Cris Cyborg’s camp denies taking ‘career advice’ from Tito Ortiz, who claims she wanted time off to ‘enjoy Christmas’

It’s been well-documented that Cris Cyborg turned down several offers from Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to compete in the promotion’s first-ever women’s Featherweight title fight. It’s an opportunity for which she lobbied several years and even destroyed her body in 2016 to try and make happen.

But, when the call finally came, company president Dana White revealed that the Brazilian wrecking machine had one excuse after another to not fight (see them here). To make matters worse, United States Anti Doping Agency (USADA) revealed shortly thereafter that she had been flagged for a potential doping violation. Cyborg, though, denied any wrong doing, blaming a doctor-prescribed diuretic for the failed test; meanwhile, White remained skeptical.

Nevertheless, according to Tito Ortiz, who once served as part of her management team, he advised “Cyborg” to accept the deal and fight for the belt … even though she claims she was still recovering from a near-death experience.

“I told her to take the fight,” Ortiz told MMAjunkie. “She said, ‘Tito, I’ve been working really, really hard for the last three years. I’ve been cutting a lot of weight. I want to enjoy Christmas time. I want to go on vacation,’ and I understood that. Personally, I understood that,” said Ortiz.

But, that conversation never took place, according to Ray Elbe, a rep for the current Invicta FC champion, stating that Cyborg, “has not sought career advice from him in some time as he no longer plays a part in her management.” Indeed, while Ortiz was once an integral part of Cyborg’s management team, the two went their separate ways in 2014, long before the devastating striker got her first fight inside the Octagon, which came at UFC 198 in 2016.

Here’s a good reason for the split:

As a result of Cyborg’s refusal to accept the bout, Holly Holm and Germaine de Randamie were booked to compete for the first-ever UFC’s women’s Featherweight title at UFC 208 in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Feb. 11, 2017.

The show must go on!

It’s been well-documented that Cris Cyborg turned down several offers from Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to compete in the promotion’s first-ever women’s Featherweight title fight. It’s an opportunity for which she lobbied several years and even destroyed her body in 2016 to try and make happen.

But, when the call finally came, company president Dana White revealed that the Brazilian wrecking machine had one excuse after another to not fight (see them here). To make matters worse, United States Anti Doping Agency (USADA) revealed shortly thereafter that she had been flagged for a potential doping violation. Cyborg, though, denied any wrong doing, blaming a doctor-prescribed diuretic for the failed test; meanwhile, White remained skeptical.

Nevertheless, according to Tito Ortiz, who once served as part of her management team, he advised “Cyborg” to accept the deal and fight for the belt … even though she claims she was still recovering from a near-death experience.

“I told her to take the fight,” Ortiz told MMAjunkie. “She said, ‘Tito, I’ve been working really, really hard for the last three years. I’ve been cutting a lot of weight. I want to enjoy Christmas time. I want to go on vacation,’ and I understood that. Personally, I understood that,” said Ortiz.

But, that conversation never took place, according to Ray Elbe, a rep for the current Invicta FC champion, stating that Cyborg, “has not sought career advice from him in some time as he no longer plays a part in her management.” Indeed, while Ortiz was once an integral part of Cyborg’s management team, the two went their separate ways in 2014, long before the devastating striker got her first fight inside the Octagon, which came at UFC 198 in 2016.

Here’s a good reason for the split:

As a result of Cyborg’s refusal to accept the bout, Holly Holm and Germaine de Randamie were booked to compete for the first-ever UFC’s women’s Featherweight title at UFC 208 in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Feb. 11, 2017.

The show must go on!

Bryan Caraway Out Of UFC FN 103, Jimmie Rivera In Need Of Replacement Opponent

The UFC’s upcoming Fight Night event from Phoenix, Arizona just lost a pivotal 135-pound match-up, as Bryan Caraway was forced to pull out of his scheduled bout with Jimmie Rivera due to a shoulder injury he suffered last month. Caraway is currently the No. 5-ranked bantamweight in the UFC, and is riding the hype of

The post Bryan Caraway Out Of UFC FN 103, Jimmie Rivera In Need Of Replacement Opponent appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

The UFC’s upcoming Fight Night event from Phoenix, Arizona just lost a pivotal 135-pound match-up, as Bryan Caraway was forced to pull out of his scheduled bout with Jimmie Rivera due to a shoulder injury he suffered last month.

Caraway is currently the No. 5-ranked bantamweight in the UFC, and is riding the hype of in impressive two-fight win streak, with his most recent win coming over the formerly undefeated Aljamain Sterling in May.

Rivera is an impressive prospect at 135 pounds who is currently the No. 6-ranked in the bantamweight division, not having lost a mixed martial arts (MMA) bout in nearly a decade. His most recent win was an impressive one, over the recently retired multiple time title challenger ‘The California Kid’ Urijah Faber.

