Cesar Gracie is either a marketing genius or Nick Diaz is serious about this whole retirement thing. Either way, no one really appears to know what’s going on. So while the UFC treads water in welterweight limbo, catch up on everything else MMA has to offer with the Morning Report.
5 MUST-READ STORIES TO START YOUR DAY
Cesar Gracie says Diaz vs. Condit rematch not happening. “There will be no rematch,” Gracie revealed. “I can’t do anything. Quote that if you want to.”
Dustin Poirier and Korean Zombie spar on Twitter. Two of the UFC’s fastest rising featherweights appear to be on a collision course after exchanging jabs online.
Top-10 welterweights: Carlos Condit creeps up on GSP. In light of the ongoing Condit-Diaz drama, Michel David Smith runs down the top-10 for MMA’s 170-pound division.
Cung Le tops UFC Twitter bonuses. Zuffa’s quarterly Twitter awards feel slightly less Brazilian this time around.
Ronda Rousey interview. Ariel Helwani talks to Rousey about her newfound stardom, psychological warfare, and Miesha Tate’s grappling credentials.
YESTERDAY’S MEDIA GUMBO
Alistair Overeem is good at many things, but using those monstrous Dutch hands to unsnap bra straps is apparently not among them. Fairly SFW, but use your best judgement. (HT: Reddit)
Our own Luke Thomas examines whether Nick Diaz was robbed at UFC 143.
A look back to when Jake Ellenberger was barely “The Juggernaut” and Dan Henderson was “Hollywood.”
Anderson Silva lands almost every shot on a sparring partner while Freddie Roach tosses advice from the corner.
UFC ring girl Arianny Celeste strips down in this (somewhat SFW) photo shoot with Complex Magazine.
UFC President Dana White rips the athletic commissions in his inaugural presidential address.
Looks like we’ll see Cung Le in action at least one more time.
“@T_Webb_31: Cung Le any chance we see you back in the @ufc 🙂 a thank you to your fans perhaps” that’s my plans this year!
— Cung Le (@CungLe185) February 8, 2012
K.J. Noons, keeping it real.
Fighters get instant rematches if you cry like a baby. Can I get rematch too w diaz if i cry like a b***h? @danawhite @lorenzofertitta @ufc
— KJ Noons (@kjnoons) February 8, 2012
Someone is a little bitter.
Breaking news! Giselle purchases the Giants. Brandon Jacobs gets fired.
— Kenny Florian (@kennyflorian) February 8, 2012
I’m sure Kenny would disagree with you there.
Peyton > Eli…there I said it, been wanting to get that off my chest…
— Benson Henderson (@SMOOTHone155) February 8, 2012
Chael wastes no time coming out swinging.
When I want your advice I’ll beat it out of you, Stupid. Now go back to singing to hamburgers and telling Segal he’s legit.
— chael sonnen (@sonnench) February 8, 2012
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Here’s what was announced yesterday (Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012):
- UFC on FX 3: Igor Pokrajac (24-8) in against Thiago Silva (14-2, 1 NC)
- Bellator 64: Ben Askren (9-0) vs. Douglas Lima (21-4)
- Bellator 64: Season Six featherweight semifinals, match-ups TBD
- Bellator 64: Chris Horodecki (18-3-1) vs. TBA
- Worldwide MMA: Karo Parisyan (19-8, 1 NC) vs. Dave Menne (45-16-2); Lyle Beerbohm (16-2) vs. Jamie Varner (18-6-1, 2 NC); Drew Fickett (41-16) vs. Kevin Knabjian (12-6-1), according to Cagepotato
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today’s FPOTD belongs to BE reader Monte Fisto: Diaz v. Condit and the Rule of ‘Trembling Shock.’
A blow that lands with trembling shock is a blow that moves the target: stops them in their tracks, snaps their head back, knocks the wind out of them, etc. As someone who has scored competitions, I was looking for blows that would damage an unprotected opponent (or even better, those that actually managed to damage a protected opponent).
…
What I saw in that fight was Nick Diaz — especially in the first two rounds, and even, to some extent in the third — repeatedly landing “trembling shock” blows (both to the body and head) and Condit landing very, very few comparable shots (he started to pop a few off in the third and especially the fourth).
Found something entertaining, brutal, or just plain bizarre for the Morning Report? Send it to @shaunalshatti and we’ll include it in tomorrow’s post.