Tag: Misc.

Cain Velasquez Injured Yet Again, Fabricio Werdum Now Faces Stipe Miocic at UFC 196


(Hello ER my old friend, I’ve come to lie with you again…)

You might not know this about Cain Velasquez, but the former heavyweight champion is what some would call “prone to injury.” In fact, Velasquez has spent far more time on the shelf during his tenure with the UFC than he has been fighting, competing just 6 times (and against a grand total of 3 different opponents) dating back to the night he first lost his belt to Junior Dos Santos in 2010.

So when it was first announced that Velasquez would inexplicably be receiving an immediate rematch against Fabricio Werdum following his one-sided defeat at UFC 188, the booking was met with a certain amount of trepidation. Rightfully so, it would seem, as today brings the news that Velasquez has has been forced to withdraw from UFC 196 just two weeks out with a back injury.

Details after the jump. 

The post Cain Velasquez Injured Yet Again, Fabricio Werdum Now Faces Stipe Miocic at UFC 196 appeared first on Cagepotato.


(Hello ER my old friend, I’ve come to lie with you again…)

You might not know this about Cain Velasquez, but the former heavyweight champion is what some would call “prone to injury.” In fact, Velasquez has spent far more time on the shelf during his tenure with the UFC than he has been fighting, competing just 6 times (and against a grand total of 3 different opponents) dating back to the night he first lost his belt to Junior Dos Santos in 2010.

So when it was first announced that Velasquez would inexplicably be receiving an immediate rematch against Fabricio Werdum following his one-sided defeat at UFC 188, the booking was met with a certain amount of trepidation. Rightfully so, it would seem, as today brings the news that Velasquez has has been forced to withdraw from UFC 196 just two weeks out with a back injury.

Details after the jump. 

The saddening but all too familiar news was broke on Sunday evening via Dana White’s Instagram. Stepping in as a short notice replacement against Werdum will be Stipe Miocic, who is currently riding back-to-back wins over Mark Hunt and Andrei Arlovski and has been angling for a title fight for some time now, only to be consistently rebuked by the UFC for lacking the “popularity” necessary for a title contender. Of course, name value doesn’t mean sh*t when you can’t actually make it to fight night, so let’s hope that Stipe can make his name off of this fight whether in victory or defeat.

Velasquez, who has already undergone surgeries for torn meniscus in his knee and a torn rotator cuff (twice), took to Facebook to apologize to Werdum, writing:

I’m sure you’ve heard the news that I won’t be able to fight at UFC 196. I can’t begin to tell you how disappointed I am and how I feel I’m letting you all down. I’ve heard and read all of your messages of support since my last fight and during this camp and for that I thank you.

Training camp has been difficult for the last few weeks, but sometimes no matter how much the heart and mind want to fight through an injury, healing has its own timeline. We thought we’d get through it, but we had to face the truth that it wasn’t going to be OK in time to fight. All of us fighters have all fought injured at one time or another, but I can’t ignore this injury, as my doctor has indicated that not addressing the problems with my sciatic nerve could have longer-term consequences.

My fans deserve to see me compete as close to 100% as possible. I’m committed to giving them that. I’m not going to let my fans down, and I want to make sure I do the right things to ensure a long career.

Fabricio, I hope that you accept my sincere apology. I understand how you may think this is an excuse. From one professional to another, I can tell you I was committed and looking forward to competing with you again. I greatly respect you as a fighter and man, and we will meet soon.

I will get this taken care of as soon as possible. I will heal and will come back and show you the Cain Velasquez you all deserve to see.

Sincerely,
Cain

It’s a real shame that the majority of Cain’s athletic prime has been spent healing on the sidelines, but maybe this latest injury might be his body’s way of telling him when enough is enough. He hasn’t seemed to heed the message yet, but then again, when looking at the litany of setbacks that Dominick Cruz suffered on his way to reclaiming the bantamweight title, it’s hard to fault him for being stubborn.

