UFC Suspends Heavyweight Ben Rothwell for Elevated Levels of Testosterone

It looks like Ben Rothwell will be spending the next nine month on the sidelines.
The 35-year-old Milwaukee-based fighter recently battled his way back into the win column by knocking out Brandon Vera in the third round of their bout at UFC 164. While …

It looks like Ben Rothwell will be spending the next nine month on the sidelines.

The 35-year-old Milwaukee-based fighter recently battled his way back into the win column by knocking out Brandon Vera in the third round of their bout at UFC 164. While the flurry-filled stoppage was impressive, any momentum he hoped to gain from the victory has been brought to halt, as Rothwell announced on Thursday he has been suspended by the UFC for elevated levels of testosterone in his post-fight drug test.

MMA Junkie first broke the story as “Big Ben” released an official statement to the site regarding the situation:

Following my victory at UFC 164 I was informed I tested for an elevated level of testosterone. This came as a shock because I had applied for and was granted a TRT exemption and was doing so under the supervision of a doctor. I was tested every week for eight weeks prior to the fight and was well under the acceptable level each time.

After getting the news of the elevated test, I spoke with the Wisconsin Athletic Commission and they decided to give me an administrative warning. I was told they didn’t think I tried to cheat, but felt some punishment was necessary. I have now been informed the UFC has elected to suspend me for nine months. 

The Kenosha-based fighter’s suspension will add another chapter to the ongoing debate surrounding TRT and its place in mixed martial arts. Where UFC President Dana White was once indifferent to the matter in past years, the promotion’s figurehead has taken a hard line as of late. White hasn’t pulled punches when asked about the matter and vowed to increase the testing of fighters who are granted the therapeutic usage exemption (TUE).

Rothwell has experienced mixed results, going 3-3, since joining the UFC in 2009. The bout with Vera at UFC 164 was a crucial fight due to his lingering status in the division and it will be interesting to see where he stands with the organization in the aftermath of this incident. 

Whether the victory will be overturned also remains to be seen since the matter was handled by the UFC directly and not the Wisconsin Athletic Commission.

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

 

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Matt Riddle Cuts Retirement Short, Returns at Bellator 109

The circus for Matt Riddle continues, as the recently retired mixed martial artist finds himself back in the game after a few short weeks.
He was originally slated to compete in the Season 9 Bellator welterweight tournament, but a rib injury forced him…

The circus for Matt Riddle continues, as the recently retired mixed martial artist finds himself back in the game after a few short weeks.

He was originally slated to compete in the Season 9 Bellator welterweight tournament, but a rib injury forced him out before he could enter the cage. Thinking that Bellator couldn’t get him another fight until next year, Riddle decided to hang up the gloves for good.

Or so he thought.

According to Matt Erickson of MMA Junkie, he is now back with Bellator, coming out of his extremely brief retirement. Plus, he will have a fight before the end of the year, taking a bout at Bellator 109 against an opponent to be determined.

Riddle has been on a wild ride the last few years. The medical marijuana user was with the UFC for his entire career until he was cut for failing multiple drug tests.

He then signed with Legacy Fighting Championship; however, Bellator bought out his contract and planned to use him in one of its tournaments.

That’s where the ride got rocky. Riddle got injured close to fight time and was forced to withdraw from the tournament. He was replaced by Ron Keslar and was told he wouldn’t be able to get a fight until next year.

Riddle said he had had enough. He told MMA Junkie that he didn’t “want anything to do with” the sport and was ready to give up MMA to get a “real job.”

It appears he has patched things up with Bellator for now. This could be good for him, as he is a skilled wrestler with an exciting style and good lasting power.

He has the potential to be a mainstay with the company as long as his drug tests come back clean. One has to expect him to be in a future welterweight tournament to make up for his absence in this season’s tourney.

Stay tuned with Bleacher Report for more information as we move forward, including a potential opponent and possible implications of a future tournament.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

On This Day in MMA History: Gina Carano Weighs in Nude and Sets into Motion the Collapse of EliteXC


(Photo via Esther Lin/Combat Lifestyle.) 

“I get a lot of flack from people who are like ‘oh she’s not serious about fighting’ and that’s not it at all…I’m not just a fighter…I’m a bunch of things, I have a lot of interests…I’m really looking forward to after this fight just sticking to a routine and a program. I’m just getting a handle on it, I think that’s why I’ve slipped up in certain areas, missing weight, I’ve been all over the place, cause I didn’t have any stability or anything.”

