Tag: Dana White

GSP’s Retirement Talk Adds Intrigue to Potential Rematch with Johny Hendricks

When UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre (25-2) teased retirement after his controversial decision victory over Johny Hendricks (15-2) at UFC 167, he only added to the intrigue surrounding a potential rematch.
St-Pierre claimed in his post-figh…

When UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre (25-2) teased retirement after his controversial decision victory over Johny Hendricks (15-2) at UFC 167, he only added to the intrigue surrounding a potential rematch.

St-Pierre claimed in his post-fight interview that he wanted to take some time away from the sport, per Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times:

On the heels of his polarizing 48-47, 47-48, 48-47 split-decision victory, the pressure for a rematch from Dana White, per ESPN’s Todd Grisham, and the MMA world will spawn genuine excitement about a second chapter in this battle.

GSP vs. Hendricks II would be one of the biggest fights of the last five years.

Any fight that features St-Pierre defending his championship will draw major attention. The titleholder has carried pay-per-views for the UFC for the past six years and has made stars out of average competition like Jake Shields, Josh Koscheck and others.

It doesn’t matter who he’s squaring off against; MMA fans will pay to see GSP fight.

The main issue many critics have with St-Pierre is the pacing of his fights. As one of the best wrestlers in the sport, he is methodical with his approach and doesn’t mind grinding out five-round decision victories. With eight of his nine consecutive title defenses coming via decision, his inability and/or unwillingness to finish the fight early has some turning on the superstar.

If GSP rethinks the decision to walk away from the UFC, and he would be willing to play the role of the villain during the build to the rematch with Hendricks, the welterweight champion would ensure that this is the most intriguing matchup of his career.

Every good antagonist plays off a likable protagonist, and that role will be played by Hendricks.

Not only does Hendricks possess the elite speed and power to stand and trade strikes with St-Pierre in the center of the Octagon, but he also has the wrestling skills as a two-time NCAA champion to match GSP on the mat.

Most fans and fellow fighters feel Hendricks deserved to get the decision victory Saturday night, and that has lent credibility to his role in the potential rematch as the underdog looking to capture the championship most feel he rightfully deserves.

St-Pierre’s comments about potentially retiring, and the drama that surrounds the next few weeks as his decision becomes official, will lead to the rematch hopefully being announced sooner rather than later.

With the hype around this main event still red hot, the UFC must capitalize and book the rematch.

 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 167 Results: What Does the Future Hold for Josh Koscheck?

Regardless of rank, stature or proven track record, a string of three successive defeats is a burden that every UFC fighter looks to avoid—generally speaking, it’s a telltale sign that walking papers are sure to follow.
With his third consecutive…

Regardless of rank, stature or proven track record, a string of three successive defeats is a burden that every UFC fighter looks to avoid—generally speaking, it’s a telltale sign that walking papers are sure to follow.

With his third consecutive loss at the hands of Tyrone Woodley at UFC 167, that is the exactly the predicament that Josh Koscheck now finds himself in. Worse yet, it’s his second straight defeat by way of knockout.

Given his tumultuous recent history, it comes as no surprise that—in the interim between his departure from the Octagon and the UFC 168 post-fight press conference—he brought a possible retirement to UFC President Dana White‘s attention . 

Yet it appears that, according to the brass at Zuffa headquarters, he’s got some fight left in him. Addressing the media during the post-fight scrum, White made it known that Koscheck wouldn’t be cut from the roster.

But in spite of the push from the top, we cannot ignore the ominous nature of Koscheck considering retirement.

A look at his last five fights makes it clear that shaky doesn’t do his recent run justice.

Even if we focus on the victories, the outlook is bleak.

His last win over a relevant opponent? Mike Pierce almost two years ago. The last time he managed to stop an opponent? A knockout that sent a withered shadow of the titan formerly known as Matt Hughes into retirement.

Yet fighters manage to return from a string of defeats and, in rare occasions, use the burden as a means to reignite their passion for the sport.

Perhaps Koscheck‘s good standing with the UFC, paired with his deep experience, might be reason for him to take a tuneup fight or two.

