Tag: Dana White

Of Course Tito Ortiz is The Reason Cyborg Turned Down Rousey Fight at UFC 157

(Related clip: Tito and Cyborg rolling together in June 2011. Skip to 2:30 to see Cyborg lift Tito like a damsel in distress. Anyway, they’re business partners now. / Props: MMA Heat)

A few heads were scratched when the UFC announced yesterday that UFC 157 would be headlined by Ronda Rousey taking on Liz Carmouche. Rousey’s star is certainly on the rise and is as good a bet as any first-time pay-per-view headliner would be, but Carmouche is relatively unknown outside of hardcore Women’s Mixed Martial Arts circles. and WMMA as a PPV entity is unproven on the whole.

It made more sense once it was revealed that several opponents, including currently suspended former 145-pound champion Cristaine “Cyborg” Santos, had turned Rousey down. The potential Rousey/Santos fight is the biggest women’s match out there, as both have held Strikeforce world titles and have a running feud with one another.

According to White, however, his former friend/client/contracted worker/sworn enemy Tito Ortiz is to blame for Rousey vs. Cyborg not taking place at UFC 157. “That’s the fight that should be happening,” White said during yesterday’s UFC on Fox pre-event presser in Seattle. “Tito Ortiz is her manager, and he advised against it.”

Well, of course it’s Tito’s fault. It’s been forever since White was able to complain about and blame something on Tito. All must feel right in the world once more for the Baldfather.


(Related clip: Tito and Cyborg rolling together in June 2011. Skip to 2:30 to see Cyborg lift Tito like a damsel in distress. Anyway, they’re business partners now. / Props: MMA Heat)

A few heads were scratched when the UFC announced yesterday that UFC 157 would be headlined by Ronda Rousey taking on Liz Carmouche. Rousey’s star is certainly on the rise and is as good a bet as any first-time pay-per-view headliner would be, but Carmouche is relatively unknown outside of hardcore Women’s Mixed Martial Arts circles. and WMMA as a PPV entity is unproven on the whole.

It made more sense once it was revealed that several opponents, including currently suspended former 145-pound champion Cristaine “Cyborg” Santos, had turned Rousey down. The potential Rousey/Santos fight is the biggest women’s match out there, as both have held Strikeforce world titles and have a running feud with one another.

According to White, however, his former friend/client/contracted worker/sworn enemy Tito Ortiz is to blame for Rousey vs. Cyborg not taking place at UFC 157. ”That’s the fight that should be happening,” White said during yesterday’s UFC on Fox pre-event presser in Seattle. “Tito Ortiz is her manager, and he advised against it.”

Well, of course it’s Tito’s fault. It’s been forever since White was able to complain about and blame something on Tito. All must feel right in the world once more for the Baldfather.

MMA Junkie reached Ortiz for comment via text message. According to Tito, “Cyborg” will fight Ronda at 145 — her competitive weight, not Rousey’s — at any point, but would want more time to safely cut down to 135 than February and UFC 157.

“That was never said!” Ortiz reportedly texted Junkie. “‘Cyborg’ will fight her anytime, anywhere at 145. Cris said she would kill herself trying to make 135. I won’t allow it, (and) neither should the UFC or Dana. Cris wants the fight, fans want the fight, and so does the UFC.”

Meanwhile, Rousey tore into Santos while speaking with MMA Junkie, and claimed that Miesha Tate and Sara McMann also both turned down title fights with her for UFC 157.

“I know [Cyborg] can make 135, and so does she,” Rousey told Junkie. “It just takes her a little while to realize that this is the only option she has. It took her a little bit longer because I don’t think she’s that bright. Once she does sit down and think about it, we’ll have the only fight that really makes sense.

“I think it’s really funny that when me and Miesha were supposed to fight, she was going on and on about how I didn’t deserve to fight her, and now she doesn’t want to fight me,” Rousey said. “And I also think it’s really funny that Sara was telling all these people that I was running away from her, and then she turns down a fight for the UFC title. I mean, c’mon,” Rousey continued.

MMA Junkie also reached Tate for comment, who claimed that she was never, in fact, offered a fight against Rousey. “I’ve made it pretty clear that I wanted to take some time off since my last fight, and that was back in August, so maybe because of that, the opportunity wasn’t presented to me. But it was never offered to me,” she said.