Now New Jersey native is in need of a late-notice replacement for Fight Night in Phoenix.

UFC Fight Night 103 is set to go down live on FS1 from the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona on January 15, 2017. The event is headlined by the return of UFC Hall Of Famer BJ Penn who takes on No. 10-ranked featherweight Yair Rodriguez.

The updated UFC Fight Night 103 card is as followed:

MAIN CARD (FS1, 10 p.m. ET)

Yair Rodriguez vs. B.J. Penn

Marcin Held vs. Joe Lauzon

Court McGee vs. Ben Saunders

Jimmie Rivera vs. TBA

PRELIMINARY CARD (FS1, 8 p.m. ET)

John Moraga vs. Sergio Pettis

Augusto Mendes vs. Frankie Saenz

Aleksei Oleinik vs. Viktor Pesta

Tony Martin vs. Alex White

PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC Fight Pass, 6 p.m. ET)

Nina Ansaroff vs. Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger

Drakkar Klose vs. Devin Powell

Walt Harris vs. Chase Sherman

Joachim Christensen vs. Bojan Mihajlovic

Cyril Asker vs. Dmitrii Smoliakov

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Todd Grisham Joins The UFC Broadcasting Team…How Do We Feel About This?

Now that UFC 207 has come and gone, there are somethings that have been left in it’s wake. For one, the possible retirement of Ronda Rousey. Secondly, the emergence of Cody Garbrandt. And thirdly, the bittersweet “so long” of 19 year cage side announcer Mike Goldberg.

The post Todd Grisham Joins The UFC Broadcasting Team…How Do We Feel About This? appeared first on Cagepotato.

 

“It’s All Over!”

Now that UFC 207 has come and gone, there are somethings that have been left in it’s wake. For one, the possible retirement of Ronda Rousey. Secondly, the emergence of Cody Garbrandt. And thirdly, the bittersweet “so long” of 19 year cage side announcer Mike Goldberg.

While he wasn’t exactly a vast array of MMA knowledge, he certainly bought Charisma to the cage and when you heard that voice, you knew it was about to go down!

But with the end of one thing brings the beginning of something new, and while we expect newest member of the UFC broadcasting team Todd Grisham to Butcher Joanna  Jedrzejczyk’s ( /yo-an-nahyen-jrey-chik/) name a couple of times, I for one am excited about the MMA newbie. And here’s why.

Exhibit A: He can take a superkick to the mouth

For those of you who don’t know much about Grisham, he was a broadcaster and personality for the WWE from 2204-2011, taking his share of bumps along the way. In the video above he plays a pretty good straight man to rowdy antics of “sexy boy” Shawn Michaels. Gotta respect a guy who can take a good superkick to the mouth and still have the wherewithal to read a teleprompter.

Exhibit B: He use to work for ESPN

After parting ways with the WWE network in 2011, Grisham has been working as in studio host to Friday Night Fights as well as SportCenter Anchor. This means that not only does he bring a certain level of professionalism, he’s a fan of all combat sports who’s use to doing his research.

Exhibit C: Joe Rogan and Kenny Florian

While he may not be the most knowledgeable in MMA, that’s what Joe Rogan and Kenny Florian are for. Let them break down every grappling sequence to a sweet science, sometimes MMA fans, like girls, just wanna have fun!

In all seriousness, it seems like we’re getting a real professional with a personality to boot. A true fan of combat sports who’s not afraid to walk on the wild side. While the learning curb will be steep, all in all this could be a good direction for the UFC.

For those of you who just can’t get enough of Mike Goldberg,We’ve found a video that compiled some of his biggest blunders all in one foul swoop. You know like the time he compared Mike Tyson to the great fighter “George Holmes”…? Exactly.

“One of the most talented fighters to ever enter the octagon is B.J. Penn, the pra-gidy.”

“His precision is ugh,…really precise”

“CB Dollaway makes a bad decision, and now he gets a second chance tonight, to earn a victory against CB Dollaway.”

“There is twin brother Mark, working with equally aged twin brother Matt…” – Mike Goldberg

What do you guys think of the new switch? Have the WME-IMG finally done something right?

 

The post Todd Grisham Joins The UFC Broadcasting Team…How Do We Feel About This? appeared first on Cagepotato.

Bryan Caraway Off UFC Fight Night Card in Phoenix Due to Injury

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJKGEh52tF4

The first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event of 2017 was dealt a blow today. A bantamweight bout between Bryan Caraway and Jimmie Rivera has been scrapped for the Jan. 15 card. MMAJunkie.com brough…

bryan-caraway

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJKGEh52tF4

The first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event of 2017 was dealt a blow today. A bantamweight bout between Bryan Caraway and Jimmie Rivera has been scrapped for the Jan. 15 card. MMAJunkie.com brought word that Caraway suffered an injury that has forced him to pull out. The search for Rivera’s replacement is underway.

