Tag: Breaking News

Jamie Varner Injured, out of UFC on Fox 9 Matchup with Pat Healy

The UFC on Fox 9 card is falling apart. 
Word circulated earlier in the week that lightweight champion Anthony Pettis suffered an injury and withdrew from the night’s main event, and now another 155-pound fighter has dropped off the evening’s…

The UFC on Fox 9 card is falling apart. 

Word circulated earlier in the week that lightweight champion Anthony Pettis suffered an injury and withdrew from the night’s main event, and now another 155-pound fighter has dropped off the evening’s lineup. 

MMAJunkie reported that, like Pettis, Jamie Varner received an injury while training and will be unable to compete in his scheduled matchup with Pat Healy. 

Fortunately, the UFC has not yet cancelled Healy‘s inclusion on the card. Instead, they are actively seeking a replacement fighter to fill in for Varner, according to MMAJunkie. 

The UFC’s lightweight roster is loaded with talent, so there are plenty of options for the UFC brass to consider.

Making their decision-making process even easier, this bout does not represent a title-eliminator fight (or even a top-10 fight), so almost any lightweight can be justified as a reasonable late-notice pick against Healy. 

With well over 40 fights on his resume, Healy offers something for rising contenders and established veterans alike, so names from Michael Chiesa to Anthony Njokuani make sense as fill-in matchups.

Personally, I like the idea of throwing a rising contender to Healy.

As he showed in his win (which was later overturned to a no-contest due to a failed post-fight drug test) against Jim Miller, Healy is solid everywhere a fight goes, and he is dangerous even in the late stages of a closely contested, fast-paced contest.

This is exactly the kind of fighter an up-and-comer needs to beat to prove his worth on the sport’s biggest stage.

Because of that, I like names like Myles Jury or, as previously mentioned, Michael Chiesa to step up and fight Healy on short notice at UFC on Fox 9.

Who do you think will take Varner‘s place? Channel Joe Silva, and toss some possible opponents at me. I look forward to hearing them. 

 

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Vitor Belfort on TRT: ‘If I Go Without It I’ll Be at a Disadvantage’

 There is no questioning that Vitor Belfort is one of the best fighters on the UFC roster right now, so it makes sense a plethora of fans are calling for him to get the next middleweight title shot. 
Of course, some pundits are asking: what a…

 There is no questioning that Vitor Belfort is one of the best fighters on the UFC roster right now, so it makes sense a plethora of fans are calling for him to get the next middleweight title shot. 

Of course, some pundits are asking: what about “The Phenom’s” testosterone replacement therapy usage that he has yet to get an exemption for in the United States? 

If you ask UFC President Dana White, this is a non-issue, because Belfort will be able to get licensed in Las Vegas or any other major U.S. city, per MMA Mania. 

Speaking to ESPN on Friday prior to his spectacular headkick knockout of Dan Henderson at UFC Fight Night 32 this past weekend, Belfort explained he is no longer bothered by TRT critics since he knows he’s doing nothing wrong or improper. 

“The [TRT] critics are always going to be there,” Belfort said. “If you do it, they will say, ‘he cheated.’ What people don’t know is that we do good work. I was the only guy to do blood work. Now Dan Henderson has to go through blood work; it’s in our contract. All the fighters have to do blood work. With the blood work you can track if they [fighters] use testosterone. We know some guys do it; they do things to cheat. My lab work is right there. My levels are right there, every week … “I’m not doing anything illegal. It’s a treatment. Actually, if I go without it I will be at a disadvantage. It will be like the other guy is on something and I’m not. If you have asthma you get treatment. If your have high blood pressure, you get treatment for it. This is my treatment. Everybody knows.” 

Belfort also makes note that “I love fighting in America,” also stating “I have just as many fans in America as I have in Brazil.” 

The hard-hitting Brazilian looks better than ever, in terms of both appearance and performance at 36 years old, which has raised some eyebrows about the legitimacy of his TRT usage. 

Despite not fighting on American soil in over two years (five fights), the fact remains that the former UFC light heavyweight champ has not failed any drug tests and has now defeated three top contenders in a row via headkick knockout. 

For those fans unaware, Belfort failed a post-fight drug test for elevated levels of testosterone after his first meeting with Henderson at Pride 32 in October 2006, per MMA Weekly. 

For the time being, Belfort can sit back and relax as he awaits the winner of Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva II at UFC 168 on December 28, with it being pretty unlikely that any 185-pound contenders leapfrog him between now and then. 

