MMA Analyst Says Khamzat Chimaev Doesn’t Deserve A Middleweight Title Shot After Whittaker Win

For a lot of people, Khamzat Chimaev reminded them why he was once the talk of the MMA world with his performance this past weekend at UFC 308. The undefeated contender was able to submit Robert Whittaker in the first round in Abu Dhabi. Not only has the former middleweight champion only lost to the […]

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For a lot of people, Khamzat Chimaev reminded them why he was once the talk of the MMA world with his performance this past weekend at UFC 308. The undefeated contender was able to submit Robert Whittaker in the first round in Abu Dhabi.

Not only has the former middleweight champion only lost to the absolute best at 185-pounds, no one has been able to tear right through him like that. After Chimaev secured an early takedown, he maintained control of the fight until applying a submission that instantly forced his opponent to tap after the damage that was done to his jaw.

The question then became whether this was enough for him to leapfrog over Sean Strickland and be the next man to challenge Dricus Du Plessis for the title. Strickland has been very clear that he’s the next in line after his split decision loss to Du Plessis in January and bounce back win over Paulo Costa.

Though most appear to be leaning towards Chimaev after that incredibly impressive performance, Josh Thomson doesn’t think that “Borz” deserves the next shot.

The former UFC fighter said during a recent episode of the Weighing In podcast that in his opinion, Chimaev hasn’t beaten enough legitimate middleweights to justify this. His last win over Kamaru Usman did take place at middleweight despite Usman moving up to the weight class on short notice.

Chimaev’s only other middleweight wins are over John Phillips on his UFC debut and Gerald Meerschaert who he stopped in under 20 seconds.

“He’s literally beat a bunch of 70 pounders but was supposed to be fighting at 85 and now, he’s not getting a title shot at 170, he’s getting a title shot at 185, it doesn’t make sense to me. Like I’m not saying that he’s not skilled and I’m also saying that in that fight with Gilbert Burns, he was exhausted and he was also exhausted in the Kamaru Usman fight, who is a 170 pounder. So look, I’m not taking away what he did today because what he did today spoke for itself, absolutely fantastic performance but we’ve seen this before where he’s dominated round one like this.”

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MMA Analyst Explains Why He Doesn’t Consider Jon Jones A ‘Great Champion’

Jon Jones is undeniably a cornerstone in the debate over who holds the title of the greatest MMA fighter of all time. His skills, beyond doubt, reinforce this assertion, showcasing a career marked by unparalleled success and accomplishments. “Bones” etched his name in the history books by becoming the youngest champion in UFC history at […]

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Jon Jones is undeniably a cornerstone in the debate over who holds the title of the greatest MMA fighter of all time. His skills, beyond doubt, reinforce this assertion, showcasing a career marked by unparalleled success and accomplishments.

“Bones” etched his name in the history books by becoming the youngest champion in UFC history at just 23 years old, triumphing over Mauricio Rua at UFC 128 in March 2011.

Jones remained unbeaten during his reign as the UFC light heavyweight champion, successfully defending his title a staggering 13 times against the very best that the 205-pound division had to offer.

Despite his remarkable achievements, the 37-year-old New Yorker’s career has been marred by several notorious controversies that may overshadow his legacy. This, in fact, is the reason why Josh Thomson does not view “Bones” as a great champion in UFC history.

Thomson Says Jones’ Positive PED Results Mar His Reputation

During a recent episode of the WEIGHING IN podcast, “The Punk” and “Big” John McCarthy delved into the discussion surrounding the longest title defense streak in UFC history and pondered who truly deserves to be called a great champion.

The former UFC referee highlighted Jones’ name in the conversation, but Thomson challenged this notion, asserting that “Bones” testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs undermines his status as the most dominant champion in the sport’s history.

“What defines a great UFC champion is to never have tested positive for a f**king steroid or for a d*ck pill or for anything,” Thomson said. “So automatically, that’s going to exclude two guys that I hold in very high regard, despite one of them not liking my teammates, which is Jon Jones and Anderson Silva. I’m sorry, but that’s something—let’s not p*ssyfoot around this whole thing.”

Jones faced a one-year suspension in 2016 after failing a drug test for androgen-related substances prior to his highly anticipated UFC 200 matchup with Daniel Cormier. Later, “Bones” tested positive for turinabol, resulting in his victory over Cormier at UFC 214 being changed to a no-contest.