That’s former WMMA star Gina Carano defending herself after missing weight by nearly 5 pounds prior to her bout against Kaitlin Young at EliteXC: Primetime. And indeed, many fans were questioning Carano’s “Conviction” after her weigh-in blunder, but those questions would quickly turn into cheers when Carano was forced to drop trou to make weight for her next bout with Kelly Kobold at EliteXC: Heat — five years ago today.

Of all the “On This Day in MMA History” posts we have ever done, this is the only entry in which we almost got to see a naked Gina Carano, and that’s kind of what MMA is all about, is it not? While Carano would defeat both Young and Kobold despite missing weight, she would be chased right out of the sport by Cyborg Santos (who is looking pretty good herself these days, all things considered) in their August 2009 Strikeforce title fight. While we would try to replace Carano with Ronda Rousey some three years later, WMMA would truly never be the same again.

These days, Carano is enjoying a budding film career, with a starring role in Steven Soderbergh’s Haywire and a supporting role in Fast & Furious 6 already under her beltas well as an upcoming role in an all-female version of The Expendables on the horizon. Carano is also set to star in the action-thriller In the Blood, which according to The Hollywood Reporter, will see Carano play, “A wife whose husband disappears while they’re on their honeymoon in the Caribbean. She takes matters into her own hands and pursues the men who took him, uncovering a deeper conspiracy.”


(Photo via Esther Lin/Combat Lifestyle.) 

“I get a lot of flack from people who are like ‘oh she’s not serious about fighting’ and that’s not it at all…I’m not just a fighter…I’m a bunch of things, I have a lot of interests…I’m really looking forward to after this fight just sticking to a routine and a program. I’m just getting a handle on it, I think that’s why I’ve slipped up in certain areas, missing weight, I’ve been all over the place, cause I didn’t have any stability or anything.”

That’s former WMMA star Gina Carano defending herself after missing weight by nearly 5 pounds prior to her bout against Kaitlin Young at EliteXC: Primetime. And indeed, many fans were questioning Carano’s “Conviction” after her weigh-in blunder, but those questions would quickly turn into cheers when Carano was forced to drop trou to make weight for her next bout with Kelly Kobold at EliteXC: Heat — five years ago today.

Of all the “On This Day in MMA History” posts we have ever done, this is the only entry in which we almost got to see a naked Gina Carano, and that’s kind of what MMA is all about, is it not? While Carano would defeat both Young and Kobold despite missing weight, she would be chased right out of the sport by Cyborg Santos (who is looking pretty good herself these days, all things considered) in their August 2009 Strikeforce title fight. While we would try to replace Carano with Ronda Rousey some three years later, WMMA would truly never be the same again.

These days, Carano is enjoying a budding film career, with a starring role in Steven Soderbergh’s Haywire and a supporting role in Fast & Furious 6 already under her beltas well as an upcoming role in an all-female version of The Expendables on the horizon. Carano is also set to star in the action-thriller In the Blood, which according to The Hollywood Reporter, will see Carano play, “A wife whose husband disappears while they’re on their honeymoon in the Caribbean. She takes matters into her own hands and pursues the men who took him, uncovering a deeper conspiracy.”

Perhaps the most fascinating thing about Carano’s nude weigh-in — and really, the EliteXC: Heat weigh-ins in generals (video below) — was that it served as precursor to the batshit insanity that would take place the following evening.

You all know the story (but in case you don’t, MMAFighting’s Chuck Mindenhall wrote a brilliant retrospective of EliteXC: Heat yesterday): Ken Shamrock continued his fall from grace by injuring himself moments before he was set to face Kimbo Slice in the night’s main event. Shamrock was eventually replaced by UFC veteran and *light* heavyweight Seth Petruzelli, although not before his adopted brother, Frank Shamrock, offered to take a dive against Kimbo.

One thing led to another on fight night and before Kimbo knew what hit him, ROCKY WAS HERE!! Unfortunately for EliteXC, “Rocky” later informed several media outlets that he was more or less (more) paid to stand and trade with Kimbo, leading to the eventual collapse of the promotion altogether.

While you could argue that the blame for EliteXC’s undoing rests solely on the shoulders of $kala, we’d like to think that the events which transpired on the weekend of October 3rd, 2008 were all thanks to the otherworldly power of Gina Carano’s awesome boobage. We’re cup half full kind of guys.


(Things start to get interesting around the 2:15 mark.)

Oh, I almost forgot.

