Tag: Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar rematch

Khabib Nurmagomedov Says Interim Titles Are ‘Bulls**t’

Interim titles have seemed to have become a trend, albeit a slightly confusing one, in recent memory. For example, an interim featherweight title will be on the line between Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar at July 9’s blockbuster UFC 200, as well as the interim 205 pound strap that will hang in the balance in

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Interim titles have seemed to have become a trend, albeit a slightly confusing one, in recent memory.

For example, an interim featherweight title will be on the line between Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar at July 9’s blockbuster UFC 200, as well as the interim 205 pound strap that will hang in the balance in just over a week, as former divisional kingpin Jon Jones takes on late replacement Ovince St. Preux.

These choices made by the UFC have received a fair share of criticism due to the circumstances which coincide with the situation.

Regarding the 145 pound weight class, an interim title has been set in place due to champion Conor McGregor fleeing the division in order to take back to back fights at welterweight, an odd predicament in and of itself.

The light heavyweight division, on the other hand, received unfortunate news when reigning title holder Daniel Cormier was forced out of his scheduled rematch with Jones at April 23’s UFC 197. The injury, however, won’t put “DC” on the sidelines for too long, making an interim title a questionable choice at best.

One fighter who appears to be fully against the idea is top lightweight contender Khabib “The Eagle” Nurmagomedov, who recently called interim titles ‘bullsh**t’:

“I think it’s bull—-,” Nurmagomedov said after his open workout ahead of Saturday’s UFC on FOX Fight Night (Via FOX Sports). “Interim champion, what is this? I don’t understand it. For me, it’s nothing. I don’t know how you can take (a) fake belt when you have a real belt in your way. This is bull—-.”

Nurmagomedov is set to make his highly anticipated return to action this weekend opposite UFC newcomer Darell Horcer.

The event will be headlined by a bout between former champion “Suga” Rashad Evans and former title challenger and former Jones foe Glover Teixeira.

Teixeira also commented on the situation, saying that regardless of the interim strap, Jones, who was stripped of his long-held title due to legal issues last April, is the true champion:

“That’s the champion, and he’s going to be the champion,” said Teixeira, who lost to Jones in a unanimous decision at UFC 172 in April 2014 and then beat Saint Preux at UFC Fight Night 73 last August. “I don’t know about the interim title or whatever the title is called. It’s like martial arts and … different belt colors. Who knows? I have no comments on that.”

What do you make of the debate regarding interim titles?

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BREAKING: Miesha Tate To Defend Title At UFC 200

Newly crowned UFC women’s bantamweight champion Miesha “Cupcake” Tate recently signed a new contract with the promotion, and it seems as if she has her first title defense set as well. The reigning queen appeared on tonight’s (April 6, 2016) edition of UFC tonight to announce that she would be putting her strap on the

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Newly crowned UFC women’s bantamweight champion Miesha “Cupcake” Tate recently signed a new contract with the promotion, and it seems as if she has her first title defense set as well.

The reigning queen appeared on tonight’s (April 6, 2016) edition of UFC tonight to announce that she would be putting her strap on the line against No. 4-ranked surging contender Amanda “The Lioness” Nunes at July 9’s blockbuster UFC 200 from the brand new T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Since dropping a second loss to previous dominant champion Ronda Rousey back in 2013, Tate has run a demolition course through the division.

The former Strikeforce title holder has picked up five straight victories, capped off by an emphatic fifth round submission win over former champion Holly Holm last month (March 5, 2016) at UFC 196 to secure the title.

Nunes, on the other hand, is riding a three fight win streak, including two finishes. After scoring back to back stoppages over the likes of Shayna Baszler and Sara McMann, “The Lioness” picked up a decision victory over Valentina Schevchenko also at March 5’s UFC 196.

This bout may come as a surprise to many, as lucrative bouts between Tate and Holm, and Tate and Rousey loom over the horizon, but Nunes remains an interesting challenge nonetheless.

UFC 200 is set to be headlined by a highly anticipated rematch between Nate Diaz and reigning featherweight champion the “Notorious” Conor McGregor.

Former 145-pound kingpin Jose Aldo will also rematch former lightweight boss Frankie Edgar for the interim featherweight strap.

Is the upcoming mega event shaping up as you thought it would?

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Frankie Edgar: I’m Going To Put Jose Aldo Away

A former lightweight champion, Frankie “The Answer” Edgar dropped down in weight back in 2013, receiving an immediate title shot at then champion Jose Aldo. Edgar would come up short in a very close five round affair, and has since rattled off five straight victories including three finishes, putting himself right back on the brink

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A former lightweight champion, Frankie “The Answer” Edgar dropped down in weight back in 2013, receiving an immediate title shot at then champion Jose Aldo.

