Former UFC champ BJ Penn will return to action this Saturday (January 15, 2017) after a two-and-a-half year retirement. Penn will take on Yair Rodriguez, a rising prospect in the featherweight division, in the headliner of UFC Fight Night 103 from the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. Unfortunately, many mixed martial arts fans
Former UFC champ BJ Penn will return to action this Saturday (January 15, 2017) after a two-and-a-half year retirement. Penn will take on Yair Rodriguez, a rising prospect in the featherweight division, in the headliner of UFC Fight Night 103 from the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona.
Unfortunately, many mixed martial arts fans and pundits are pessimistic about Penn’s return. BJ is unquestionably an all-time great, perhaps the best lightweight ever. But the Hawaiian hasn’t won a fight since a first-round knockout of Matt Hughes in November 2010. Below are several reasons most in the MMA community wishes that Penn had stayed retired.
1. Combination Of Age And Inactivity
As already mentioned, Penn hasn’t competed in two-and-a-half years, and the MMA great has exactly one fight in the last fours years. He doesn’t have a victory in the last six. And he is 38 years old, not exactly a spring chicken, particularly in the unforgiving lighter weight classes.
Part of what made Penn so successful was that he was well ahead of his time. He paired solid boxing skill with a lethal and all-time great jiu-jitsu game. He was so much more talented in his prime than the majority of contemporaries, meaning he could compete above his natural weight class and still have success.
Penn was able to win the welterweight title before men like Georges St. Pierre and Rory MacDonald came along. And he ruled the lightweight division before the likes of Benson Henderson, Rafael dos Anjos, and Conor McGregor. At this point, Penn is far from his physical prime while the elite in every division are more talented and more athletic than anyone Penn faced in his heyday.
Penn is returning to try to make a run at featherweight, going after a belt in a third division. While that would be an unprecedented achievement, he is undergoing a more arduous cut and at an advanced age. That is not exactly a recipe for success. And the last time we saw Penn at that weight, it did not go well.
Following her dismantling at the hard fists of Amanda Nunes at UFC 207, Rousey’s woes are not yet over. The general reaction of the media and fans hasn’t been kind on the former women’s bantamweight champion, to say the least. To make matters worse, it appears her new residence in Venice Beach, California, has been the target of vandalism…at least, that’s what it it appears to be.
The Daily Mail first reported of news depicting minor criminal damage to the exterior of the bantamweight’s home. A photo has emerged which shows the side of “Rowdy’s” house appearing to have been the target of a rushed spray paint job; the message, however, is illegible.
Whatever the motive by the perpetrators, it appears that the poor paint job is the least of Rousey’s troubles.
The Olympic Judoka’s plans for her future in MMA are still a mystery, but with a reputation and record as strong as hers, many will be hoping that she can bounce back to at least challenge in the upper tiers of female MMA.
It seems Ronda Rousey just cannot catch a break.
Following her dismantling at the hard fists of Amanda Nunes at UFC 207, Rousey’s woes are not yet over. The general reaction of the media and fans hasn’t been kind on the former women’s bantamweight champion, to say the least. To make matters worse, it appears her new residence in Venice Beach, California, has been the target of vandalism…at least, that’s what it it appears to be.
The Daily Mail first reported of news depicting minor criminal damage to the exterior of the bantamweight’s home. A photo has emerged which shows the side of “Rowdy’s” house appearing to have been the target of a rushed spray paint job; the message, however, is illegible.
Whatever the motive by the perpetrators, it appears that the poor paint job is the least of Rousey’s troubles.
The Olympic Judoka’s plans for her future in MMA are still a mystery, but with a reputation and record as strong as hers, many will be hoping that she can bounce back to at least challenge in the upper tiers of female MMA.
Not even anti-doping measures could prevent this from happening.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight Mark Hunt is suing the promotion, its President Dana White, and his UFC 200 op…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYnJHjnsa-U&t=45s
Not even anti-doping measures could prevent this from happening.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight Mark Hunt is suing the promotion, its President Dana White, and his UFC 200 opponent Brock Lesnar. Hunt has filed a civil suit because he feels the circumstances surrounding his loss to Lesnar were part of a collusion.
“I want the UFC to understand it’s not OK to keep doing what they’re doing. They’re allowing guys to do this. They had a chance to take all the money from this guy, because he’s a cheater, and they didn’t.”
