Greasin’? Fine. Questionable hand wraps? Sure. But deep cover espionage? Perhaps you were correct to balk at the notion.
After Tito Ortiz claimed earlier this week that he had not only conspired to have his Bellator 131 opponent signed by the promotion, but to have planted a mole into his training camp, Stephan Bonnar isn’t buying it.
“That’s hilarious,” Bonnar said of the claims. “He’s just fishing for something. The bottom line is [wrestling coach] Paul Herrera is not working with him. Paul Herrera’s working with me on my wrestling defense and what Tito’s good at.
“I could watch Tito’s fights. I know them all. I know his double leg, his underhook to knee tap. We worked on defending his game. If it is true, it doesn’t matter because my wrestling got a lot better working with Paul Herrera. No one else can be in the cage with Tito.”
Scoffing at the idea that Ortiz orchestrated a plot to fight him on his own terms as a dig at UFC president Dana White, Bonnar doesn’t believe Ortiz would even be capable.
“He is full of s**t,” said Bonnar. “And that stuff he said about Dana White, too? Like, [He] wanted the fight to be in the UFC and he masterminded it. He’s so full of s**t. Tito’s too dumb to pull any of that anyway.”
Bonnar’s last fight in the UFC happened to be a 2012 non-title, main-event against then-champion Anderson Silva at UFC 153, but says he accepted retirement after ‘not seeing eye to eye’ with White over his future.
According to Bonnar, White refused to book him against higher profile names once he gave up the light-heavyweight title pursuit in favor of marquee fights.
“I accepted that and moved on with my life,” said Bonnar. “But then Bellator gave me a ring and music to my ears. This is the kind of fight that sparks my interest.
“It’s a big fight. It’s what I wanted. I can’t ask for anything more. It’s a blessing. I’m getting paid money to punch Tito Ortiz, probably the biggest a**hole the sport’s ever known. Someone’s going to pay me to do that? That’s truly a blessing.”
Bonnar faces Ortiz Nov. 15 in the main event at Bellator 131.
5 MUST-READ STORIES
Didn’t take long. ESPN has hired Chael Sonnen as its new MMA analyst. ‘He has paid for the mistakes that he has made, and he’s moving forward.’
Not so fast. Bellator announced Tuesday that Wanderlei Silva will not be able to participate in a promotional event ‘due to prior contractual obligations.’
No. 3 vs. No. 14. Rafael dos Anjos doesn’t think Nate Diaz deserves to fight him at UFC on FOX 13. ‘I’m looking forward beating him and getting my title shot.’
All clear. Tito Ortiz and Stephan Bonnar pass random drug tests prior to Bellator 131.
Angry Eagle. Khabib Nurmagomedov jokingly suggests he will beat up all Americans for the sanctions imposed on Russia. ‘There are so many foreign fighters who can and must be beaten.’
MEDIA STEW
UFC 180 embedded episode 1.
UFC 179 Fight Motion.
Viewer submission from Inside MMA.
Robin Black’s breakdown of Mark Hunt.
Phuket Dreaming Episode 6 featuring Cris Cyborg and Tito Ortiz.
Free Fight: Robbie Lawler vs. Matt Brown.
Long watches.
…
TWEETS
Bonus buddies.
Got in the mail today BIg thanks to @danawhite for the new boots! About slick as eal shit Cc @DreFabrizio pic.twitter.com/Dk2NMc1szu
— Cowboy Cerrone (@Cowboycerrone) November 12, 2014
@Cowboycerrone pleasure bro!!!!
— Dana White (@danawhite) November 12, 2014
That retail therapy feels so nice. #VegasLiving http://t.co/4w6dE2eRRO pic.twitter.com/oeR1WmRqMu
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) November 12, 2014
All the Doritos.
Direto de Porto Alegre,Brasil para o mundo com #DORITOS http://t.co/osyH4sYRmX
— Fabricio Werdum (@FabricioWerdum) November 12, 2014
Signing all the @ufc swag ?? #UFC180 pic.twitter.com/12VeXQya8H
— Jessica Eye (@jessicaevileye) November 11, 2014
Dillashaw as Brad?
First rule of teamalphamalemma calendar u can’t talk about #TAM calendar. Coming soon. @ufc @honfoto… http://t.co/TTLlahmLLC
— Urijah Faber (@UrijahFaber) November 12, 2014
Get well soon.
