Tag: Breaking News

Shane del Rosario Suffers Heart Attack, Currently in Critical Condition

UFC heavyweight Shane del Rosario is in critical condition after suffering a heart attack Tuesday in his California home.
A statement from del Rosario’s manager, Jason House, to Bleacher Report MMA and other media sources including MMA Fighting’s Ariel…

UFC heavyweight Shane del Rosario is in critical condition after suffering a heart attack Tuesday in his California home.

A statement from del Rosario’s manager, Jason House, to Bleacher Report MMA and other media sources including MMA Fighting‘s Ariel Helwani noted that del Rosario “was brought to the hospital in full cardiac arrest” Tuesday morning.

“He was resuscitated in the emergency room back to a stable heart rhythm and blood pressure,” the statement from House read. “He is currently in the coronary care unit critically ill. Our prayers are with him and his family.”

According to the MMA Fighting report, del Rosario was admitted to Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach, Calif. 

This is not the first injury del Rosario has suffered that carried ramifications beyond his fight career. In 2011, while fighting for the Strikeforce promotion, del Rosario suffered various injuries, including several herniated disks, after a drunk driver collided her vehicle with del Rosario’s. Later reflecting on the incident, del Rosario observed that he “could have died” as a result of the collision.

Del Rosario was set to fight Guto Inocente on Dec. 28 at UFC 168 but recently pulled out of the fight because of a rib injury. That withdrawal came after del Rosario had recovered from another injury that derailed a bout in July with Dave Herman at UFC 162.

Del Rosario, 30, is 11-2 as a professional mixed martial artist, but he also has extensive experience in other realms of combat sports. In 2007, he became the first American WBC Muay Thai world heavyweight champion. He turned pro in MMA in 2006, competing for the King of the Cage, ShoXC and M-1 promotions before moving to Strikeforce.

A fearsome knockout artist, del Rosario earned eight of his 11 pro MMA wins by way of knockout or technical knockout. His last win came in February 2011, when he submitted Lavar Johnson at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva.

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Conor McGregor Wants to Fight ‘Brain Dead, Stuttering Fool’ Diego Sanchez

The heated exchanges between UFC featherweight Conor McGregor and lightweight Diego Sanchez got a little hotter last night, when the Irishman set a time and venue for a fight between them on Twitter.
Responding to a call-out from Sanchez, McGregor said…

The heated exchanges between UFC featherweight Conor McGregor and lightweight Diego Sanchez got a little hotter last night, when the Irishman set a time and venue for a fight between them on Twitter.

Responding to a call-out from Sanchez, McGregor said (h/t MMA Junkie):

You brain dead, stuttering fool. Read the fine print. And put your bib on so you don’t drool on my tweets.

He added:

My comeback fight will be Dublin next year. Its [sp] a done deal. McGregor Vs Sanchez. Ireland Vs. Mexico.

McGregor and Sanchez have been engaged in their “Twitter war” since last August, when the Irish fighter sent a tweet insulting the entire UFC featherweight division.

Sanchez, apparently, was sticking up for his featherweight buddy Diego Brandao, who is likely to fight McGregor next.

But that fight might now be Sanchez’s if McGregor’s tweets are anything to go by.

There’s no confirmation from any sources that this fight is likely to happen. Sanchez, although currently fighting at lightweight, has spent most of his career as a welterweight. McGregor fights at 145 pounds.

It’s hard to imagine Sanchez making a cut like that, or McGregor even moving up, considering all the business he has to do at featherweight.

Still, his insult “brain dead, stuttering fool” must have stung.

Sanchez is known to take brutal punishment in his fights, and has been mocked as a sparring dummy. It’s a point McGregor drew attention to in another Tweet:

@DiegoSanchezUFC Only reason you haven’t been cut 2 Bellator, with the other has-beens, is because you defend shots with your nose. 0-4 #CUT

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) November 27, 2013  

Sanchez also once admitted to a drinking problem, which was at least the cause of his “stuttering” at 2009’s World MMA Awards. Thankfully that incident didn’t lead to any major mishaps which would have required him to use the services of a DWI Lawyer.

McGregor is currently out with a knee injury and there is no indication as to when he’ll return to action.

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GSP’s Mentor: GSP Should Ask for Public Apology from ‘Buffoon’ Dana White

Dana White crossed the line at the UFC 167 post-fight press conference, and it’s time he gives Georges St-Pierre the apology he deserves, according to Kristof Midoux.
The UFC President has taken a lot of heat over the last couple of weeks after h…

Dana White crossed the line at the UFC 167 post-fight press conference, and it’s time he gives Georges St-Pierre the apology he deserves, according to Kristof Midoux.

The UFC President has taken a lot of heat over the last couple of weeks after his blowup following St-Pierre’s controversial split decision win over Johny Hendricks. St-Pierre, who is the UFC’s biggest pay-per-view-draw, owns UFC records for most wins and time spent in the Octagon.

