters/frauds etc.”
Helwani added: “Not alluding to Means or anyone else but it just seems weird everyone is guilty off the bat. Only fair to wait out the process.”
According to his UFC.com profile, Means is 25-7-1. He won five of his last six contests and knocked out John Howard in December in the second round in impressive fashion. Shaun Al-Shatti of MMAFighting.com said Means’ recent fights have seen him “emerge as a darkhorse contender in the UFC welterweight division.”
Alas, this is a difficult setback for Means, especially with so much momentum on his side heading into what would have been one of the most important fights of his professional career.
Welcome back, Dominick Cruz.
The challenger in the headlining bantamweight title bout at UFC Fight Night 81 at TD Garden in Boston shocked TJ Dillashaw by split decision in an incredible back-and-forth battle. Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports shar…
Welcome back, Dominick Cruz.
The challenger in the headlining bantamweight title bout at UFC Fight Night 81 at TD Garden in Boston shocked TJ Dillashaw by split decision in an incredible back-and-forth battle. Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports shared the judges’ scorecards:
Dillashaw was the champion coming into the fight with a handful of knockouts under his belt, but he won his title as Cruz dealt with a number of leg injuries. On Sunday, Cruz announced to the UFC world that he is back and one of the best fighters in the Octagon in just his second fight since 2011.
The UFC reacted to the victory:
Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com commented on the action:
The drama started before the fight even began, when the two fighters did not touch gloves. During the fight, they exchanged blows in the opening minutes, and Mike Bohn of USA Today summarized the feeling in the arena: “This is already crazy.”
Dillashaw, known as a devastating kickboxer coming into the fight, repeatedly went for the head kick in the first round. However, he failed to land any crushing blows, and Cruz, who consistently darts in and out with speed and the ability to throw strikes in rapid succession, landed an early hit, per the UFC:
Iole analyzed the first round: “Cruz 10-9, but very close. I could be convinced TJ won that quite easily.”
Helwani put Cruz’s efforts into perspective:
Dillashaw bounced back in the second round with some leg attacks, as the UFC shared:
However, Cruz returned some of the aggression and registered some momentum-shifting takedowns. After the second round, Shaheen Al-Shatti of MMAFighting.com called the score 20-18 in Cruz’s advantage.
Cruz continued to pace around in the third round, unleashing his constant-motion strategy as he looked for openings to attack. He added to his takedown total and earned some praise from Iole:
Cruz’s performance was particularly impressive because no opponent had ever taken Dillashaw down before Sunday, according to Helwani.
Cruz established more momentum in the opening minutes of the fourth round with another takedown, but Dillashaw struck back with a body blow and a high kick before securing a takedown of his own. Dillashaw also pinned Cruz against the cage and seemed to build some momentum heading into the final round, although Helwani said Cruz won three of the first four rounds on his card.
The fight looked primed to go the distance, but Dillashaw finally landed a jarring head kick in the early stages of the fifth round. Both fighters appeared to have more urgency in the final minutes, as though they didn’t want to put the fight into the judges’ hands, especially given how close it was throughout.
Dillashaw went after Cruz’s leg (which has been surgically repaired a handful of times), but the challenger continued to dart in and out.
The crowd came to its feet for the final 30 seconds as both fighters exchanged a flurry of punches and went the distance. Fox Sports UFC weighed in on the final round:
Jeremy Botter of Bleacher Report described how close the decision was after the fight:
With the title hanging in the balance, the judges ruled in Cruz’s favor: 48-47, 46-49, 49-46. Just like that, there was a new bantamweight champion.
Sunday’s lightweight showdown between Anthony Pettis and Eddie Alvarez wasn’t a title fight, but it felt like one.
Alvarez captured the victory by split decision in a back-and-forth affair at UFC Fight Night 81 at TD Garden in Boston. Fox Sports U…
Sunday’s lightweight showdown between Anthony Pettis and Eddie Alvarez wasn’t a title fight, but it felt like one.
