Tag: Madison Square garden

Valentina Shevchenko vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk Is Back On

An awaited fight between Valentina Shevchenko and Joanna Jedrzejczyk is back on. Earlier this afternoon, news arrived that the MMA world got a new UFC 230 main event. UFC President Dana White confirmed that heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier will meet top-ranked competitor Derrick Lewis on November 3 in NYC. The news confirmed a report from […]

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An awaited fight between Valentina Shevchenko and Joanna Jedrzejczyk is back on.

Earlier this afternoon, news arrived that the MMA world got a new UFC 230 main event. UFC President Dana White confirmed that heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier will meet top-ranked competitor Derrick Lewis on November 3 in NYC.

The news confirmed a report from last night on the unlikely match-up. The pay-per-view (PPV) event from Madison Square Garden does feature an awaited scrap between Dustin Poirier and Nate Diaz. But the event was lacking a true high-profile main event. Fight fans were perplexed when the promotion announced Valentina Shevchenko vs. Sijara Eubanks as the previous headliner.

The women’s flyweight title fight was a fine enough match in its own right. MAy argued, however, that it was far from the caliber expected to headline a PPV from MSG. The bout also put a temporary halt to the expected Shevchenko vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk women’s flyweight title bout at December 8’s UFC 231 from Toronto from the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

That fight is back on according to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, who discussed the scheduling with White:

Flyweight Mix-Up

The women’s flyweight main event at UFC 230 received widespread criticism from the collective MMA world. UFC Octagon commentator Joe Rogan made headlines by claiming he didn’t know who Eubanks was.

Shevchenko already missed out on one opportunity to fight for the women’s flyweight title at September’s UFC 228. Former champion Nicco Montano missed weight and was stripped of the title she won on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF).

UFC 231 already features an anticipated featherweight title fight between Max Holloway and Brian Ortega. That fight was supposed has already fallen apart once. It was set for UFC 226 but was canceled when Holloway experienced bizarre medical symptoms.

Shevchenko and Jedrzejczyk have already fought in Muay Thai three times before with Shevchenko winning all three match-ups.

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Dana White Clarifies Future Of Light Heavyweight Division

It looks like Daniel Cormier’s days as champion in the light heavyweight division are numbered. Dana White has clarified his future vision of the 205-pound weight class and “DC” is nowhere to be found. Double-champ Cormier has been sidelined since winning the heavyweight title back at UFC 226 in July over then champion Stipe Miocic. Cormier […]

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It looks like Daniel Cormier’s days as champion in the light heavyweight division are numbered. Dana White has clarified his future vision of the 205-pound weight class and “DC” is nowhere to be found.

Double-champ Cormier has been sidelined since winning the heavyweight title back at UFC 226 in July over then champion Stipe Miocic. Cormier broke his hand in the fight, adding to his lengthy history of broken hands.

Further complicating matters the UFC has been urging “DC” to relinquish the title in hopes of booking the newly reinstated Jon Jones vs. anyone. Cormier, however, seems focused on defending his heavyweight title against the returning Brock Lesnar.

How White Sees It

Unfortunately for Cormier, White believes the time is coming when the UFC will have to strip “DC” of the 205-pound strap.

“Cormier is hurt right now, said on the “UFC Unfiltered” podcast. “He broke his hand in the Stipe [Miocic] fight. So when they’re in these types of situations, much like the Conor [McGregor] situation and others that it’s happened to, Georges St-Pierre, whoever, Cormier by tying up two belts is going to have to give up one of the belts.”

White isn’t opposed to a third Cormier vs. Jones fight, however, he wants that fight to take place in the heavyweight division. Cormier insists he wants to finish the trilogy with Jones where it started – at 205 pounds.

What Cormier Wants

“[Cormier] wants to fight Jon Jones and beat Jon Jones at 205 [pounds],” White revealed. “Not that that’s going to happen, but that’s what he wants in a perfect world. I would obviously rather see them fight at heavyweight, but I really don’t know if Jon Jones wants to move up to heavyweight. It really hasn’t played out yet.”

White had hoped to announce Jones vs. Gustafsson for the light heavyweight title as the main event for UFC 232 on Dec. 29 in Las Vegas.

That fight is definitely worthy of such accolades, but with Cormier unwilling to play ball, the future of the light heavyweight division is very much up in the air.