Edgar would come up short in a very close five round affair, and has since rattled off five straight victories including three finishes, putting himself right back on the brink of title contention.

Aldo has since lost his long-held strap, suffering a disappointing 13 second knockout loss to Conor McGregor last December at UFC 194.

Both “The Answer” and “Scarface” have been campaigning for a shot at the Irish knockout artist, but the UFC has actually paired them off opposite each other in an interim title tilt at July 9’s UFC 200, the same event in which McGregor will rematch Nate Diaz in a 170-pound scrap.

While Edgar obviously had his eyes set on the ‘money fight’ with the “Notorious” one, he’s also excited to get his chance at redemption with Aldo:

“I’ve got Jose on my mind 24/7 now,” Edgar told FOX Sports. “He’s the most dominant featherweight that we’ve ever had. He stumbled his last fight but he’s still dangerous. I know he wants to get back at Conor and I know I want a chance at Conor as well so I’m definitely excited for this fight.

“It was a close (first) fight, a lot of people feel I may have won or it was super close and just to have a chance at redemption is always a good thing.”

As far as his upcoming rematch goes, Edgar feels as if the McGregor knockout may have seriously affected Aldo, who now has the pressure riding on him:

“He could be second-guessing himself,” Edgar said about Aldo. “Conor threw one punch and it’s over in 13 seconds, that’s a tough pill to swallow and we’ve got a lot of pride as competitors. That eats at your pride and your ego. He’s going to have to deal with all these emotions leading up to this. He didn’t lose for 10 years, he’s a winner and I’m sure he’ll bounce back. I’m expecting this fight to be all it’s cracked up to be.

“It’s going to be over three years at this point (since the last fight). I’m very comfortable, I feel like I’m coming into my own more and more and I’m coming in there to finish him 100 percent. He has a lot to try and bounce back from and he’s going to have a lot of pressure on him but I feel like it’s my time right now.”

Despite starting off slow the first time around, and taking over later in the fight, Edgar plans to control much of the action against Aldo in July. In fact, “The Answer” guaranteed a finish:

“I definitely think if I touch him and string my punches together, put that pressure on him I’m going to make him wilt and I’m going to put him away,” Edgar said.

Which man will secure the interim strap, and buy his ticket to a showdown with McGregor?

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Jose Aldo: Interim Belt Is Made For Media & Fans, Not For Me

It was announced last week that former long-time 145-pound champion Jose Aldo would take on former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar at July 9’s UFC 200 for the interim featherweight strap. Why is there an interim title on the line, you ask? Well, that’s because reigning champion Conor McGregor will once again be squaring off with

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It was announced last week that former long-time 145-pound champion Jose Aldo would take on former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar at July 9’s UFC 200 for the interim featherweight strap.

Why is there an interim title on the line, you ask?

Well, that’s because reigning champion Conor McGregor will once again be squaring off with Nate Diaz, the man who submitted him last month (March 6, 2016) in a welterweight scrap in the evening’s main event.

Aldo isn’t too happy with how things have played out, recently saying that he deserved a rematch with the Irishman, who shockingly knocked him out in just 13 seconds last December at UFC 194.

Despite not being pleased, “Scarface” is confident that he will once again take out Edgar on his way back to the top:

“He will be fighting at the same night in a different division, in a rematch that means nothing,” Aldo said during a recent media scrum in Rio de Janeiro (via MMAFighting.com). “We asked for a rematch. For everything I’ve done, all the years as champion, I deserved a rematch, but what can I do? I had to accept. We’re not the ones making the call. We’ll go there and win. I respect Frankie Edgar, but it’s our first step towards the belt.

“It’s a bit frustrating, of course, because we expected the title fight, but it’s kind of what they said they would do, that we would fight Frankie Edgar for the belt, but it’s not the undisputed belt. But what can I do? We’re hired to go there and fight.”

Regarding the “prize” on the line, Aldo went as far as to say that the interim belt means ‘nothing’ to him, as it’s just a label for the media and fans. At the end of the day, the Brazilian is simply focused on recapturing the hefty gold belt he carried around for years:

“It means nothing,” Aldo said. “I want the victory so I get the belt next. That’s the first step we’re taking. Interim belt is made for media and fans, not for me. I want the undisputed belt. I respect Frankie Edgar, but I’ll get there and win. This lit that fire again, this desire to go there and win.”

Do you see Aldo finally receiving his chance at redemption after UFC 200?