There has been no timetable set for Velasquez’s return.

The post Cain Velasquez Injured Yet Again, Fabricio Werdum Now Faces Stipe Miocic at UFC 196 appeared first on Cagepotato.

Friday Link Dump: CM Punk Talks “No Joke” UFC Debut, Where is Conor McGregor’s Belt?, The Planet’s Hottest Opera Singer + More

(Oh this? Just Ilir Latifi starring in an MMA-themed techno-pop music video.)

Conor McGregor, Dana White and UFC 197’s Biggest Question: ‘Where’s My Belt?’ (Bleacher Report)

Tony Ferguson vs. Michael Johnson Rematch Set for UFC 197 (BloodyElbow)

Just Two More Wins and Jeff Monson Can Retire – or Can He? (MMAJunkie)

The post Friday Link Dump: CM Punk Talks “No Joke” UFC Debut, Where is Conor McGregor’s Belt?, The Planet’s Hottest Opera Singer + More appeared first on Cagepotato.


(Oh this? Just Ilir Latifi starring in an MMA-themed techno-pop music video.)

Conor McGregor, Dana White and UFC 197′s Biggest Question: ‘Where’s My Belt?’ (Bleacher Report)

Tony Ferguson vs. Michael Johnson Rematch Set for UFC 197 (BloodyElbow)

Just Two More Wins and Jeff Monson Can Retire – or Can He? (MMAJunkie)

CM Punk Insists his Foray into the UFC is No Joke (Yahoo Sports)

Until the Last light Leaves London (MMAFighting)

Galaxy Quest Movie Cast Returning for Amazon TV Series? (ScreenJunkies)

Key & Peele Save a Kidnapped Kitten in Keanu Trailer (Escapist)

Meet the Planet’s Hottest Opera Singer (EveryJoe)

Crazy Lies That Are Actually True (29 Photos) (Radass)

The post Friday Link Dump: CM Punk Talks “No Joke” UFC Debut, Where is Conor McGregor’s Belt?, The Planet’s Hottest Opera Singer + More appeared first on Cagepotato.

VIDEO: Check Out the First Staredowns Between McGregor and Dos Anjos, Holm & Tate


(Like all great artists, McGregor is a man who operates in periods. Picasso had his Blue Period, Dali had his Dada period, and McGregor has clearly entered his “Gay Persian discotheque owner from the 80’s” period.)

And so, it begins.

Following their incredible first round finishes of Jose Aldo and Donald Cerrone, respectfully, featherweight champion Conor McGregor and lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos will do battle at UFC 197 with the latter’s gold on the line. To describe the bout as anything other than “unprecedented” would be an injustice, to say the very least.

In the co-main event of the evening, Holly Holm will get her wish and defend her title against the ever-present top contender Miesha Tate, hoping to become the first female not named Ronda Rousey to defend the bantamweight title in the process. Again, the word “unprecedented” comes to mind.

Earlier today, the first press event for UFC 197 was held, giving both pairs of fighters a chance to lock eyes. Check out the staredowns after the jump.

The post VIDEO: Check Out the First Staredowns Between McGregor and Dos Anjos, Holm & Tate appeared first on Cagepotato.


(Like all great artists, McGregor is a man who operates in periods. Picasso had his Blue Period, Dali had his Dada period, and McGregor has clearly entered his “Gay Persian discotheque owner from the 80′s” period.)

And so, the wait begins.

Following their incredible first round finishes of Jose Aldo and Donald Cerrone, respectfully, featherweight champion Conor McGregor and lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos will do battle at UFC 197 with the latter’s gold on the line. To describe the bout as anything other than “unprecedented” would be an injustice, to say the very least.

In the co-main event of the evening, Holly Holm will get her wish and defend her title against the ever-present top contender Miesha Tate, hoping to become the first female not named Ronda Rousey to defend the bantamweight title in the process. Again, the word “unprecedented” comes to mind.