Thomson went on to emphasize that he regards former champions such as Demetrious Johnson, who boasts 11 title defenses, and Georges St-Pierre, with nine defenses to his name, as the greatest titleholders in UFC history.

Jones is preparing for his highly anticipated return to the Octagon after more than a year away, following his triumphant victory over Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 in March 2023, where he captured the undisputed heavyweight title.

He is scheduled to defend his championship against former titleholder Stipe Miocic in the main event of UFC 309 on November 16, 2024, at the Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Continue Reading MMA Analyst Explains Why He Doesn’t Consider Jon Jones A ‘Great Champion’ at MMA News.

MMA Analyst Feels UFC Trying To Cut Costs With Jared Cannonier vs Caio Borralho Fight: ‘He’s Still On That S**tty Contract’

Josh Thomson recently suggested that the UFC might be cutting costs with the upcoming matchup between Jared Cannonier and Caio Borralho. The two middleweight contenders are poised to square off in the main event of a UFC Fight Night this Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. Cannonier is fresh off a contentious […]

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Josh Thomson recently suggested that the UFC might be cutting costs with the upcoming matchup between Jared Cannonier and Caio Borralho.

The two middleweight contenders are poised to square off in the main event of a UFC Fight Night this Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Cannonier is fresh off a contentious fourth-round TKO loss to Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Fight Night Louisville this past June. This setback halted the momentum “The Killa Gorilla” had built with his dominant consecutive victories over Marvin Vettori and Sean Strickland.

Meanwhile, Borralho is riding high after delivering an impressive second-round knockout of Paul Craig at UFC 301 in May. “The Natural” is currently on a six-fight win streak, fueled by his back-to-back standout performances at Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021.

This fight offers distinct opportunities for both fighters: Cannonier is eager to reestablish himself in the title conversation, while Borralho is aiming to break into the top 10 middleweight rankings with a victory this weekend.

Thomson Believes UFC Sees Greater Potential In Borralho For The Future

During a recent episode of the WEIGHING IN podcast with former MMA referee “Big” John McCarthy, Thomson delved into why the UFC might have paired a seasoned veteran like Cannonier with a rising prospect such as Borralho.

“The Punk” speculated that the UFC might either be banking on the Brazilian to rise as a future force in the middleweight division or that this matchup could simply be a strategic move to trim expenses.

“I think it’s two reasons why they do,” Thomson said. “One is Caio Borralho is someone we’re not paying a lot of money right now, and we’re probably paying Jared Cannonier maybe double, so that’s one reason. Second is Jared Cannonier is 40 years old, and we’re paying him all that money, but we know he won’t be around much longer.”

“So let’s see if we can get the young stud an opportunity to get a win over a highly ranked fighter, and we can get him to fight top-level fighters for less money because he’s still on that sh*tty contract. So they’re going to keep—that’s the way this business works.”

Continue Reading MMA Analyst Feels UFC Trying To Cut Costs With Jared Cannonier vs Caio Borralho Fight: ‘He’s Still On That S**tty Contract’ at MMA News.

Dana White Told To Accept Blame For Uneventful UFC 304: ‘You Messed It Up For The People That Work For The Promotion & Some Of The Fighters…’

UK fight fans may have been treated to a title fight double header this past weekend in Manchester but UFC 304 didn’t hit expectations. There was a lot of disgruntlement from both fans and fighters when it was announced that the event would be taking place at US time, meaning that the night wouldn’t kick […]

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UK fight fans may have been treated to a title fight double header this past weekend in Manchester but UFC 304 didn’t hit expectations.

There was a lot of disgruntlement from both fans and fighters when it was announced that the event would be taking place at US time, meaning that the night wouldn’t kick off until 11 pm local time at the Co-Op Live arena.

It was clear to see how it affected the ticket-buyers on the night, with videos of the crowd being literally asleep in their seats during the event.

This strange schedule will have also impacted the fighters, with Leon Edwards stating inside the Octagon after losing his welterweight title that he felt low on energy all week after training in the middle of the night.

After Dana White slated the in-Octagon action, which had a run of seven consecutive judges’ decisions, the idea of how much the timings affected the night, was called into question.

