Rashad Evans is free of injury and ready to return to action with a fight against Ryan Bader at UFC 192.As reported by Thomas Gerbasi of the UFC’s official website, Suga will step into the Octagon for the first time since his November 2013 victory over…
Rashad Evans is free of injury and ready to return to action with a fight against Ryan Bader at UFC 192.
As reported by Thomas Gerbasi of the UFC’s official website, Suga will step into the Octagon for the first time since his November 2013 victory over Chael Sonnen to take on an in-form Bader, who is currently ranked third in the organisation’s light heavyweight standings.
Houston’s Toyota Center will host the bout on Saturday, October 3, a day former heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez is also eyeing for his return, per UFC Tonight (h/t MMA Fighting). Velasquez surrendered his title to Fabricio Werdum at UFC 188 in June, finding no answer to the Brazilian’s third-round guillotine choke.
“Sources close to Velasquez told Ariel Helwani that he wanted to compete on that particular card because that’s the same one his training partner—and current light heavyweight champion—Daniel Cormier is hoping to fight on,” noted MMA Fighting.
Helwani believes the potential line-up is looking good:
Although Cain is yet to outline an opponent, UFC 192 is shaping up to be one of the year’s best-stacked cards. Velasquez’s only other loss came against Junior dos Santos in 2011, a defeat he has since avenged with two victories in the three-fight series. He will be itching to land another opportunity at Werdum.
Cormier will headline the card if he’s to be included, providing an excellent opportunity for Rashad or Bader to underline their credentials for his belt prior to the main event. He’d likely face Alexander Gustafsson after beating Anthony “Rumble” Johnson for the light heavyweight belt in May.
Evans’ record stands at 19-3-1 heading into a challenging bout with Bader. Wins over Dan Henderson and Sonnen allowed him to gain momentum after Jon Jones and Antonio Nogueira inflicted back-to-back defeats, the first of which was for the title.
Rashad has struggled with knee injuries since stopping Sonnen, having battles against Cormier and Glover Teixeira cancelled over the last 15 months. Bader has gained traction in that time, beating Anthony Perosh, Rafael Cavalcante, Ovince Saint Preux and Phil Davis since December 2013.
Darth’s record stands similar to Evans’ at 19-4, but he is yet to experience the light heavyweight gold. The 2008 Ultimate Fighter winner has typically come unstuck against the best—his defeats have arrived against Jones, Tito Ortiz, Lyoto Machida and Teixeira—so he’ll be hoping to slay Evans before his opponent can regain his composure in the Octagon.
UFC 192 promises to be a memorable night, even before the main event and complete card is announced.
Evans’ return is big news and may allow the 35-year-old one final run to recapture the belt. The light heavyweight division is stacked with quality, so defeat for Rashad or Bader will set them back considerably.
Ryan Bader’s support of the United States military has been one of the light heavyweight contender’s primary focuses during his time under the UFC banner, and those efforts are continuing with his most recent contribution to Hire Heroes USA…
Ryan Bader’s support of the United States military has been one of the light heavyweight contender’s primary focuses during his time under the UFC banner, and those efforts are continuing with his most recent contribution to Hire Heroes USA.
The former Arizona State-wrestling-standout-turned top-ranked mixed martial artist’s $5,000 donation to the organization lead by former UFC standout and decorated military veteran Brian Stann is the latest contribution in what has been an ongoing effort from the Nevada native. Over the past five years, Bader has worked with companies dedicated to providing support for service men and women who are returning from war and attempting to adjust to civilian life.
Hire Heroes puts their focus on assisting those soldiers establish employment—with their current rate of success placing 50 veterans in jobs per week—and Bader’s most recent donation will ensure more service members will return to the workforce.
Throughout his career, the Power MMA leader has cited the sacrifices made by soldiers in the American Armed Forces as a huge source of inspiration in both his personal and professional lives, and has worked diligently to use his platform as a professional athlete to give back to a cause that means a great deal to him.