Earlier today, the first press event for UFC 197 was held, giving both pairs of fighters a chance to lock eyes. Check out the staredowns after the jump.

As to how both the main eventers see the fight going? Well, Dos Anjos opted for a more straightforward approach, telling MMAFighting that “I will be calm and kick his ass for good. I want to finish him. I want to submit him, actually. Sometimes you knock someone out and the way they go down isn’t nice, but when you submit someone… I want to make him quit, I want him asking me to stop. That’s what I want.”

As for McGregor, well, you might be shocked to learn that he went for the more barbarics approach, stating “I will behead Rafael dos Anjos. I will drag his head through the streets of Rio de Janeiro through a parade of people. It will become a national holiday as well, I would imagine.”

March 5th just got a whooooooole lot longer away.

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BJ Penn Officially Ends Retirement, Aims to Make a Run at Featherweight Title


(Oh, don’t put us through this again, BJ…)

No matter how many times we say it, it appears that fewer and fewer MMA fighters are willing to abide by our ban on unretirement. The latest fighter on that list: BJ Penn.

Yes, after hinting at a union with Greg Jackson and calling out Nik Lentz last week, Penn officially announced his second unretirement on today’s MMA Hour, stating “I’m coming back for honor. I’m coming back to do this, give everything I got.”

The post BJ Penn Officially Ends Retirement, Aims to Make a Run at Featherweight Title appeared first on Cagepotato.


(Oh, don’t put us through this again, BJ…)

No matter how many times we say it, it appears that fewer and fewer MMA fighters are willing to abide by our ban on unretirement. The latest fighter on that list: BJ Penn.

Yes, after hinting at a union with Greg Jackson and calling out Nik Lentz last week, Penn officially announced his second unretirement on today’s MMA Hour, stating “I’m coming back for honor. I’m coming back to do this, give everything I got.”

Clearly looking to rebound from his uncharacteristically poor, career-ending performance against Frankie Edgar in July of 2014, Penn stated a desire to prove himself as an elite member of his new home, the 145 pound division, as the main reasoning for his comeback.

“I want to go get that 145-pound belt. That’s definitely a huge motivation for me,” said Penn. “I believe with Greg Jackson’s help, I can get that done. And I believe that I will be able to walk away as the only man with three titles in three weight divisions.”

A lofty aspiration to say the least, especially at 37 years old. That being said, it’s hard to argue against seeing the potential return of Motivated Penn™, which is what he appears to be. Motivated, I mean. He used that exact word right there, and is apparently placing a “pull the plug” clause into his contract with Greg Jackson to let us know how super serious he is this time around.

And I told Jackson that if I can’t do this, you let me know. You come straight to me, Greg. You see me sparring one day, you look at me and say ‘this guy don’t got it anymore,’ pull the plug right now. I got a wonderful life back in Hawaii. I love my life. But I love fighting more.

And he’s very confident that we can get something done. With somebody like that, who has so many champions himself and who has does as well as he has in this sport, when he tells me that: ‘I know you can go out and I know you can beat all these guys,’ it gives me a lot of confidence.

You know, perhaps it’s fitting that, on the very day that Penn submitted Joe Stevenson to become the UFC lightweight champion back in 2008, he begins the journey that could possibly end in him securing the featherweight title. But even as a huge fan of the guy, I simply can’t overlook the odds stacked against him here. You know, odds like:

1) Penn is 1-6-1 in his last 8 fights

2) Penn has not picked up a win since 2010 — a 13-second KO of the similarly over-the-hill Matt Hughes

3) Penn is 37 years old

4) Physically, Penn looked the worst he ever had in his featherweight debut

5) You know who the current #1 contender at featherweight is? Frankie Edgar

While both Penn and Greg Jackson are capable of doing some amazing things, I’d just hate to see the former wind up like he did after his last fight — head clasped firmly in his hands, choking back tears and openly regretting ever coming back to the sport. That was a goddamn tough moment to sit through, you guys, and I can only imagine what it was like for Penn and his family. But as is so often the case with the warriors that this sport chews up and spits out, fighting is all that Penn seems to know, and if those around him can’t stop him from competing, how can we possibly expect to?

