Author: Scott Polacek

Ronda Rousey Discusses Holly Holm on ‘Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon’

Ronda Rousey’s interviews last longer than her fights, and her latest one occurred on the Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, when she discussed her upcoming UFC 193 showdown against former boxing champ Holly Holm.
Rousey’s last four fights las…

Ronda Rousey’s interviews last longer than her fights, and her latest one occurred on the Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, when she discussed her upcoming UFC 193 showdown against former boxing champ Holly Holm.

Rousey’s last four fights lasted a combined two minutes and 10 seconds, including her 34-second beatdown of Bethe Correia in her last outing, so it was no surprise she expects to win on Nov. 14 when she faces Holm.

Damon Martin of Fox Sports passed along Rousey’s quotes from her Tonight Show appearance regarding Holm: “She’s a nice chick. I don’t have anything against her. She’s a nice chick that’s going to lose.”

At least Rousey took the time to point out Holm is nice.

Despite the overwhelming confidence, the seven-time defending UFC champion understood that Holm represents a legitimate threat during her discussion with Fallon (h/t Martin):

This one’s going to be a much longer fight because she’s a 19-time boxing world champion with 100-percent takedown defense and like head kick knockouts. She’s undefeated and an amazing athlete, definitely the biggest threat to me. Especially on paper and stylistically, she’s the type of fighter you have to be very, very patient with.

I feel like she’s going to try to keep distance and keep far away from me and get me frustrated until I make a mistake and she can try and kick me in the head but it’s not going to go like that.

A longer fight means those who buy the pay-per-view will actually get to enjoy it for more than a handful of seconds.

Incredibly, Rousey told Fallon her victory over Correia lasted longer than it could have if she had taken advantage of an earlier opportunity (h/t Martin): “I took my time. It was longer than the last two combined. I could have finished it earlier because she went to the ground; I didn’t go to the ground. She tried to close the distance—and I could have thrown her—and I was ‘no, you’re getting knocked out tonight.’ So it went 34 seconds.” 

While Rousey was all business when discussing her upcoming bout and previous victory, she clearly enjoyed herself during her appearance given her Instagram post and this revealing update from the show’s Twitter page:

Rousey may have a softer side that enjoys Pokemon and appearing on the Tonight Show, but chances are Holm won’t see it during UFC 193.

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Charles Oliveira Injury: Updates on UFC Star’s Neck and Return

UFC fighter Charles Oliveira was removed from his fight against Max Holloway with his neck braced on a stretcher, according to Matt Erickson of USA Today.
Continue for updates.
Holloway Wins by Technical Knockout
Sunday, Aug. 23 
Oliveira injured …

UFC fighter Charles Oliveira was removed from his fight against Max Holloway with his neck braced on a stretcher, according to Matt Erickson of USA Today.

Continue for updates.

Holloway Wins by Technical Knockout

Sunday, Aug. 23 

Oliveira injured his neck in the first round of the fight, and MMAFighting.com described the scene: “From the replay, it looked like Oliveira twisted his neck or shoulder against the cage going for the takedown.” 

He was transported to a local hospital and had movement in his extremities, per Damon Martin of Fox Sports. 

Oliveira and Holloway headlined Sunday’s UFC Fight Night 74 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, but the fight was cut short due to the injury. Holloway won by technical knockout as a result, and he commented on the developments, per MMAFighting.com:

Michael Stets of MMAMania.com provided more context for the injury:

Holloway began the five-round, 145-pound contest creating angles for his striking attack and ripping punches to the body of Oliveira. “Do Bronx” went in on a double-leg takedown attempt, but Holloway was able to defend it by using an under hook underneath the left arm of Oliveira.

The No. 5-ranked UFC Featherweight wanted no part of the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and stood back up and moved toward the center of the Octagon. As Oliveria stood up, he immediately clutched his left collarbone area and signaled that he did not wish to continue to fight.

It was difficult to tell exactly how severe the injury was given the timing during the fight, but Erickson explained why there was such concern and caution used with the stretcher: “Hard to speculate just what the injury might be, but given he grabbed at his throat and neck, they’re obviously taking no chances.”

Thanks to the technical knockout, Holloway moved to 14-3 overall and 10-3 in the UFC with the win. It also marked his seventh consecutive victory.

Neil Magny defeated Erick Silva in the other marquee fight on the card, but all of the attention and concern was on Oliveira’s well-being. 

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Fabricio Werdum vs. Cain Velasquez Rematch Announced by Dana White

Fabricio Werdum is the current UFC heavyweight champion, but he will have to beat a familiar foe if he hopes to hang on to his title.
Werdum will next face Cain Velasquez in a rematch from their showdown at UFC 188, per UFC Tonight. Chuck Mindenhall of…

Fabricio Werdum is the current UFC heavyweight champion, but he will have to beat a familiar foe if he hopes to hang on to his title.

