The stage is set for tomorrow’s (Sat., September 29, 2018) packed Bellator 206 from the SAP Center in San Jose, California. All that’s left is the Bellator 206 ceremonial weigh-ins. In the main event, middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi will take on welterweight champion Rory MacDonald for the 185-pound title. In the co-main event, longtime rivals […]
The stage is set for tomorrow’s (Sat., September 29, 2018) packed Bellator 206 from the SAP Center in San Jose, California. All that’s left is the Bellator 206 ceremonial weigh-ins.
In the main event, middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi will take on welterweight champion Rory MacDonald for the 185-pound title. In the co-main event, longtime rivals Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Wanderlei Silva will meet for the fourth time.
Not to be outdone, the main card also features the opening round of the anticipated Bellator Welterweight World Grand Prix. Rapidly rising prospect Aaron Pico will also compete in his next fight against veteran Leandro Higo. Check out our full previews, predictions, and analysis for the main bouts here.
Bellator is back with perhaps their best card ever on paper with tomorrow night’s (Sat., September 29, 2018) Bellator 206 from the SAP Center in San Jose, California. The main card will stream live on new Bellator partner DAZN. The card’s headlining bout features a highly anticipated middleweight super fight between 185-pound Gegard Mousasi and welterweight […]
Bellator is back with perhaps their best card ever on paper with tomorrow night’s (Sat., September 29, 2018) Bellator 206 from the SAP Center in San Jose, California.
The main card will stream live on new Bellator partner DAZN. The card’s headlining bout features a highly anticipated middleweight super fight between 185-pound Gegard Mousasi and welterweight champion Rory MacDonald. In the co-main event, former PRIDE rivals Rampage Jackson and Wanderlei Silva will meet for an incredible fourth time.
The Bellator World Welterweight Grand Prix will also kick off at the event. Former champions Douglas Lima and Andrey Koreshkov will square off in the inaugural bout of the buzzworthy tournament. Touted rising star Aaron Pico also has next fight on the main card, facing Leandro Higo on his continued rise.
All of that adds up to an incredibly packed Bellator 206 main card. We broke down the important aspects of each major bout. Check out our Bellator 206 preview, predictions, and analysis here.
Gegard Mousasi vs. Rory MacDonald
Hyperbole aside, this is probably the biggest fight Bellator could put on right now due to the track record of both fighters.
Mousasi has won seven straight bouts since his fluky TKO loss to Uriah Hall in September 2015. He’s finished five of those opponents by knockout and may be at his peak as a result. Mousasi did have some trouble in his Bellator debut against Alexander Shlemenko. He most recently destroyed former champion Rafael Carvalho in one round at May’s Bellator 200.
Likewise, MacDonald has been on a tear since coming to Bellator, albeit a smaller one. He’s won both of his fights against Paul Daley and Lima, winning the belt from the latter at Bellator 192 this January.
Both of these fighters bring a wealth of relevant in-cage knowledge and experience, a wholly well-rounded skillset, and the experience to back it up. Therefore, this is truly as elite a fight Bellator could make. In honesty, Mousasi and MacDonald are somewhat similar in style. They both employ crisp, accurate, and measured striking on the feet, choosing to pick their spots with peerless efficiency. Mousasi has shown much more knockout power on the feet, however, and does hold a size edge here.
Both can also finish the fight when it hits the ground. While neither is known as a world-class wrestler, both can take nearly any opponent down and defend opposing takedowns sufficiently. If and when the bout hits the ground, both fighters can absolutely finish the fight with an extensive list of submissions. Mousasi is a black belt in judo and MacDonald is in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
That all boils down to an incredibly close fight on paper. When that happens, the size advantage may play the biggest deciding factor. As you can see from above, Mousasi is the bigger fighter. It’ll be close, but I think he outlasts MacDonald by decision in a back-and-forth battle.
Prediction: Gegard Mousasi def. Rory MacDonald via unanimous decision
This weekend’s (Sat., September 29, 2018) Bellator 206 from the SAP Center in San Jose, California, features the opening round of the 170-pound Bellator Grand Prix. Some big stakes have reportedly just been attached to it. The tournament already features decorated welterweights like champion Rory MacDonald, Jon Fitch, Douglas Lima, Andrey Koreshkov, Paul Daley, Michael Page, Neiman […]
This weekend’s (Sat., September 29, 2018) Bellator 206 from the SAP Center in San Jose, California, features the opening round of the 170-pound Bellator Grand Prix.