In arguably the most telling sign of his future with the organization, White told MMAJunkie that he entered the Octagon after Koscheck‘s loss last night for a particular reason. “I was worried about him because he got knocked out bad, and I just wanted to go in and make sure he was all right. I’ve got to talk to him and see if that was a retirement text he was sending me.”

Given his status as a tried-and-true veteran—not to mention his importance as a member of the pivotal Ultimate Fighter Season 1 cast—Koscheck will always arouse sympathy and appreciation from White et al. 

Ultimately though, it isn’t about the fans or the promoters.

If Koscheck feels that he’s reached the end of a storied MMA career, he should confidently hand up his gloves knowing that both his achievements and role in a few of the UFC’s most critical years are worthy of everyone’s respect.

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Dana White Blasts Nevada State Athletic Commission in the Aftermath of UFC 167

Dana White has never been one to bite his tongue, but these days, few things seem to get his blood boiling more than the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
The UFC President has taken NSAC to task at every turn on a handful of issues, but the bulk of Wh…

Dana White has never been one to bite his tongue, but these days, few things seem to get his blood boiling more than the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

The UFC President has taken NSAC to task at every turn on a handful of issues, but the bulk of White’s ire has been as a result of the commission’s judge and referee selection for the promotion’s events that are held in Las Vegas. 

While controversial decisions, debatable stoppages—or lack thereof—is certainly nothing new to the realm of combat sports, the UFC figurehead appears to be reaching the end of his proverbial rope with the governing body. White has been at odds with NSAC for years, but the intensity hit a fever pitch in the aftermath of Saturday night’s main event welterweight title tilt between Georges St-Pierre and Johny Hendricks. 

White, and a large percentage of the MMA media, had Hendricks winning the majority of the rounds, which should have resulted in the crowning of a new welterweight champion. But that’s not how the cageside judges scored the tilt, and St-Pierre took the split-decision victory and retained the title he’s held for the past five years.

Immediately upon the conclusion of the card, White ripped the judges at the post-fight press conference for robbing Hendricks of what should have been the biggest victory of his career. While the UFC head honcho launched plenty of verbal missiles during the press conference, the topic carried over into his media scrum, where he broadened his scope and put the commission itself on blast. 

With frustration obviously bubbling over, White declared action needed to be taken once and for all, even if that meant Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval stepping in.

“They have been very consistently bad,” White told the media in attendance. “It’s at the point now…when the Mayweather thing happened, the governor jumped right in there. The governor needs to fix this thing. I don’t know what the answer is, but the answer is to fix this problem. The problem is the judges and some of these referees. That’s the problem.”

“When the promoter is more concerned about the fighters than the commission…that’s a problem.  The commission is here to protect the fighters from me. I’m a promoter. I’m taking their money and making sure Georges St-Pierre wins because he’s our big money guy and screw Johny Hendricks. That’s what they are supposed to be there for. It is absolutely f***** insane when the promoter is trying to protect the fighters from the commission.”

“There is obviously some incompetence there, but there is also a f****** huge ego there,” he added. “There is a huge ego who would rather stick it to us than just do what’s right. There’s no doubt about it and I absolutely 100 percent believe that. And I think a lot of you believe that too. This is our hometown, where we live, and the athletic commission is the weakest in the country.”

While NSAC is under the microscope for the controversial outcome of the St-Pierre vs. Hendricks bout, problems with MMA judging reach far beyond the boundaries of Nevada. Inconsistencies with scoring have have occurred all across the globe and have brought the sport’s 10 Point Must format under scrutiny time and time again.

That said, with the UFC being based out of Las Vegas and the promotion holding a minimum of four events annually in “Sin City”, the battle between the organization and NSAC comes with a unique sense of urgency. While White doesn’t know the exact answer on how to fix the dilemma, if the issues continue to go on without being addressed, he believes the company may seek alternatives to holding events in their hometown.

“So when you start looking at next year’s schedule, how many fights do you really want to do in Vegas?” White said. “I think the governor of this state is very aware of what is going on with the athletic commission. Now it’s just a matter of getting it done. Getting in there, rolling up your sleeves and getting it done.”