“The only thing that I can say is when I was down in Brazil, (UFC matchmaker) Sean (Shelby) asked if I might be interested in fighting in February. There was never any mention of an opponent or it being in the UFC. So I said, ‘I still want to take a little more time off and find myself as a fighter and a person. It was never made clear to me at all that it would be such a huge opportunity, that it could be against Ronda or in the UFC. At that point, they hadn’t even announced that women were coming to the UFC. This was back in early October when the UFC was down in Brazil.”

There’s no way of telling for sure where, exactly, the truth sits on this topic, between all this he/she said stuff. We cannot, however, even imagine a world where White would present a story in a particularly subjective way and without full context given, especially ones involving Tito Ortiz or fighters turning down fights.

Update: Now Sara McMann’s manager Monte Cox is also denying that they were offered a fight against Ronda Rousey.

– Elias Cepeda

[VIDEO] The Danavlog in Which Chael Sonnen Describes the Time His Mom Almost Shot Yushin Okami

It seems like it’s been forever since we passed along a Danavlog to you Taters, but today’s entry was simply too amazing to pass up. Perhaps to keep in accordance with the epic lineup that is UFC on FOX 5, Dana White has apparently turned up his pre-fight hype vlogs to 11.

Part 1 is above (featuring behind-the-scenes footage from UFC 154) but the real gem is part 2, which lies after the jump. Here’s a rundown of what you’re in store for:

– Dana White catching reality show producer Craig Piligian rummaging through The Ultimate Fighter wardrobe and nearly calling the police.

– Chael Sonnen discussing a recent near-fatal run-in his mother had with Yushin “Yes, No, Thank You” Okami.

– Jon Jones and Sonnen engaging in a discussion about verbal tapping and whether Jones did it against Vitor Belfort, because Sonnen TOTALLY did against Paulo Filho.

– Mike Tyson briefly getting into the time he almost murdered Brad Pitt.

– Anderson Silva channeling DW and dropping an f-bomb, the scamp.

Enjoy this, Potato Nation. Enjoy every last second of it.

It seems like it’s been forever since we passed along a Danavlog to you Taters, but today’s entry was simply too amazing to pass up. Perhaps to keep in accordance with the epic lineup that is UFC on FOX 5, Dana White has apparently turned up his pre-fight hype vlogs to 11.

Part 1 is above (featuring behind-the-scenes footage from UFC 154) but the real gem is part 2, which lies after the jump. Here’s a rundown of what you’re in store for:

– Dana White catching reality show producer Craig Piligian rummaging through The Ultimate Fighter wardrobe and nearly calling the police.

– Chael Sonnen discussing a recent near-fatal run-in his mother had with Yushin ”Yes, No, Thank You” Okami.

– Jon Jones and Sonnen engaging in a discussion about verbal tapping and whether Jones did it against Vitor Belfort, because Sonnen TOTALLY did against Paulo Filho.

– Mike Tyson briefly getting into the time he almost murdered Brad Pitt.

– Anderson Silva channeling DW and dropping an f-bomb, the scamp.

Enjoy this, Potato Nation. Enjoy every last second of it.

–J. Jones

Georges St. Pierre Will Face Nick Diaz Next; Johny Hendricks Not Too Pleased About It


(Highly advanced photo-simulation via CagedInsider. We’re living in the future, people.)

Despite Johny Hendricks seemingly clinching his position as the UFC’s #1 welterweight contender with his recent knockout of Martin Kampmann, Georges St. Pierre will next defend his title against a guy coming off a loss and a year-long suspension — and the champion actually wants it that way. Ariel Helwani was first to break news (via twitter) that GSP’s next opponent will be Nick Diaz, on word from Dana White himself:

Dana just said GSP told him I want Nick Diaz. Dana said that’s probably the fight we’ll make. Dana said that GSP doesn’t ask for much, so he feels like he has to do it. Silva and Hendricks will have to wait.

Diaz’s last Octagon appearance resulted in a somewhat controversial decision loss to Carlos Condit during their interim welterweight title fight in February. Afterwards, Diaz tested positive for marijuana metabolites in a post-fight drug test, and caught a year-long time-out. Diaz has been on the sidelines ever since, waiting, planning, talking mad shit. And now his big opportunity has arrived again, which he hopefully won’t blow this time. Meanwhile another contender has spent the last 12 months actually fighting people and winning — LOL, what a sucker! — beating three of the UFC’s toughest welterweight contenders in the process.

