Tag: Superfight

Potential Superfight Alert: Cris Cyborg Is Willing to Fight Fallon Fox

If George Shunick’s piece on Fallox Fox and transgender athletes in MMA proved anything to me, it’s that – regardless of whether you agree with Joe Rogan’s stance on the issue (or how he chose to express that stance) – Fallon Fox vs. Cris Cyborg is a fight that FANS NEED TO SEE DAMMIT. One fighter is arguably the most devastating female in MMA, yet is also constantly accused of being a man. The other fighter is undefeated, used to literally be a man, and now calls herself “The Queen of Swords” because of course she calls herself that. In fact, I’m willing to write that Fallon Fax vs. Cris Cyborg – if it were to happen – would go down as the single greatest superfight in the history of MMA, because hyperbole is a pretty rad figure of speech that we don’t use nearly enough around here.

Well, good news, fight fans: Cyborg took a break from preparing to sacrifice Fiona Muxlow to ensure a good harvest and delivering completely pointless trash talk against Ronda Rousey to offer her two cents on Fallon Fox. As ESPN’s Josh Gross recently wrote:

“She wants to be a girl. I don’t agree,” said Santos, who for the first time in almost a year and half will return to fighting on April 5. “I think you’re born a girl, you’re a girl. You’re born a guy, you’re a guy. But I don’t choose opponents. The commission needs to check and make sure she doesn’t have testosterone.

If George Shunick’s piece on Fallox Fox and transgender athletes in MMA proved anything to me, it’s that – regardless of whether you agree with Joe Rogan’s stance on the issue (or how he chose to express that stance) – Cris Cyborg vs. Fallon Fox is a fight that FANS NEED TO SEE DAMMIT. One fighter is arguably the most devastating female in MMA, yet is also constantly accused of being a man. The other fighter is undefeated, used to literally be a man, and now calls herself “The Queen of Swords” because of course she calls herself that. In fact, I’m willing to write that Cris Cyborg vs. Fallon Fox – if it were to happen – would go down as the single greatest superfight in the history of MMA, because hyperbole is a pretty rad figure of speech that we don’t use nearly enough around here.

Well, good news, fight fans: Cyborg took a break from preparing to sacrifice Fiona Muxlow to ensure a good harvest and delivering completely pointless trash talk against Ronda Rousey to offer her two cents on Fallon Fox. As ESPN’s Josh Gross recently wrote:

“She wants to be a girl. I don’t agree,” said Santos, who for the first time in almost a year and half will return to fighting on April 5. “I think you’re born a girl, you’re a girl. You’re born a guy, you’re a guy. But I don’t choose opponents. The commission needs to check and make sure she doesn’t have testosterone.

“I’m not going to judge other people. If the commission says she can fight, why not?”

The 27-year-old Strikeforce champion tested positive for steroids following her 16-second demolition of Hiroko Yamanaka in December 2011, so that quote will inspire contempt in some people. But that’s nothing new for Santos. Because of her muscular build and aggressive fighting style, she’s been subjected to cruel, crude name calling throughout her career. She said she understands what Fox must be going through in a world in which everyone with an opinion can have access to the people they’re opining about via social media.

“People tell me on Twitter: ‘I think you have a d—.’ A lot of bad things, they say. I think people have a small mind,” Santos said.

“They don’t think a girl can punch hard like a man. I think people are ignorant. People are stupid. I don’t want to be the same as people who do that.”

Far be it from me to try to make sense out of the “make sure she doesn’t have testosterone” comment. My small mind was blown at the very notion that Cris Cyborg vs. Fallon Fox may totally happen, provided that everyone can agree on a weight class. Considering that they both fight at featherweight, this shouldn’t be too hard.

