Tag: Called Out

Khabib Nurmagomedov Wants Gilbert Melendez on Epic Super Bowl Weekend Card


(When ‘Thriller’ starts playing, Gil starts dancing. No exceptions. Photo via Getty.)

Begin praying to the benevolent Gods of good health and fortune, Potato Nation, because the UFC’s already stacked Super Bowl weekend card (UFC 169) is about to get even more stacked-er.

Prior to his unanimous decision victory over Diego “Sherm Sticks” Sanchez in a Fight of the Year-nominee at UFC 166, final Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez was asked by FOX LA who he’d like to fight next were he to get by Sanchez. Barring another title shot, Melendez more or less called out fellow top contender Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Seemingly in response to Melendez, Nurmagomedov posted the following to his Instagram account (which is the most intimidating form of social media communication, if you ask me) yesterday:


(When ‘Thriller’ starts playing, Gil starts dancing. No exceptions. Photo via Getty.)

Begin praying to the benevolent Gods of good health and fortune, Potato Nation, because the UFC’s already stacked Super Bowl weekend card (UFC 169) is about to get even more stacked-er.

Prior to his unanimous decision victory over Diego “Sherm Sticks” Sanchez in a Fight of the Year-nominee at UFC 166, final Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez was asked by FOX LA who he’d like to fight next were he to get by Sanchez. Barring another title shot, Melendez more or less called out fellow top contender Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Seemingly in response to Melendez, Nurmagomedov posted the following to his Instagram account (which is the most intimidating form of social media communication, if you ask me) yesterday:

Given both fighters penchants for putting on technical, thrilling brawls, one would think the UFC would be more than willing to book this matchup for UFC 169, but what do you think, Nation? Does Melendez vs. The Nurm makes sense or should Gil just accept that he should fight Diego Sanchez and only Diego Sanchez until the end of time?

–J. Jones

NATE DIAZ, YOU HAVE BEEN SELECTED

By Diego Sanchez*

…TO BE CLEANSED BY THE HOLY FLAME OF OUR LORD ALMIGHTY. For I, “The Dream,” am his vessel, the grail from which his vengeance is spilled unto the meek, uncultivated swine of this forsaken planet. Yes! Yeessssssss!!

I AM A SAVAGE. A savage who has returned to the 155 pound division to prove to the world that it is physically possible to love something to death. My enthusiasm is a river which shall break the levy of your insolence.

What must I do to draw your attention, Nate? I called you out when I announced my return to lightweight, and just yesterday, I even resorted to your species’ archaic, Godless device of social communication to further needle you. Yet still you do not respond. Is it because you KNOW and FEAR that which is “The Dream?” That whose spirit can not be broken? CONFESS AND YOU SHALL BE SAVED. YESS!!

Forget your upcoming fight with Mr. Maynard, for we both know that your heart is not invested in that little escapade. Your heart will have no such option when we tangle, for I will expose it from your chest, hold it betwixt my fingers and show you His light. And in that fragile, fleeting moment, you will thank me. You will say, “I am grateful for your friendship, Diego. God bless you.” You will SURRENDER to my influence and join the army of DREAMERS I have amassed over the years!! YES!

By Diego Sanchez*

…TO BE CLEANSED BY THE HOLY FLAME OF OUR LORD ALMIGHTY. For I, “The Dream,” am his vessel, the grail from which his vengeance is spilled unto the meek, uncultivated swine of this forsaken planet. Yes! Yeessssssss!!

I AM A SAVAGE. A savage who has returned to the 155 pound division to prove to the world that it is physically possible to love something to death. My enthusiasm is a river which shall break the levy of your insolence.

What must I do to draw your attention, Nate? I called you out when I announced my return to lightweight, and just yesterday, I even resorted to your species’ archaic, Godless device of social communication to further needle you. Yet still you do not respond. Is it because you KNOW and FEAR that which is “The Dream?” That whose spirit can not be broken? CONFESS AND YOU SHALL BE SAVED. YESS!!

Forget your upcoming fight with Mr. Maynard, for we both know that your heart is not invested in that little escapade. Your heart will have no such option when we tangle, for I will expose it from your chest, hold it betwixt my fingers and show you His light. And in that fragile, fleeting moment, you will thank me. You will say, “I am grateful for your friendship, Diego. God bless you.” You will SURRENDER to my influence and join the army of DREAMERS I have amassed over the years!! YES!