 

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

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Post-UFC 167 News Roundup: Hendricks-GSP II, Koscheck’s Future, And More


(The pre-fight UFC 167 press conference. The belt didn’t change places. / Photo via Getty)

UFC 167 left a terrible taste in our mouths.

The card was exciting, and the main event, after the last round but before the decision was announced, seemed like it was going to be a passing of the torch. Instead, we got a terrible decision that overshadowed the celebratory atmosphere around the UFC’s 20th anniversary show.

Now, we’re left with more questions than answers. Here’s what we know so far:

Josh Koscheck suffered a brutal KO loss to Tyron Woodley. One might think that the UFC would let Koscheck go since he’s a 35-year-old on a three-fight losing streak and they’ve cut other fighters for less. Yet Koscheck is going to stay in the UFC, at least if he doesn’t retire.

Dana White said that Koscheck will not be cut, and also stated that he had a soft spot for TUF season 1 veterans (aww). However, White also mentioned that he received a text message from Koscheck which “sounded like retirement” but that sometimes fighters say things after fights, presumably things they don’t mean.

White, unhappy (an understatement) about the decision in the main event, also ranted about the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

“It used to be the best commission in the world…I’m fucking scared to come back here and do fights,” Yet, when pressed for specifics about how the UFC would proceed, White was mum. “What more can I do?” he said. “I just don’t know what else needs to be done. It’s unfortunate.”

Of course, the biggest issue we’re all waiting on is a rematch between Georges St.Pierre and Johny Hendricks. Will it happen?

Maybe.


(The pre-fight UFC 167 press conference. The belt didn’t change places. / Photo via Getty)

UFC 167 left a terrible taste in our mouths.

The card was exciting, and the main event, after the last round but before the decision was announced, seemed like it was going to be a passing of the torch. Instead, we got a terrible decision that overshadowed the celebratory atmosphere around the UFC’s 20th anniversary show.

Now, we’re left with more questions than answers. Here’s what we know so far:

Josh Koscheck suffered a brutal KO loss to Tyron Woodley. One might think that the UFC would let Koscheck go since he’s a 35-year-old on a three-fight losing streak and they’ve cut other fighters for less. Yet Koscheck is going to stay in the UFC, at least if he doesn’t retire.

Dana White said that Koscheck will not be cut, and also stated that he had a soft spot for TUF season 1 veterans (aww). However, White also mentioned that he received a text message from Koscheck which “sounded like retirement” but that sometimes fighters say things after fights, presumably things they don’t mean.

White, unhappy (an understatement) about the decision in the main event, also ranted about the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

“It used to be the best commission in the world…I’m fucking scared to come back here and do fights,” Yet, when pressed for specifics about how the UFC would proceed, White was mum. “What more can I do?” he said. “I just don’t know what else needs to be done. It’s unfortunate.”

Of course, the biggest issue we’re all waiting on is a rematch between Georges St.Pierre and Johny Hendricks. Will it happen?

Maybe.

At the post-fight press conference, an infuriated White claimed that he wouldn’t let GSP take a furlough from the sport.

“I want what’s fair and that wasn’t fair,” White said about the decision. “You owe it to the fans, you owe it to that belt, you owe it to this company, and you owe it to Johny Hendricks to give him that opportunity to fight again, unless you’re gonna retire…There’s no ‘Hey listen I’m gonna go on a cruise and be gone for two years,’”

During the post-presser media scrum, Dana White, though much calmer, no-sold St.Pierre’s problems.

“His problems aren’t as bad as he thinks they are. They’re personal problems…it might seem like the end of the world, but it’s not.” “He’s a strong kid. He’ll get through this…he wants to fight…I’m very confident he’s going to work it out.”

Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Snowden seems to think that the rematch is more or less decided upon, which is likely but nothing is official yet, so don’t bank on it.

 

Post-UFC 167 News Roundup: Hendricks-GSP II, Koscheck’s Future, And More


(The pre-fight UFC 167 press conference. The belt didn’t change places. / Photo via Getty)

UFC 167 left a terrible taste in our mouths.

The card was exciting, and the main event, after the last round but before the decision was announced, seemed like it was going to be a passing of the torch. Instead, we got a terrible decision that overshadowed the celebratory atmosphere around the UFC’s 20th anniversary show.

