Tag: Ryan Bader

Ryan Bader on Daniel Cormier: ‘I Want to Shut His Big Mouth’

Ryan Bader is flat-out fired up. The surging contender has his sights set on a bout with newly crowned light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier, and he’s going to keep pressing until he gets what he wants. 
Friction between the two men has contin…

Ryan Bader is flat-out fired up. The surging contender has his sights set on a bout with newly crowned light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier, and he’s going to keep pressing until he gets what he wants. 

Friction between the two men has continued to build in recent months, but the animosity between the Phoenix-based powerhouse and Cormier hit a fever pitch at the post-fight press conference for UFC 187 on Saturday night. Bader was in attendance hoping to speak with UFC President Dana White about what could come next on his road through the ranks of the 205-pound fold, and he believes his presence inspired the newly minted title holder to launch some shots in his direction.

Those taunts enraged the Power MMA leader, and a heated exchange quickly followed.

(Warning: Language in video not safe for work.)

“I was there with my wife to enjoy the fights, and then I was meeting my manager Dave Martin at the press conference because I thought maybe Dana White would be there, and I would be able to talk to him about what is next for me,” Bader said in an exclusive interview. “I went in there and all of a sudden Cormier and I kind of locked eyes a little bit, then all of a sudden I get called out by D.C. He started saying I was being disrespectful and all that stuff, and he had a microphone up on the stage and kept going on and on.

“He called me the easiest fight in the 205-pound division. I didn’t have a mic so I was shouting at him, and I was fired up. The next thing I know I’m walking towards the podium, and I just wanted to slap that dude right then and there. That’s what happened there at the press conference. I didn’t think anything like that would happen, but it did.”

While the verbal sparring between the two made headlines throughout the MMA community, the Power MMA leader suggests that tensions existed long before their verbal dustup this past weekend in Las Vegas. The former Arizona State University wrestling standout and the former two-time Olympian have been paired up to scrap on two previous occasions, but circumstances arose that stunted their eventual collision.

Their most recent scheduled meeting in the main event at Fight Night 68 in New Orleans was scratched due to the AKA representative being tapped to replace Jon Jones against Anthony Johnson for the vacant light heavyweight crown at UFC 187. And while Bader understands why Cormier wouldn’t turn down that caliber of opportunity, he’s not entirely sure the exact reason why he was the recipient in the first place.

With the Louisiana native having just been defeated by Bones in his most recent outing, and having what Bader considers one of the weakest resumes in the division, the 31-year-old season eight winner of The Ultimate Fighter believes Cormier has enjoyed a comfortable journey to the top of the 205-pound collective. Nevertheless, he’s determined to make sure he’s the next challenger on deck and feels mixing it up with Cormier has been a long time in the making. 

“We were scheduled to fight, and I’ve been watching tape on this guy and thinking about fighting him forever,” Bader said. “Right after I beat Phil Davis I knew we were going to fight, and I started thinking about him then. That was back in January, and we were supposed to fight another time before that. We had the bout agreement signed and everything, and then he went and fought Dan Henderson.

“He’s had the easiest road and a lot of luck getting this title. He fought Patrick Cummins and then fought a middleweight in Dan Henderson. Then he gets a shot and loses to the guy who rightfully had the belt and is still in a lot of people’s mind the champion in Jon Jones. Then he lucks out and gets another shot against somebody else. For me, the logical next step is to fight Cormier, and it’s something I want more than anything.”

While Bader is currently pleading his case to be granted the next shot at the light heavyweight strap, the current landscape of the divisional title race and his recent string of successful outings give him a solid case for making that happen. Bader has won four consecutive bouts, and the only other top-ranked fighter with a winning streak at the current time is an opponent he recently defeated in Ovince Saint Preux.

The heavy-handed veteran believes a bout with Cormier is the only logical step for the UFC take, and that belief is further bolstered with the champion also stating it’s the fight he wants next. Therefore, Bader feels the UFC has an easy decision to make and wants it to make the showdown official in quick fashion. 

“Cormier went in there and won, so that’s awesome. Congrats to him, but now it’s time to do what was originally slated and make our fight happen,” Bader said. “I’m ranked No. 3 right now, and I’m on a four-fight winning streak. None of the other fighters in the top five can say that. He even said he wanted to fight me and said, ‘Let’s do this,’ so what is the UFC waiting for? Let’s book this thing, get a date and we can start getting after it. This fight is the only logical thing.