I have literally been running up and down flights of stairs since Saturday’s decision. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING? Complaining about the sounds your opponents make when they’re kicking your ass? Rest assured that the only sounds you will hear when we dance the sacred dance will be that of your spine imploding in my grasp as I channel the fury of A THOUSAND SUNS. For I may be The Dream now, but I WILL ALWAYS BE A NIGHTMARE WHEN THE CAGE LOCKS. YES! YEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!

* Editor’s note: This post may or may not have been written by Diego Sanchez himself. In fact, it may have been written by a certain CagePotato staff writer under the influence of sherm sticks. We’re not naming names. But we like to think it captures the *spirit* of Diego Sanchez.

Strategic Call-Out Alert: Lombard Wants Marquardt at 170, Big Nog Hoping to Topple Struve in December


(“That guy on the right? Yeah, let’s go with him.” Photo via Getty Images.)

Although Hector Lombard‘s UFC career hasn’t exactly gotten off to the start he probably hoped it would, it appears that the former Bellator middleweight kingpin will join the likes of Brian Stann and Tim Boetsch (to name a couple) when he attempts to drop a weight class to save his career. Lombard informed Ariel Helwani on yesterday’s edition of UFC Tonight that, after enlisting the help of Mike Dolce to make a test cut to 170 lbs, he is now ready to make a full commitment to welterweight and already has an opponent in mind: former Strikeforce one-time welterweight champion Nate Marquardt.

Although Lombard was being rumored to coach opposite Patrick Cote on the next international season of The Ultimate Fighter, it appears that he will need a little more time to make a safe cut. As much as we’d like take a shot at Lombard for calling out a guy on the heels of a first round KO loss, this fight honestly makes a good deal of sense considering where both men currently stand. Marquardt has dropped his past two contests to Jake Ellenberger and Tarec Saffiedine, while Lombard has dropped two of his past three as well (to Boetsch and Yushin Okami). It’s crazy to think that a little over a year ago, we would have assumed this fight was for some kind of title or #1 contender bout at the minimum, not the right to stay employed. Yet here we are.

Speaking of two fighters in need of a win…


(“That guy on the right? Yeah, let’s go with him.” Photo via Getty Images.)

Although Hector Lombard‘s UFC career hasn’t exactly gotten off to the start he probably hoped it would, it appears that the former Bellator middleweight kingpin will join the likes of Brian Stann and Tim Boetsch (to name a couple) when he attempts to drop a weight class to save his career. Lombard informed Ariel Helwani on yesterday’s edition of UFC Tonight that, after enlisting the help of Mike Dolce to make a test cut to 170 lbs, he is now ready to make a full commitment to welterweight and already has an opponent in mind: former Strikeforce one-time welterweight champion Nate Marquardt.

Although Lombard was being rumored to coach opposite Patrick Cote on the next international season of The Ultimate Fighter, it appears that he will need a little more time to make a safe cut. As much as we’d like take a shot at Lombard for calling out a guy on the heels of a first round KO loss, this fight honestly makes a good deal of sense considering where both men currently stand in their respective weight classes. Marquardt has dropped his past two contests to Jake Ellenberger and Tarec Saffiedine, while Lombard has dropped two of his past three as well (to Boetsch and Yushin Okami). It’s crazy to think that a little over a year ago, we would have assumed this fight was for some kind of title or #1 contender bout at the minimum, not the right to stay employed. Yet here we are.

Speaking of two fighters in need of a win…

Stefan Struve, who never met a TKO he couldn’t appreciate, was recently called out by none other than Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, also during yesterday’s UFC Tonight. Following a second round submission via armbar loss (my reaction to this news can be seen here) to fellow TUF Brazil 2 coach Fabricio Werdum at UFC on FUEL 10 earlier in the month, Big Nog was forced to once again go under the knife to repair his damaged arm. According to the longtime legend, the surgery was a big success and he expects to be back in action in December, preferably against the lanky Dutchman. Struve, who also required corrective surgery following his third round jaw-shattering KO loss to Mark Hunt at UFC on FUEL 8, has been requesting a fight with Nog for some time now, so we should assume that this one’s all but a done deal.