Bruised and battered from his bout with Hendricks, St-Pierre told UFC commentator Joe Rogan that he was going on an indefinite hiatus to clear his head and patch up some personal problems in his life.

At the press conference, White explained that St-Pierre owed it to the UFC, fans and Hendricks to step up and offer an immediate rematch. According to White, St-Pierre lost the fight, and his entire team knew it.

It was an uncomfortable situation that shined a negative light on one of MMA’s most beloved stars. Many felt White’s decision to go on a public tirade was unfair to St-Pierre, who had dedicated years of his life as a company man and breadwinner for the UFC.

Why not check to see how your fighter is doing? Why not go backstage to get a better feel of the situation before exploding in front of the media?

These were some of the questions from media and fans.

A day after the fallout from the press conference, Midoux, St-Pierre’s mentor and corner man, told Journal de Montreal that White called and apologized for his post-fight comments (h/t Fighters Only):

Few people know it, but the next morning [White] called Georges and told him ‘I’m sorry, I watched the fight again and you have indeed won. I spoke under the influence of emotion.’ Georges told him not to worry, that he understood.

Despite Midoux’s claims, White went on UFC Tonight the following Wednesday and continued to publicly claim that St-Pierre owed Hendricks a rematch. He also stated that he hadn’t re-watched the fight, and he still felt like Hendricks deserved the decision.

It would seem like the MMA world is trapped in an unending battle of he said, he said.

Regardless, Midoux thinks a public offense deserves a public apology. He seems to feel like White is sweet-talking St-Pierre behind closed doors, while simultaneously trying to preserve his own public image:

If I were [GSP], I would ask for a public apology from White, who should say to the media that Georges has really won the fight. …What was said and done by Dana White was not correct. It confuses some roles. White enters the octagon to put on the belt. Georges goes there to fight as if his life depended on it. Georges is a lion that has respect, and White is a buffoon without respect.

UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta came galloping in on a white horse a little over a week ago to do damage control. In an interview with Ariel Helwani, he said that White was “misunderstood” and St-Pierre “doesn’t owe the UFC anything.”

Is White’s alleged private apology and Fertitta’s clarification enough to let bygones be bygones, or should White step up to the podium and address St-Pierre in the same manner he reprimanded him?

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TUF 18 Finale: Diego Sanchez Wants Winner of Nate Diaz vs. Gray Maynard III

Former UFC lightweight title challenger Diego Sanchez is ready to make another run at the belt and he’d like to start with the winner of Nate Diaz vs. Gray Maynard III. 
The bout headlines the finale of season 18 of The Ultimate Fighter …

Former UFC lightweight title challenger Diego Sanchez is ready to make another run at the belt and he’d like to start with the winner of Nate Diaz vs. Gray Maynard III. 

The bout headlines the finale of season 18 of The Ultimate Fighter this Saturday and “The Dream” believes Maynard will be who settles the feud once and for all. 

His latest tweet from Tuesday afternoon is pretty interesting, considering just one month ago he was calling for a five-round scrap with a certain outspoken Stockton, California native.

Sanchez last competed at UFC 166 on October 19, putting together a 15-minute instant classic with former Strikeforce lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez. 

The bout was an easy choice for the pay-per-view event’s “Fight of the Night” bonus and is on the short list for 2013’s “Fight of the Year.”

While the Greg Jackson’s MMA product is just 3-4 in his past seven bouts, he is 3-2 overall at 155 pounds with his losses coming to top-tier competition in Melendez and BJ Penn, fighting the latter for the title at UFC 107 in December 2009. 

Meanwhile, Diaz and Maynard both could desperately use a win this weekend, as Diaz is on a two-fight losing streak while “The Bully” has compiled a 1-2-1 mark in his past four matchups. 

Would Sanchez vs. Diaz or Sanchez vs. Maynard be a decent matchmaking play by the UFC after Saturday night?

 

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

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Rampage Jackson: Jon Jones Is a Dirty Fighter, I’d Break His Knee If I Could

It’s safe to say Quinton “Rampage” Jackson isn’t a fan of Jon Jones.
The former UFC light heavyweight champ has been in Brazil taking in a well-deserved vacation after knocking out Joey Beltran in his Bellator debut.
According t…

It’s safe to say Quinton “Rampage” Jackson isn’t a fan of Jon Jones.

The former UFC light heavyweight champ has been in Brazil taking in a well-deserved vacation after knocking out Joey Beltran in his Bellator debut.

According to Fighters Only, Jackson is currently in San Jose do Rio Preto, Sau Paulo, where he was involved in the launching of a new gym. When speaking with the media, he was asked to chime in on the upcoming UFC light heavyweight title bout between Jones and Glover Teixeira.