Werdum will next face Cain Velasquez in a rematch from their showdown at UFC 188, per UFC Tonight. Chuck Mindenhall of MMAFighting.com added more context to the impending fight:

On Wednesday, UFC Tonight’s Ariel Helwani reported that former champion Cain Velasquez will get an immediate rematch with Werdum, following his loss UFC 188 loss to the Brazilian in June. UFC president Dana White confirmed to UFC Tonight that Velasquez/Werdum II is officially booked, yet a time and place is yet to be determined.

Werdum and Velasquez are certainly not strangers when it comes to being paired together on cards. They were originally supposed to headline UFC 180, but Velasquez suffered an injury, and Werdum instead beat Mark Hunt in an interim title fight.

Werdum finally got his shot at Velasquez at UFC 188 and took full advantage with a guillotine choke in the third round. While Werdum won with that impressive move late in the fight, he controlled most of the pace in the early rounds and ultimately wore Velasquez down on his way to the title.

Interestingly, it didn’t always seem like a sure thing that the rematch would occur. Werdum actually suggested as much when he discussed his next fight with BJPENN.com’s Layzie The Savage (h/t Lewis Mckeever of BloodyElbow.com):

I said a rematch [against Cain Velasquez], but I think the best way is to have 4 guys [fight] for the title shot. Dos Santos, Miocic, Cain Velasquez, and Arlovski. These guys fight each other. Like, Miocic vs. Cain Velasquez, and dos Santos vs. Arlovski. Who(ever) is the best one and fights a good fight, the best performance fights with me, and that’s it.

While that scenario with fights between the four contenders would certainly give Werdum something of an advantage in the fatigue department, fans will instead be treated to a rematch of the UFC 188 showdown.

It represents another major test for Werdum, especially since Velasquez was actually heavily favored in the first match. Still, Werdum took care of business when granted the initial opportunity and appeared to be the better fighter through three rounds.

Now he has to make sure Velasquez doesn’t return the favor. 

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UFC 187: Latest Fight Card Predictions and Projected Winners

What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but the winner of the showdown between Daniel Cormier and Anthony Johnson will probably want to take their new light heavyweight championship belt home.
The clash between the two fighters is the main event of UF…

What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but the winner of the showdown between Daniel Cormier and Anthony Johnson will probably want to take their new light heavyweight championship belt home.

The clash between the two fighters is the main event of UFC 187 in the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. With five main card matches and a crowded undercard, mixed martial arts fans will be thrilled with Saturday’s action.

Here is a look at the entire fight card and the predicted winners.

 

Fight to Watch: Anthony “Rumble” Johnson (19-4-0) vs. Daniel “DC” Cormier (15-1-0)

Johnson and Cormier will square off for the vacant light heavyweight title Saturday. As if the stakes weren’t enough, their distinct styles make the fight all the more intriguing because both must control the tempo and utilize their strengths to come away with the marquee victory.

Cormier lost his sparkling undefeated record to Jon Jones, but he gets a shot at redemption against a red-hot Johnson. In fact, Rumble boasts nine consecutive victories on his resume and packs one of the most powerful punches in all of MMA. 

While Johnson also brings some quickness to the table to supplement his famed power, Cormier boasts a wrestling background and will likely try to get this match to the mat at times. DC is also quick on his feet, and that speed will pose a problem for his opponent’s punching.

Johnson must deal with the speed and wrestling combination of Cormier (as well as the transitions between the wrestling and striking), which will become more of an issue the longer the fight proceeds and the more fatigue becomes a factor.

UFC.com underscored Cormier‘s tempo by noting that he lands 3.78 significant strikes per minute compared to Johnson’s 3.33. DC is also more accurate at 48.12 percent to Rumble’s 45.47 percent. A long fight favors the accurate striker with the versatility of a wrestling background, so Cormier must avoid any crippling power blows in the early going.

Despite those statistics, Dan Downes of UFC.com believes Johnson’s power will be enough to overcome Cormier’s abilities:

Daniel Cormier is an excellent fighter; that can’t be debated. What can be debated, however, are his chances in the light heavyweight division. Many of the relative advantages he had against heavyweights (speed, pacing, cardio) have been nullified at light heavyweight. His wins have been over a green Patrick Cummins and a Dan Henderson in the twilight of his career. Cormier will struggle with Johnson’s power and have a hard time finishing takedowns. As long as Johnson doesn’t gas himself out looking for the finish, he take the unanimous decision.

Although he picked Johnson, Downes touched on something of a concern late in his prediction. Cormier is quick enough to avoid most of the devastating blows from Rumble, which could wear on the powerful puncher both mentally and physically.

Footwork is the worst enemy of a power striker, and that is exactly what DC presents.

That speed and footwork will still be there in the later stages of the fight, which will help Cormier seize control near the end. He also doesn’t sound particularly intimidated by Johnson’s power, per Michael Martinez of UFC.com:

When I watch Rumble Johnson, he’s a bully. He bullies guys. He makes them go backward, and he traps them. I’m not going to allow that. If he tries to bully me, I’ll stand right in front of him, and if he hits me, I’ll hit him right back. And then we’ll see how the bully handles it when nobody is going to run away from him.

That confidence will be rewarded Saturday.