At this point, there’s simply no convincing “Minotauro” that he needs to even consider the big “R” word, so instead, let’s just fantasize about what weapon or power up bonus we’d prefer to see Nogueira enter the octagon with in his next fight to even the odds. An evil chainsaw hand? Turbo boosters? A rocket launcher? The freakin’ BLUE SHELL?

Discuss.

–J. Jones

[VIDEO] Wanderlei Silva Responds to Chael Sonnen’s Twitter Challenge With Some Weird, Scary Statements

In typical Chael Sonnen fashion, the outspoken whateverweight recently issued a challenge to Wanderlei Silva with a 24-hour expiration date. Apparently Sonnen’s ability to lose fights yet subsequently talk himself into main events has confused him to the point that he believes he is a UFC matchmaker. Sure, Silva is coming off of an impressive knockout win and yes, Sonnen has lost two in a row. But when has being on a career downturn ever stopped the “American Gangster” from getting fights with more famous fighters who are actually winning before?

“I gave him the timeline…if he doesn’t answer, I’m done and I’ll move on,” Sonnen said from his Fuel TV analyst’s seat this week.

Wanderlei finally responded to Sonnen’s challenge yesterday, and thankfully not on Twitter. Silva told Ariel Helwani that he’s never been offered the Sonnen fight by, you know, the people who offer fights in the UFC. Sonnen also apparently didn’t realize that the communication medium of choice for twelve year old girls would mean little to Wanderlei.

When Fuel TV called up Silva for comment on Sonnen’s challenge, Wanderlei took things from the world of Twitter to a much weirder and more frightening place. First off, Helwani said that Silva “laughed uncontrollably” — which, if you’ve ever heard him laugh, is scary enough — before adding that, “Jon Jones and Anderson Silva have been too nice to Chael. I want to suck his blood. I want to smell it. Not just fight. Not just fight. I want to hurt him…”

In typical Chael Sonnen fashion, the outspoken whateverweight recently issued a challenge to Wanderlei Silva with a 24-hour expiration date. Apparently Sonnen’s ability to lose fights yet subsequently talk himself into main events has confused him to the point that he believes he is a UFC matchmaker. Sure, Silva is coming off of an impressive knockout win and yes, Sonnen has lost two in a row. But when has being on a career downturn ever stopped the “American Gangster” from getting fights with more famous fighters who are actually winning before?

“I gave him the timeline…if he doesn’t answer, I’m done and I’ll move on,” Sonnen said from his Fuel TV analyst’s seat this week.

Wanderlei finally responded to Sonnen’s challenge yesterday, and thankfully not on Twitter. Silva told Ariel Helwani that he’s never been offered the Sonnen fight by, you know, the people who offer fights in the UFC. Sonnen also apparently didn’t realize that the communication medium of choice for twelve year old girls would mean little to Wanderlei.

When Fuel TV called up Silva for comment on Sonnen’s challenge, Wanderlei took things from the world of Twitter to a much weirder and more frightening place. First off, Helwani said that Silva “laughed uncontrollably” — which, if you’ve ever heard him laugh, is scary enough – before adding that, “Jon Jones and Anderson Silva have been too nice to Chael. I want to suck his blood. I want to smell it. Not just fight. Not just fight. I want to hurt him…”

When that kind of statement comes from someone with as much blood on his hands as Wanderlei, it rings a little too true for comfort. Silva doesn’t deal with Twitter beefs, only lifelong blood feuds. Chael’s best lines are stolen from professional wrestlers and said far away from his foes, usually on Twitter or during awkward Sportscenter interviews. Wandy’s words go straight into folklore, much like his vicious KO’s fill countless tribute videos, while Sonnen basically fights big bouts for the sole purpose of bolstering his opponent’s’ highlight reel. Simply put, if Chael Sonnen is a gangster in the movie of his life, Wanderlei Silva is Jason fucking Voorhees. Not that I have a dog in this fight or anything.

More importantly, we all know how their first mano-a-mano encounter went down.

What do you say, nation? Do you want to see Chael talk himself into yet another rematch with someone who made him say uncle the first time around? And if so, aren’t there other rematches that Sonnen should get to first, before taking on and getting demolished by MMA royalty?