Seeing as Jackson had competed and lost against both fighters, the original thinking was that he could offer an interesting perspective when breaking down the bout.

As always, Jackson didn’t disappoint:

I think Glover is gonna win, Jackson told Fighters Only. I’m supporting him and I’m betting on him. Jon Jones is an excellent fighter but he doesn’t always put on a show for the fans so they aren‘t always happy with him. He is a great athlete. He is also one of the dirtiest opponents I have fought. If I could, I would break his knee for him so doesn’t fight ever again.

Jackson’s animosity toward Jones stems from their championship bout back in September 2011 at UFC 135, where Jones landed a plethora of knee kicks before submitting Jackson in the fourth round.  

Since the fight, Jackson has maintained that Jones ruined his left knee, which is now heavily braced. During an episode of Rampage 4 Real on Spike TV, he explained that one of the kicks actually pushed his knee backward, and it hasn’t been the same ever since.

Jones’ fighting style is predicated around controversial kicking techniques that aim at or around an opponent’s knee. The kicks he utilizes are commonly known in the MMA community as side and oblique kicks. Jones uses the technique to maintain distance and keep opponents in his preferred striking range.

There has been plenty of debate amongst fans regarding kicks to the knees. Many feel the technique is just a part of the game, and opponents will have to find a way to adjust. Others believe it puts fighters at a serious injury risk, or like Jackson, it could potentially set them up for significant problems down the road.

Is Jones becoming the next Rousimar Palhares of the light heavyweight division, or is Jackson just expressing sour grapes over an old loss?

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Gray Maynard Willing to Drop to Featherweight for Final Bout with Frankie Edgar

Gray Maynard isn’t quite done with Frankie Edgar. At least, he hopes not. 
Maynard and Edgar’s story began on April 2, 2008. The location was Broomfield, Colo., and the event was Kenny Florian vs. Joe Lauzon. Maynard and Edgar were in the co-main …

Gray Maynard isn’t quite done with Frankie Edgar. At least, he hopes not. 

Maynard and Edgar’s story began on April 2, 2008. The location was Broomfield, Colo., and the event was Kenny Florian vs. Joe Lauzon. Maynard and Edgar were in the co-main event spot, and Maynard scored a unanimous-decision win in a fight that wasn’t all that memorable.

Fast forward to almost three years later. Edgar was the reigning UFC lightweight champion, having dethroned B.J. Penn almost a year prior, then defending the belt against Penn in a rematch. Maynard had won five fights in a row, finally beating Kenny Florian to earn his title shot. 

At UFC 125, Maynard challenged Edgar for the title. He came oh so close to beating Edgar, pummeling him badly and nearly finishing him in the first two rounds before Edgar began to mount a comeback. Though it seemed improbable (if not downright impossible) after the beating Edgar took in the opening minutes of the fight, he did enough to earn a split draw with Maynard.

They would rematch at UFC 136. Once again, Maynard would obliterate Edgar in the first round. And once again, Edgar valiantly endured the hellacious beating, working his way back into the fight. This time, though, he would finish Maynard by TKO in the fourth round.

These days, Edgar plies his trade in the featherweight division while Maynard remains at lightweight. Maynard has a fight lined up; he’ll face Nate Diaz in a rematch of their Ultimate Fighter Season 5 bout. Edgar is currently filming the next season of the reality show, and he’ll face opposing coach B.J. Penn after the season concludes in 2014.

But none of that is stopping Maynard from pursuing a rematch. They’re 1-1-1 against each other, and Maynard told USA Today’s John Morgan that he wants to close the Edgar chapter of his life with a fourth fight:

I’ve got to take care of Nate Diaz, but the goal is obviously to get the T.J. Grant bout again, the Frankie Edgar bout, and then get the lightweight belt. Even if I have to drop down a division to face Edgar.

You want to go out (up) 2-1. That’s the biggest thing, ending strong.

Maynard said he’s even willing to drop to featherweight in an effort to put an emphatic stamp on his series with Edgar. 

I sure as hell would try. I wouldn’t be there for good, but I would be there for that fight. It just goes back to that in my mind, it’s all even. I don’t want it to end like that. He got the last one, but I don’t want it to end like that. If he beats me two out of three times, then alright. 

It is hard to imagine Maynard making the cut to 145 pounds. He is a gigantic lightweight and holds a size advantage over many of his opponents. The idea of Maynard shedding an additional 10 pounds seems impossible.

But unfinished business can be a strong motivator, and it’s clear that Maynard is still bothered by the way his last two fights with Edgar went. He came so very close to beating Edgar in both fights. So close to capturing UFC gold, only to ultimately fall short.

But before Maynard can entertain ideas of dropping down for a final match with Edgar, he must get past Diaz at Saturday night’s Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale. Then, and only then, can Maynard look to close the book on Edgar.

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