Is Belfort truly doing everything by the book when it comes to his TRT usage or is he just giving lip service to the media and fans with his explanation?

 

John Heinis is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA Editor for eDraft.com.

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UFC Veteran Scott Smith to Participate in MMA Tag-Team Fight

The Road Warriors. Demolition. The Hart Foundation. Scott Smith.
Which one of these names doesn’t belong? Trick question, brother. All these names belong alongside one another in the annals of tag-team combat sports history.
At least they will once Nov…

The Road Warriors. Demolition. The Hart Foundation. Scott Smith.

Which one of these names doesn’t belong? Trick question, brother. All these names belong alongside one another in the annals of tag-team combat sports history.

At least they will once Nov. 23 has come and gone. That’s the day that the California-based Gladiator Challenge MMA organization will get in touch with its inner carnival barker and host a tag-team MMA fight—you read that correctly—featuring Smith, a professional mixed martial arts veteran with multiple fights in the UFC, WEC and Strikeforce under his belt.

Smith (18-10-1) will team up for the action with fellow middleweight Blaine Wilson (1-2). The partners will face two other middleweights in Bellator alum Jaime “El Cucui” Jara (34-15) and Mike Quaintance (4-1).

The Gladiator Challenge news release for the event notes that the stakes for the fight will be nothing less than the very first tag-team championship in the history of mixed martial arts history. This is quite an age we live in.

Though the championship belts may or may not be a first, there is some precedent for tag-team MMA, though the examples in existence kind of make Gladiator Challenge look like the golden days of Pancrase by comparison.

Smith, 34, is probably best known to UFC fans for staging what is in many books the greatest in-fight comeback in UFC history. During their fight at The Ultimate Fighter 4 Finale, Pete Sell doubled Smith over with a body shot. But when Sell rushed in for the kill, Smith caught him with a perfect shot to the jaw, knocking Sell out and netting him the victory and a Fight of the Night bonus check.

But Smith is far from a one-hit wonder. Though his UFC record stands at a tepid 1-3, he does have career wins over the likes of Cung Le, Terry Martin and Kyle Noke.

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White: Rousey’s the Only Reason Women Fight in UFC

As the most prolific and famous female fighter on the planet, UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey carries a torch that others simply can’t. 
Over the past nine months, Rousey has been at the forefront of a mixed martial arts evolution.  Sh…

As the most prolific and famous female fighter on the planet, UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey carries a torch that others simply can’t. 

Over the past nine months, Rousey has been at the forefront of a mixed martial arts evolution.  She has served as the sport’s quintessential poster girl, becoming the promotion’s first ever women’s champion after dismantling Liz Carmouche at UFC 157 back in February.

But as successful as “Rowdy” is inside of the Octagon with her first-round armbar wizardry, and outside of it with a polarizing image combining sexuality and ferocity, she isn’t loved by everyone.

Just like any champion in any sport, the 26-year-old has her critics.  It shouldn’t bother a tough competitor like Rousey, but her current stint as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter Season 18, opposite archrival Miesha Tate, has created a whirlwind of negative perceptions.

She has a responsibility to the sport and her promotion to act as a champion should act.  But despite her weekly ups and downs, UFC president Dana White didn’t seem too concerned during his post-fight media scrum at UFC Fight Night 32 this past weekend, which was originally reported by Bloody Elbow.

“It’s not the way she portrayed herself; it’s who she is,” said White.  “It’s why women fight in the UFC, because of her.  I could care less if you don’t like her or you like her.  It doesn’t matter to me.  She’s the world champion, she’s badass, and she goes out to win.” 

And win she does.  Rousey‘s first-round armbar of Carmouche to capture the title earlier this year was her seventh in a row.  It’s a streak that demands respect from any MMA fan as she continues to prove her worth to the promotion that gave her the shot of a lifetime.

“You could line up all the greatest girls on earth from here to f**king Pluto,” added White.  “And she’s the one that when I met her, I said this chick is insanely competitive and just a different animal.  She’s what it took to get women in the UFC.  Hate her or not, the reason all these girls fight in the UFC is because of her.”

So despite a personality that is sometimes unbearably brash, Rousey‘s accomplishments simply supplant her attitude.  But would her recent public quarrels be less provoked if she was tested by a different coach on TUF?