Naturally, once Cyborg expressed her willingness to fight The Queen of Swords, she returned to her regular schedule of wrestling, sparring and accusing Ronda Rousey of being protected from her by the powers that be. As she told Bleacher Report:

“I don’t want to talk trash about somebody, I want to prove it inside the cage. When she was in my weight class she said ‘I want to fight Cris Cyborg’ and when I had my last fight against Hiroko (Yamanaka) I talked to Sean Shelby, the matchmaker at Strikeforce, and I said ‘I want Ronda next.’ He said ‘no, she’s not ready for you’ and after that fight she’s talking bad about me but you guys protected her,” Santos revealed in an interview with Bleacher Report

“Because after my fight I told them I want to fight her and they said no she’s not ready for you.”

…

“She fought at 154 (pounds) in Judo, and I think who is running? It’s not me. I fight at 145, she fought at 145, who’s running from this fight? Not me,” said Cyborg. “People need to see the fact to see who’s running.”

The woman who refused to sign with the UFC is the person not running from this fight. Sure, why not? Normally, I’d mean that in the most sarcastic way possible, but since Cyborg vs. Fox would never, ever happen in the UFC, I’ll just accept those comments at face value and move on.

Now the only question is whether or not Fox is willing to step up and fight Cyborg. Will that happen or not, Potato Nation? And who would win this hypothetical superfight?

@SethFalvo

Why the UFC Wants Jones vs. Silva Superfight, but Not Rousey vs. Cyborg

Continued dominance from UFC champions Anderson Silva and Jon “Bones” Jones has prompted many to call for a bout to prove who is the pound-for-pound king of mixed martial arts. Even UFC president Dana White expressed interest in a Silva-Jones bout after the promotion’s struggles to put together a similar fight between Silva and UFC […]

Continued dominance from UFC champions Anderson Silva and Jon “Bones” Jones has prompted many to call for a bout to prove who is the pound-for-pound king of mixed martial arts. Even UFC president Dana White expressed interest in a Silva-Jones bout after the promotion’s struggles to put together a similar fight between Silva and UFC […]

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Anderson Silva vs. Jon Jones: In a Perfect World Superfight Headlines UFC in NYC

The battle to legalize mixed martial arts in New York has gone on for so long that UFC president Dana White doesn’t even like talking about it anymore. For several years, whenever the subject of MMA in New York would come up, White would answer back with brimming positivity, saying over and over “this is […]

The battle to legalize mixed martial arts in New York has gone on for so long that UFC president Dana White doesn’t even like talking about it anymore. For several years, whenever the subject of MMA in New York would come up, White would answer back with brimming positivity, saying over and over “this is […]

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Is Georges St-Pierre Demanding Anderson Silva Money for Anderson Silva Fight?


When the UFC makes budget cuts to put a fight together, the marketing department is the first place to feel the impact. Props: jinxonhog.

According to the welterweight champion, the answer is “no.” Or rather, not nearly as much as has been rumored.

On yesterday’s edition of The MMA Beat, Mike Straka of Fight Now TV reported that a source close to the welterweight champion told him that GSP was asking the UFC for $50 million to fight Anderson Silva.

Despite the fact that St-Pierre is currently on vacation in France, he dismissed the rumor during a recent conversation with 985Sports.ca. In his own words:


When the UFC makes budget cuts to put a fight together, the marketing department is the first place to feel the impact. Props: jinxonhog.

According to the welterweight champion, the answer is “no.” Or rather, not nearly as much as has been rumored.

On yesterday’s edition of The MMA Beat, Mike Straka of Fight Now TV reported that a source close to the welterweight champion told him that GSP was asking the UFC for $50 million to fight Anderson Silva.

Despite the fact that St-Pierre is currently on vacation in France, he dismissed the rumor during a recent conversation with 985Sports.ca. In his own words:

“I have not been informed of this, it is not true. Nobody told me about it and I am in France now. I have not seen the article and I will not comment.”

While $50 million is downright astronomical, I have to imagine that both fighters are going to ask for a small fortune (even compared to what they’ve been making per appearance) if this fight ever comes to fruition. St-Pierre seems reluctant to accept the fight, neither fighter can agree on what weight class the fight would be held at, and by the way, this fight is going to make a ton of money for the UFC. If it’s going to happen, it’s not going to be cheap.

