Five Fighters Who Desperately Need To Win At UFC 208

UFC 208 may not be the most anticipated pay-per-view (PPV) card in recent memory, but it certainly serves as a pivotal one for some of the fighters competing on it. The event, which takes place this Saturday night (Feb. 11, 2017) from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, is set to be headlined by

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UFC 208 may not be the most anticipated pay-per-view (PPV) card in recent memory, but it certainly serves as a pivotal one for some of the fighters competing on it.

The event, which takes place this Saturday night (Feb. 11, 2017) from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, is set to be headlined by an inaugural women’s featherweight title match between former bantamweight champion Holly Holm and decorated Muay Thai fighter Germaine de Randamie. The co-main event will play host to a middleweight bout between No. 7-ranked former longtime divisional kingpin Anderson Silva and No. 8-ranked Derek Brunson. That isn’t all, however, as there are some other important fights scattered across the card as well.

With that being said, let’s take a look at five fighters in desperate need of a win at UFC 208:

Photo: Kamil Krzaczynski for USA TODAY Sports

Holly Holm

Former multi-time boxing world champion Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm has made quite a name for herself in the sport of mixed martial arts, most notably for being the woman to dethrone former longtime 135-pound queen Ronda Rousey with a brutal stoppage victory at Nov. 2015’s UFC 193 from Australia.

Since that shocking win, however, Holm has dropped back-to-back bouts, surrendering the title via fifth-round submission to Miesha Tate at March 2016’s UFC 196 and dropping a decision to No. 1-ranked bantamweight Valentina Shevchenko last July.

While de Randamie is an accomplished Muay Thai fighter, she hasn’t quite gained that same recognition within the sport of mixed martial arts yet, although her skills speak for themselves. Holm is undoubtedly facing a tough test, and another loss could prove detrimental to her career.

Not only would it mark her third straight inside the Octagon, but it may lead many to label her a one-hit wonder.

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Poll: Will You Buy UFC 208?

It’s safe to say this Saturday’s (February 11, 2017) UFC 208 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York has received more than its fair share of criticism from MMA fans and media alike. After all, the card features the inaugural UFC women’s featherweight title fight, but it doesn’t involve the consensus top women’s featherweight in

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It’s safe to say this Saturday’s (February 11, 2017) UFC 208 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York has received more than its fair share of criticism from MMA fans and media alike.

After all, the card features the inaugural UFC women’s featherweight title fight, but it doesn’t involve the consensus top women’s featherweight in the world, Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino. While the UFC offered Cyborg several chances to participate in the fight, she ultimately turned them down and then failed a USADA drug test, leaving her UFC future in question for now.

The fact that the promotion went on to book a women’s featherweight title bout anyway was (and still is) viewed as a sort of money grab by the UFC to add legitimacy to a card that badly needed it.

Longtime former middleweight champion and MMA legend Anderson Silva was added to the card on somewhat short notice against knockout slugger Derek Brunson, a bout where “The Spider” would seem to have little to gain but everything to lose considering he hasn’t secured an official win since October 2012.

All of that has many fans understandably questioning if they will buy the pay-per-view. Will you?

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Miesha Tate Has No Desire To Return To Fighting

Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate recently retired from fighting after dropping her second consecutive loss to Raquel Pennington at last November’s UFC 205 from Madison Square Garden in New York City. Now a few months into her retirement, Tate admits that a return to the cage is nowhere on her radar: “At this

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Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate recently retired from fighting after dropping her second consecutive loss to Raquel Pennington at last November’s UFC 205 from Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Now a few months into her retirement, Tate admits that a return to the cage is nowhere on her radar:

“At this point, it’s not even on the radar, so I can’t say that will probably happen, because I don’t think that it will,” Tate (18-7 MMA, 5-4 UFC) today told MMAjunkie Radio.

The inaugural UFC women’s featherweight champion will be crowned in the main event of this weekend’s (Feb. 11, 2017) UFC 208 from Brooklyn, New York when ex-bantamweight champion Holly Holm meets Germaine de Randamie.

The formation of a new division doesn’t seem to interest Tate, however, even though she was the female to submit Holm last March to steal “The Preacher’s Daughter’s” then held 135-pound strap.

At this point, “Cupcake” seems content continuing her life after fighting:

“I’m really happy in the retirement, honestly,” she said. “I’ve just been really enjoying myself and figuring out a little bit more about who I am beyond Miesha the fighter. It’s been a very interesting process, so I’m really enjoying that. I don’t have any plans to come back, or even any desire to.

“So unless that drastically changes, I don’t see myself going back in there. It’s an all-or-none sport. It’s got to be 110 percent, or not at all for me. So unless something makes me want to get back in there like a crazy person, I won’t be.”

Would you prefer to see Tate remain retired?

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UFC 208 Countdown: Full Episode

The UFC is back this Saturday night (February 11, 2017) UFC 208 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, with the main event set to decide the first-ever UFC women’s featherweight champion when former women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm meets touted striker Germaine de Randamie. The main card also houses two pivotal bouts in the

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The UFC is back this Saturday night (February 11, 2017) UFC 208 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, with the main event set to decide the first-ever UFC women’s featherweight champion when former women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm meets touted striker Germaine de Randamie.

The main card also houses two pivotal bouts in the middleweight division, with decorated longtime former champion Anderson Silva set to take on blitzing knockout striker Derek Brunson in the co-main event. “The Spider” is looking for one more chance to win UFC gold before he retires, but his friend and training partner Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza will also look to continue his arduous quest towards a title shot of his own when he meets veteran Tim Boestch.

