Luke Rockhold has some notes.
The middleweight contender hasn’t got hands on with Reebok’s newly unveiled UFC uniforms but he already has issues.
“I haven’t put the attire on yet,” Rockhold told UFC announcer Bruce Buffer on his podcast. “I spoke with a couple people in New York, friends of mine, [UFC light heavyweight champion] Daniel Cormier and [welterweight champion] Robbie Lawlor. They seem to like the attire. They say it’s very nice and comfortable. I just saw it this morning and it looked good.
“My worry is the individuality of the sport. Everyone is blending together now. Even with the countries and color variations. Everyone just blends together it seems like and I’m afraid that fighting is going to lose its individuality.”
Rockhold sounds in favor of embracing the flash and ‘WWE theatrics’ UFC president Dana White is working to do away with.
“It’s a combat sport,” said Rockhold. “You see boxing and the flamboyant characters that [walk] out in their ensembles and big wardrobes and stuff. It’s fun. It’s part of the game. That’s one thing I’m scared it might lose.”
We know Donald Cerrone plans to wear his cowboy hat out to the Octagon, but Rockhold says he’s worried about fighters like his American Kickboxing Academy teammate Khabib Nurmagomedov. The Dagestani lightweight is well-known for wearing his papakha, a sort of warrior hat, to UFC weigh-ins and for walkouts.
“Is it going to be limited? Is Khabib going to able to wear his wig? Tom Lawlor and his walkouts? That’s a huge part. People love these certain walkouts, these characters. That’s going to be no more.”
5 MUST-READ STORIES
Aldo speaks. UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo calls interim belt ‘a toy’ Conor McGregor can show his drunk friends in Ireland.
‘I knew.’ Conor McGregor says Jose Aldo has ‘gone running, and I don’t think he’ll be back.’
Settle. UFC president Dana White reached out to Luke Rockhold and assured him he’s still in line for the shot against middleweight champion Chris Weidman.
Chat Wrap. Luke Thomas talks UFC 189 drama, Reebok uniforms and more in this week’s live chat.
Dragon. Lyoto Machida undergoes surgery to repair his broken nose, does not plan on retirement.
MEDIA STEW
UFC 189 embedded episode 1.
Inside the Octagon with Ariel Helwani.
Ronda Rousey on Jimmy Kimmel.
A few highlights from McGregor on the UFC 189 conference call.
Let the promos fly.
Rener Gracie training and rolling with NFL players.
This has 500K hits on YouTube so you may be interested.
Long watches.
UFC 189: McGregor vs. Mendes media conference call
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MMA Year in Review: UFC, Bellator, drug testing, Reebok half-way thru 2015
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Firas Zahabi on Rory MacDonald & BJJ for MMA (Heavy Hands)
TWEETS
For all the doctors out there.
Aldo’s exams pic.twitter.com/Y6mee0gtPZ
— Ana Hissa (@AnaHissa) July 2, 2015
Hang in there.
Another day balancing media obligation with fight preparation! pic.twitter.com/2m758YcLHY
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) July 2, 2015
Beef.
.@arielhelwani @dc_mma He was way more clear with his words on the show then when Gustafson was towering over him at the Reebok unveiling!
— Chris Weidman (@ChrisWeidmanUFC) July 2, 2015
between his bowling and darts matches, (great team shirt)he took time out of his schedule to show how deluded he is. pic.twitter.com/PFPuYIHgrA
— michael (@bisping) July 2, 2015
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Good to hear.
Weidman is trolling, fight is on!
— Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) July 1, 2015
Chris “wishful thinking” Weidman
— Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) July 1, 2015
rampage4realA lot of people asking who I wanna fight next.. I think Shogun owes me a rematch,I should have pulled out of our 1st fight but my pride wouldn’t let me. I will never fight injured again,this loss still haunts me.
Maybe next year.
Amazing ! Crazy thing is this could of been me center stage fighting this year at the Garden. Next… https://t.co/cCQ3Hb5loK
— Chris Weidman (@ChrisWeidmanUFC) July 2, 2015
Oh no.
That’s my boy ? https://t.co/W68SSLs52a
— Gunnar Nelson (@GunniNelson) July 1, 2015
Back on Japan.
This really happened. Love Japan so unique & different. pic.twitter.com/TMifsSviLV
— Gegard Mousasi (@mousasi_mma) July 2, 2015
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (July 1 2015)
Yaotzin Meza vs. Sam Sicilia at UFC Fight Night: Duffee vs. Mir
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today’s Fanpost of the Day comes via jrosworld.
This is the first time I’ve ever been angry at a fighter for pulling out of a fight
I’m always disappointed when fights get cancelled, sure. But there can be some leeway if it was an injury that occured when grappling, for example. What angers me in this situation, is the way that the injury occured, combined with everything that had been invested into this fight. And when I say invested, I don’t just mean by the UFC.
The money that the UFC invested promoting this fight has now been wasted, sure. And combined with how much Aldo has cost them with his previous withdrawals, most notably UFC 176, he has probably cost them more money as a promotion than he’s made them, so to hear him squark about not being paid enough is a joke. But I don’t care about the UFC. They have enough money. I feel more for the fans.
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Check out the rest of the post here.
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