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Gustafsson Claims Jon Jones Refuses To Sign UFC 230 Contract

Alexander Gustafsson claims Jon Jones ‘has gone missing’ before November 3’s UFC 230 from Madison Square Garden in New York. After Jones was recently given a reduced suspension by USADA, speculation ran rampant that ‘Bones’ would meet longtime rival Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 230. Current UFC 205-pound champion Daniel Cormier even said the UFC was […]

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Alexander Gustafsson claims Jon Jones ‘has gone missing’ before November 3’s UFC 230 from Madison Square Garden in New York.

After Jones was recently given a reduced suspension by USADA, speculation ran rampant that ‘Bones’ would meet longtime rival Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 230. Current UFC 205-pound champion Daniel Cormier even said the UFC was attempting to get him to vacate his belt for the fight. UFC President Dana White confirmed on the ‘UFC Unfiltered’ podcast that the promotion was indeed looking into it.

But when a head-scratching main event was confirmed for UFC 230 today, the fight seemed like it wasn’t happening for now.

It’s lead Gustafsson to suggest Jones has gone into hiding. He trolled the troubled former champion on Instagram with a post claiming he signed his bout agreement before suggesting Jones was chicken:

@jonnybones, you are pissing me off! I signed my agreement. Where are you?? Are you chickening out again?? Stop being a coward! #chicken#signthecontract #scared

Gus Is Getting Impatient

‘The Mauler’ suggests that the ball is in Jones’ court. Apparently, all he need do is sign the contract so they can fight. But White has repeatedly said Jones will return in 2019 rather than at UFC 230.

It’ll be interesting to see how this situation plays out. There’s a lot of doubt that Cormier will cut back down to 205 pounds to defend that title before he fights Brock Lesnar at heavyweight. Jones vs. Gustafsson is the only fight to make for the belt if that’s the case. There’s not enough talent at light heavyweight to avoid it due to the division’s pure lack of depth at the top.

Gustafsson, meanwhile, has been out of action for too long. He was last seen defeating Glover Teixeira in May 2017. Time could be running for his title relevancy. He’s been chasing a rematch with Jones ever since their classic first fight at UFC 165 in 2013.

Will he finally get the fight he’s been chasing for five years? Or is Jones truly M.I.A.?

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Dana White Says Cormier vs. Jones III Could Be At Heavyweight

Ever since Jon Jones had a reduced USADA suspension announced, the fight game has been buzzing with the possibility of Daniel Cormier vs. Jones III. Cormier is the UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion. The only setbacks in his illustrious MMA career have come at the hands of Jones. The troubled-but-legendary “Bones” outlasted “DC” by […]

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Ever since Jon Jones had a reduced USADA suspension announced, the fight game has been buzzing with the possibility of Daniel Cormier vs. Jones III.

Cormier is the UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion. The only setbacks in his illustrious MMA career have come at the hands of Jones. The troubled-but-legendary “Bones” outlasted “DC” by decision at UFC 182 and knocked him out with a head kick at UFC 214. Jones then failed a drug test for anabolic steroid Turinabol.

But now Jones can return on October 28. That’s kicked discussion of a trilogy fight with Cormier into overdrive, and for good reason. Cormier is tentatively slated to fight former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar in early 2019. Cormier vs. Jones III could be the better option.

Of course, Dana White knows it will be huge whenever it happens – if it does. White recently discussed the bout with TMZ and the results were encouraging. He admitted that he wants to see it along with many others. White even said it could happen up at heavyweight, adding a new wrinkle to the rivalry:

“I would like to see it, I think the fans would like to see it. What would be interesting is, we might see it at heavyweight.”

White then went on to say that he would do whatever Cormier wants due to his exemplary record as champion:

I’m gonna do whatever DC wants to do. Daniel Cormier has been an incredible champion for us. He’s an incredible human being. He’s a stud and I’m gonna do everything in my power to keep that man happy.”

It’s not often you hear White publicly speak in such glaring overtones for a fighter. The opposite is quite often true, in fact. But White has a guaranteed cash cow in the form a possibly legendary Cormier vs. Jones III.

You could make the case that it’s a much bigger fight than Cormier vs. Lesnar at this point. Should the UFC go straight to Cormier vs. Jones III at heavyweight?