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Jose Aldo Makes Shocking Accusation About Conor McGregor

After suffering a devastating 13 second defeat to Conor McGregor at December 2015’s UFC 194, Jose Aldo claimed that he would only accept a rematch with McGregor, or a fight for the title. Aldo has since changed his tune a bit, accepting a bout with former foe Frankie Edgar for the interim 145-pound strap at

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After suffering a devastating 13 second defeat to Conor McGregor at December 2015’s UFC 194, Jose Aldo claimed that he would only accept a rematch with McGregor, or a fight for the title.

Aldo has since changed his tune a bit, accepting a bout with former foe Frankie Edgar for the interim 145-pound strap at July 9’s UFC 200. McGregor, who has temporarily abandoned the division he owns a title in, will rematch Nate Diaz in the evening’s main event.

The Irishman previously faced off with Diaz, who accepted the bout on short notice, at March 5’s UFC 196, shockingly losing by way of submission.

“Scarface” claims that he was offered the short notice bout, but that the promotion knew he wasn’t ready at the time. The former divisional kingpin also accused McGregor of using performance enhancing drugs (PEDs):

“The fight was not at featherweight. Why would I rematch him in a different weight class with no belt?” Aldo told the assembled media as translated by MMA Fighting. “Now, to make this fight at 155, where he was full of juice in his body, where he hides and nobody tests him, only when he gets to Las Vegas, a week before the fight, and then it’s way easier for you to clean the body and fight. They offered the fight knowing that I wasn’t trained at all.”

As far as whether or not Aldo will eventually secure his rematch with the “Notorious” one, UFC President Dana White has confirmed that no matter what, McGregor will meet the winner of Aldo vs. Edgar after July.

Aldo too feels as if the Irishman will come back down in weight:

“He will come back,” Aldo said. “I don’t know if right after this fight, but he will. I don’t see how he gets too far even at lightweight. He won’t do well at lightweight either.”

We are now just over three months out from UFC 200 where Aldo feels like a fully prepared Diaz will once again come out on top:

“Nate wins again,” he said. “He’s used to this weight. It’s really hard to move up in weight and continue winning. It’s going to be different now that Nate will be more prepared. He can do his thing, anything he wants, from start to end. He can slap him, anything, because he will win. It can be faster this time. Nate will prepare, will have enough time, and it can be faster this time.”

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Quote: Conor McGregor Begged For Nate Diaz Rematch

Last night (March 30, 2016), it was finally confirmed by the promotion that reigning featherweight champion the “Notorious” Conor McGregor would rematch Nate Diaz, the man who shockingly submitted him earlier this month (March 6, 2016), in the main event of July 9’s blockbuster UFC 200. Despite fighting Diaz at 170-pounds, the Irishman holds his

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Last night (March 30, 2016), it was finally confirmed by the promotion that reigning featherweight champion the “Notorious” Conor McGregor would rematch Nate Diaz, the man who shockingly submitted him earlier this month (March 6, 2016), in the main event of July 9’s blockbuster UFC 200.

Despite fighting Diaz at 170-pounds, the Irishman holds his title at 145-pounds, a title he has yet to defend since steam rolling Jose Aldo last December.

While it’s not surprising that Diaz vs. McGregor II has been booked, it is somewhat confusing as to why the fight was once again set at welterweight.

After all, Diaz is a natural 155-pounder, while McGregor obviously normally competes at featherweight.

According to UFC president Dana White during an appearance on Wednesday’s ‘Sportscenter,’ not only was the Irishman “obsessed” with once again facing off with Diaz, but he was also hell-bent on getting the job done at welterweight:

“After the fight, Lorenzo (Fertitta) and I went up to Conor’s house that he was renting here in Las Vegas and started talking about, ‘what are you thinking, what’s next?’ And he was obsessed,” White said Wednesday on ESPN. “Obsessed with fighting Nate Diaz again.

“Obviously Lorenzo and I tried to argue with him and say let’s go back down to 145 and defend your title, or if you really want the Diaz fight that bad, do it at 155. And he wants to fight at 170. Even his coach, Coach (John) Kavanagh, tried to get him to get off this rematch and off the 170-pound fight, but it’s what he wanted.”

Also announced for UFC 200 was a bout between Aldo and top contender Frankie Edgar for the interim featherweight strap.

No matter the outcome on July 9th, White confirmed that McGregor would next defend his title against the winner of Aldo vs. Edgar II:

“Win, lose, or draw against Nate Diaz, he will go in and he will fight either Jose or Frankie,” White said. “Whoever wins at (UFC) 200.”

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