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Josh Thomson Receives Some Heat from Fans Following Gay-Marriage Tweet

Josh Thomson has received some negative feedback from fans after posting questions on Twitter and Facebook regarding gay marriage. The Strikeforce and UFC veteran used his respective accounts to ask for feedback on where pro-marriage individuals draw the line. The tweets are still the topic of discussion in forum boards, despite the fighter going quiet about the subject since the initial interaction with fans.

On June 10, Thomson started by posting on his Twitter account:

“Should you be allowed to marry whoever you want? Before you answer that, should u be allowed to have more than 1 wife?”

The message was relayed on the fighter’s Facebook account automatically. Thomson received some opinions but no direct backlash for posing this particular question. However, in his follow-up comments on his Facebook, Thomson jumped into a kind of implied Reductio ad absurdum.

Thomson responded on his Facebook page:

“I’m not talking about just gay marriage. I’m talking about where does it stop? Where do you draw the line? People wanna marry animals, children, siblings, multiple husband/wives, etc?”

While the initial question is fair, the likening of homosexual adults of the same gender to children and animals garnered some negative feedback. Thomson was not without his backers, however.

Former UFC veteran and champion Pat Miletich responded on Thomson’s Facebook:

Josh is spot on. It may seem extreme to use some of his examples of ‘where does it end’ but I guarantee someone will want to marry their 1st cousin or even sibling. At what point does lack of civil liberty put this nation at risk? It’s already happened and will only get worse.

Miletich did not elaborate on how marriage alteration can create risk for a country.

Regardless of one’s stance on the issue, the initial question is fair. It is not impolite or improper for one to pose a question about social morality and practice. Thomson’s error appears to be in stretching his concern thin and utilizing poor logical formulation in the process.

The UFC has in the past handed out fines for anti-gay commentary; however, Thomson’s situation is not equal to past statements, like those made by Nate Diaz following his fight with Thomson. It will be interesting to note if the UFC does find any reason to reprimand the fighter.

To his credit, Thomson only posed a question. One can infer his stance, but he did not speak against homosexuals throughout the course of the debate. Still, the UFC is a private company, and some form of professional backlash could be seen in the coming days.

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Bisping Should Be Ranked No. 11 Until He Beats a Top-10 Middleweight

Michael Bisping is, quite simply, the 11th best middleweight in the world. For all his talent, all his hard work and dedication, the one thing he continually fails to accomplish is wins against Top-10 opponents. It is no secret that The Count was the c…

It is no secret that The Count was the centerpiece of the UFC’s push into the United Kingdom ever since he made his way onto the UFC stage in 2006 through the TUF reality show.

The Zuffa company has given him more than his fair share of opportunities to earn a title shot. Yet, every opportunity Bisping has been given to prove he is deserving of an A-List status, he has fallen short.

Rashad Evans

After winning his season of TUF, Bisping went on to win his first three fights before running into future champion Rashad Evans. ‘Suga’ Rashad took a split decision that placed him in the Top-10. Equally historically significant, Rashad was the first of five Top-10 fighters to put Bisping in his second-tier place.

Dan Henderson

Bisping came back from his first loss by notching successive wins over Charles McCarthy, Jason Day and Chris Leben. The three-fight win streak gave Bisping his own Top-10 position, and for the first time placed him in shouting distance of title talks.

The UFC was practically champing at the bit to find a way to give Bisping a title shot, but it was clear to all he needed a big-name victory. News in Bisping‘s hometown was priming the country for a local boy getting a title shot on Manchester Evening News.

Unfortunately for The Count, he was then was famously, and brutally, knocked out by Dan Henderson in his next match. The loss, and style of finish, plummeted his stock and removed him from the Top 10 just as quickly as he had arrived.

Wanderlei Silva

The Count’s return to his winning ways was more shaky on his second rebound fight. He weathered the hyper aggression of Denis Kang at UFC 105 to earn a knockout victory in the second round.

Bisping‘s next loss would not even come from a Top-10 fighter, further hurting his legacy. Wanderlei Silva was dropping to 185 pounds for the first time, and he was considered a big enough name to at least push Bisping toward title contention.

The Axe Murderer dominated the Brit for three rounds in their bout, almost finishing him in twice. Once again, when faced with stiff competition, Bisping had wilted.

Chael Sonnen

Following the loss to Silva, Bisping enjoyed a four-fight winning streak. He was able to best Dan Miller, Yoshihiro Akiyama, Jorge Rivera and Jason Miller. None of the opponents were above a Top-20 rating and essentially served as tune-ups for a contender fight for the Brit.

Bisping, who was becoming more desperate to prove he deserved contention consideration, then showed true gut and a heart of a true warrior by replacing Mark Munoz to fight Top-10 ranked Chael Sonnen. The Count fought hard but was unable to muster enough strength for the win.

Brian Stann

Bisping was 22-4 in his career, and on the wrong side of 30. He had still not seen a title shot. To make matters worse, the British veteran was almost certain to get one if he could just muster up one dominant Top-10 performance.

On September 2012, Bisping was given his most winnable and controversial Top-10 opponent: Brian Stann. Rankings had Stann everywhere from No. 10 on Sherdog.com to No. 13 on the FightMatrix.com’s list.