Personally, I think a rematch better suited for Sonnen is Terry Martin. Yes, that Terry Martin. Sonnen may have been beaten, exhausted and unable to stand on his own two feet without support after losing to Martin back in 2004, but at least it was a much more competitive exchange than his first showdown with Wanderlei.

[UPDATE] We have received reports that Jeremy Horn was in Los Angeles yesterday and, by virtue of being within thirty miles of the Fuel TV studio, forced Sonnen into submission. Sonnen screamed out in pain for all to hear and then denied having given up to the unknowing Horn, who was enjoying a hot dog on the Venice Beach boardwalk at the time of the win, the 90th of his career. Horn’s fourth career stoppage win over Sonnen is being listed via triangle choke at :59 of the third round.

– Elias Cepeda

Tim Sylvia is Still Chasing That UFC Dream, Wants Either Frank Mir or Pat Barry for His Never-Gonna-Happen Return


(Sure, “Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Champion” is a respectable title in its own right, but it just doesn’t carry as much weight at the Playboy Mansion, you know?) 

If there’s one thing you can say about former UFC heavyweight champion and Depends spokesperson Tim Sylvia, it’s that the SOB is persistent. Although his once successful MMA career has become little more than a series of punctuated jokes nowadays — most of which revolve around his fat, fatty, “Fatty Boom-Boom” fatness — “The Maine-iac” will simply not be denied his rightful place back in the UFC’s heavyweight division no matter how many times Dana White pisses in his cornflakes.

But the main issue preventing Sylvia’s UFC aspirations from coming to fruition is one that he doesn’t seem to realize: relevant wins. In the past few years, Sylvia has crushed a few cans (and a professional bodybuilder) in unimpressive fashion, been decapitated in 9 seconds by an aging boxer, dropped a decision to Satoshi Ishii, and been spared a loss on a loosely-defined technicality in his completely unnecessary fourth fight with Andrei Arlovski at OneFC 5. Yet despite all this, Sylvia is still holding onto the hopes that he will end his mixed martial arts career “where it started,” which for all intents and purposes is the UFC. He spoke with MMAWeekly:

I don’t know what is going to happen in the future of the UFC heavyweight division. Ideally I would like to finish out my career where it started and that is in the UFC. There’s great fights out there for me and I’d like to put on a great show for the fans on the biggest stage there is, and that’s obviously the UFC.

And who would Boom-Boom like to face in his glorious return, you ask? For starters, Frank Mir, who infamously snatched Sylvia’s title (and his arm) at UFC 48: Payback, otherwise known as the event wherein Ken Shamrock scored his last relevant win…over Kimo. But the second name on Sylvia’s hit list (just beating out Jared from the Subway commercials because “I ate a thousand of those subs and didn’t lose a fucking pound.”), might surprise you:


(Sure, “Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Champion” is a respectable title in its own right, but it just doesn’t carry as much weight at the Playboy Mansion, you know?) 

If there’s one thing you can say about former UFC heavyweight champion and Depends spokesperson Tim Sylvia, it’s that the SOB is persistent. Although his once successful MMA career has become little more than a series of punctuated jokes nowadays — most of which revolve around his fat, fatty, “Fatty Boom-Boom” fatness – “The Maine-iac” will simply not be denied his rightful place back in the UFC’s heavyweight division no matter how many times Dana White pisses in his cornflakes.

But the main issue preventing Sylvia’s UFC aspirations from coming to fruition is one that he doesn’t seem to realize: relevant wins. In the past few years, Sylvia has crushed a few cans (and a professional bodybuilder) in unimpressive fashion, been decapitated in 9 seconds by an aging boxer, dropped a decision to Satoshi Ishii, and been spared a loss on a loosely-defined technicality in his completely unnecessary fourth fight with Andrei Arlovski at OneFC 5. Yet despite all this, Sylvia is still holding onto the hopes that he will end his mixed martial arts career “where it started,” which for all intents and purposes is the UFC. He spoke with MMAWeekly:

I don’t know what is going to happen in the future of the UFC heavyweight division. Ideally I would like to finish out my career where it started and that is in the UFC. There’s great fights out there for me and I’d like to put on a great show for the fans on the biggest stage there is, and that’s obviously the UFC.