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BJ Penn Calls Out Nik Lentz, Gets Utterly ANNIHILATED By His Response


(via Penn’s Instagram)

Let’s cut right to the chase.

Despite not scoring a win since 2010, having his soul stolen by Frankie Edgar in his last octagon appearance, and admitting that he “shouldn’t have come back” before emotionally retiring for realsies in the evening’s post-fight press conference, BJ Penn…wants to come back. And not only that, he wants to come back to face Nik Lentz, who has been goading him into a fight on social media for months now, in March. This is sad, we’re all sad for hearing it, so on and so forth…

It all started when Penn snapped the above photo with Greg Jackson, with the caption “We coming!” Jackson later told reporters that he was “very optimistic” about Penn’s future following a meeting with the former two-division champion, who then proceeded to formally challenge Lentz to a fight at UFC 197 on March 5th.

Penn chose an ambitious timetable for his return, to say the very least, and yesterday evening, Lentz responded with what must be the most cold-blooded takedown in the history of combat sports.

The post BJ Penn Calls Out Nik Lentz, Gets Utterly ANNIHILATED By His Response appeared first on Cagepotato.


(via Penn’s Instagram)

Let’s cut right to the chase.

Despite not scoring a win since 2010, having his soul stolen by Frankie Edgar in his last octagon appearance, and admitting that he “shouldn’t have come back” before emotionally retiring for realsies in the evening’s post-fight press conference, BJ Penn…wants to come back. And not only that, he wants to come back to face Nik Lentz, who has been goading him into a fight on social media for months now, in March. This is sad, we’re all sad for hearing it, so on and so forth…

It all started when Penn snapped the above photo with Greg Jackson, with the caption “We coming!” Jackson later told reporters that he was “very optimistic” about Penn’s future following a meeting with the former two-division champion, who then proceeded to formally challenge Lentz to a fight at UFC 197 on March 5th.

Penn chose an ambitious timetable for his return, to say the very least, and yesterday evening, Lentz responded with what must be the most cold-blooded takedown in the history of combat sports.

Check it out below, via MMAFighting, then down a shot every time you recoil from the absolute savagery of Lentz’s words. You will be dead within 3 paragraphs.

BJ,
I received your poorly-worded, utterly predictable, message. In spite of its clumsy structure, awful spelling, incorrect usage (you state at one point that I wrote a poem about you making fun of yourself), and general air of arrogance, entitled stupidity, I’m considering your request.

There are, of course, some conditions.

– I’m never competing at 145 ever again. Neither should you. I came to this conclusion after doing careful research, and deciding what was right for my long-term health as well as my short-term performance. If you fight at 145, it won’t be long before you’re eating banana mush in a nuthouse. I am accountable to my family, and my future with them. Because you are an impulsive tyrant surrounded by yes-men, you have no ability to make rational, intelligent decisions. So I am making this one for you. If we fight, it would be at 155.

– I’m not fighting in March. Neither are you. You may imagine you are, and the imbeciles you surround yourself with may nod in agreement like the trained dogs they are, but you aren’t fighting in March. You’ve lied to your fans, and let them down over and over, and nobody is clamoring to put the BJ PENN EXCUSE FACTORY back in business. Were I to agree to fight you in March and whup your ass, it would only give you and your lackeys the “BJ didn’t have enough time” bullshit excuse. Additionally, if we do fight, it will be on MY timetable, NOT yours. You are retired, and have no schedule. I am an active fighter, on the roster, with a schedule and training platform that is not beholden to your desires, grudges, or need for narcissistic supply.