Bisping only needed to grab a decisive victory in order to be in the shortlist for a title shot. Unfortunately, the British veteran instead struggled to finish the former Marine, settling for a hard-fought and ultimately non-persuasive decision.

Vitor Belfort

While Bisping was not granted an immediate shot following the Stann win, Dana White told reporters following the UFC 155 event that Bisping would be given a shot with a victory over Vitor Belfort at UFC on FX 7, according to MMAFighting.com.

Against the former UFC champion and recent light heavyweight contender, Bisping once again fell short. After controlling the majority of the first round, his opponent turned the tide suddenly with a swift head kick in the second round, and he finished Bisping via subsequent ground-and-pound.

The loss took Bisping out of the title picture yet again, and placed him at 0-4 against consensus Top-10 opponents, with a 1-5 record against noteworthy opponents.

Recent and Upcoming Bouts

In UFC 159, Bisping defeated Alan Belcher. Once again, Bisping was victorious over an opponent not ranked within the Top-10, and the pattern is more than pronounced in the 34-year-old’s career. He seems to be a perennial Top-10 according to major MMA sites, and yet has forever failed to show he can defeat an truly elite fighter.

Recent reports from Yahoo! Sports have Bisping likely slated to take on Cung Le, who will be returning from a hiatus due to injury. Cung Le is currently ranked outside the Top-10 middleweights, sitting at No. 15 on FightMatrix.com and No. 13 on FightMagazine.com.

Conclusion

Bisping, currently at 24-5, is clearly a better fighter than anyone outside of the Top-10. He has solidified himself well beyond the top 1 percent of fighters who make up the middleweight division worldwide. However, until he can find a way to defeat a consensus Top-10 fighter, it appears he will never be more than a true No. 11.

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UFC 161 Has Little Left to Justify Pay-Per-View Cost

With Antonio Rogerio Nogueira bowing out of the co-main event being only the latest loss to the show, the UFC 161: Henderson vs. Evans event is lacking in true intrigue for casual fans. A last-ditch effort to add Chael Sonnen could do some good in keep…

If Sonnen officially comes to the rescue to take on Mauricio Rua in the co-main event, it might marginally assist in the sales totals, but not enough. So far, the fight has not been made official, with Sonnen issuing a challenge via his Twitter account, according to BloodyElbow.com.

Sonnen would add much-needed name recognition to the co-main event; however, he and Rua have a combined 2-4 record in their last six bouts. That record will dictate the way the two come into the fight. Both will be interested in not losing, rather than making a brutal statement.

What is more, Sonnen will undoubtedly want the fight on the ground, and unless Shogun has rededicated himself to amazing takedown defense, a three-round struggle underneath the Oregonian is most likely the outcome of the bout.

The headliner itself has a large question mark over it, which may turn away would-be buyers. Both Dan Henderson and Rashad Evans are inconsistently exciting. Henderson is capable of being one of the most exciting fighters in the sport. At the same time, his most recent fight with Lyoto Machida brought back memories of the ‘Decision Dan’ all Pride FC fans can recall vividly.

A five-round fight could mean Henderson opts to circle for 25 minutes with his right hand cocked, while defending takedowns.

Evans has already said he is not interested in a stand-up war with Hendo, according to MMAMania.com. A takedown-heavy effort could be the likely outcome of the main event. It is possible that if the two do not engage in a striking war, the fight will gather a torrent of boos by the ending bell.

Beyond the main events, the card holds interesting matchups for the most dedicated fans, while providing almost nothing to spur casual fans into shelling out hard-earned cash.

Roy Nelson is prepared to prove he deserves consideration in the heavyweight division as he looks for a fourth-straight win. Unfortunately for Nelson, Stipe Miocic only provides a chance to prove he can win two fights in short order. Miocic, as good as he is, is not considered an elite fighter by most.

The Pat Barry vs. Shawn Jordan bout would usually be considered a surefire barnburner, except that Barry has been keen on proving he has a new-found ground game, while Jordan will be looking to simply not lose.

Finally, while the women of the UFC consistently prove that they can put on the most exciting fights on each card, casual fans simply have not shown interest. A strong showing in the Sexton vs. Davis bout will only serve as a pleasant surprise. However, the pairing will not add pay-per-view buys.

All told, the card simply has lost its worth as a must-see showcase, and the pay-per-view buys will likely reflect that fact. The UFC can only hope the late addition of Sonnen can trick some fans into assuming the card is worth the price of viewing.

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6 Reasons Invicta 6 Should Be Watched by Every MMA Fan

Invicta 6 is still a month away, which gives MMA fans a chance to learn about the show that may well offer the best set of reasons to watch women’s MMA to date.The event has one of WMMA’s most devastating strikers, one of the most precise striking arti…

Invicta 6 is still a month away, which gives MMA fans a chance to learn about the show that may well offer the best set of reasons to watch women’s MMA to date.

The event has one of WMMA’s most devastating strikers, one of the most precise striking artists, one of the more charismatic members of the MMA community and a card packed with talent that is likely to win over any spectator. Only a true curmudgeon would turn their nose up at the Invicta shows thus far, and No. 6 is looking to add to the growing list of stellar shows.

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