It’s a tough break for both men who are coming off the biggest wins of their careers. Caraway pulled off an upset over previously unbeaten prospect Aljamain Sterling back in May 2016. The win shot “Kid Lightening” up to No. 10 on the bantamweight rankings. Caraway has won two straight fights.

Rivera last fought at UFC 203 and was able to outwork the now retired “California Kid” Urijah Faber to earn a unanimous decision win. “El Terror” sits at No. 8 in the 135-pound division. Rivera’s only loss occurred in the second bout of his professional career.

The rest of the Phoenix card remains unscathed. The main card will be headlined by a featherweight clash between rising prospect Yair Rodriguez and UFC Hall of Famer B.J. Penn. Lightweight veteran Joe Lauzon will go toe-to-toe with former Bellator contender Marcin Held. Veterans Court McGee and Ben Saunders will also be showcased.

Stick with MMANews.com for more details on Rivera’s status on the card as they become available.

Quote: Cody Garbrandt Is Not Invincible

Reigning World Series of Fighting (WSOF) bantamweight champion Marlon Moraes is widely considered to be the best 135 pounder competing outside of the UFC and after defending his title for the fifth consecutive time this past weekend (Dec. 31, 2016) in New York, he is once again a free agent. While it’s unclear where he’ll

The post Quote: Cody Garbrandt Is Not Invincible appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Reigning World Series of Fighting (WSOF) bantamweight champion Marlon Moraes is widely considered to be the best 135 pounder competing outside of the UFC and after defending his title for the fifth consecutive time this past weekend (Dec. 31, 2016) in New York, he is once again a free agent.

While it’s unclear where he’ll end up, the Brazilian made it clear that he’s interested in fighting the best:

“My idea is to fight the best and be valued for that,” Moraes told MMAjunkie. “I have what it takes to fight the best, I’m absolutely certain.

“Let’s see what we’re going to do. I’m excited, and I hope good offers arrive.”

With that being said, Moraes is well aware that the best fighters typically compete in the UFC, but he admitted that the offer must be right:

“The best are in the UFC,” Moraes said. “It doesn’t take an MMA expert to say that. Certainly, the best are there. But let’s see, let’s see if a good offer comes along and we can fight them and see what I can do. Because I’m sure I can arrive there in impressive fashion – not just there, but in any event, against any athlete in my division.”

Interesting enough, the UFC bantamweight strap was on the line last Friday (Dec. 30, 2016) just one day prior to Moraes’ fight. In a thrilling upset, Cody Garbrandt beat Dominick Cruz to steal the title and Moraes said he was ‘motivated’ by the fight:

“It was a very good fight, with an extremely high technical level,” Moraes said. “It was the day before my fight, and it was good. It really motivated me. And I saw that I’m at that level. It got me very happy and confident for my fight.”

As far as Garbrandt goes, Moraes admits that “No Love” is a talented fighter, although not one that the Brazilian feels is unbeatable:

“I thought Cody fought very well,” Moraes said. “He’s a very tough athlete, very good. That’s it, he’s good, but not invincible.”

Stay tuned to LowKickMMA as more news regarding Moraes’ free agency unfolds.

The post Quote: Cody Garbrandt Is Not Invincible appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Video: Freddie Roach Thinks Ronda Rousey Should Retire

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AfSyQZvNH8

World renowned boxing trainer Freddie Roach is no stranger to mixed martial arts (MMA). The man who has helped boxing greats such as Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto, has also trained future Ultimate Fighti…

freddie-roach

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AfSyQZvNH8

World renowned boxing trainer Freddie Roach is no stranger to mixed martial arts (MMA). The man who has helped boxing greats such as Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto, has also trained future Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Hall of Famer Georges St. Pierre on the “sweet science.”

Roach knows what he’s talking about when it comes to boxing. At UFC 193, Ronda Rousey suffered a loss for the first time in her career. It was a brutal knockout defeat at the hands of Holly Holm. Roach said “Rowdy’s” loss was a little “embarrassing.”

Fast forward to the aftermath of UFC 207, and the story remains the same. Women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes successfully defended her title in a 48-second TKO thrashing of Rousey. TMZ Sports caught up with Roach to get his thoughts:

“Muay Thai is a stand-up fight game also. Muay Thai can go to the ground, but mostly it’s stand-up and she doesn’t do well with stand-up. Everyone has her number now.”

Roach’s assessment of the fight was short and to the point.

“(It) was 48 seconds of a beating, but that’s the fight game.”

When asked about Rousey’s mother calling for her daughter to retire, Roach didn’t disagree with her.

“She’s right.”