“The thing is, with her and Miesha, she hates Miesha Tate,” said White.  “When she and Cat Zingano were gonna be the coaches, you heard them talk on the podium, the mutual respect.  She hates Miesha Tate.  Hates her.  And anyone who’s ever hated somebody before knows how that feels.”

The two hard-nosed bantamweights are scheduled for a long-awaited rematch this December at UFC 168.  Rousey will have yet another opportunity to showcase her elite skills against a top contender and continue the historic legacy she began earlier this year.

For more UFC news and coverage,

 

 

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UFC: Miesha Tate Lands Fitness Gurls Magazine Cover in Bikini

It’s Miesha Tate in a bikini; what more could you possibly want?
Well to keep it PG let’s just say MMA fans will definitely be satisfied to see the cover of Fitness Gurls Magazine. Jesse Caraway of MMA Mania has the details with the actual pic.
As…

It’s Miesha Tate in a bikini; what more could you possibly want?

Well to keep it PG let’s just say MMA fans will definitely be satisfied to see the cover of Fitness Gurls Magazine. Jesse Caraway of MMA Mania has the details with the actual pic.

As you can see, the Sinful brand of clothing has never looked so good.

It continues what has been a good day for “Team Cupcake” as she defeated UFC women’s bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey in the opening round vote to share the cover with Jon Jones on the next UFC video game. On Dec. 28, Tate will hope to defeat her nemesis inside the Octagon as Rousey and “Cupcake” will rematch one another for UFC gold.

Oh and there’s also that ESPN photo shoot you may have forgotten about. Here’s a NSFW reminder in case you did.

Tate has also enjoyed a surge in popularity due in part to how Rousey has conducted herself on the current season of The Ultimate Fighter. Although fans aren’t necessarily all on “Team Tate,” there’s undeniably a lot less Rousey fans walking around these days.

The hatred of one another has been a main focal point of TUF and in the women’s division in the UFC. The two women are the division’s biggest stars and the fact they don’t like one another makes their matchup an easy sell.

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GSP Should Retire in Cage Saturday at UFC 167, Says Mentor

Georges St-Pierre will step into the Octagon for the final time at UFC 167. At least, that is what will happen if GSP’s trainer, Kristof Midoux, gets his way.
Speaking with Canadian news outlet La Presse, Midoux said (English translation found on the M…

Georges St-Pierre will step into the Octagon for the final time at UFC 167.
At least, that is what will happen if GSP‘s trainer, Kristof Midoux, gets his way.

Speaking with Canadian news outlet La Presse, Midoux said (English translation found on the MMA Underground):

Me, I told him, “After this one, it’s over! Shine on that night. Finish that dude in front of everyone. Shut your detractors up. If you finish that guy, if you knock him out, then you’ll be free, you’ll be happy to take the microphone and to say that you’re done. To say that you are giving your place to others.”

This, coupled with a recent interview (in the video above) from the welterweight champ in which he announces future “plans,” paints an interesting picture.

St-Pierre is one of the sport’s most decorated and celebrated athletes, and one must question what more he has to accomplish inside the cage. A win over Johny Hendricks would grant him his 19th win inside the Octagon, the most of any fighter in the promotion’s history. 

Furthermore, a successful performance would mark GSP‘s 12th straight victory, still four short of Anderson Silva’s record. Fighting at his current rate, the welterweight king would need roughly four more years just to tie Silva, so it is safe to say that he is not gunning for that particular distinction. 

As MMAFighting.com’s Ariel Helwani reported on Twitter:

 

Making this situation more interesting is the fact that GSP‘s stablemate at Tristar Gym, Rory MacDonald, has rapidly ascended the 170-pound ranks, establishing himself as a legitimate contender in the process.

Both men have said they will never fight one another, so GSP has to lose or get out of the way if MacDonald is to have a shot at the sport’s ultimate glory.

On this matter, Midoux said:

Rory has the ability to become a champion. Rory will never want to fight Georges because they’re friends. So I told Georges, “out of respect, don’t keep that guy from climbing the ranks. You’ve had your career. … Help Rory become a champion to show that Canadians dominate this weight class.” It would be intelligent. It would be generous and Georges is generous. 

If GSP does call it quits Saturday evening, he will be remembered as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time, by far the most superior welterweight in MMA history. 

Add in his impressive list of sponsors and worldwide recognition, and it is clear that GSP‘s career will not be quickly forgotten, nor will it be easily replicated by future generations. 

What do you make of Midoux’s comments? Is there merit to the talk of GSP‘s retirement? 

 

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