Since it seems like this story won’t stop until every notable figure in the MMA community weighs in on Fallon Fox, and since you’re probably, understandably, quite sick of hearing about it, I won’t belabor the point.
Instead, I’ll just let you know that we have a ton of fun stuff on the docket today, so let’s skip the theatrics and launch right into it with some headlines.
5 MUST-READ STORIES
Rousey talks Fox. UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey offered her take on the Fallon Fox debate, telling the New York Post, “She can try hormones, chop her pecker off, but it’s still the same bone structure a man has. It’s an advantage. I don’t think it’s fair. … It’s not something that happened to her. It was a decision she made. She should be aware in her career after that, it’s going to be an arduous path. I don’t know why she’s surprised by that. It’s going to draw a lot of emotions.”
MacDonald vs. Ellenberger. Top welterweight contenders Rory MacDonald and Jake Ellenberger will collide on July 27, 2013 in Seattle, WA, on the main card of UFC on FOX 8.
Bellator summer tourneys. Bellator MMA plans to stage a trio of shortened four-man tournaments this summer as part of the promotion’s upcoming Summer Series. A target date has yet to be announced, though the tournaments are expected to feature bantamweight, heavyweight, and of course, light heavyweight participants in an effort to get “King Mo” Lawal back into the fray.
Herman reinstated. Heavyweight fighter Dave “Pee-Wee” Herman, who twice failed a post-fight drug test for marijuana and has lost each of his last three fights, was reinstated by the UFC after serving a six-month suspension and completing a drug rehabilitation program, according to a report from MMA Junkie.
ONE FC title fights. A pair of championship bouts — featherweight titleholder Honorio “The Rock” Banario vs. Koji Oishi and Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes vs. Koetsu Okazaki — is slated to headline ONE FC 9 on May 31, 2013 at the 20,000-seat Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, Philippines. Fernandes vs. Okazaki is for the ONE FC interim bantamweight strap.
MEDIA STEW
This guy thought it’d be fun to have Cat Zingano leg kick him. Surprise: it wasn’t that fun.
(HT: Reddit)
The secret to becoming the next Uriah Hall? Play a lot of Tekken.
More from Uriah, because how many other middleweights do you see out there doing such fantastic Coming to America impressions?
Today’s KO Special provides an example for any aspiring referees on how to be awful at their jobs. (For the lazy, jump to 8:10.)
(HT: MiddleEasy)
This video needs more Bryan Caraway. (For readers outside the United States, this should work.)
Conor McGregor is a genius.
SIDELINED
Really sorry 2 be out UFC 160. Will have surgery, heal fast and be ready for action later this summer! Thx for all the great support.@ufc
— Gunnar Nelson (@GunniNelson) April 10, 2013
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOUR TUF 17 FINALISTS:
Thank you everyone for the awesome support I keep getting loads of tweets of positive vibes and I love it
— Kelvin Gastelum (@KelvinGastelum) April 10, 2013
I’m super blessed and happy 2 be where iam now,still can’t believe its happening but Iam planning on putting on a great fight and win TUF
— Kelvin Gastelum (@KelvinGastelum) April 10, 2013
Started from the bottom now where hear @kelvingastelum twitter.com/UriahHallMMA/s…
— Uriah Hall (@UriahHallMMA) April 10, 2013
IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING
2 clear the air, I’m still a @blackzilian In NL 2 C my daughter and during my stay training in famous Mike’s gymMiami CU in a couple weeks
— Alistair Overeem (@Alistairovereem) April 10, 2013
DREAMER
I feel when at 100% there is not a man at 155 I can not challenge in a 5 round fight.
— Diego Sanchez UFC (@DiegoSanchezUFC) April 2, 2013
1st pick would be Nate win or loose on the 7/27 on the fox card 2nd pick would be jlo on that card, 3rd reza just for the staredown then JV
— Diego Sanchez UFC (@DiegoSanchezUFC) April 9, 2013
CESAR, CESAR
Reports of our demise are greatly exaggerated @ufc @arielhelwani @natediaz209 @nickdiaz209 twitter.com/CesarGracieBJJ…
— Cesar Gracie (@CesarGracieBJJ) April 11, 2013
WAITING FOR 159
I weighed 216 after this morning’s practice! I’m also feeling stronger and More coordinated than ever. Time to eat up twitter.com/JonnyBones/sta…
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) April 10, 2013
15 – the number of letters in the word hydropneumatics as well as Chael beats Jones. #UFC159 #4/27/13
— chael sonnen (@sonnench) April 11, 2013
🙁
Sure I knew I always wanted to find you, but not like this… never like this… twitter.com/JohnCholish/st…
— John Cholish (@JohnCholish) April 5, 2013
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (Wednesday, April 10, 2013):
- UFC 160: Gunnar Nelson (11-0-1) out with knee injury, Rick Story (15-6) in against Mike Pyle (24-8-1)
- UFC on FOX 8: Rory MacDonald (14-1) vs. Jake Ellenberger (29-6)
- ONE FC 9: Honorio Banario (8-1) vs. Koji Oishi (23-9-10) booked for main event
- ONE FC 9: Bibiano Fernandes (13-3) vs. Koetsu Okazaki (8-2-1) booked for co-main event
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today’s Fanpost of the Dayis a slightly hilarious quickie, courtesy of Jack Power: Tito Ortiz: “Something was fishy about my last fight”
Tito Ortiz recently talked to Germany’s Groundandpound-TV about his life after retirement, surgeries and being a manager of fighters like Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos and Robert Emerson. He also expressed that something fishy went on with his last fight, assuming that the decision loss against Forrest Griffin was fixed.
“Him (Griffin) running out of the fight shows that he lost. And for Dana to go back to get him to come back…there was something fishy going on here. How did Dana know how the match was gonna turn out? I thought something was fishy about that. Was it pre-planned (what the decision would look like)?”
Video after the jump…
Found something you’d like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me on Twitter @shaunalshatti and we’ll include it in tomorrow’s column.