Cormier will dictate the tempo after avoiding Rumble’s power and ultimately seize the wrestling opportunities as they arise. Between that tactical skill on the mat, the impressive speed and the necessary ability to avoid the most powerful punches from Johnson, DC will walk away with the light heavyweight title.

Prediction: Cormier over Johnson by unanimous decision

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UFC and Dish Network Agree to New Contract: Latest Details and Comments

UFC renewed its partnership with Dish Network just in time for Saturday’s UFC 187 in Las Vegas.
UFC.ca passed along the official announcement: “UFC is pleased to announce the renewal of a multi-year partnership with DISH Network L.L.C. to c…

UFC renewed its partnership with Dish Network just in time for Saturday’s UFC 187 in Las Vegas.

UFC.ca passed along the official announcement: “UFC is pleased to announce the renewal of a multi-year partnership with DISH Network L.L.C. to continue providing all of the biggest and most anticipated UFC Pay-Per-View (PPV) events of the year to DISH’s approximately 14 million customers.”

UFC Chief Content Officer Marshall Zelaznik commented on the agreement as well, per UFC.ca: “We are thrilled that DISH will continue to carry UFC PPV events and featured content. Together with DISH we will continue to deliver all of our premium content for years to come.” 

This deal will allow fans to watch Saturday’s UFC 187 fight card, which features the clash between Anthony “Rumble” Johnson and Daniel “DC” Cormier for the vacant light heavyweight title.

The fight headlines a main card that includes five showdowns and pits the power punching of Johnson against the wrestling background and impressive speed of Cormier.

Dan Downes of UFC.com described each fighter’s strengths and set the stage for the must-watch fight:

Currently riding a nine fight win streak (six by KO) Anthony “Rumble” Johnson is one of the hardest hitters in any division. While his opponent’s wrestling may be more highly touted, Rumble still defends takedowns at an 85% rate and has neutralized grapplers many times throughout the course of his career. An Olympic wrestler, Daniel Cormier gets another shot at gold after suffering the first loss of his career to Jon Jones. A volume striker, he excels at clinch work and dirty boxing.

Cormier lost his undefeated record to Jon Jones but now gets a shot at Johnson, who enters this fight with nine straight wins. Whichever fighter dictates the tempo and establishes his style of fighting in the early going will likely walk away with the title.

This new agreement ensures fans will get to see that happen Saturday.  

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Jon Jones Suspended, Stripped of Title, Replaced by Daniel Cormier at UFC 187

The UFC stripped light heavyweight champion Jon Jones of his title and issued him an indefinite suspension Tuesday. Those actions came as a result of the fighter’s arrest on a “felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident involving death or p…

The UFC stripped light heavyweight champion Jon Jones of his title and issued him an indefinite suspension Tuesday. Those actions came as a result of the fighter’s arrest on a “felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident involving death or personal injuries,” per Marc Raimondi of MMAFighting.com. 

Fox Sports Live provided the details:

The UFC released a statement on the suspension via its official website:

UFC announced that it has suspended Jon Jones indefinitely and stripped him of the light heavyweight title as a result of violations of the organization’s Athlete Code of Conduct Policy. Jones was recently arrested in Albuquerque, N.M. on a felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident involving personal injury. As a result of the charge and other violations of the Athlete Code of Conduct Policy, the organization believes it is best to allow Jones time to focus on his pending legal matters. …

With this decision, UFC has determined that No. 1 contender Anthony Johnson will now fight No. 3 contender Daniel Cormier for the UFC light heavyweight championship at UFC 187 on May 23 in Las Vegas.

SportsCenter noted that Jones is the first UFC champion to have his title revoked for disciplinary reasons.

Raimondi delved into numerous details on the arrest. Jones allegedly ran a red light when driving Sunday, struck another car and fled the scene on foot. A pregnant woman was behind the wheel of that other vehicle and broke her arm in the crash. There was also a marijuana pipe and marijuana in the rental car Jones allegedly fled.

Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com passed along some quotes from UFC president Dana White after news of the suspension broke and pointed out what the fallout will be inside the ring:

While the fight between Daniel Cormier and Anthony Johnson for the undisputed UFC light heavyweight title at UFC 187 is sure to draw interest among UFC fans, the sport clearly has other concerns in its immediate future.

Cormier himself suggested as much, per Helwani:

Make no mistake about it, this is a sad day for our sport. One of the best fighters of all time has found himself in trouble again. It sucks. Despite our differences, I truly wish the best for Jon and his family, and I know he can get through this.

But in life, opportunity knocks, and it’s up to you to answer the door. So as I’ve done time again, I’m answering that door. I will be in Vegas on May 23 — you can count on me — I will win the belt, and then when Jon is ready to return, I will be happy to give him a shot at my belt.

UFC had more from Cormier, saying “There are a lot of people that look up to Jones and want to see him succeed. I’ll be waiting on the other side with the belt.”

Jones took to social media to offer an apology for the incident:

It remains to be seen if and when Jones will return to the UFC.

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