As you can imagine, Hendricks isn’t too happy with all of this…


(Highly advanced photo-simulation via CagedInsider. We’re living in the future, people.)

Despite Johny Hendricks seemingly clinching his position as the UFC’s #1 welterweight contender with his recent knockout of Martin Kampmann, Georges St. Pierre will next defend his title against a guy coming off a loss and a year-long suspension — and the champion actually wants it that way. Ariel Helwani was first to break news (via twitter) that GSP’s next opponent will be Nick Diaz, on word from Dana White himself:

Dana just said GSP told him I want Nick Diaz. Dana said that’s probably the fight we’ll make. Dana said that GSP doesn’t ask for much, so he feels like he has to do it. Silva and Hendricks will have to wait.

Diaz’s last Octagon appearance resulted in a somewhat controversial decision loss to Carlos Condit during their interim welterweight title fight in February. Afterwards, Diaz tested positive for marijuana metabolites in a post-fight drug test, and caught a year-long time-out. Diaz has been on the sidelines ever since, waiting, planning, talking mad shit. And now his big opportunity has arrived again, which he hopefully won’t blow this time. Meanwhile another contender has spent the last 12 months actually fighting people and winning — LOL, what a sucker! — beating three of the UFC’s toughest welterweight contenders in the process.

As you can imagine, Hendricks isn’t too happy with all of this. Bigg Rigg immediately went on twitter to plead his case for the GSP fight, and re-stated his intention to sit out until he gets his title shot. (For what it’s worth, Dana White agreed that Hendricks deserves the shot — but GSP’s wishes come first, it appears. Hendricks’s tweets also set off a brief back-and-forth between him and Jake Shields, but the less said about that the better.) Hendricks then did some venting on MMA Junkie Radio:

“He’s trying to keep money from my kids. If I win that belt and take it from him, my life changes. He’s trying to not give me the fair shot. That’s crazy to me to think this guy is trying to control my future. That makes me want to win that much even more.

“Here is a guy is trying to pull out a curveball saying, ‘We really don’t think we can win with this guy, but we think we can beat Nick Diaz.’ That’s what it sounds like to me.

“I think I’m going to be fighting GSP in six months – April or May. I want GSP, and nothing else matters. Nobody else is in the equation in my mind. But hypothetically, as long as it takes (to get GSP is how long I’ll wait). You only get so many opportunities to fight at the top level and stay at the top level.

“I can’t keep fighting and being the No. 1 contender for years. There has to be a time to take a stand, and I feel like now is that time.”

And there you have it — one more top contender gets passed over by a UFC champion, and one more brash challenger gets a title shot despite coming off a loss. Has the world gone insane? Or is the GSP vs. Diaz matchup awesome enough to justify it?

UFC: Why We Should Be Thankful That Ronda Rousey Is Not Facing ‘Cyborg’ Just Yet

Female mixed martial arts did its best Neo impression earlier today, when it dodged a Cyborg-sized bullet that could have proved lethal to its future. The announcement that Ronda Rousey will be making her first title defense against Liz Carmouche is th…

Female mixed martial arts did its best Neo impression earlier today, when it dodged a Cyborg-sized bullet that could have proved lethal to its future.

The announcement that Ronda Rousey will be making her first title defense against Liz Carmouche is the best scenario for WMMA that one could have realistically hoped for.

Many of you might be wondering why I am so high on this particular matchup.

Let me preface this by saying that Carmouche is a good opponent for Rousey. However, my glee is more in relation to who the former Olympian will not be facing on her UFC debut.

By all accounts, Dana White has been working overtime to put together a blockbuster contest between Ronda Rousey and Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos.

There is no question that is the fight everyone is eager to see. Therefore, it would appear to make sense to book that contest as soon as humanly possible.

But things are not quite that simple.

Although this might initially sound counter-intuitive, we should all be grateful that “Cyborg” has played hard to get in recent months.

Pitting the Brazilian against Rousey at the embryonic stage of the UFC female division’s development is the booking equivalent of playing chicken with a tank.

It is the kind of myopic approach to matchmaking that I have been so vocally opposed to in recent weeks.