Eh, who am I kidding? We’ve been talking about this fight since the rumored Pacquiao vs. Mayweather bout wasn’t just a punchline. I can’t be the only person feeling this way, right guys?

Don’t Be Scared, Homie: Nick Diaz Will Fight Anderson Silva If GSP Won’t, According to Cesar Gracie

(Diaz, seen here preparing the only gameplan that hasn’t been thwarted by Anderson Silva in the octagon yet. And no, that’s definitely not a hash pipe next to the dartboard. Props be to MiddleEasy.) 

Nick Diaz may be a shortsighted, virulent, pot smoking, press conference-skipping delinquent who didn’t go to college for buying houses, but damn it, we can’t help but love the guy’s “take on all comers” attitude when it comes to fighting. Blame it on the increased popularity of the sport, the ridiculous string of injuries, or whatever you want, but suffice it to say, the Diaz mentality of accepting fights is a fading one. It seems we can’t go a day without hearing that so and so turned down a fight with this guy, or that this champion will maybe fight this one under a ridiculous set of circumstances, and honestly, this prima donna nonsense has all but completely quelled our interest in seeing the “superfights” we would have killed for just a couple months ago.

But before you jump down our throats, we (or at least I) do not blame Georges St. Pierre for turning down the Anderson Silva fight. Because like GSP said, there are still several viable contenders in his division and he is just coming off an 18 month layoff. Plus, if Anderson wants to fight the smaller man, he should pony the fuck up and drop down to his weight class. And since Silva is (for whatever reason) dead set on fighting a smaller opponent next, Cesar Gracie recently threw Diaz’s name into the fold as a potential future opponent, because why the hell not at this point:

We’re pushing for the GSP fight. That’s what we’re going to push for, GSP or Anderson Silva. That’s the two fights that interest us the most, and that’s the one’s we’re going for.[Silva’s] people are into it. We’re into it. The fans, I think, would be into it. We’ve got convince Dana about it now. Obviously the fight that makes sense to them, and I don’t disagree, is Anderson-GSP, and like I said, I would watch that fight. That would be great to watch. But let’s get real. If GSP just absolutely says no, then what? You can’t make a guy fight. That’s the thing. And Anderson, if they want to promote a superfight and if the stars align, I think Nick would be into it.


(Diaz, seen here preparing the only gameplan that hasn’t been thwarted by Anderson Silva in the octagon yet. And no, that’s definitely not a hash pipe next to the dartboard. Props be to MiddleEasy.) 

Nick Diaz may be a shortsighted, virulent, pot smoking, press conference-skipping delinquent who didn’t go to college for buying houses, but damn it, we can’t help but love the guy’s “take on all comers” attitude when it comes to fighting. Blame it on the increased popularity of the sport, the ridiculous string of injuries, or whatever you want, but suffice it to say, the Diaz mentality of accepting fights is a fading one. It seems we can’t go a day without hearing that so and so turned down a fight with this guy, or that this champion will maybe fight this one under a ridiculous set of circumstances, and honestly, this prima donna nonsense has all but completely quelled our interest in seeing the “superfights” we would have killed for just a couple months ago.

But before you jump down our throats, we (or at least I) do not blame Georges St. Pierre for turning down the Anderson Silva fight. Because like GSP said, there are still several viable contenders in his division and he is just coming off an 18 month layoff. Plus, if Anderson wants to fight the smaller man, he should pony the fuck up and drop down to his weight class. And since Silva is (for whatever reason) dead set on fighting a smaller opponent next, Cesar Gracie recently threw Diaz’s name into the fold as a potential future opponent, because why the hell not at this point:

We’re pushing for the GSP fight. That’s what we’re going to push for, GSP or Anderson Silva. That’s the two fights that interest us the most, and that’s the one’s we’re going for.[Silva’s] people are into it. We’re into it. The fans, I think, would be into it. We’ve got convince Dana about it now. Obviously the fight that makes sense to them, and I don’t disagree, is Anderson-GSP, and like I said, I would watch that fight. That would be great to watch. But let’s get real. If GSP just absolutely says no, then what? You can’t make a guy fight. That’s the thing. And Anderson, if they want to promote a superfight and if the stars align, I think Nick would be into it.