Doing some therapy work and healing fast! #MMA #UFC pic.twitter.com/WizL4pPaha
— Andrei Arlovski (@AndreiArlovski) November 11, 2014
“@DCSCATERING: @Unclecreepymma Hope your feeling better bro… rough trip! Better days ahead … no doubt” I’ll be better soon
— Ian McCall (@Unclecreepymma) November 11, 2014
Doing some healing at @cryohealthcare and ran into @therealeddiebravo and @bensaundersmma http://t.co/Wr2s4MTUwo pic.twitter.com/vRDRJnHXgP
— Alan Jouban (@AlanJouban) November 11, 2014
Let’s play “which one is probably broken”. http://t.co/wSd4jAsDOj pic.twitter.com/2nSzElB0I0
— James Krause (@TheJamesKrause) November 11, 2014
Congrats.
@sonnench congratulations Gangster pic.twitter.com/xPApAfHBXC
— Kelvin Gastelum (@KelvinGastelum) November 11, 2014
Outstanding.
Nobody loves Mark Hunt more than @MikeMav22 I know how much he’ll appreciate this picture the most. pic.twitter.com/wgX9ZRAVXP
— Andy Ogle (@thelittleaxe) November 12, 2014
The struggle.
If you mix a lil ketchup & hot sauce into your ramen noodles, it taste exactly like #thestruggle
— Jordan Johnson (@doublejmma) November 9, 2014
Keyboard warriors these days …. Smh
— Kelvin Gastelum (@KelvinGastelum) November 11, 2014
Bye bye blue check mark……. :/
— Stipe Miocic (@stipemiocicufc) November 12, 2014
IVE BEEN BAM BOOZLED!!!! I went to make some hot GREEN tea… Boiled my water, drooped in my GREEN tea… http://t.co/UzOlh3qxme
— Corey Anderson UFC (@CoreyA_MMA) November 11, 2014
Watching these fights are killing me!! #UFCFightNight I want back in the octagon!! @mikeMMAinc
— Alexis Davis (@AlexisDavisMMA) November 9, 2014
See even @johnlineker agrees … God hates me idk if being funny had anything to do with it. Struck me down with the plague #sinner
— Ian McCall (@Unclecreepymma) November 10, 2014
“@mrfamousface: @ForrestGriffin you’re not a fighter anymore. Put a shirt on & change that profile pic… fella…” Really good point
— Forrest Griffin (@ForrestGriffin) November 9, 2014
#creepymessageoftheday …. Or just really angry and disgruntled http://t.co/xOKSg2U0Hy
— Felice Herrig (@feliceherrig) November 11, 2014
my ears are too big for this car. ??? ??? ?? ?????????? ???????? ??? …….. http://t.co/4ri4drQzsL pic.twitter.com/B5X66dy95Y
— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) November 5, 2014
Fuck you Hot Topic for only selling Sailor Moon singlets in women’s cuts! pic.twitter.com/oZuWwzanEn
— Ben ‘Manimal’ Wall (@BenWallMMA) November 12, 2014
Well I can sign in to Fight Pass, everything is just blocked. Ugh. Why Brazil why??
— Charlie Brenneman (@SpaniardMMA) November 5, 2014
Apple cider vinegar… we have a love hate relationship. #thestruggleisreal pic.twitter.com/g2rqjnYluH
— ‘Rowdy’ Bec Rawlings (@RowdyBec) November 10, 2014
C’MON MAN JUST GIMME MY FCKN DOG BACK… http://t.co/4fu1Z6YYtP
— MAYHEM (@mayhemmiller) November 10, 2014
Never forget pic.twitter.com/Kr8LQFyiXm
— Nick Newell (@NotoriousNewell) November 9, 2014
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (Oct. 11 2014)
Hacran Dias vs. Darren Elkins at UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Dollaway
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today’s Fanpost of the Day comes via HerrDannyboy.
Why 2013 Kicked this MMA Fan’s @ss Part 10: October: We have Science!
Preamble
In terms of raw violence, severe concussions and outright ridiculous moments, more shit happened in October 2013 than all of 2014 combined.
As to how my ass was kicked once again this month: I was still bitter from the Anderson loss to Weidman at the time and was hoping Junior would provide me and my wallet with a genuine feel good moment by reclaiming the Heavyweight title.
The exact opposite happened.
***
We start off the month with UFC Fight Night: Maia vs. Shields, live from Barueri Brazil and free on Fox – a gambler’s dream as it’s mostly Brazilian vs non Brazilian.
Result
Raphael Assuancao split decisions T.J. Dillishaw in a close, Fight of the Night-worthy performance.
Leglock idiot savant Rousimar Palhares manages to sink in his trademark heel hook on Mike Pierce in just 31 seconds.
Despite his opponent tapping, tapping on the ref, sending out a “Tap” tweet and Morse code rendition on the canvas and screaming the word: “Tap” multiple times, Toquinho would apply more torque to the hold until he was pried off by the official.
…
Check out the rest of the post here.
Found something you’d like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me up on Twitter @SaintMMA and we’ll include it in tomorrow’s column.