Some big stakes have reportedly just been attached to it.
The tournament already features decorated welterweights like champion Rory MacDonald, Jon Fitch, Douglas Lima, Andrey Koreshkov, Paul Daley, Michael Page, Neiman Gracie. It now features a famous name from a different sort of entertainment.
Partnership Of a New Kind
Bellator revealed in a press release today that they had partnered with rapper 50 Cent. They duo will promote his “Get the Strap” clothing line and Le Chemin du Roi champagne brand. 50 Cent has apparently decided to be generous with the money he’ll make from the partnership. The press release said he would donate $1 million to the winner of the Welterweight World Grand Prix:
“A passionate and knowledgeable MMA fan, Jackson has already agreed to re-invest a portion of his deal by offering one million dollars in cash to the winner of the upcoming Bellator Welterweight World Grand Prix that will air exclusively on DAZN.”
Bellator President Scott Coker gave his thoughts on the upcoming promotional partnership:
“We are thrilled to partner with such a legendary icon who has been a friend to the Bellator family for quite some time. The “Get The Strap” apparel line is just the beginning of many joint ventures we will explore together.”
Managing Fighters?
As the release closed, 50 Cent teased some other ventures in MMA. He said he was going to branch out into managing fighters:
“Bellator has a roster filled with some of the most charismatic athletes in the world. As my relationship with Bellator deepens, you will see me moving into fighter management opportunities that will allow me to integrate top stars into both scripted and unscripted projects across the Viacom networks, as well as the other outlets I have access to.”
Time will tell what that means for Bellator.
Welterweight champion MacDonald will meet middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi this weekend. He’ll then move on to meet Fitch in the Grand Prix. Meanwhile, ‘Rampage’ Jackson will take on Wanderlei a fourth time.
Finally, former champ Douglas Lima will rematch Andrey Koreshkov to kick off the Grand Prix at Bellator 206.
Add movie inspiration to the long list of Conor McGregor’s many hats. Megastar actor Tom Hardy recently revealed that ‘The Notorious’ served as an inspiration for his character in the upcoming comic movie ‘Venom.’ Hardy told RTÉ Entertainment that McGregor served as his inspiration mainly because he “wants to have a scrap with everybody.” That […]
Add movie inspiration to the long list of Conor McGregor’s many hats. Megastar actor Tom Hardy recently revealed that ‘The Notorious’ served as an inspiration for his character in the upcoming comic movie ‘Venom.’
Hardy told RTÉ Entertainment that McGregor served as his inspiration mainly because he “wants to have a scrap with everybody.” That could be true from a certain perspective. Speaking with RTÉ in an interview with at the recent ‘Venom’ press day, Hardy as went as far as to describe McGregor as a “key note” inspiration for his Eddie Brock role.
“Venom” often battled with archnemesis Spider-man in the comics. Spider-man will not appear in Hardy’s new film, however, due to licensing issues. In the film, Hardy plays disgraced reporter Brock, who comes into contact with an alien symbiote. Brock bonds with the symbiote to become ‘Venom,’ a superpowered anti-hero.
McGregor’s Influence
The topic of McGregor either being offended or flattered by the comparison came up. McGregor obviously had his own problem with outside-the-cage violence earlier this year. He just recently got past it by accepting a plea deal.
As one of the richest fighters of all-time, not much bothers McGregor. Hardy believed he wouldn’t be as a result. He then clarified that it wasn’t Venom whom McGregor inspired but more Brock himself:
“I don’t think he’d be bothered, really,” Hardy replied. “Conor doesn’t strike me as the type of person who might be that bothered!
“It was not Venom: he was not based on him. There were more elements of Eddie Brock which needed to be pinned on somebody who’s incredibly handy physically. And, obviously, Conor is incredibly handy physically.
“There was an aspect the studio wanted somebody who could fight, which they always do in these sort of hero movies. They want somebody who can have a scrap. Conor obviously wants to have a scrap with everybody, so that’s useful.”
A Different Portrayal
The Irish UFC star wasn’t the only inspiration for the role, however. McGregor was more of an “interior” inspiration that an outward portrayal, he said. Hardy also said you might notice a bit of Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in there too:
“Then there were bits of Harrison Ford as well from Indiana Jones and other elements within.