Indeed, Dana White’s interview with Ariel Helwani earlier today only served to highlight how mind-bogglingly shortsighted the UFC brass can sometimes be.

In the aforementioned interview, the UFC President made it abundantly clear that he is in the Ronda Rousey business, not the women’s MMA business, stating bluntly:

“I’m not trying to shy away from that and say, ‘Oh no, we’re getting into women’s MMA.’ This is the Ronda Rousey show.”

Let’s leave aside how galling that comment must be for every other female mixed martial artist out there and instead focus on the implications of White’s statement.

If this is indeed the “Ronda Rousey show,” why put her up against “Cyborg” Santos in her UFC debut? One might call it honest matchmaking by the UFC, but that would be missing the point.

There is no doubt that Rousey can win that fight, but is there any doubt that she is equally likely to lose the fight?

Dana White has already conceded that the UFC’s interest in women’s MMA is tied to the fate of their new champion.

With that in mind, one has to wonder why they would play Russian Roulette with their only bankable female star.

We should be equally thankful that Sara McMann had the business savvy to realise that a fight with Ronda Rousey would be pointless at present.

The UFC must build the profile of its female division before it starts matching up the three best fighters in WMMA.

While those who have idealistic notions of a meritocratic matchmaking system might balk at this suggestion, it is critical that Ronda Rousey remains on the throne for the foreseeable future.

Dana White has made it clear that any other scenario puts the future of women’s MMA in serious doubt.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC on Fox 5: Dana White Talks Rousey, Fox and Much More in Video Scrum

SEATTLE — UFC President Dana White met with the media following today’s UFC on FOX media press conference.In the media scrum, White discussed Ronda Rousey’s appointment as the UFC women’s bantamweight champion and much, much more. Check out the f…

SEATTLE — UFC President Dana White met with the media following today’s UFC on FOX media press conference.

In the media scrum, White discussed Ronda Rousey’s appointment as the UFC women’s bantamweight champion and much, much more. 

Check out the full video above.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Dana White Talks Shane Carwin’s Future and Relationship with Stephan Bonnar

Following the UFC on Fox 5 pre-fight press conference, Dana White spoke with attending media about a wide variety of topics. While most of the focus was on Ronda Rousey and this weekend’s event, there were some notable tidbits about the current happeni…

Following the UFC on Fox 5 pre-fight press conference, Dana White spoke with attending media about a wide variety of topics. While most of the focus was on Ronda Rousey and this weekend’s event, there were some notable tidbits about the current happenings with the UFC. 

For those that were not aware, Shane Carwin was forced to pull out his fight with Roy Nelson at The Ultimate Fighter 16 Finale in Las Vegas after suffering a knee injury. They coached opposite of one another on the current season of The Ultimate Fighter on FX. 

The 37-year-old heavyweight was already coming off an extended layoff due to back surgery that kept him out of action for over a year. The latest injury will keep him on the shelf even longer as he attempts to repair his body for one last run. 

The UFC president isn’t too sure that the former UFC interim heavyweight champion can bounce back from such an injury.

“I dunno, man. I just talked to him the other day. He’s so depressed. He’s completely bummed out and depressed and I feel bad for the guy. It’s tough to bounce back,” White told Bleacher Report. “Especially cause he’s not getting any younger and having a major injury like that, it’s tough to bounce back from.”

Judging from his words and mannerisms, White doesn’t see an Octagon return as likely for Carwin, as his body just doesn’t seem to be holding up under the rigors of intense training. 

The conversation then switched to Stephan Bonnar, who tested positive for Drostanolone following his UFC 153 bout against Anderson Silva. Bonnar stepped up on short notice to face Silva in order to save the Brazilian event, which suffered numerous injuries at the top of the card. 

It was Bonnar‘s retirement fight and the second time that he’s tested positive for a banned substance during his UFC career. While it’s apparent that White is mad that Bonnar was using a performance-enhancing drug (PED), it’s pretty clear that the light heavyweight will always have a home in the UFC.

“I have not talked to Bonnar yet. I’m still mad at Bonnar. I’m mad. I’m mad at him. I don’t hate him. It’s not like I’ll never have a relationship with Stephan Bonnar again. He’ll always be with the UFC. His fight with Forrest, we’re all here because of that. But I’m mad at him. He should have told me.”

 

All quotes attained by Bleacher Report firsthand.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com