UFC Fight Night 119 Weigh-in Results: Main Event Made Official

The UFC Fight Night 119 weigh-ins have wrapped on. Tomorrow (Oct. 28), the UFC will hold an event inside the Ginasio do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo, Brazil. In the main event, Lyoto Machida will take on Derek Brunson. Both men tipped the scales at 185 pounds, making their middleweight clash official. Co-headliners Demian Maia and […]

The UFC Fight Night 119 weigh-ins have wrapped on. Tomorrow (Oct. 28), the UFC will hold an event inside the Ginasio do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo, Brazil. In the main event, Lyoto Machida will take on Derek Brunson. Both men tipped the scales at 185 pounds, making their middleweight clash official. Co-headliners Demian Maia and […]

Quote: Georges St-Pierre Always Fought Smaller Competition

Many have criticized Michael Bisping’s middleweight title reign. Since winning the belt with a shocking first round knockout victory over Luke Rockhold at UFC 199 in June 2016, “The Count” has only defended the title once, scoring a decision victory over Dan Henderson, who was ranked outside of the top 10 at the time, at […]

The post Quote: Georges St-Pierre Always Fought Smaller Competition appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Many have criticized Michael Bisping’s middleweight title reign.

Since winning the belt with a shocking first round knockout victory over Luke Rockhold at UFC 199 in June 2016, “The Count” has only defended the title once, scoring a decision victory over Dan Henderson, who was ranked outside of the top 10 at the time, at UFC 204 in October 2016.

Now, the 38-year-old is set to take on returning former welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre in the main event of Nov. 4’s UFC 217 from Madison Square Garden in New York City. Given the fact that St. Pierre has never competed at middleweight, Bisping has once again received some criticism for not taking on the top contenders at 185 pounds.

Interestingly enough, however, Bisping actually recently took a jab at St. Pierre’s title reign ahead of their upcoming bout. “Rush”, considered by many to be the very best welterweight of all time, defended his 170-pound title nine consecutive times, but Bisping said that he did so against smaller competition:

“He’s fought a lot of the same people over that period,” Bisping said (Via MMAFighting.com), which stretched from 2008 to 2013. “He’s fought them multiple times. And if you go through the opponents. I mean, BJ Penn, who he fought twice or three times, he’s a featherweight, right? Johny Hendricks, I mean look at Johny Hendricks these days. But still.

“Nick Diaz is a welterweight. Carlos Condit, oh, that’s a good win. Josh Koscheck, Dan Hardy, Thiago Alves — lightweight. BJ Penn — featherweight. Matt Serra — lightweight. These are all smaller guys.”

“The Count” then argued that St. Pierre faced competition that was “suited toward him size-wise and skill-wise”, which he claimed won’t be the case when they meet in New York next weekend:

“He always had that strength and size advantage,” Bisping said. “Now, he’ll probably be stronger than me in this fight, I don’t doubt it. Because he lifts a lot of weights and he’s doing his amino acids every morning and this and that. He’s a real athlete. But I’m a bigger natural guy and he’s not gonna have that advantage. So yeah, he’s great and he’s beaten a lot of competition. But he’s had competition that has been suited toward him size-wise and skill-wise. This is a different matter.”

What do you make of Bisping’s latest comments?

The post Quote: Georges St-Pierre Always Fought Smaller Competition appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Jim Miller Talks About Setting Record With 28th UFC Bout

Jim Miller will be the first athlete to fight under the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) banner 28 times. Miller will take on Francisco Trinaldo tomorrow night (Oct. 28) inside the Ginasio do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The bout will be featured on the main card of UFC Fight Night 119. Miller will have company when Michael […]

Jim Miller will be the first athlete to fight under the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) banner 28 times. Miller will take on Francisco Trinaldo tomorrow night (Oct. 28) inside the Ginasio do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The bout will be featured on the main card of UFC Fight Night 119. Miller will have company when Michael […]

New York will allow refs to consult instant replay for UFC 217

The New York Athletic Commission has codified rules for when instant replay should be used in MMA.

The New York Athletic Commission has formalized rules for using instant replay leading up to the next huge UFC event at Madison Square Garden on November 4th.

The commission found itself under fire following an incident at UFC 210 where Gegard Mousasi defeated Chris Weidman via some controversial knees. Referee Dan Miragliotta originally ruled them illegal as Weidman’s hands seemed to be touching the canvas. But after consulting with officials outside the ring who had watched replays, the strikes were deemed legal and Mousasi declared the winner. Weidman appealed the loss, noting that New York had nothing on the books allowing instant replay.