“He [McGregor] was definitely a key note but I don’t know if you’d recognise him in the portrayal. It was more of an interior choice, if that makes sense.”
Conor McGregor is headed for perhaps the biggest MMA payday of all-time when he faces Khabib Nurmagomedov in the main event of October 6’s UFC 229. But McGregor’s promotion company is a different story altogether. McGregor’s promotion company, McGregor Sports and Entertainment Ltd., reportedly posted accumulated losses of $416,282 at the end of December 2017 according […]
Conor McGregor is headed for perhaps the biggest MMA payday of all-time when he faces Khabib Nurmagomedov in the main event of October 6’s UFC 229. But McGregor’s promotion company is a different story altogether.
McGregor’s promotion company, McGregor Sports and Entertainment Ltd., reportedly posted accumulated losses of $416,282 at the end of December 2017 according to Business Insider. McGregor Sports and Entertainment Lt. lists its main area of business as “other sporting activities.” McGregor has used the company as a means to protect his own personal name and brand.
For example, the company runs the website themaclife.com, which focuses on McGregor’s mixed martial arts career and other ventures. The company also sells the MacTalk App on iTunes. McGregor obviously made out like a bandit for his boxing match against Floyd Mayweather in 2017, earning a reported $85 million. He’s unlikely to feel the effects of a $416,282 loss by the company as a result.
But despite his success in 2017, McGregor Sports and Entertainment Ltd. floundered. It had experienced a successful 12-month trading period in earnings reported before the 2017 slide. But the company’s cash reserves decreased to 381,654 in 2017. McGregor is the main shareholder in the company.
Other Interests
McGregor shouldn’t be affected, again, as his other business interests are taking off in a big way.
He recently launched his Proper Twelve Irish Whiskey brand. The liquor is selling so well that some stores have put a two-bottle purchase limit on it. McGregor will obviously return to face Khabib in qhat is being billed as the biggest mixed martial arts (MMA) bout of all-time. Proper Twelve is an official sponsor of the fight, greatly furthering McGregor’s earning potential as a result.
McGregor has even more outside-the-cage business avenues. He plans to start a clothing line called “August McGregor” with tailor David Heil, the founder of David August. The company plans to not only release tailored suits but also jeans and more casual fair. McGregor discussed the clothing venture:
“They’ll be in retail stores, and we’ll build an online shopping site to rival Net-A-Porter, who makes $66 million profit a year. I love fashion and I get to design clothes. It’s like fighting; it’s all about the small details.”
The Irish megastar is also a “social media powerhouse” with millions of followers on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. His fanbase makes him worth tens of millions to his sponsors.
He is currently sponsored by fast-food giant Burger King, headphone company Beats by Dre, and energy drink producer Monster Energy, among others.
UFC welterweight Abdul Razak Alhassan has been indicted on sexual assault charges stemming from his April arrest in Tarrant County, Texas. *Warning*: the following article contains graphic details regarding an alleged sexual assault. Star-Telegram reporter Deanna Boyd reported the news on Tuesday (Sept. 25 2018). She added that a grand jury in Tarrant County, Texas, issued the […]
UFC welterweight Abdul Razak Alhassan has been indicted on sexual assault charges stemming from his April arrest in Tarrant County, Texas.
*Warning*: the following article contains graphic details regarding an alleged sexual assault.
Star-Telegram reporter Deanna Boyd reported the news on Tuesday (Sept. 25 2018). She added that a grand jury in Tarrant County, Texas, issued the two-count indictment for the fighter on Monday. Alhassan was arrested in April regarding these charges and is currently free on $20,000 bail.
Alhassan has been accused of raping two women inside their homes. Boyd reported that Alhassan allegedly drove both intoxicated women home from a bar in March. The UFC fighter allegedly committed the sexual assaults in the women’s home.
One of the victims told investigators that she was far too inebriated to remember anything from that night. However, the other women said she remembered Alhassan raping her and then raping her friend.
Alhassan’s attorney filed a motion to modify the bond conditions so that he could continue to train and compete at UFC 228. A judge granted the fighter his request, in so allowing Alhassan to remove his GPS monitor and leave Tarrant County.
Because of the special conditions granted to Alhassan, he was able to fight at UFC 228 where he demolished Niko Price in the first round.
Alhassan’s stock was on the rise prior to these allegations. It remains to be seen just how these charges will play out. but it doesn’t look good for the native Ghanaian right now.