Lesnar’s fight against Hunt was originally a unanimous decision win for the former heavyweight champion. Lesnar tested positive for banned substances and the result was changed to a no contest. He was suspended by both the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) and the U.S. Anti Doping Agency (USADA) for one year.
Those suspensions and the result change were not enough for Hunt. The veteran said it’s on the UFC, its President, and his opponent to face the music.
“What message is that sending to the boys and girls who want to be a fighter someday? The message is, ‘You just have to cheat like this and it’s OK.’ In society, if you commit a crime, you pay. Why is it different in MMA? It’s hurt the business, so it’s even worse. They need to be held accountable for this.”
Despite the lawsuit, Hunt is still under contract with the UFC and is scheduled to face Alistair Overeem at UFC 209. Hunt realizes that this puts him in an awkward situation.
“I didn’t want to be in this position. It puts me in a weird spot because I’m still under contract. Fans say, ‘Mark, you knew he was juicing.’ I didn’t know. You look at him and think, ‘Yeah, he’s on the gear,’ but don’t judge a book by its cover and all that.”
March 3 event has been canned, on what would have been first part of double header on the eve of UFC 209.
What was first reported on MMAjunkie on Tuesday has also been confirmed by UFC.
While UFC Fight Night 106 will no longer go ahead; it is worth noting that no details (venue, fight details) were confirmed for the card. No reason has been given by the promotion for the cancellation.
In addition to the scrapping of this event, UFC 208 was also canceled after confirmation of a date [January 21] and venue [Anaheim, California]. UFC 208 has been subsequently adjusted to Feb. 11 in Brooklyn, N.Y. Anaheim will host an event on August 5, however.
“I just signed the contract that was put in front of me. I didn’t ask for it, I didn’t beg for it. We signed it and sent it right back.
We didn’t negotiate more money or anything. Signed it and sent it back.
“He’s got the bout agreement and he’s probably looking at it right now. UFC wants this fight to happen. We just have unfinished business. As a champion for me, if it was the other way around and I was in Tyron’s shoes, I just couldn’t feel right moving on from that last fight. It was a draw. I didn’t win and there’s a lot of fans that would see this as unfinished business and I just can’t leave it that way. That’s not who I am.
“As a champion, he should be taking this fight because we have not yet determined the winner of it.”
Woodley’s subsequent confirmation of the date has all but tied up an eagerly anticipated 2nd fight between the two, following the [majority] draw decision at UFC 205 which saw the champion retain his belt.
“T-Wood” stated (Via Fox Sports):
“March 4, UFC 209 in Las Vegas, Nevada, what I believe to be the T-Mobile Center, you will see “Wonderboy” get the worst ass whooping of his life.
“Hopefully all his fans and all his over entitlement will cease at that moment and we can do a eulogy for it.”
Fans eager to watch the first event of 2017’s roster will not have to wait long for the upcoming “UFC Fight Night 103: Rodriguez vs. Penn”. The event is scheduled to take place this Sunday in Phoenix, Arizona. You can watch the prelims and on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass, before the main card which will air on FS1.
March 3 event has been canned, on what would have been first part of double header on the eve of UFC 209.
What was first reported on MMAjunkie on Tuesday has also been confirmed by UFC.
While UFC Fight Night 106 will no longer go ahead; it is worth noting that no details (venue, fight details) were confirmed for the card. No reason has been given by the promotion for the cancellation.
In addition to the scrapping of this event, UFC 208 was also canceled after confirmation of a date [January 21] and venue [Anaheim, California]. UFC 208 has been subsequently adjusted to Feb. 11 in Brooklyn, N.Y. Anaheim will host an event on August 5, however.
“I just signed the contract that was put in front of me. I didn’t ask for it, I didn’t beg for it. We signed it and sent it right back.
We didn’t negotiate more money or anything. Signed it and sent it back.
“He’s got the bout agreement and he’s probably looking at it right now. UFC wants this fight to happen. We just have unfinished business. As a champion for me, if it was the other way around and I was in Tyron’s shoes, I just couldn’t feel right moving on from that last fight. It was a draw. I didn’t win and there’s a lot of fans that would see this as unfinished business and I just can’t leave it that way. That’s not who I am.
“As a champion, he should be taking this fight because we have not yet determined the winner of it.”
Woodley’s subsequent confirmation of the date has all but tied up an eagerly anticipated 2nd fight between the two, following the [majority] draw decision at UFC 205 which saw the champion retain his belt.
“T-Wood” stated (Via Fox Sports):
“March 4, UFC 209 in Las Vegas, Nevada, what I believe to be the T-Mobile Center, you will see “Wonderboy” get the worst ass whooping of his life.