Now, we’re left with more questions than answers. Here’s what we know so far:

Josh Koscheck suffered a brutal KO loss to Tyron Woodley. One might think that the UFC would let Koscheck go since he’s a 35-year-old on a three-fight losing streak and they’ve cut other fighters for less. Yet Koscheck is going to stay in the UFC, at least if he doesn’t retire.

Dana White said that Koscheck will not be cut, and also stated that he had a soft spot for TUF season 1 veterans (aww). However, White also mentioned that he received a text message from Koscheck which “sounded like retirement” but that sometimes fighters say things after fights, presumably things they don’t mean.

White, unhappy (an understatement) about the decision in the main event, also ranted about the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

“It used to be the best commission in the world…I’m fucking scared to come back here and do fights,” Yet, when pressed for specifics about how the UFC would proceed, White was mum. “What more can I do?” he said. “I just don’t know what else needs to be done. It’s unfortunate.”

Of course, the biggest issue we’re all waiting on is a rematch between Georges St.Pierre and Johny Hendricks. Will it happen?

Maybe.


(The pre-fight UFC 167 press conference. The belt didn’t change places. / Photo via Getty)

UFC 167 left a terrible taste in our mouths.

The card was exciting, and the main event, after the last round but before the decision was announced, seemed like it was going to be a passing of the torch. Instead, we got a terrible decision that overshadowed the celebratory atmosphere around the UFC’s 20th anniversary show.

Now, we’re left with more questions than answers. Here’s what we know so far:

Josh Koscheck suffered a brutal KO loss to Tyron Woodley. One might think that the UFC would let Koscheck go since he’s a 35-year-old on a three-fight losing streak and they’ve cut other fighters for less. Yet Koscheck is going to stay in the UFC, at least if he doesn’t retire.

Dana White said that Koscheck will not be cut, and also stated that he had a soft spot for TUF season 1 veterans (aww). However, White also mentioned that he received a text message from Koscheck which “sounded like retirement” but that sometimes fighters say things after fights, presumably things they don’t mean.

White, unhappy (an understatement) about the decision in the main event, also ranted about the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

“It used to be the best commission in the world…I’m fucking scared to come back here and do fights,” Yet, when pressed for specifics about how the UFC would proceed, White was mum. “What more can I do?” he said. “I just don’t know what else needs to be done. It’s unfortunate.”

Of course, the biggest issue we’re all waiting on is a rematch between Georges St.Pierre and Johny Hendricks. Will it happen?

Maybe.

At the post-fight press conference, an infuriated White claimed that he wouldn’t let GSP take a furlough from the sport.

“I want what’s fair and that wasn’t fair,” White said about the decision. “You owe it to the fans, you owe it to that belt, you owe it to this company, and you owe it to Johny Hendricks to give him that opportunity to fight again, unless you’re gonna retire…There’s no ‘Hey listen I’m gonna go on a cruise and be gone for two years,’”

During the post-presser media scrum, Dana White, though much calmer, no-sold St.Pierre’s problems.

“His problems aren’t as bad as he thinks they are. They’re personal problems…it might seem like the end of the world, but it’s not.” “He’s a strong kid. He’ll get through this…he wants to fight…I’m very confident he’s going to work it out.”

Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Snowden seems to think that the rematch is more or less decided upon, which is likely but nothing is official yet, so don’t bank on it.

 

Dana White: 5 Biggest Rants from the UFC President

UFC 167 saw Georges St-Pierre defeat Johny Hendricks via a controversial split decision which UFC President Dana White, and many others, did not agree with.When Dana White strongly disagrees with a decision, though, he tends let everyone know about. La…

UFC 167 saw Georges St-Pierre defeat Johny Hendricks via a controversial split decision which UFC President Dana White, and many others, did not agree with.

When Dana White strongly disagrees with a decision, though, he tends let everyone know about. Last night was no different and at the post-fight press conference he let the attending media know he thought the decision was a disgrace.

White epitomises what it means to wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve, and although sometimes he sensationalises versions of events, like last night, it is always entertaining. It also gives media types the quotes they need to make such post-fight articles worth reading.

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