Now they do. Via Newsday:

Under NYSAC policy now, the in-ring referee is permitted to view the sequence that ended a fight to determine the correct outcome. Such a review only can occur in the time between the fight being stopped and the final decision being announced. The in-ring referee may consult with the alternate referee, but authorization to make the final call rests solely with the in-ring referee.

No fight can resume after the instant replay review.

Here’s the full instant replay policy:

NYSAC instant replay policy for MMA

1. When adequate technology is available, instant replay may be used by the in-ring referee to examine the fight ending sequence to determine the correct outcome of a bout

2. Instant replay may be used after the fight has officially concluded and before the final official outcome of the fight is announced in the ring.

3. Only the in-ring referee is authorized to initiate instant replay review.

4. The in-ring referee him/herself must watch the instant replay footage of the fight ending sequence on a video monitor provided for such purpose.

5. The in-ring referee may consult with the alternate referee to determine the correct outcome of a bout.

6. Only the in-ring referee is authorized to make the final official in-ring determination of the outcome of the bout following the instant replay review.

7. The fight cannot be resumed after the instant replay review.

8. Nothing in this policy shall restrict the Commission’s authority to review video evidence to determine the correct outcome after the final official outcome of a bout has been announced in the ring.

Now we’ll just have to see if the commission officials end up using these new powers properly. It’s been a rocky road for events held in New York over the past year. It’d be nice to think this new rule will help, but strange things continue to happen in the state that never quite seem to go by the book.

The New York Athletic Commission has codified rules for when instant replay should be used in MMA.

The New York Athletic Commission has formalized rules for using instant replay leading up to the next huge UFC event at Madison Square Garden on November 4th.

The commission found itself under fire following an incident at UFC 210 where Gegard Mousasi defeated Chris Weidman via some controversial knees. Referee Dan Miragliotta originally ruled them illegal as Weidman’s hands seemed to be touching the canvas. But after consulting with officials outside the ring who had watched replays, the strikes were deemed legal and Mousasi declared the winner. Weidman appealed the loss, noting that New York had nothing on the books allowing instant replay.

Now they do. Via Newsday:

Under NYSAC policy now, the in-ring referee is permitted to view the sequence that ended a fight to determine the correct outcome. Such a review only can occur in the time between the fight being stopped and the final decision being announced. The in-ring referee may consult with the alternate referee, but authorization to make the final call rests solely with the in-ring referee.

No fight can resume after the instant replay review.

Here’s the full instant replay policy:

NYSAC instant replay policy for MMA

1. When adequate technology is available, instant replay may be used by the in-ring referee to examine the fight ending sequence to determine the correct outcome of a bout

2. Instant replay may be used after the fight has officially concluded and before the final official outcome of the fight is announced in the ring.

3. Only the in-ring referee is authorized to initiate instant replay review.

4. The in-ring referee him/herself must watch the instant replay footage of the fight ending sequence on a video monitor provided for such purpose.

5. The in-ring referee may consult with the alternate referee to determine the correct outcome of a bout.

6. Only the in-ring referee is authorized to make the final official in-ring determination of the outcome of the bout following the instant replay review.

7. The fight cannot be resumed after the instant replay review.

8. Nothing in this policy shall restrict the Commission’s authority to review video evidence to determine the correct outcome after the final official outcome of a bout has been announced in the ring.

Now we’ll just have to see if the commission officials end up using these new powers properly. It’s been a rocky road for events held in New York over the past year. It’d be nice to think this new rule will help, but strange things continue to happen in the state that never quite seem to go by the book.

Roufus: CM Punk’s ‘real beating’ at UFC 203 ‘has been great motivation for him’

Now that CM Punk has experienced his first professional MMA fight, his coach Duke Roufus is now more confident for the next fight.

CM Punk’s professional MMA debut at UFC 203 last year was not a memorable one for him. After being submitted by Mickey Gall inside three minutes, the former WWE superstar was not expected to be seen back inside the Octagon.

But just two weeks ago, Punk’s coach Duke Roufus revealed that they are back in training camp, getting ready for the next fight. No date has been specified, but in a recent appearance on UFC Unfiltered, Roufus believes Punk had learned a lot from the previous fight.

“(UFC President Dana White) and the matchmakers had their weekly matchmaking meeting yesterday, and we’ll get some news soon,” Roufus said (transcript via MMA Junkie). “I just think the first time you step in the octagon, there’s something special you’ve got to deal with getting in there. For Punk, this sounds really weird, but now he knows what a beating feels like – a real beating.”

Punk did seem like a fish out of water in his first fight, as Gall outclassed him and finished him off with a rear-naked choke. Roufus believes the experience of such a beating was actually a motivating factor for Punk.