“I’m not backing off on this because this is the only fight that makes sense,” he added. “I would love to go in there and fight him in August or September, but that decision is in his court because he’s obviously the champion. I don’t care when it happens—I just want that fight.”

While the potential to become the next UFC light heavyweight champion is certainly part of Bader‘s motivation, he’s also quick to admit there are personal motives at play as well. The tension that was on display at the post-fight press conference for UFC 187 was a very real situation and something that has been bubbling up for quite some time between the two men.

While Bader is eager to step into the cage and trade leather with Cormier, he’s equally just as fired up to have the opportunity to make the 36-year-old California transplant eat his words. The Nevada native has grown tired of what he sees as Cormier running off at the mouth, and he intends to do everything he can to silence him once and for all.

“The guy doesn’t shut up,” Bader said. “He loves to hear himself talk. You saw that right away on Saturday because he comes to the press conference and demands to be addressed as ‘the champ’ and not D.C. or Daniel. He was saying all that goofy stuff, and things just kind of went on from there. To be honest, I just want to fight Cormier. It’s awesome that it would be for a title, but I just want to go in there and shut his big mouth. He’s the most arrogant champ and the least deserving in my opinion. 

“Cormier already said he wants to fight me, so what are we waiting for? Let’s go in there and settle this. I guarantee the UFC and the fans I am going to go out there and lay it all on the line. I’m going to make it an exciting fight, and I’m going to look to stop D.C. and earn the respect of everybody because I don’t want anyone saying I don’t deserve this or that. I want people to know I’m the champ for a reason because I went in there and took it away from Cormier.” 

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

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UFC 187: Ultimate Opportunist Ryan Bader Steals the Show

The ancient assumption that nice guys finish last is tired and worn out. Boring guys finish last. Non-intuitive guys finish last. Ryan Bader was tired of being overlooked. So he changed things up. He became more exciting and intuitive.
He became the ul…

The ancient assumption that nice guys finish last is tired and worn out. Boring guys finish last. Non-intuitive guys finish last. Ryan Bader was tired of being overlooked. So he changed things up. He became more exciting and intuitive.

He became the ultimate opportunist.

Daniel Cormier sat onstage at the UFC 187 post-fight press conference in all of his glee, moments after defeating Anthony “Rumble” Johnson for the vacant light heavyweight title. It was the culmination of his life’s work. After missing out on Olympic gold and an NCAA Division I title, Cormier had finally left his mark on history by capturing a UFC championship.

The joyous atmosphere at the press conference was untainted, even in the absence of former light heavyweight champ Jon Jones. Cormier was in a joking, lighthearted mood. He specifically joked about having an “oh s–t” moment after getting rocked with a punch early in the fight. Even Johnson joined in on the gag, poking fun at the size of Cormier‘s head.

Meanwhile, Bader stood in the background, biding his time amid the warm, friendly exchanges.

Cormier would eventually get the “what’s next” question. The new champ would then have to talk about the future and potential challengers in front of him.

Bader had already set the wheels in motion for the public confrontation on Twitter. (Warning: Tweet contains NSFW language.)

When the question finally came, it was like someone turned off a light in the room.

Cormier‘s mood went from giddy to completely agitated. Before Saturday night, Jones was the only man to ever get under Cormier‘s skin.

But the former Olympian’s post-fight blow up at Bader sparked a new feud:

I would love to compete against [Jon Jones], but he’s going to be away for a while. So we’ve got to shift our focus. There’s somebody else that needs his ass kicked, too. I think he’s around here. Yeah, it’s Ryan Bader‘s ass, and I’m going to beat the s–t out of him next time.

Keep talking Bader. This guy’s so disrespectful. I’m trying to fight Anthony Johnson, and Ryan Bader is writing me stupid messages on Twitter because he wants people to think he deserves a title shot.

(Warning: Video contains NSFW language.)

Bader yelled from the back of the room at Cormier before power-walking to the podium. A shouting match ensued between the light heavyweight stars, and Bader was escorted out of the room by security. The verbal sparring match brought new hope to a moribund division clinging to life without its biggest star.

Bader‘s recent run isn’t that impressive from a contender’s perspective. His biggest victory in a four-fight win streak came against Phil Davis in a highly controversial split decision in January.