J. Jones

Renzo Gracie Gives Inspirational Quote About MMA Comeback, Still Manages to Reference Nut Sacks


(Renzo, age 18. Photo via @RenzoGracieBJJ)

Renzo Gracie, who hasn’t competed in MMA since his TKO loss to Matt Hughes over three years ago, wants to fight again. “There’s nothing that I want to do more than to be back in the cage, to be back fighting,” the 46-year-old said on The MMA Hour last month. “Life has been pushing me everywhere but in that direction, but now I’m getting so tired and frustrated with everything else that I’m going to just bury myself into a mat and train the whole day, and do what I love, which is training and fighting.”

After UFC president Dana White questioned the wisdom of Renzo’s comeback, Gracie shared this philosophical response with MMAFighting:

For having nothing to prove nor nothing to gain. To fight for what it is without reason, without greed, just for the passion to step once again in the arena and be an inspiration for a future generation of great fighters. To prove that age is only a handicap for the soft ones. And above all, because I love it.

My man, I’m fighting. It doesn’t matter where. Even for free. Last time I checked I didn’t have wrinkles. Not even on my nut sack.

Renzo Gracie. MMA pioneer. Street vigilante. Balls as smooth as eggs. Legend.


(Renzo, age 18. Photo via @RenzoGracieBJJ)

Renzo Gracie, who hasn’t competed in MMA since his TKO loss to Matt Hughes over three years ago, wants to fight again. ”There’s nothing that I want to do more than to be back in the cage, to be back fighting,” the 46-year-old said on The MMA Hour last month. “Life has been pushing me everywhere but in that direction, but now I’m getting so tired and frustrated with everything else that I’m going to just bury myself into a mat and train the whole day, and do what I love, which is training and fighting.”

After UFC president Dana White questioned the wisdom of Renzo’s comeback, Gracie shared this philosophical response with MMAFighting:

For having nothing to prove nor nothing to gain. To fight for what it is without reason, without greed, just for the passion to step once again in the arena and be an inspiration for a future generation of great fighters. To prove that age is only a handicap for the soft ones. And above all, because I love it.

My man, I’m fighting. It doesn’t matter where. Even for free. Last time I checked I didn’t have wrinkles. Not even on my nut sack.

Renzo Gracie. MMA pioneer. Street vigilante. Balls as smooth as eggs. Legend.

Still in negotiations, Roger Gracie moves back to light heavyweight division

UFC opted not to renew Roger Gracie’s contract with the promotion following his unanimous decision loss to Tim Kennedy at UFC 162, and the jiu-jitsu specialist hasn’t decided his next step in MMA.
“I haven’t signed…

UFC opted not to renew Roger Gracie’s contract with the promotion following his unanimous decision loss to Tim Kennedy at UFC 162, and the jiu-jitsu specialist hasn’t decided his next step in MMA.

“I haven’t signed with anyone yet,” Gracie told MMAFighting.com. “I’m busy with my gym, family and seminars, so I believe nothing will happen before the end of the year.”

According to Gracie, several promotions have contacted his managers Ed Soares and Jorge Guimaraes offering contracts, but his next home is still to be determined.

“I’ll probably (define it) early next year,” he said. “My managers spoke with some promotions, but I don’t get involved with that. They call me with updates, but they are the ones who negotiate the deals.”

Gracie, the best competitor in jiu-jitsu history with 10 world titles, made his MMA debut in 2006 and went 2-0 as a heavyweight. He decided to drop to 205 pounds when he signed with Strikeforce, submitting Kevin Randleman and Trevor Prangley, but opted to cut to 185 pounds following a loss to Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal.

After a 2-1 run at the middleweight division, the Brazilian will move back to 205 pounds.

“I think I won’t move down to middleweight again,” he said. “It’s a hard cut for me and it’s hurting my performance. My weight is 205 pounds.”

Roger Gracie won’t rule out a return to jiu-jitsu competition either.

“There’s a chance,” he said. “I’m still thinking if I will return to jiu-jitsu or just keep fighting MMA. I’ll make a decision by the end of the year, but there’s a good chance that I will return to jiu-jitsu again.”

[VIDEO] 5 Things We Learned From ‘UFC Primetime: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos III’ Episode 1

(Video via the UFC’s Youtube page)

In advance of their UFC 166 world heavyweight title main event on October 19th, champion Cain Velasquez and challenger Junior Dos Santos are being featured in another UFC Primetime documentary series. Episode 1 premiered Wednesday night and already began to reveal a number of interesting tidbits about the fighters and their training camps heading into the rubber match of their trilogy.

1. Junior Dos Santos may be challenging Georges St. Pierre for having the most scientific training camp in the world.

Dos Santos demonstrated incredible will and conditioning throughout the five-round beating he took from Velasquez in their second fight so it was amazing to hear that he wasn’t at his best for the fight, physically. In fact, the then-champion had over-trained for the fight, resulting in a nasty condition called rhabdomyolysis, where muscle fibers were breaking off and let loose into his blood stream.