“Hopefully all his fans and all his over entitlement will cease at that moment and we can do a eulogy for it.”
Fans eager to watch the first event of 2017’s roster will not have to wait long for the upcoming “UFC Fight Night 103: Rodriguez vs. Penn”. The event is scheduled to take place this Sunday in Phoenix, Arizona. You can watch the prelims and on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass, before the main card which will air on FS1.
The old saying that, ‘what goes up must come down’ has been proven time and time again in the Octagon over the years, though some fighters have experienced the second half of that equation far more vividly – and indeed violently – than others. It’s a strange phenomenon to bear witness to, as a fighter
The old saying that, ‘what goes up must come down’ has been proven time and time again in the Octagon over the years, though some fighters have experienced the second half of that equation far more vividly – and indeed violently – than others.
It’s a strange phenomenon to bear witness to, as a fighter who could do no wrong suddenly find themselves in a position where they can’t seem to do anything right.
Whether it’s the effects of age, an accumulation of injuries, a weakened chin, or a loss of focus, in this article we’ll look at 10 classic examples of fighters whose career entered into that dreaded downward spiral while competing in the UFC and were never able to recover from it.
Roger Huerta
It’s hard to believe now, but back in 2007 Roger Huerta was being tipped as the next big thing in the UFC.
Huerta enjoyed a rapid ascent up the UFC pecking order, entering the promotion after a long unbeaten run and then racking up six wins in a row inside the Octagon while also landing on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine at a time when mainstream exposure was hard to come by.
Huerta seemed to have the world at his feet, but he took his eye off the prize when he began dating ‘That 70’s Show’ actress Laura Prepon and started talking about leaving the UFC to pursue an acting career.
His downward descent proved to be as swift as his rise had been, with back-to-back losses coming to Kenny Florian and Gray Maynard before his UFC departure in 2009.
Huerta’s relationship with Prepon and acting career didn’t take off, and his MMA career never recovered, posting a tepid 3-6 record over the past seven years away from the bright lights of the UFC.
Ronda Rousey has experienced a sudden fall from grace over the last 14 months. The once-dominant UFC women’s bantamweight champion has lost her last two bouts by knockout and her fighting future is currently unclear. After being on the wrong end of a brutal Holly Holm head kick at Nov. 2015’s UFC 193, Rousey spent the majority
Ronda Rousey has experienced a sudden fall from grace over the last 14 months. The once-dominant UFC women’s bantamweight champion has lost her last two bouts by knockout and her fighting future is currently unclear.
After being on the wrong end of a brutal Holly Holm head kick at Nov. 2015’s UFC 193, Rousey spent the majority of 2016 on the sidelines. With the belt no longer wrapped around her waist, the “Rowdy” one faded out of the limelight, but she made her long-awaited return at last Friday’s (Dec. 30, 2016) UFC 207 from Las Vegas. Unfortunately for Rousey, this loss was far more harrowing than the last, as she was finished by Amanda Nunes in just 48 seconds.
Due to her current losing streak and the fact that she has remained relatively quiet in the media – something unusual for a star of her stature – Rousey has received a tremendous amount of criticism. While some of that criticism may be warranted, it seems fight fans are suddenly downplaying Rousey’s previous accomplishments.
Perhaps fans are forgetting that the former Olympian has held titles in two different promotions? Perhaps fans are forgetting that we’re speaking of the female who brought women’s MMA to the UFC, and therefore the mainstream? Perhaps fans have forgotten that Rousey will always be known as the inaugural UFC 135-pound champion and that she defended her title six consecutive times?
With that being said, let’s flip the script, stop trashing Rousey for a moment and take a look at ‘Rowdy’s’ five best fighting moments:
Miesha Tate vs. Ronda Rousey:
Ronda Rousey made her bantamweight debut in a title fight against fellow pioneer and then Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion Miesha “Cupcake” Tate at Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey on March 3, 2012.
After scoring four straight first round armbar victories, Rousey was put in the headlining role against her bitter rival with a title on the line. To say that she made the most of the opportunity would be an understatement, as she ended up scoring yet another first round armbar victory over Tate to secure the title. In fact, Rousey even snapped Tate’s arm in gruesome fashion, which just added an exclamation point to the victory.
Establishing herself as a legitimate star and a legitimate force in this fight, Rousey would go on to defend her Strikeforce strap one time before making the jump to the UFC.