Alvarez captured the victory by split decision in a back-and-forth affair at UFC Fight Night 81 at TD Garden in Boston. Fox Sports UFC passed along the judges’ decisions:
The loss marked the second straight defeat for Pettis, who was coming off a loss to Rafael dos Anjos in his last bout. As for Alvarez, he announced that he is back and a force to be reckoned with in dramatic fashion, considering this was only his second fight since a 2014 loss to Donald Cerrone.
Mike Bohn of USA Today called the result the “biggest win of Alvarez’s career,” while Shaheen Al-Shatti of MMAFighting.com shared the victor’s quote in the aftermath: “I want the champion next. Give me the champion.”
Alvarez, known for his impressive boxing skills, wasted little time establishing momentum with a takedown, as Al-Shatti pointed out:
However, Pettis, known as a lethal kicker, bounced back with a handful of solid body blows, and Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports believed it was enough to capture the first round. MMAFighting.com also weighed in on the early action:
The UFC shared some highlights:
Pettis again launched some kicks in the second round, but Alvarez looked to pressure him and pin his opponent’s back against the cage in the first few minutes. Alvarez was more active with his kicks during the second round and looked to match the strong Pettis in his own area of expertise.
It didn’t work, though, and MMAFighting.com noted that Pettis was “finding his rhythm” during the second round. MMAFighting.com offered more analysis heading into the decisive round:
Alvarez recognized the stakes in the third round and knew he had to counter the close start with a strong finish. He knocked Pettis on his back in the middle of the third round, as the UFC passed along:
Fox Sports UFC discussed the takedowns as well as the fight neared the finish: “Four takedowns so far for Eddie Alvarez. Will be curious how much that weighs on the judges.”
The two exchanged blows in the final seconds, although Alvarez grinded on Pettis and took the fight to his opponent. Ultimately, the fight went the distance and fell into the judges’ hands. Iole put the small margin into context:
Naturally, the close fight was a split decision. Two judges scored it 29-28 for Alvarez, while the other gave Pettis the 29-28 edge, which gave the victory to Alvarez. Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com summarized the proceedings: “Wasn’t pretty but Alvarez did exactly what he had to do to get that W. Credit to him for sticking to the game plan.”
UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier (17-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) signed an eight-fight contract with the organization Monday.
According to Steven Marrocco of MMAjunkie, Cormier met with the UFC and “emerged with a new eight-fight contract that&r…
UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier (17-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) signed an eight-fight contract with the organization Monday.
According to Steven Marrocco of MMAjunkie, Cormier met with the UFC and “emerged with a new eight-fight contract that’s made him ‘very, very happy.’”
Cormier discussed the process, per Marrocco: “I was like, ‘This is what I feel like we deserve as a guy that’s done everything he’s supposed to and carried himself like a professional athlete should carry himself,’ and they said, ‘You know what, you’re right,’ and they pretty much just gave it to me, which is awesome.”
The report noted Cormier did not specify what he received in the contract, although the fighter was also unsure if he would finish out all eight fights because of his age (36).
Cormier fought three title bouts in 2015 alone and will take a break through the holidays. However, Marrocco added Cormier has two obligations “in his mind.” One of those is a potential rematch with Jon Jones (21-1 MMA, 15-1 UFC), who defeated Cormier in January and then left the title vacant when he was stripped of his belt in April for a hit-and-run.
Cormier won that vacant title.
Talk of a rematch was natural after Jones was cleared of jail time, although Cormier reportedly does not want to fight in a planned April pay-per-view event in New York’s Madison Square Garden because he believes “giving Jones a fight in his home state sends the wrong message,” per Marrocco.
Cormier provided more context to his thought process, per Marrocco:
I don’t want to do it. I don’t think he should be rewarded after coming off of what he came off of. I do look at it and say New York fans are some of the most vocal fans in the world, so what if I have a whole bunch of people who are against what Jon did? Maybe it could work different, because there’s no place in the country where, if you’re considered a bad guy, they will boo you louder and let you know more than New York City. But the chances of that happening are slim, because he’s from New York.
The other fight Cormier had in mind was one with Ryan Bader (20-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC). Cormier believes Bader “deserves” a title shot.
UFC fighter Daniel Cormier apparently did not appreciate that Jon Jones called him a coward when he appeared on The MMA Hour on Monday (h/t Shaun Al-Shatti of MMAFighting.com).