Ahead of his UFC 208 main card bout against durable knockout artist Tim Boetsch, number three ranked UFC Middleweight contender Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza is featured in the latest “UFC 208 Free Fight.” Featured above via UFC’s official YouTube page is the complete Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza vs. Gegard Mousasi 2 bout from the UFC Fight Night […]
Ahead of his UFC 208 main card bout against durable knockout artist Tim Boetsch, number three ranked UFC Middleweight contender Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza is featured in the latest “UFC 208 Free Fight.” Featured above via UFC’s official YouTube page is the complete Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza vs. Gegard Mousasi 2 bout from the UFC Fight Night […]
After brutally knocking out former champion Chris Weidman at last November’s UFC 205 from New York City, No. 1-ranked middleweight contender Yoel Romero will likely receive the next shot at reigning champion Michael Bisping this spring. Many feel as if Romero will present a difficult challenge for Bisping, but No. 5-ranked Gegard Mousasi recently told
After brutally knocking out former champion Chris Weidman at last November’s UFC 205 from New York City, No. 1-ranked middleweight contender Yoel Romero will likely receive the next shot at reigning champion Michael Bisping this spring.
Many feel as if Romero will present a difficult challenge for Bisping, but No. 5-ranked Gegard Mousasi recently told MMAJunkie that he’s giving “The Count” a ‘good chance’ of beating “The Solider of God”:
“You have to make Yoel Romero the favorite, but I think Michael Bisping, his style can give Yoel Romero difficulties,” Mousasi said. “Obviously, Yoel Romero is going to be favored, but I give Michael Bisping a good chance of winning.”
“Yoel Romero should be the favorite, but Bisping is the champion for a reason,” he added.
Bisping is riding a five fight win streak that includes victories over C.B. Dolloway, Thales Leites, Anderson Silva, Luke Rockhold and Dan Henderson, whom he defended his title against last October. The Brit recently underwent a minor knee surgery, however, and will be sidelined for some time.
Romero, on the other hand, has been on a tear as of late, winning eight straight UFC bouts, with six of those victories coming by way of stoppage. The former Olympian has taken out Derek Brunson, Tim Kennedy, Lyoto Machida, Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza and Weidman on his way to the top.
Mousasi is also on a hot streak, as he’s won four straight with three consecutive finishes, and he will next meet Weidman at UFC 210 in April.
Do you agree with “The Dreamcatcher’s” comments, or will Bisping have a hard time against Romero?
Up until Friday, everything was going great for Gegard Mousasi’s career.
Long the toast of the Japanese MMA circuit, Mousasi joined the UFC in 2013. After two up-and-down years with the company, he hit his stride in 2016 and has since rattled off four …
Up until Friday, everything was going great for Gegard Mousasi‘s career.
Long the toast of the Japanese MMA circuit, Mousasi joined the UFC in 2013. After two up-and-down years with the company, he hit his stride in 2016 and has since rattled off four strong wins in a row. Set to face former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman in April, he was poised to break his way into UFC title contention for the first time in his career.
Unfortunately, his dreams of holding UFC gold may have been shelved, and possibly dashed, by President Donald Trump’s 90-day ban on travel from seven Muslim-majority countries. The fighter discussed how he may not be able to enter the United States for his UFC 210 bout in an interview with Dutch outlet Telesport.
“I don’t know,” Mousasi said when asked if he will be able to compete (h/t MMA Fighting’s Marc Raimondi). “The UFC is working on it. The lawyers and guys that take care of the visas. I just have to wait. They’re gonna change some things probably in a couple weeks, because there’s a lot of protests [about] the change. I just have to wait and see.”
Despite living in the Netherlands since age four, Mousasi was born in Iran, whose citizens are currently unable to enter the United States alongside people from Syria, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Iraq and Yemen. The ban has been met with worldwide criticism and has soured the new administration to many Americans due to the lack of nuance for who it keeps out. Mousasi, naturally, feels the ban goes too far.
“The rule is even if you’re born in Iran, you’re a threat,” he said. “It’s gonna ruin the relationship between countries. I think the U.S. is on the wrong path.”
The UFC acknowledged that it is aware of the ban and that it will affect numerous fighters on the UFC roster. It issued the following statement (per MMA Fighting):
“We are aware of the federal travel ban. There are numerous variables including a judicial injunction. We are monitoring and will be affirmatively engaged to ensure that our fighters and employees are able to go where they need to compete and do their jobs.”
In addition to Mousasi, the travel ban could affect other UFC fighters such as Randa Markos (who is Iraqi-Canadian), Reza Madadi (Iranian-Swedish) and Makwan Amirkhani (Iranian-Finnish). All three are currently booked for fights, but none of them are attached to cards in the United States at this time. That said, they may be unable to compete on the majority of UFC cards due to the ban until things change.
There is still a chance Mousasi will be able to compete at UFC 210, which is set for April 8 in Buffalo, New York. Unfortunately, like many others, he will have to sit back and wait to learn what his future holds.
Controversy ensued when President Trump signed an executive order banning travel from seven Muslim-majority countries for 90 days, effectively suspending admission of refugees into the United States for 120 days. Political leanings aside, the order could affect the activity of a number of MMA fighters. UFC officials told Las Vegas Review-Journal: “We are aware of the […]
Controversy ensued when President Trump signed an executive order banning travel from seven Muslim-majority countries for 90 days, effectively suspending admission of refugees into the United States for 120 days. Political leanings aside, the order could affect the activity of a number of MMA fighters. UFC officials told Las Vegas Review-Journal: “We are aware of the […]
Earlier today UFC posted on their website that Daniel Cormier is set to fight Anthony Johnson on the UFC 210 card at Key Bank Arena in Buffalo. This will be the second time the heavyweights will meet in the octagon, with cormier winning the first bout via rear naked choke after surviving a first round knockdown. Cormier then went on to defend the title against Alexander Gustafsson in an instant classic. A knockdown, drag out, war.
Earlier today UFC posted on their website that Daniel Cormier is set to fight Anthony Johnson on the UFC 210 card at Key Bank Arena in Buffalo. This will be the second time the heavyweights meet inside the octagon, with cormier winning the first bout via rear naked choke after surviving a first round knockdown. Cormier then went on to defend the title against Alexander Gustafsson in an instant classic, and take out MMA legend Anderson Silva via unanimous decision.
Since their first fight Johnson has gone on to score 3 consecutive knockouts against Jimi Manuwa, Ryan Bader, and Glover Teixeira. He’s hoping the second time will be a charm as a scheduled fight out of the injury prone AKA camp is anything but promised.
Middleweights Chris Weidman and Gegard Mousasi are also set to clash on the same card.
The pay per view airs on April 8th and tickets go on sale Feb 17th.
What do you guys think, will this fight actually come to fruition?
Lionel Harris-Spence is a writer, filmmaker, and functioning alcoholic. You can catch him screaming obscenities at flat screens on fight night.
Chris Weidman isn’t a believer in tuneup fights. The former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight title holder lost his first two bouts in the span of 11 months. Both defeats were bloody finishes. “All-American” lost his championship to Luke Rockhold back in Dec. 2015 by TKO in the fourth round. He looked to rebound at […]
Chris Weidman isn’t a believer in tuneup fights. The former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight title holder lost his first two bouts in the span of 11 months. Both defeats were bloody finishes. “All-American” lost his championship to Luke Rockhold back in Dec. 2015 by TKO in the fourth round. He looked to rebound at […]
Up until Friday, everything was going great for 