While the men and women returning from conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq certainly have a complex journey ahead of them when returning stateside, Bader is an athlete who truly believes every bit of help—whether monetary or personal time invested—can and should be made.
“One of the things Ryan liked best about our operation is he could see exactly how detailed we do our work, how we spend our money and the successes we’ve had,” Stann told Bleacher Report. “He could see our proven metrics, and after seeing those things, he decided to donate $5,000 of his purse from his fight with Phil Davis in Sweden.
“That is a lot of money for an individual to donate, especially when that individual isn’t a Fortune 500 CEO with tens of millions in the bank. That donation he made was extraordinarily generous, and he was set to make another donation for his fight on June 6 in New Orleans, but when I saw his fight got pushed back, I didn’t expect anything.
“Then Ryan calls to tell me he still wants to provide his support and has made a second contribution to Hire Heroes for $5,000 and we are in talks for him to do even more. Those things are humbling to see and really say a lot about who Ryan Bader is.”
While Bader’s philanthropic works are measures he pursues beyond circumstances, his donation to Hire Heroes comes at a time when the environment he makes a living in is drastically shifting. The surging 205-pound contender has been vocal about how the upcoming Reebok deal with the UFC will impact his personal bottom line, as he is set to lose a solid portion of the income he generates through sponsorships when the program begins in July.
The fighter and his management are hoping those losses will only exist in the short term as Bader recently extended his partnerships with American Ethanol—who also has a lengthy track record of supporting the American military—Sanford Health and Cytosport in long-term agreements. Yet, regardless of how the current structure of the UFC’s sponsorship deal will affect things in the months to come, Bader’s work with the military will continue.
His recent contribution to Hire Heroes serves as further proof of his ongoing commitment.
“Ryan sees the soldiers as the real heroes and does everything he can to give back to them,” his manager, Dave Martin, told Bleacher Report. “Just being able to have the career he has is something he credits the United States military for making possible. He really looks up to the men and women who protect this country and it’s more than just writing a check to him. Every time he’s on a fight card, he buys tickets, he gives to veterans and takes them out to dinner on fight week. That’s how much they mean to him.
“When you factor in what he’s going to lose per fight in the Reebok deal—at least in the short term—it really shows what Ryan Bader is all about. He’s a man of strong character, and that’s the reason these companies like American Ethanol, Cytosport and Sanford Health are staying with him despite the shift in the sponsorship landscape.”
In addition to the monetary donation Bader made to Hire Heroes, Stann also confirmed The Ultimate Fighter Season Eight winner will work with the foundation in other areas as well. The Silver Star medal recipient is excited about the partnership and believes Bader’s involvement will bring attention and assistance to one of the most serious issues the men and women who have served their nation in combat are facing.
Stann and Hire Heroes are looking forward to future endeavors with Bader as they will continue to help service members’ transition into their next life beyond the military.
“As beneficial as the finances are, he lets us know he wanted wear our logo on his shirt on his way out to the Octagon to fight Phil Davis live on Fox. We were grateful and surprised because these are things he doesn’t have to do.
“As it turns out, a day later a person registers for help on our website specifically citing Ryan Bader, and inside of two months that young man was in a new job. He is now gainfully employed and receiving a good paycheck. It was really cool to see that happen, and that’s just one example of the things that have happened from Ryan’s efforts.
“He goes to different conventions and meetings with his sponsors and different companies he’s been endorsed by before and trying to get them on board about hiring more service members. That’s fantastic because he’s basically leveraging his entire brand to coincide with our mission to do what we have set out to do.
“Those efforts really speak volumes for Ryan’s character. He’s a very patriotic guy who really believes in the assisting and ensuring the right care and proper transition takes place for service members going into the workforce.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Ryan Bader’s support of the United States military has been one of the light heavyweight contender’s primary focuses during his time under the UFC banner, and those efforts are continuing with his most recent contribution to Hire Heroes USA…
Ryan Bader’s support of the United States military has been one of the light heavyweight contender’s primary focuses during his time under the UFC banner, and those efforts are continuing with his most recent contribution to Hire Heroes USA.