However, Bader‘s lackluster resume will likely go unnoticed due to timing. Simply put, there aren’t any active contenders more worthy than Bader at the moment. Alexander Gustafsson and Johnson are both coming off losses, Jones is tied up with legal issues and Rashad Evans hasn’t fought since Georges St-Pierre was a UFC champion.

The impeccable timing of an ultimate opportunist stole the show Saturday night, and it likely earned Bader his first crack at UFC gold.  

 

Jordy McElroy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He also is the MMA writer for FanRag Sports and co-founder of The MMA Bros.

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UFC 187: What We Learned, Loved and Hated

UFC 187 is now in the books, and our summer of UFC overload is just beginning. But in a sea of what should be mostly memorable UFC events seemingly every weekend for the next four months, UFC 187 will no doubt stand out in our memories, because it was …

UFC 187 is now in the books, and our summer of UFC overload is just beginning. But in a sea of what should be mostly memorable UFC events seemingly every weekend for the next four months, UFC 187 will no doubt stand out in our memories, because it was awesome. That’s the only real way to put it. 

Let’s take a look at what we loved, learned and hated from one of the better UFC main cards in recent memory. 

 

LEARNED: Chris Weidman is now a legitimate UFC superstar…or he should be, anyway

Last week, I spent time with Chris Weidman and his camp while reporting for the profile of the middleweight champion published Friday afternoon. If there is one surprising thing I learned about the UFC’s middleweight champion and those who surround him, it’s that they didn’t quite understand why the American public at large hasn’t latched on and turned him into a next-level UFC superstar.

He is young. He is good-looking. He is quite good at fighting. He has beaten Anderson Silva two times; that alone should have been enough to vault him into superstardom. But it didn’t, and Weidman went into his title defense against Vitor Belfort feeling a little disrespected and a little angry.

Maybe it’s the New York thing. Those of us in the parts of the country that are not New York are trained to chafe at the sound of the New Yawk accent, and maybe that feeling of “New York against the World” works against Weidman. But after Saturday, when he left Belfort lying in a pool of his own blood (and perhaps putting an emphatic end to the era of performance-enhancing drugs in the UFC in the process), Weidman implored the rest of the world to join his team, and noted that he’s not going to ask again.

If Weidman’s career arc so far isn’t enough to convince you that he’s worthy of your time, your dollars and your respect, well, I don’t know what to tell you. In short order, he has ascended the list of greatest UFC champions. This is not to say he is approaching the list of the best pound-for-pound fighters ever, or even that he’s the top fighter currently in the sport.

But he’s up there, and he’s marketable, and he is a breathtaking fighter. And if you’re staying off the team or claiming Weidman is anything but one of the best fighters currently in the sport, well, I don’t know how to help you.

 

LOVED: Andrei Arlovski, Travis Browne combine for the best one-round fight ever

It was Thursday afternoon when a friend here in Vegas, one who is well-connected to various camps in the fight industry, mentioned that Andrei Arlovski had injured his calf on Wednesday morning and nearly pulled out of his fight with Travis Browne. And I thought to myself, well, perhaps that is for the best if he does pull out, because Browne is probably going to hurt this old man badly. Maybe sitting in his hotel room or watching from Hooters across the street wasn’t the worst idea for Mr. Arlovski.

Instead of surrounding himself with chicken wings, cigarette smoke and a lack of self-respect (all three things are in abundance at Hooters), Arlovski chose to fight. Thank the violence gods he made this decision, because what he ended up participating in was one of the best single-round fights in the history of the UFC.

Certainly, it was a bout that will be remembered at the end of the year when various phantom awards are handed out across the world. It had everything: an aging underdog and former champion somehow hurting the young, manly bearded super-prospect and sending the crowd in attendance into raptures. Arlovski continued hurting Browne, even making him do this little wobbly legged jig that made me laugh out loud right there, in the middle of all that violence and shouting.

And then Browne, perhaps sensing his own impending doom, fought back like an animal, swinging his fists blindly and hoping he’d hit something, anything. He did, and what he hit was Arlovski’s face, and the former heavyweight champion went down in a heap. But then Arlovski got back up and regained something resembling his senses and stopped Browne, finally, mercifully, to continue one of the more unlikely career rebound stories I can remember.