Of course, there are several outside factors that come into play when addressing the likelihood of this fight, the least of which being Cesar’s statement that “he thinks Nick would be into it.” Because let’s be real, no one knows what is going through Diaz’s mind. Ever. (Author’s note: I imagine it’s something like this).

Another deterring factor in this potential “superfight” (which isn’t really a superfight at all, quite honestly) would be that of Dana White, who completely shot the idea down when discussing it with Bleacher Report:

Nick Diaz makes no sense. I know that it sounds fun ‘YEAH! Throw Nick Diaz in there!’ But if you really look at the thing, Nick Diaz just lost to Condit. You know what I mean? … at 170 so that gives him the opportunity to move up to 185 and fight the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world? In what f*cking universe does that make sense?

All good points Dana, except for the fact that mere weeks after making these statements, you did the exact same thing with Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen, then declared that “fun fights are OK” when discussing Anderson Silva vs. Stephan Bonnar. So to answer your question: This universe, I guess.

I’m not saying Diaz should be rewarded for his past transgressions, but then again, when he appears to be the only guy willing to fight an invincible killing machine like Silva, how long can you turn him away? WILL SOMEONE JUST LET HIM BANG, BRO?!

It’s really too early to do anything but speculate, but I think the real question that comes out of all this is: If Anderson doesn’t get his superfight with GSP, then what’s next for him (aside from a string of cameos in shitty cop movies, that is)? He refuses to fight Jon Jones and he isn’t interested in the division he’s actually champion of, so where does he go from here?

–J. Jones

Poll: Who Should GSP Fight Next?


(“First off, I’d like to thank my brother, Thor, for if he hadn’t transmitted the power of his hammer into my left hand, none of this would have been possible.” Photo courtesy of Getty Images.) 

The UFC has never been an organization that takes pride in its subtlety. The same can be said about Dana White. So when they forced one of their cameramen to spend the entirety of the incredible GSP/Condit fight shooting Anderson Silva’s reactions (and Lyoto’s pedostache), you’d have to be pretty thick-skulled to not realize what they were angling at. However, GSP’s hesitance to commit to the fight, combined with Johny Hendricks’s brutal declaration of #1 contendership, have seemingly put a halt on these superfight rumors, if only temporarily.

In either case, we figured we would dedicate one post as the official battlegrounds for this debate, with you, the most distinguished and intelligent audience an MMA blog could ever ask for. So join us after the jump to vote on the poll that dares to ask: Who should Georges St. Pierre fight next now that he has successfully put the kibosh on this whole interim champ/actual champ nonsense? After you’ve finished voting, make your case in the comments section, using as much profane language, personal attacks, and outright trolling attempts as possible. Seriously, we kind of miss that stuff, so don’t get soft on us Taters.


(“First off, I’d like to thank my brother, Thor, for if he hadn’t transmitted the power of his hammer into my left hand, none of this would have been possible.” Photo courtesy of Getty Images.) 

The UFC has never been an organization that takes pride in its subtlety. The same can be said about Dana White. So when they forced one of their cameramen to spend the entirety of the incredible GSP/Condit fight shooting Anderson Silva’s reactions (and Lyoto’s pedostache), you’d have to be pretty thick-skulled to not realize what they were angling at. However, GSP’s hesitance to commit to the fight, combined with Johny Hendricks’s brutal declaration of #1 contendership, have seemingly put a halt on these superfight rumors, if only temporarily.

In either case, we figured we would dedicate one post as the official battlegrounds for this debate, with you, the most distinguished and intelligent audience an MMA blog could ever ask for. So join us after the jump to vote on the poll that dares to ask: Who should Georges St. Pierre fight next now that he has successfully put the kibosh on this whole interim champ/actual champ nonsense? After you’ve finished voting, make your case in the comments section, using as much profane language, personal attacks, and outright trolling attempts as possible. Seriously, we kind of miss that stuff, so don’t get soft on us Taters.

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world’s leading questionnaire tool.

–J. Jones