The former Arizona State-wrestling-standout-turned top-ranked mixed martial artist’s $5,000 donation to the organization lead by former UFC standout and decorated military veteran Brian Stann is the latest contribution in what has been an ongoing effort from the Nevada native. Over the past five years, Bader has worked with companies dedicated to providing support for service men and women who are returning from war and attempting to adjust to civilian life.
Hire Heroes puts their focus on assisting those soldiers establish employment—with their current rate of success placing 50 veterans in jobs per week—and Bader’s most recent donation will ensure more service members will return to the workforce.
Throughout his career, the Power MMA leader has cited the sacrifices made by soldiers in the American Armed Forces as a huge source of inspiration in both his personal and professional lives, and has worked diligently to use his platform as a professional athlete to give back to a cause that means a great deal to him.
While the men and women returning from conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq certainly have a complex journey ahead of them when returning stateside, Bader is an athlete who truly believes every bit of help—whether monetary or personal time invested—can and should be made.
“One of the things Ryan liked best about our operation is he could see exactly how detailed we do our work, how we spend our money and the successes we’ve had,” Stann told Bleacher Report. “He could see our proven metrics, and after seeing those things, he decided to donate $5,000 of his purse from his fight with Phil Davis in Sweden.
“That is a lot of money for an individual to donate, especially when that individual isn’t a Fortune 500 CEO with tens of millions in the bank. That donation he made was extraordinarily generous, and he was set to make another donation for his fight on June 6 in New Orleans, but when I saw his fight got pushed back, I didn’t expect anything.
“Then Ryan calls to tell me he still wants to provide his support and has made a second contribution to Hire Heroes for $5,000 and we are in talks for him to do even more. Those things are humbling to see and really say a lot about who Ryan Bader is.”
While Bader’s philanthropic works are measures he pursues beyond circumstances, his donation to Hire Heroes comes at a time when the environment he makes a living in is drastically shifting. The surging 205-pound contender has been vocal about how the upcoming Reebok deal with the UFC will impact his personal bottom line, as he is set to lose a solid portion of the income he generates through sponsorships when the program begins in July.
The fighter and his management are hoping those losses will only exist in the short term as Bader recently extended his partnerships with American Ethanol—who also has a lengthy track record of supporting the American military—Sanford Health and Cytosport in long-term agreements. Yet, regardless of how the current structure of the UFC’s sponsorship deal will affect things in the months to come, Bader’s work with the military will continue.
His recent contribution to Hire Heroes serves as further proof of his ongoing commitment.
“Ryan sees the soldiers as the real heroes and does everything he can to give back to them,” his manager, Dave Martin, told Bleacher Report. “Just being able to have the career he has is something he credits the United States military for making possible. He really looks up to the men and women who protect this country and it’s more than just writing a check to him. Every time he’s on a fight card, he buys tickets, he gives to veterans and takes them out to dinner on fight week. That’s how much they mean to him.
“When you factor in what he’s going to lose per fight in the Reebok deal—at least in the short term—it really shows what Ryan Bader is all about. He’s a man of strong character, and that’s the reason these companies like American Ethanol, Cytosport and Sanford Health are staying with him despite the shift in the sponsorship landscape.”
In addition to the monetary donation Bader made to Hire Heroes, Stann also confirmed The Ultimate Fighter Season Eight winner will work with the foundation in other areas as well. The Silver Star medal recipient is excited about the partnership and believes Bader’s involvement will bring attention and assistance to one of the most serious issues the men and women who have served their nation in combat are facing.
Stann and Hire Heroes are looking forward to future endeavors with Bader as they will continue to help service members’ transition into their next life beyond the military.
“As beneficial as the finances are, he lets us know he wanted wear our logo on his shirt on his way out to the Octagon to fight Phil Davis live on Fox. We were grateful and surprised because these are things he doesn’t have to do.
“As it turns out, a day later a person registers for help on our website specifically citing Ryan Bader, and inside of two months that young man was in a new job. He is now gainfully employed and receiving a good paycheck. It was really cool to see that happen, and that’s just one example of the things that have happened from Ryan’s efforts.