– You still owe Mike Dolce $22,000. Knowing him, he is too gracious and dignified a man to revisit the traitorous back-stabbing skullduggery you engaged in with him after the third time Frankie Edgar kicked your ass inside-out. I, however, don’t have the luxury of grace, and dignity is best left out of any exchange that includes you. You will donate $22,000 of your purse to the HAWAII DOG FOUNDATION, a no-kill, all-volunteer rescue organization working hard to rescue and rehabilitate dogs in Hawaii, in Mike Dolce’s name.

Give these conditions some thought. They are non-negotiable. They are rules you WILL abide by, or you can go whistle. I have a contract, and plenty of guys to fight. As a Narcissist, you have nothing but an image. And you NEED attention. You have all the money you could ever spend; but it doesn’t satisfy you. I have what you NEED. I’M in charge. You can do what narcissists usually do when confronted by a higher power; SLINK AWAY. Or you can confront your needs, realize I can fulfill them, and come to terms with me, looming over you, holding the….

WHIP HAND.

I’m ALREADY in charge, you poor, deluded, fool. I did more to motivate you with TWO POEMS than all your yes-men, and titles, and highlights could.
Get as angry as you want. Go out behind your huge inherited estate and kick rocks. Go cry to your Mommy. Go shit in your hat and bark at the moon.
You want to fight?
Then it’s on MY terms.
FACE IT.

Now run along, little man. Go find a way to swallow your overarching pride and do it MY way, or scuttle about like a deformed crab at low tide, like a masochist at last call, desperately looking for somebody else to thrash you.

You can go to Greg Jackson’s, you can go to Jermaine Jackson’s, you can listen to Mahalia Jackson, you can resurrect Jackson fuckin’ POLLOCK to paint you a better picture of yourself than the one we all see; but…

You’re an unclaimed, busted-down suitcase on a dusty shelf in an abandoned bus-terminal. Accept my conditions, or rot in obscurity.

Nik Lentz
Your BOSS”

With all due respect to Penn, I don’t think there’s a thing he could do to Lentz physically that would match the — and I hate to repeat myself here — absolute savagery of what was just said here. This message is the absolute pinnacle of the pen being mightier than the sword, and though I doubt he’ll take our advice, Penn would be best off to just stay retired.

Then again, Motivated Penn is perhaps the most dominant fighter this planet has ever known, above that of even Sea Level Velasquez, “Look in His Eyes” Chuck, and Full Camp Mendes. By Lentz’s own admission, he has motivated Penn more with a poem (which you can read here) “than all your yes-men, and titles, and highlights could.” So the question now becomes: Is Greg Jackson the man to bring Motivated Penn out from hiding, or is BJ just setting himself up for another tearful goodbye?

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Royce Gracie Is Facing Some Serious Financial Charges, You Guys


(And pays 100% under-the-table!!)

When first taking in the idea of seeing 49 year old Royce Gracie and 51 year old Ken Shamrock do battle in the Bellator arena, I was struck with a rather obvious, yet repeatedly forgotten realization. Mainly, that former greats of MMA (or any sport, really, but *especially* MMA) only decide to put the gloves back on for 1 of 3 reasons:

1. They feel that they’ve still got something to prove, a belt/championship to attain, an spouse’s face to rub it in, etc.

2. They miss it.

3. They’re broke.

In the case of Royce Gracie, who will be returning from a 9 year, steroid-shamed absence from the sport at Bellator 149, it’s become apparent recently that his motivations lie closer to #3 than #1.

The post Royce Gracie Is Facing Some Serious Financial Charges, You Guys appeared first on Cagepotato.


(And pays 100% under-the-table!!)

When first taking in the idea of seeing 49 year old Royce Gracie and 51 year old Ken Shamrock do battle in the Bellator arena, I was struck with a rather obvious, yet repeatedly forgotten realization. Mainly, that former greats of MMA (or any sport, really, but *especially* MMA) only decide to put the gloves back on for 1 of 3 reasons:

1. They feel that they’ve still got something to prove, a belt/championship to attain, an spouse’s face to rub it in, etc.