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Report: Jon Jones Won’t Fight At November’s UFC 230

It looks like Jon Jones really won’t be fighting on the UFC 230 PPV in November.

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Jon Jones won’t be fighting at UFC 230 come November.

Should he want to, everything would fit perfectly in place. Jones’ United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) suspension is up next month on October 28th. “Bones” was given a 15-month suspension for a failed drug test last year after his third-round knockout win over Daniel Cormier.

The UFC is heading back to Madison Square Garden in November in Jones’ home state of New York. Unfortunately, it seems pretty clear that the former 205-pound champion won’t be headlining the card. UFC President Dana White and Jones’ manager have both confirmed he won’t be on the card.

Instead, reports have emerged that Jones is in talks for a rematch with Alexander Gustafsson at a later date. Despite these facts, fans are still holding out hope. Jones’ coach, Mike Winkeljohn, spoke to Submission Radio about the matter.

He himself said he doesn’t expect Jones to fight on the MSG card:

“I wouldn’t put money on him being there for the Madison Square Garden card. You know what, Jon is so smart that he wants to come back and do it right. He’s not in any rush to jump in there and do it ill-prepared.

“He wants to make sure he trains for the opponent once he finds out what that opponent is and do his homework. That’s what people don’t understand about Jon Jones, is he does his homework. Hours and hours and hours of studying tape, and hours and hours hitting these unpredictable things that he uses in the fight.

“But they’re really predictable for him because he’s put so much time into practicing. Jon is a student and a master of the game at reading his opponent. He knows what his opponent’s gonna do before they do it because he studies them.

“So, I would think Jon would want to find out who that is and have a good training camp for it.”

Currently, UFC 230 is co-headlined by a lightweight fight between Nate Diaz and Dustin Poirier. With top stars such as Conor McGregor, Jones, Brock Lesnar, Ronda Rousey, and any others ruled out – it should be interesting what ends up headlining the card.

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Quote: Jon Jones Is ‘Scared To Eat Out’ Because Of Tainted USADA Test

So many people are supposedly out to get him, Jon Jones is scared to eat out at restaurants. Jones recently received a 15-moth USADA suspension. He was suspended for failing a drug test prior to his UFC 214 knockout over Daniel Cormier. The banned substance in question was anabolic steroid Turinabol. But the troubled former champion maintained […]

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So many people are supposedly out to get him, Jon Jones is scared to eat out at restaurants.

Jones recently received a 15-moth USADA suspension. He was suspended for failing a drug test prior to his UFC 214 knockout over Daniel Cormier. The banned substance in question was anabolic steroid Turinabol.

But the troubled former champion maintained his innocence throughout. The situation was somehow floating before USADA for over a year. The UFC’s anti-doping partner finally made the call and caused widespread controversy in MMA.

Jones and his team still claim someone tainted his supplements or even food. Jones is apparently so worried that he won’t even eat out in public.

Public Out To Get ‘Bones?’

That’s the case according to Jones’ longtime coach Mike Winkeljohn.

The JacksonWink head coach recently told Submission Radio (via MMA Mania) that his troubled star is afraid to eat out because of fear someone might contaminate his food:

“Well, I think [USADA] should have made a deal a long time ago. There’s no doubt something got in there somehow, but it’s scary now. Jon’s even scared to eat out, he’s scared to be anywhere. He’s like, gosh, what if that waiter doesn’t like me, the bus boy doesn’t like me? You know? Who knows what’s going to happen out there. And it is kind of scary that way if you think about it.”

Many wondered why USADA took so long to hand Jones his punishment. Jones received a lengthy reduction of his possible four-year suspension for informing USADA about other fighters using ******** and other PEDs. At one point he had only been tested once by USADA in 2018. Controversy swirls.

Either way, Jones swears he never took Turinabol. His team hasn’t said what supplement was tainted, just that he is innocent. He’s eligible to return on October 28 of this year. Speculation is running wild that he’ll finally rematch Alexander Gustafsson.

Jones may be off the hook for now in terms of legal suspensions, but one more mess-up could see him banned forever.

The criticism of his response to the issue was that he never owned his mistakes and always claimed someone else would out to get him. It seems that hasn’t changed much based on Winkeljohn’s words. Will they be proven true in Jones’ umpteenth comeback?

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