“He goes to different conventions and meetings with his sponsors and different companies he’s been endorsed by before and trying to get them on board about hiring more service members. That’s fantastic because he’s basically leveraging his entire brand to coincide with our mission to do what we have set out to do.
“Those efforts really speak volumes for Ryan’s character. He’s a very patriotic guy who really believes in the assisting and ensuring the right care and proper transition takes place for service members going into the workforce.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Ryan Bader was passed over for a crack at Daniel Cormier’s UFC light heavyweight title in favor of Alexander Gustafsson and, unsurprisingly, it isn’t sitting well with him. Speaking with Ariel Helwani on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour, he had some po…
Ryan Bader was passed over for a crack at Daniel Cormier’s UFC light heavyweight title in favor of Alexander Gustafsson and, unsurprisingly, it isn’t sitting well with him. Speaking with Ariel Helwani on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour, he had some pointed words about both competitors and the fight itself.
“I thought I matched up really well with Cormier and [could] give him problems that other people haven’t,” he said (h/t MMAFighting.com‘s Marc Raimondi). “I think he can go in there and beat Gus and use his wrestling. I definitely felt that I was the more dangerous fight, for sure.”
For those who missed it, Bader has been passed over for title shots twice in the past two months.
Currently riding a four-fight winning streak, Bader was slated to face Cormier in the main event of UFC Fight Night 68. A win over the former Olympian almost certainly would have sealed up a shot at then-champion Jon Jones but, unfortunately for Bader, an alleged hit-and-run incident resulted in Jones being stripped of the title and suspended indefinitely. Both fighters would be pulled from Fight Night 68, but while Cormier would be rescheduled to face Anthony “Rumble” Johnson at UFC 187 for the vacant light heavyweight championship, Bader would be left to wonder what comes next.
While it briefly seemed like he would still get a shot at Cormier after a dust-up at the UFC 187 post-fight press conference, UFC President Dana White told UFC Tonight on Fox Sports 1 on Wednesday that the promotion was, in fact, looking to have Cormier defend his title from Gustafsson. Gustafsson is actually coming off of a first-round knockout loss to Johnson, a fact that doesn’t sit well with Bader. “Gus is a great fighter,” Bader said, “but he just doesn’t deserve that shot right now coming off of a loss like that.”
Bader is currently eyeing a fight with former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans in the fall. Evans is currently coming off of back-to-back wins over Dan Henderson and Chael Sonnen, but hasn’t competed since November 2013 due to knee injuries.
Here’s hoping Bader can keep himself busy for the time being.
UFC light heavyweight Ryan Jimmo is a believer in Ryan Bader’s chances against newly minted 205-pound champion Daniel “DC” Cormier.
Speaking with MMAFighting.com’s Guilherme Cruz ahead of his UFC Fight Night 67 bout against Francimar Barroso, Jim…
UFC light heavyweight Ryan Jimmo is a believer in Ryan Bader‘s chances against newly minted 205-pound champion Daniel “DC” Cormier.
Speaking with MMAFighting.com’s Guilherme Cruz ahead of his UFC Fight Night 67 bout against FrancimarBarroso, Jimmo talked about a potential title fight between Bader and Cormier, predicting a new champion would be crowned should the fight take place.
“I might have a little bit of a biased intention here because Ryan Bader is my training partner, but I don’t think Daniel Cormier keeps it. I think Ryan Bader will beat him,” Jimmo told Cruz. “I think other fighters have done better against Jon Jones than Daniel Cormier has, and I don’t think he keeps that belt very long.”
Specifically, Jimmo sees Bader as the more athletic fighter in a potential showdown against Cormier.
“I think he [Bader] can stop his [Cormier‘s] wrestling, and I think his striking has really improved and he’s got an incredible amount of endurance,” Jimmo said. “I think Bader is actually a better athlete.”
The Bader-vs.-Cormier discussion took roots long before Cormier earned the UFC light heavyweight title at UFC 187.