Overall, a new division will find its first direction and one of the UFC’s most revered will see some things mixed up towards the top as well, making this weekend’s event from Brooklyn a unique one.

To get hyped up for the event, watch the full Countdown to UFC 208 episode courtesy of the UFC right here:

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Dana White Shuts Down Amanda Nunes’ Plan For Two Belts

Reigning UFC bantamweight champion Amanda “Lioness” Nunes will likely rematch Valentina Shevchenko, who scored an impressive submission victory over No. 2-ranked Julianna Pena last night at UFC on FOX 23, in her next outing, but she has also expressed interest in moving up in weight in an attempt to win another title. The inaugural UFC

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Reigning UFC bantamweight champion Amanda “Lioness” Nunes will likely rematch Valentina Shevchenko, who scored an impressive submission victory over No. 2-ranked Julianna Pena last night at UFC on FOX 23, in her next outing, but she has also expressed interest in moving up in weight in an attempt to win another title.

The inaugural UFC women’s featherweight champion will be determined in the main event of Feb. 11’s UFC 208 from Brooklyn, New York when former 135-pound queen Holly Holm takes on Germaine de Randamie. Nunes has said she would like to take on the winner, but UFC President Dana White doesn’t seem too interested in the idea:

“Pump the brakes,” he said at the post-fight press conference. “Pump the brakes.
“Let’s defend the title first. You know what I mean? Let her defend her title first. She hasn’t defended her title. Everybody wants to jump around these days. We need to start pumping the brakes around here.”

To give credit where it’s due, Nunes has indeed defended her title, as she brutally stopped ex-champion Ronda Rousey in just 48 seconds in the main event of Dec. 30, 2016’s UFC 207 from Las Vegas, Nevada.

The future of the women’s 145-pound division is also extremely unclear, as Invicta FC featherweight queen Cris Cyborg Justino, the lady who the division was essentially created for, is currently dealing with a potential USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) violation.

White even admitted that he wasn’t the biggest fan of creating the division:

“This whole time, I didn’t want to do it,” said White, referring to the UFC’s newest and third women’s division. “I did it. And now here we are in this position, so we’ll see what happens.”

With that being said, ho would you like to see Nunes face next?

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Cyborg Releases Statement On USADA Test Failure

Earlier today the MMA world was thrown into a virtual upheaval when news arrived that Invicta FC champion and rising UFC competitor Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino had been flagged by USADA for a banned substance stemming from an out-of-competition test on December 5. Cyborg had been involved in one of MMA’s hottest stories in recent weeks when

The post Cyborg Releases Statement On USADA Test Failure appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Earlier today the MMA world was thrown into a virtual upheaval when news arrived that Invicta FC champion and rising UFC competitor Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino had been flagged by USADA for a banned substance stemming from an out-of-competition test on December 5.

Cyborg had been involved in one of MMA’s hottest stories in recent weeks when news came she had turned down two title fights for the women’s UFC 145-pound belt, and while it’s unknown if the UFC knew about the test failure before they booked Holly Holm vs. Germaine de Randamie at February 11’s UFC 208, it certainly could have played into the decision.

Many were quick to jump on her back after her previous failure during her days in Strikeforce, but Cyborg and her representatives affirmed their stance that the substance was due to a medical treatment she had been receiving after her draining cuts to 140 pounds for her two fights in the Octagon this year. According to Ariel Helwani, she’s facing a potential maximum punishment of a one-year suspension. However, Justino claims to know what the substance was and says it was not an anabolic agent in a statement released on Facebook.

Read her entire statement right here:

I have been notified today by USADA of a potential violation stemming from an Out of Competition Sample collected Dec. 5 2016.

USADA is an independent administrator of the UFC Anti Doping policy and will be responsible for the review and any sanctioning if imposed.

It has been brought to my attention that my recent sample contained a banned substance known as Spironolactone. The substance is part of a therapeutic treatment being administered to me by doctor that started the 26th of September and is suppose to last for a period of no less than 90 days, requiring blood exams at the completion. In addition to the treatment administered to me by Dr Ulyssea M Da C O Pinto (CRM-PR19062/CRM-RJ 30150-9/CRM SC 2740/ CRM -RO 2630) I was given a medical suspension by her not to enter into competition style training or weight cutting practices during the period of recovery. It is for those reasons why I declined the UFC fight Feb. 11th 2016 for the first 145lbs belt.

I am proud to be a member of USADA, and was the first fighter to complete 1 year of testing under USADA programs before competing in UFC competition.

I have been tested 14 times since entering the program, twice in Q4 in 2016 and have never had a flagged sample.

My Dr. is experienced with USADA testing and informed me there were no additional steps needed for approval with the associated treatments given to me following my UFC Brasilia fight.

we are being fully cooperating with USADA at this time and have already started the process of applying for a retroactive therapeutic use exemption.

For my fans who are disappointed in the news, I am sorry.

You can feel confident that the substance they are inquiring about is not for performance enhancing use, and is needed for my specific treatments. (International Medical Codes CID E 87.6, CID 87.8, CID E 44.0, CID N 83.2, CID 115.9, CID Z73.3 CID E 06.3) Sept. 24. Feel confident that I am a clean athlete.

It is my hope that my experiences will continue to bring awareness to the dangers of extreme weight cutting. I cut weight 3 times in 8 months during 2016 competing twice at 140lbs. It is because of the measures needed to make the required 140lbs weight limit Sept 24 that my body is needing the on-going medical treatment.

I am glad the UFC has created the 145lbs division and look forward to fighting for the belt once my body is recovered and ready to compete. Additional information or statements will be provided at the appropriate time as the process moves forward.

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