After the fight, and before Bruce Buffer read the official decision, Arlovski apologized to Browne. Specifically for what, I do not know, though I can only imagine it had something to do with shaving a few years off Browne’s career by beating the crap out of him and preventing him from reaching the heavyweight division’s championship tier just yet.

“Don’t you ever apologize,” Browne said.

I agree. Don’t you ever apologize, Andrei. Not when you deliver heart-stopping performances like this one.

 

HATED: Antics are now a substitute for actual performances

I am a longtime fan of professional wrestling. My writing career began in high school, when I started “covering” pro wrestling on newsgroups (raise your hand if you remember newsgroups) and on AOL chat rooms and message boards. That was a long time ago, of course, though I still watch wrestling (mostly the WWE’s developmental program, NXT) to this day.

The point is that I understand promotion and how to promote fights. I have always been a huge proponent of fighters taking their careers into their own hands, and I shudder when Joe Rogan or Jon Anik, during a post-fight interview, ask them who they want to fight and they mutter something about the matchmakers and how it’s not their job to call other fighters out when yes, it is absolutely their job to call other fighters out.

But what I’m not a fan of is fighters bypassing hard work because they believe they can just act like a fool and earn big fights and title shots. They believe this because it’s true, of course, and never has this been more evident than when Ryan Bader rushed the stage during the post-fight press conference and set up a moment with Daniel Cormier that teetered between embarrassing and sad.

It was sad not because of Cormier, who is a longtime pro wrestling fan and is perhaps one of the absolute best in the sport at selling himself, his opponents and the moment through his work on the microphone.

The sad part was watching people—including media members who’d previously scoffed at the notion of Bader deserving a title shot—suddenly change their tune and froth at the mouth over the idea of Cormier and Bader facing off.

Bader hasn’t faced top competition and doesn’t deserve a title shot. Wait, they screamed at each other and made us laugh during a press conference? They sent mean tweets to each other? Oh my sweet Jesus, I can’t wait to see them fight.

That’s where the sport stands in 2015. Bader hasn’t beaten anyone of note; his best career win was a split decision over Phil Davis, and that should tell you all you need to know about his standing in the division. And yet he’ll probably get the chance to be destroyed by Cormier, all because he sent a bunch of tweets directed at the new champion and then acted like an idiot at a press conference.

If you weren’t certain before, you should be now: We’re all a bunch of marks.

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Video: Daniel Cormier and Ryan Bader Exchange Expletives at Press Conference

Daniel Cormier has some interesting press conferences.
In his first press conference as champion there was unexpected drama. Cormier started discussing Ryan Bader, who he was originally slated to fight in New Orleans, and Bader was in the room. Bader s…

Daniel Cormier has some interesting press conferences.

In his first press conference as champion there was unexpected drama. Cormier started discussing Ryan Bader, who he was originally slated to fight in New Orleans, and Bader was in the room. Bader started to respond to DC, and made his way to the table. Shenanigans ensued.

UFC officials stepped in between the two top-five ranked fighters, but Cormier was vocal with some choice words for the title hopeful.

The two had a Twitter exchange prior to UFC 187 where Bader accused Cormier of getting out of their proposed matchup. Cormier of course responded in tow. Cormier reaffirmed his position at the press conference, stating he asked for Bader because he wanted “the easiest fight in the division, I want Ryan Bader.”

There has been very little buzz about this potential matchup, but this post-fight press conference exchange could add a little spice to the potential title tilt. Bader is the only contender coming off a victory, and that would make him the next logical choice should Cormier defend the belt prior to Jones returning to action.

Will Cormier wait? Not according to the man himself.

At the press conference, Cormier said he is 36 years old and will not wait on Jones. As the champion, he has a point. Jones was stripped of the title. There is no logical reason that Cormier should wait on Jones to be reinstated off of an indefinite suspension. That should not be a concern of his.

Bader poses an interesting matchup for Cormier. On paper, he looks to be outmatched. Cormier is the better wrestler and has the better boxing. However, Bader has improved dramatically over the past two years. He has big power in his hands, and Cormier has been taken down inside the Octagon. He was taken down at UFC 187.

Cormier jokingly blamed the post-fight press conference shenanigans on UFC Vice President of Public Relations Dave Sholler. Sholler was the man in between him and Jones in their scuffle last year. Cormier suggested none of this would have happened if White were present.