‘Big’ John McCarthy & Josh Thomson Say UFC Need To Take Some Blame For Time-Related Issues At UFC 304

On a recent episode of the Weighing In podcast, “Big” John McCarthy and Josh Thomson discussed the impact of UFC 304 taking place at US time despite it being held in England.

McCarthy said that the UFC – namely Dana White- needs to take some of the blame for why the card didn’t end up delivering due to this decision.

“When you’re pointing one finger forward, there’s three coming back at you Josh and you got to look at those and you gotta say well, we did put these fighters in a position where they were fighting at 3 o’clock in the morning, 4 o’clock in the morning, 5 o’clock in the morning. No one works out at those times, no one fights at those times. It is an unusual situation and even if you try to prepare for it, it’s odd. It’s just an odd time for you, your body doesn’t feel the same, you don’t feel like you’re on top of things.”

Thomson went on to add how it wasn’t just the fighters from the UK that would have struggled with the difference in event scheduling.

He noted how fighters and staff coming from other countries would have also experienced difficulties because they would have needed to sleep throughout the day- even if the actual time wouldn’t be any different for them.

“You kind of offset both parties by doing this. What happens is when you go to another country and they’re there five days before, some of them get there seven days before, some of the staff, and sometimes that’s not good. But, what I’m saying though is that now you’ve asked them to stay awake during the night so they can be awake during the night.

“So, the ones that come from the states that work for the UFC, their body clock is trying to change to get adjusted to the UK time when in fact they can’t because their show is at 5 in the morning. Then, the fighters that are there, they’re getting all screwed up because they’re having to fight when they’re normally sleeping. So you really kind of messed up both sides of this equation. You messed it up for the people that work for the promotion and some of the fighters that came over having to fight.”

Read also: Georges St-Pierre’s Coach Heaps Praise On Belal Muhammad’s Mentality For UFC 304 Win Over Leon Edwards: ‘Covington Couldn’t Take Him Down!’

Continue Reading Dana White Told To Accept Blame For Uneventful UFC 304: ‘You Messed It Up For The People That Work For The Promotion & Some Of The Fighters…’ at MMA News.

Josh Thomson and John McCarthy defend UFC star Michael Chandler amid uproar over adopted children

Josh Thomson and John McCarthy defend UFC star Michael Chandler amid uproar over adopted childrenLess than two months away from his return to the Octagon, Michael Chandler is facing a heap of backlash…

Josh Thomson and John McCarthy defend UFC star Michael Chandler amid uproar over adopted children

Less than two months away from his return to the Octagon, Michael Chandler is facing a heap of backlash after opening up about how he hopes to raise his adoptive children.

Chandler and his wife, Brie Chandler, adopted their son Hap in 2017. Five years later they welcomed their second adoptive son, Ace. As most everyone familiar with the fighter already knows, Chandler’s children are black while he and his wife are white.

Michael Chandler and family

That alone has sparked some negative commentary online from those who oppose the concept of transracial adoption, but it was Chandler’s comments during a recent appearance on The Shawn Ryan Show that have seemingly caused many folks to take issue.

“I’m not raising black children, I’m raising children,” Chandler said. “Whether you are black or you are white, no matter what race that you are, there are certain things about being a man and being a good man when it comes to character and integrity and safeguarding the helpless and sticking up for those who need it.

“Being a good man, a good man of reputation, none of that has to do with skin color. Everything has to do with the character of the man. Probably not an answer that some people would say is important but that’s where the world has gone. Where we think that the most important thing about us is our skin color or our gender or our political affiliation.”

Chandler has since come under fire with many arguing that he, as a white man, is ill-equipped to teach his children about black culture and offer them the tools necessary to navigate the world as a black man.

Michael Chandler
Michael Chandler
Michael Chandler
Michael Chandler

Josh Thomson and ‘Big’ John McCarthy come to the defense of Michael chandler

Offering his take on the situation during a recent episode of the WEIGHING IN podcast with co-host ‘Big’ John McCarthy, former MMA star Josh Thomson came to the defense of Chandler and his family amid the “ridiculous” fallout.

“A lot of people that listen to our show know that Michael Chandler and I don’t see eye-to-eye on things,” Thomson began. “We don’t like each other. This is something I feel very strongly about. I feel like Michael Chandler is doing something for these two young boys that they weren’t going to get from their biological parents and I can do nothing, but applaud him for it and there’s not much else I can say.