“I think (a loss like Punk’s at UFC 203) will help a lot of fighters to the point of haunting them, like, ‘No, I don’t want to feel this way ever again.’ It’s not the physical. These guys are tough. It’s the mental anguish,” Roufus said.

“You don’t want to feel that depressing, embarrassing feeling of getting beat up in front of God and everyone. It’s no fun. It’s been great motivation for him.”

Now that CM Punk has experienced his first professional MMA fight, his coach Duke Roufus is now more confident for the next fight.

CM Punk’s professional MMA debut at UFC 203 last year was not a memorable one for him. After being submitted by Mickey Gall inside three minutes, the former WWE superstar was not expected to be seen back inside the Octagon.

But just two weeks ago, Punk’s coach Duke Roufus revealed that they are back in training camp, getting ready for the next fight. No date has been specified, but in a recent appearance on UFC Unfiltered, Roufus believes Punk had learned a lot from the previous fight.

“(UFC President Dana White) and the matchmakers had their weekly matchmaking meeting yesterday, and we’ll get some news soon,” Roufus said (transcript via MMA Junkie). “I just think the first time you step in the octagon, there’s something special you’ve got to deal with getting in there. For Punk, this sounds really weird, but now he knows what a beating feels like – a real beating.”

Punk did seem like a fish out of water in his first fight, as Gall outclassed him and finished him off with a rear-naked choke. Roufus believes the experience of such a beating was actually a motivating factor for Punk.

“I think (a loss like Punk’s at UFC 203) will help a lot of fighters to the point of haunting them, like, ‘No, I don’t want to feel this way ever again.’ It’s not the physical. These guys are tough. It’s the mental anguish,” Roufus said.

“You don’t want to feel that depressing, embarrassing feeling of getting beat up in front of God and everyone. It’s no fun. It’s been great motivation for him.”

Michael Bisping Reacts To Recent Assault Allegations

The fallout from the news of UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping being sued continues. Earlier this week, it was reported that Bisping is facing a lawsuit after he allegedly choked a man in July. The suit was filed by Antonio Georgakopoulos, who claimed he was choked by the UFC champion when they ran into each […]

The post Michael Bisping Reacts To Recent Assault Allegations appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

The fallout from the news of UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping being sued continues.

Earlier this week, it was reported that Bisping is facing a lawsuit after he allegedly choked a man in July. The suit was filed by Antonio Georgakopoulos, who claimed he was choked by the UFC champion when they ran into each other at a 24-Hour Fitness gym in Anaheim.

It was noted that Bisping went crazy on Georgakopoulos for “taking his weights” without asking during a workout.

Antonio is claiming that Bisping called him various names including a “little punk” and an “idiot” — and then dropped the “you don’t know who I am?” line. Once the verbal tirade, Bisping grabbed him by the throat and began to squeeze thus cutting off his oxygen.

He was about to lose consciousness, but another weight lifter intervened and broke it up. This led to Bisping screaming, “Let’s take this outside.” The Anaheim Police Department then responded to the incident.

Bisping recently spoke about the lawsuit. “Total bollocks,” Bisping said Thursday at a UFC 217 media lunch. “There’s your comment.”

Bisping was not arrested as a result of the incident but rather complied with the investigation. Georgakopoulos is filing a lawsuit for assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, among others.

What’s interesting is that UFC, WME-IMG (the UFC’s parent company) and 24-Hour Fitness are named in the lawsuit.

Anaheim Police Department public information officer Sgt. Daron Wyatt told MMA Fighting that the investigation was submitted to the City Attorney’s Office and “it was determined there was insufficient evidence to file a criminal case,” Wyatt said.

According to Bisping, he believes that the lawsuit was filed this week for a reason and that is due to his upcoming title defense against former UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre at next Saturday’s UFC 217 PPV (pay-per-view) event in New York at Madison Square Garden. The main card will air on pay-per-view while the preliminary card will air on FOX Sports 1 and the promotion’s streaming service, UFC Fight Pass.

“I haven’t even been served with papers,” the UFC middleweight champion said. “They’re suing the UFC, they’re suing 24-Hour Fitness, they’re suing William Morris Endeavor, they’re suing Michael Bisping. So good luck with that. It’s completely nonfactual. From what I’ve read about it so far, there’s many, many contradictions. Obviously, it’s a lawsuit, so I don’t want to say too much, but I can just say I’m not losing too much sleep and it’s not correct.”

“You tell me,” Bisping said. “It happened months ago. It seems very, very tactical. ‘Oh, let’s bring it out a week before the biggest fight of his life.’ Bring some attention to it, perhaps. Look for a settlement. I’m already saying too much. Good job.”

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