To make sure that doesn’t happen again to him this training camp, we learned in last night’s episode that Dos Santos has employed a group of scientists who constantly test his blood. He gets his blood drawn at home, he gets it drawn at the gym right before sparring and the white coats spend the rest of the day testing and analyzing his samples and preparing reports for Junior and his team. Dos Santos’ sophisticated strength and conditioning program is informed by that blood work.

By the looks of it, this is some of the most scientific preparation we’ve seen outside of Georges St. Pierre doing gymnastics and benefiting from the French-Canadian supplement-wrestling complex.

2. Daniel Cormier doesn’t plan on showering after he fights Roy Nelson.


(Video via the UFC’s Youtube page)

In advance of their UFC 166 world heavyweight title main event on October 19th, champion Cain Velasquez and challenger Junior Dos Santos are being featured in another UFC Primetime documentary series. Episode 1 premiered Wednesday night and already began to reveal a number of interesting tidbits about the fighters and their training camps heading into the rubber match of their trilogy.

1. Junior Dos Santos may be challenging Georges St. Pierre for having the most scientific training camp in the world.

Dos Santos demonstrated incredible will and conditioning throughout the five-round beating he took from Velasquez in their second fight so it was amazing to hear that he wasn’t at his best for the fight, physically. In fact, the then-champion had over-trained for the fight, resulting in a nasty condition called rhabdomyolysis, where muscle fibers were breaking off and let loose into his blood stream.

To make sure that doesn’t happen again to him this training camp, we learned in last night’s episode that Dos Santos has employed a group of scientists who constantly test his blood. He gets his blood drawn at home, he gets it drawn at the gym right before sparring and the white coats spend the rest of the day testing and analyzing his samples and preparing reports for Junior and his team. Dos Santos’ sophisticated strength and conditioning program is informed by that blood work.

By the looks of it, this is some of the most scientific preparation we’ve seen outside of Georges St. Pierre doing gymnastics and benefiting from the French-Canadian supplement-wrestling complex.

2. Daniel Cormier doesn’t plan on showering after he fights Roy Nelson.

It would seem that showering after rolling around with an unkempt guy like “Big Country” would be a good idea — you know, to get the hair balls out and to ward off tetanus — but Velasquez’s coach/teammate Daniel Cormier says he won’t have time to shower after facing Nelson in their UFC 166 co-main event. In addition to being a sparring partner of Cain’s at American Kickboxing Academy (more on that below) and being the #3 UFC-ranked heavyweight in the world, Cormier is the champ’s wrestling coach and Velasquez does not feel comfortable fighting without the Olympian in his corner.

Because of this, Cormier will have to rush from the Octagon after fighting Nelson and get right to Cain’s corner. No time for showering, you see.

3. Daniel Cormier and Cain Velasquez beat the crap out of one another three times a week.

Cormier and Velasquez are teammates in the same weight division (for now) so, of course, they are sparring partners. In episode 1 of UFC Primetime: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos, however, we get to watch one of their thrice-weekly sparring sessions and they go pretty darn hard. This ain’t no timing sparring going on here, these two get after it. No wonder they each have confidence heading into their fights.

4. Junior Dos Santos may be the most bitter, happy guy in the world.

We all know Junior as a smiling, KO machine with nary a bad word to say about anyone not named Alistair Overeem, but his last loss to Velasquez and the commentary during and after it have clearly rubbed the #1 contender the wrong way. Primetime takes us into the home of Dos Santos as he watches tape of his loss to Cain and listens to the television commentators marvel at Velasquez’s whooping of him and say that “this is the real Cain Velasquez.” You know, as opposed to the impostor that Junior beat with ease when he himself had a torn meniscus in 2011.

His anger at the way his fight was called bubbles up throughout the episode for Dos Santos. There’s also lots of footage of him fighting and playing around with friends, but make no mistake — the ex-champ is going into this rubber-match with a major chip on his shoulder.

5. JDS has a secret Russian wrestling weapon and his name is Khetag Pliev.

In addition to getting punched and kicked around the Octagon for five rounds by Velasquez, Dos Santos was handily out-wrestled and out-hustled by Cain. To help improve his wrestling, Dos Santos flew in 2012 wrestling Olympian Khetag Pliev. The Russian says that Dos Santos is getting harder to take down for him and in the episode we see Junior using lots of takedowns in his own sparring. Will it make a difference? Shoot us your predictions for Cain vs. JDS III in the comments section…