Bader and Cormier seem to be on a collision course, and the UFC may bite while Jones is on the shelf. Cormier came out of the event without serious injury, and Bader is completely free. The heated exchanges will make for an interesting build for the fight.

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Jon Jones Responds to Ryan Bader: ‘I’d Spank That Even Faster Next Time’

Jon Jones and Ryan Bader were young, unbeaten contenders vying for a shot at light heavyweight gold when they first met at UFC 126. The spoils from that night went to Jones, who went on to defeat Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and become the greates…

Jon Jones and Ryan Bader were young, unbeaten contenders vying for a shot at light heavyweight gold when they first met at UFC 126. The spoils from that night went to Jones, who went on to defeat Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and become the greatest light heavyweight champion in UFC history.

If Bader could rewind time and throw a cog in the wheel of history, perhaps things would be different. Maybe Jones would still be stuck in the contender’s column and Bader would be the one sitting on the throne, nose-deep in sponsorships and big UFC paydays.

But there is sometimes a boomerang effect with time, bringing things full circle to map out new history.

Bader is coming off a split-decision victory over top light heavyweight contender Phil Davis and currently riding a four-fight winning streak. He is expected to meet Daniel Cormier, Jones’ most recent nemesis, in the main event of UFC Fight Night 68.

A win could finally earn Bader a chance to rewrite history. During an appearance on Submission Radio, Bader reminded the world that he is a “totally different fighter” compared to the guy that stepped into the Octagon with Jones a little over four years ago:

I’m a totally different fighter. I came into this sport as just a wrestler. I didn’t really have anything else, and by getting the right people around me and everything, I’ve definitely grown as a fighter. So I definitely want to get a rematch because I’m definitely, 100 percent, not the fighter I am, and the fighter I am today would whoop my own a– that I was back then.

Naturally, Jones disagrees with Bader’s assessment.

The reigning UFC light heavyweight champion vividly remembers crossing Bader’s name off his long list of adversaries. A modified guillotine choke in the second round derailed Bader’s undefeated record in the first meeting, but according to Jones, a rematch would have a much quicker result.

With Bader gearing up to fight Cormier, Jones is preparing to defend his UFC title for a ninth consecutive time against Anthony Johnson in the main event of UFC 187.

Depending on the outcomes, an opportunity to rewrite history could soon be up for grabs.  

 

Jordy McElroy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA writer for Rocktagon and FanRag Sports.

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Daniel Cormier vs. Ryan Bader Announced for UFC Fight Night Event

A critical light heavyweight fight between Daniel Cormier and Ryan Bader has been announced, and it will likely serve as the headline for UFC Fight Night on June 6.
The announcement was made on Twitter:

It’s official! Daniel Cormier vs Ryan …

A critical light heavyweight fight between Daniel Cormier and Ryan Bader has been announced, and it will likely serve as the headline for UFC Fight Night on June 6.

The announcement was made on Twitter:

Cormier is fresh off a lopsided loss to Jon Jones at UFC 182. While the bout was a blockbuster success, it is likely an affair Cormier would prefer to forget, as he was outclassed in the cage by the longtime light heavyweight champion. That said, his Olympic wrestling credentials and formidable kickboxing keep him ranked among the 205-pound division’s elite.

Bader, on the other hand, is a fighter that has long stood just outside of title contention. With strong wrestling chops of his own and a potent ground-and-pound style, Bader has long been a tough out for his light heavyweight peers.

However, contenders like Jones, Lyoto Machida and Glover Teixeira have consistently found ways to put Bader away before the final buzzer. Recently, however, he has become something of a contender due to his four-fight winning streak, which ranks among the best in the division. If he can manage to defeat Cormier, it will be hard to argue against a title shot for the 16-fight UFC veteran.

Cormier is likely to open the bout as a huge favorite, given his elite status and Bader‘s well-documented struggles with top-level competition. While Bader‘s fairly dominant wins over Strikeforce veterans Ovince Saint Preux and Rafael Cavalcante, as well as his most recent victory over Phil Davis, give him a strong resume on paper, Cormier likely owns the edge in both pure wrestling and striking.

Beyond the date, network and the Cormier vs. Bader bout, there are currently no details regarding the UFC’s June 6 event. Stick with Bleacher Report for more announcements on the card as they become available.

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