Before former champion Jon Jones’ hit-and-run incident and subsequent suspension and loss of his title, Cormier was scheduled to face Bader at the UFC Fight Night 68 event in Louisiana on June 6. When the UFC needed an opponent to fill in at UFC 187 to face title contender Anthony “Rumble” Johnson, however, it called Cormier‘s name, and the former Olympic wrestler rose to the challenge, eventually capturing the 205-pound strap via third-round submission.
While the UFC has not officially named Bader as the first challenger to Cormier‘s title, the fight makes sense, as Bader is on a four-fight winning streak and was already scheduled to face Cormier anyway.
There is, however, the small matter of level of competition in Bader‘s case. The best win during his four-fight run is current No. 6-ranked light heavyweight Ovince St-Preux, whom he defeated by unanimous decision in August 2014.
It’s unclear whether Bader‘s resume is strong enough to warrant a title shot, but he’s certainly generating some hype and giving himself every chance to earn the nod from UFC brass.
If the fight is arranged and Jimmo‘s prediction comes true, we’ll be in for a quick changing of the guard at light heavyweight.
Give credit to Daniel Cormier for saying what we all were thinking.
Cormier wasted little time winning the light heavyweight title on Saturday at UFC 187, snapping Anthony Johnson’s spirit like dry kindling en route to a third-round submission vi…
Give credit to Daniel Cormier for saying what we all were thinking.
Cormier wasted little time winning the light heavyweight title on Saturday at UFC 187, snapping Anthony Johnson’s spirit like dry kindling en route to a third-round submission victory. Cormier had survived an early onslaught of punches from Johnson before his Olympic wrestling won the day, so it made for a nice moment when Johnson insisted on wrapping the UFC belt around his waist.
A few moments later, however, the new champ revealed he had someone else on his mind.
“Jon Jones!” Cormier hollered as soon as color commentator Joe Rogan let him get near the microphone. “Get your s–t together! I’m waiting for you!”
From the stands in the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, from our living rooms and from inside sports bars across America, the MMA world nodded along.
Yes, we thought, do that. Get your stuff together, Jon Jones. Get it together and come back to us.
The long-reigning, but suddenly former 205-pound titlist was nowhere to be seen, of course. A bit more than three weeks earlier, he’d been stripped of the championship and banished indefinitely after turning himself in on felony hit-and-run charges in New Mexico.
None of us knew where Jones was at that moment. We didn’t know if he was watching or if he heard Cormier’s words. We just knew that—even in his absence—the man many still believed to be the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world casts a long shadow.
It was just 14 months ago that we were trumpeting the resurgence of the UFC’s marquee weight class. After the instability of the post-Chuck Liddell years and the unchecked dominance of Jones’ early title reign, a suddenly robust crop of contenders were breathing down the champion’s neck.
Jones had survived a squeaker against Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165 and was headed into a cakewalk versus the thunderously powerful, but one-dimensional, Glover Teixeira. Meanwhile, Gustafsson rebounded with a win over JimiManuwa, Cormier was poised to tear through Dan Henderson and Johnson was building a seven-fight win streak at 205 pounds.
Light heavyweight appeared primed for some golden years.
At the time, I even postulated that if Jones could successfully run the gauntlet of Gustafsson (again), Cormier and Johnson during the calendar year of 2015, we’d have no choice but to hail him as the greatest MMA fighter of all time.
Unfortunately, we didn’t get that far.
Jones and Cormier did their part, staging an epic feud that culminated in Jones’ hard-fought, but unanimous decision, victory at UFC 182 in January. He was scheduled to take on Johnson next, but in the wake of the Cormier victory it was revealed he’d tested positive for cocaine. Three-and-a-half months later, Jones allegedly crashed his rental SUV into a car driven by a pregnant woman and then fled the scene on foot.
Public scrutiny around Jones’ perennially beleaguered image abruptly grew too hot. The UFC had no choice but to vacate the title, force Jones into seclusion and insert Cormier against Johnson at UFC 187.