“It really is important to be brought up in a house with two loving parents. To be provided for and to give them safety and comfort in his own home. Not just the physical things, but the love and I’ve seen videos of him working out side-by-side with his sons. I have nothing, but positive things to [say].

Chiming in, John McCarthy offered some insight into the situation, revealing that the biological mother of the eldest child had specifically chosen Chandler and his wife to adopt her son.

“The mother picked them to be the parents because she knew she couldn’t be. I think that takes great courage on her part, to bring a child into the world and know that I am not prepared to be the parent that this child needs and I need to pick people that I believe can be. Obviously, you’re never going to be 100% sure, but I think she did a great job.

“Why is it that people want to put so much emphasis on how much melanin you have in your skin? Martin Luther King said long ago, that it is not about the color of your skin, it’s about the content of your character, and what Michael Chandler and his wife did is show that they have the character to say skin color means nothing to me. I want to be a loving parent to someone that needs a parent.

Anyone can have a child, but not everyone can be a true mother or a true father. That is something that takes time. It takes caring. It takes compassion and that’s what those two have brought to the table for their two young sons. And anyone who sits there and says anything other than ‘way to go…’ You want to bring up that he should indoctrinate his sons with black culture. He should indoctrinate them to be real men.”

McCarthy was also quick to slam those doling out the trash talk online, asking those people what they were actively doing to improve the life of another person.

“What are you doing? Where are you adopting people? What are you doing to make someone’s life better? All you do is sit there and criticize. You’re the problem. Michael Chandler and his wife are the answer. They’re doing something. They’re not perfect. They’re not gonna be perfect. None of us are, but I’ll take what they’re doing any day over the people who are complaining.

You can watch Josh Thomson and John McCarthy’s full comments below:

Khamzat Chimaev blasted after attack on UFC boss Dana White over title shot promise: ‘He sounds like a crybaby’

Khamzat Chimaev labelled a crybaby after attacking UFC boss Dana White over title fightUnbeaten middleweight contender, Khamzat Chimaev has been branded a “crybaby” by former UFC lightweight contender, Josh Thomson, after the…

Khamzat Chimaev labelled a crybaby after attacking UFC boss Dana White over title fight

Unbeaten middleweight contender, Khamzat Chimaev has been branded a “crybaby” by former UFC lightweight contender, Josh Thomson, after the Chechen launched a verbal tirade on CEO, Dana White – claiming the leader broke his promise on a guaranteed title fight for him next.

Chimaev, the current number one ranked middleweight contender, most recently co-headlined UFC 294 back in October, landing a close, controversial split decision win over former undisputed welterweight titleholder and pound-for-pound number one, Kamaru Usman.

And claiming UFC boss, White broke his promise of granting him a shot at divisional gold next, Chimaev unleashed a verbal tirade aimed at the long-time boss.

“All these guys fight me, but I’m not the only one undefeated and undisputed,” Khamzat Chimaev said. “13-0, so I don’t know. They [the UFC] promised me after [the] (Kamaru) Usman fight, ‘You will for sure going to fight for the title’, and I win that fight. I don’t know what’s going on. I heard Dana White say stuff like, ‘I don’t think Khamzat is next for the title.’ That’s bullsh*t, man.” 

“If you promised me something, you have to answer for your words,” Khamzat Chimaev explained. “I’m the guy who always answers for my words so I don’t care if it’s some president or something, like a king. If you give me your word, you have to answer for that. So, I grow up, when I give word, you have to answer for it… We’re doing that. I will be happy to answer for my word about killing them, man. So, we’ll see – maybe in the USA, it’s a different mentally.”

Khamzat Chimaev ripped by Josh Thomson

However, as far as the above-mentioned former contender, Thomson is concerned, Chimaev is sounding nothing more than just a “crybaby” with his outburst aimed at White.

“Right now, after listening to his (Khamzat Chimaev) interviews and all this, he sounds like a crybaby,” Josh Thomson said on The Weighin’ In Podcast. “I was promised this, I was promised that. Since when does Dana (White) give a sh*t what he’s promised? We’ve seen before, he’s promised fighters a lot. Look, you didn’t have a great performance against Kamaru Usman. Not a good look.” (H/T MMA News)

Who does Khamzat Chimaev fight in his Octagon comeback?