2. They miss it.

3. They’re broke.

In the case of Royce Gracie, who will be returning from a 9 year, steroid-shamed absence from the sport at Bellator 149, it’s become apparent recently that his motivations lie closer to #3 than #1.

Duh, right? I mean, why else would someone — especially someone entering the era of osteoporosis — put their health on the line for something as undignified as a Bellator pay-per-view?

(*checks earpiece*) (*learns that Bellator 149 will in fact be broadcast on Spike TV*) (*cries*)

Needless to say, upon waking from the shame eruption blackout I suffered following that announcement, I immediately began running down my list of options. It couldn’t be that Gracie still felt he had something to prove — he was, after all, up 1-0-1 over Shamrock, rendering a trilogy fight all but pointless — and I don’t necessarily think that he found himself looking at how evolved and well-rounded the average fighter is nowadays and saying aloud, “Gee, I miss never being able to do that,” either.

It had to be money, right? What else could draw a man who belongs on the Mt. Rushmore of the sport out of hiding at 50 goddamn years old?!!!

Well, and you know how much I hate to say this, it appears that I was right. (It’s as much a curse as it is a gift, you guys.)

According to BloodyElbow’s Paul Gift, Gracie is being sought after by the Internal Revenue Service, or IRS for us laymen, for failure disclose upward of $1.5 million earned between 2007-2011, the majority of which was wired to Gracie from offshore accounts and spent on vacation properties and paying off credit card debt. After being summonsed to appear before the IRS and produce bank documents aligning with their income and failing to appear in 2012, the Gracies were then hit with a Notice of Deficiency petition by the U.S. Attorney Chief.

According to the Petition, [IRS] Agent Ybarra was assigned “to examine potential international tax issues relating to the [Gracies’] federal income tax returns…” She believed she had discovered foreign bank accounts in which the Gracies had signature authority, yet did not disclose to the IRS.

To date, my investigation has revealed that during the years 2008 – 2011: 1) the [Gracies] had signature authority over an [sic] foreign bank account at HSBC bank in Switzerland; 2) the [Gracies] had signature authority over a foreign bank account at Caixa Penedes bank in Spain; 3) the [Gracies] had a foreign bank account at First Gulf Bank in Abu Dhabi; and, 4) the [Gracies] did not disclose the full extent of their foreign bank account activities on their U.S. tax returns (Forms 1040) as required by law.

On February 1, 2013, the [Gracies’] attorney sent a letter listing their objections to complying with the summonses. No documents were included with this letter. Among the objections set forth in the letter was a claim that the 2008 year was barred because the IRS had closed its 2008 domestic audit. The [Gracies’] also raised a Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination.

Not only that, but Royce and his wife, Marianne, also allegedly filed individual tax returns showing minimal taxable income, along with $4,000 child tax and earned income credit claims during the aforementioned three-year span. An Earned Income Credit, for those unfamiliar, “is essentially a subsidy to low-income, working families, providing a tax credit to the working poor which phases out as a family’s income rises.” As the saying goes, “All my heroes are ghosts. That, or tax cheats, sexual predators, domestic abusers, or recently revealed anti-Semites.”

You can read all the grimy details of the IRS case against the Gracie’s over at BloodyElbow. While there has been no word as of yet as to how this may or may not effect Gracie’s future meeting with Shamrock, Gift also notes that, “if Gracie’s attorneys prepared him for a likely settlement or possible undesirable trial outcome, he may have need for more liquid funds in the near future and fighting Ken Shamrock could be just the ticket.”

So great; two broke 50 year-olds are gonna be fighting for milk money in the main event of Bellator 149, but only after a two street brawlers with fake names swing hammers at each other first (or something). How far this sport has come. (*wipes tear from eye*)

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