It was the right move in the moment, though, now that we’ve all had a few weeks to let it sink in, a 205-pound division without Jones suddenly seems almost laughably shallow.
That’s how things go in this sport sometimes. An entire weight class can go from renaissance to reclamation project in the time it takes an Albuquerque traffic light to switch from green to red.
Never was this more apparent than at the UFC 187 post-fight press conference, when Cormier did his absolute best to stir up interest in a bout with Ryan Bader. Before Jones’ personal life went kablooey, Cormier and Baderhad been scheduled to meet at UFC Fight Night 68 on June 6. No harm in testing the waters to see if it was still viable, Cormier might have figured.
(Warning: NSFW language in video)
“I would love to compete against (Jones),” he told the gathered media, “but he’s going to be away for awhile, so we’ve got to shift our focus. There’s somebody else that needs his a– kicked, too. I think he’s around here. It’s Ryan Bader’s a– and I’m going to beat the s–t out of him next time.”
Bader stormed to the front of the room and had to be held back (sort of) by UFC security, as Cormier stood on the dais and called him “an easy paycheck” and “the easiest fight in the division.” Eventually, Bader was led away and Cormier took his seat. A few feet to the left, the recently defeated Johnson picked up his own microphone, tapped his palm against it and deadpanned: “Any questions for Rumble?”
If Johnson’s quip came off as the highlight of the exchange, there was good reason for that. A potential title match between Cormier and Bader would only underscore how lackluster this weight class seems without Jones.
Bader is riding a four-fight win streak and is No. 3 in the UFC’s unexpectedly Bones-free light heavyweight rankings. But his matchup with Cormier always came off as a comeback fight for the 36-year-old former heavyweight—a bout designed to rehabilitate Cormier’s image after that stinging loss at UFC 182.
The truth is, people are already going to have some difficulty regarding Cormier as the champion. He is one of the most likable fighters in all of MMA, and it felt good to see him finally capture a major title after a career full of coming up just short.
But until Jones returns and those two guys can fight again, we’ll always regard Bones as the best 205-pounder in the world. There’s going to be a lot of this kind of stuff floating around:
Deep down, Cormier knows that. That’s why his first official move as UFC champion was to jump on the mic and challenge Jones all over again.
Bader knows it, too.
“I kind of feel like it’s a little consolation prize,” Bader told the Three Amigos Podcast (h/t Bloody Elbow) of Cormier‘s victory over Johnson this week. “There’s a guy that hasn’t been beat, that has been dominating, and is the pound-for-pound best fighter out there, and he had that belt. … And for Cormier it’s somebody out there that’s better than him and beat him. That’s got to be in his head a little bit.”
Whether or not he meant it merely as trash talk, Bader effectively put his finger on the trouble with the current state of the light heavyweight division. With Gustafsson still mired in the doldrums of his own loss to Johnson, there just isn’t anyone in the weight class who can do much to legitimize Cormier’s title reign.
With no idea how long it will be until Jones returns, we’re not even sure how much energy we should invest in reimagining a 205-pound landscape without him in it.
Frankly, that includes the idea of a title fight against Bader. No offense to the former Arizona State standout, but we’ve never been able to think of Bader as a true top contender after he stumbled through a 3-4 stretch from 2011 to September 2013. He capped his current win streak with a victory over Phil Davis, but it mostly came against middling competition.
The idea that he could suddenly jump to the front of the line and fight for the title seems like a poor status update on the health of light heavyweight. And the notion that Bader could actually become the champion? Well, that seems like a worst-case scenario for the prestige of the UFC’s longtime glamour division.
All of which is sort of ironic, when you think about it.
For years, a lot of MMA fans appeared fixated on how much they disliked Jones. His positive drug test and alleged hit-and-run accident only poured gasoline on those sour feelings. For some, there was a certain glee in the news he’d been stripped of the title and suspended.
But if there’s a lesson in any of this, it might be how badly we need the guy and how lucky we’ll be if we ever get him back.
Rashad Evans is free of injury and ready to return to action with a fight against Ryan Bader at UFC 192.