And who would Boom-Boom like to face in his glorious return, you ask? For starters, Frank Mir, who infamously snatched Sylvia’s title (and his arm) at UFC 48: Payback, otherwise known as the event wherein Ken Shamrock scored his last relevant win…over Kimo. But the second name on Sylvia’s hit list (just beating out Jared from the Subway commercials because “I ate a thousand of those subs and didn’t lose a fucking pound.”), might surprise you:

I’d like to fight a striker so that we could put on a good show. I have a good friend, Pat Barry, who is in the UFC. I think if him and I fought it would be Fight of the Night or Knockout of the Night. Someone would go to sleep and it would be Fight of the Night. We might be able to score both of them. One of us gets Knockout of the Night and Fight of the Night. We’d put on a good show. We’ve had some good sparring sessions so it would be a good fight for the fans.

Once again, you gotta love Sylvia’s enthusiasm, which is bordering on delusional at this point. The only people he has been putting to sleep lately are his fans, yet he still fancies himself a feared striker and a FOTN contender. It’s like he never even saw his fights with Assuerio Silva, Jeff Monson, Brandon Vera, or his third fight with Arlovski, and that was some forty pounds and six years ago.

His UFC hopes aside, Sylvia is scheduled to face 6-1 prospect Tony Johnson at the upcoming One FC 6. It’s a win that would make a stronger argument for a potential return to the UFC than Sylvia has been able to make since his departure, so let’s hope he’s been cranking out the girly push ups and Evanescence tunes to prepare for it.

–J. Jones

Suicidal Call Out of the Day/Possibly Year: Cody McKenzie Wants in on Josh Thomson’s Highlight Reel


(Must…resist…shit…getting…too…real…)

As a big fan of TUF 12’s Cody McKenzie, I’ve come to realize that it’s hard to fault the guy for his nonsensical and often self-destructive decisions, especially when it comes to choosing his opponents. The man reaches for the stars, dammit, and will simply not be told that he doesn’t have the right to call out Frankie Edgar, or Jose Aldo, or Chad Mendes, despite the fact that just managed to bring his win-loss ratio in the UFC to the .500 mark.

No, “The AK Kid” wasn’t one to overthink, or even realize the fact that he had dropped 3 out of his last 4 fights heading into his do-or-die bout with Leonard Garcia at UFC 159, which is why it makes total sense that he, now a featherweight, is calling out top lightweight contender Josh Thomson, like he didn’t just save his UFC career by beating a guy on a four-fight losing streak. How can you not love this kid?


(Must…resist…shit…getting…too…real…)

As a big fan of TUF 12′s Cody McKenzie, I’ve come to realize that it’s hard to fault the guy for his nonsensical and often self-destructive decisions, especially when it comes to choosing his opponents. The man reaches for the stars, dammit, and will simply not be told that he doesn’t have the right to call out Frankie Edgar, or Jose Aldo, or Chad Mendes, despite the fact that just managed to bring his win-loss ratio in the UFC to the .500 mark.

No, “The AK Kid” wasn’t one to overthink, or even realize the fact that he had dropped 3 out of his last 4 fights heading into his do-or-die bout with Leonard Garcia at UFC 159, which is why it makes total sense that he, now a featherweight, is calling out top lightweight contender Josh Thomson, like he didn’t just save his UFC career by beating a guy on a four-fight losing streak. How can you not love this kid?

I hate to say it, but we need more Cody McKenzies in the UFC. Actually, I didn’t hate saying that at all. While Andy, GSP, and Jonny Boy continue with their increasingly frustrating Sam and Diane (and Rebecca, I guess) routine, McKenzie is busy calling out dudes one to two weight classes up from him because big whoop, wanna fight about it? It’s a refreshing attitude in today’s picky-choosy MMA landscape, but also one that usually ends with McKenzie getting his ass kicked.

As you would expect, Thomson got all high-n’-mighty on McKenzie in response, thus proving the Alaskan’s superiority:

What’s the matter, Punk? Are you just afraid of easy paychecks, or getting your ass handed to you by a sasquatch in board shorts?! What are you hiding from?! SHOW US THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE, OBAMA! #MCKENZIEFORPRESIDENT #ARMYOFONE

–J. Jones