According to Nate Diaz, something was fishy about some of the pre-fight trash-talk between himself and “The Notorious” Conor McGregor leading up to their UFC 196 mega-fight earlier this month.
Diaz appeared on FOX Sports’ “The Buzz” on Wednesday and claimed that it seemed like “a lot of scripted stuff was going on.”
“It seemed like a lot of scripted stuff was going on,” Diaz said. “Maybe he was serious about what he was saying, but it sounded like some bullsh*t to me.”
Regardless of whether or not McGregor’s pre-fight trash-talk was scripted or not, Diaz knew the two would eventually share the Octagon together and because of his training, Diaz was confident that it was in the cage where he would shine.
“No matter what people say, no matter if he’s winning the argument battles or losing the argument battles … at the end of the day we’re still gonna get in there and fight,” Diaz said. “I know what I train with and what I work with and what he’s working with. And yeah.”
Although the UFC has yet to officially announce the rematch, Diaz-McGregor II is expected to be announced as the main event of UFC 200 on July 9, 2016 at the new T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Come hang LIVE with @TheBuzzer's Andy Nesbitt and UFC star Nate Diaz! ????????
According to Nate Diaz, something was fishy about some of the pre-fight trash-talk between himself and “The Notorious” Conor McGregor leading up to their UFC 196 mega-fight earlier this month.
Diaz appeared on FOX Sports’ “The Buzz” on Wednesday and claimed that it seemed like “a lot of scripted stuff was going on.”
“It seemed like a lot of scripted stuff was going on,” Diaz said. “Maybe he was serious about what he was saying, but it sounded like some bullsh*t to me.”
Regardless of whether or not McGregor’s pre-fight trash-talk was scripted or not, Diaz knew the two would eventually share the Octagon together and because of his training, Diaz was confident that it was in the cage where he would shine.
“No matter what people say, no matter if he’s winning the argument battles or losing the argument battles … at the end of the day we’re still gonna get in there and fight,” Diaz said. “I know what I train with and what I work with and what he’s working with. And yeah.”
Although the UFC has yet to officially announce the rematch, Diaz-McGregor II is expected to be announced as the main event of UFC 200 on July 9, 2016 at the new T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
As the largest Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion company in the world, you’d expect the UFC to be a well-oiled machine. After all, they have the best fighters, the largest financial backers and the biggest fan base. However, if you peel back the layers, you’ll find a dysfunctional company with an outspoken (and often crude) president.
Does the UFC’s controversial and unorthodox approach to MMA hinder or help make it into the multi-billion dollar company it is today?
To give you some background, the UFC was acquired by the two Fertitta brothers (Frank and Lorenzo) and current UFC president Dana White back in 2001. At the time, the company was on the verge of extinction. The three of them injected a significant amount of money into the company while securing lucrative televisions deals, setting up multiple revenue streams and eventually creating a monopoly in the MMA landscape by buying and absorbing rival promotions.
The UFC is not the governing body of MMA, it’s a business; and as a business, the goal is to create a product that is both appealing and profitable. While the UFC are bound by a strict set of rules set by the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation, they run their own show while giving the fans what they want.
Throughout the life of the UFC, we’ve witnessed a number of these “business” decisions which have been made to appeal to the fans rather than following a traditional formula. If you’ve watched enough UFC events, you’ll know what I’m talking about. I’ve picked a few examples recently to emphasize my point.
Cast your mind back to last year before the announcement of the Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm fight. Miesha Tate was the clear number one contender to face Rousey. Instead, Dana White stated that if they gave Tate a shot and she lost, her career would be over. This forced Tate to consider retirement as she felt worthless in the UFC. In hindsight, it was a good decision although Dana White doesn’t have those kinds of powers. The fight between Rousey and Holm had to happen from a business perspective as the fans had already seen Rousey vs Tate (twice) before with Rousey winning both bouts convincingly. Rousey had also beaten all the other contenders in front of Holm. The idea to throw Holm in the deep end to face Rousey was a gamble, although she had a few selling points which excited the fans. Holm was (is) a former boxing world champion and at the time was undefeated in her MMA career. Stylistically, she was a good match up for Rousey, although, in many people’s eyes, she hadn’t done enough in the UFC to warrant a shot at the title.
Recently, Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson came out and questioned the UFC’s decision to give Henry Cejudo a title fight against him. Cejudo has only fought four times in the UFC. The reason he’s been given the fight is because no other opponent in the division has even come close to dethroning “Mighty Mouse”. Cejudo – on paper – is potentially the most dangerous opponent to face him. Cejudo is a gold medalist in Olympic wrestling and he’s undefeated in MMA. From a business perspective, he’s the most attractive opponent and will no doubt help sell more pay-per-views than anyone else.
Another one of these unusual “business” decisions was the acquisition of Phil Brooks.
For anyone who isn’t aware, Phil Brooks (or “CM Punk”) is best known for his time in the World Wrestling Entertainment or WWE. Brooks is a wrestler by trade although he’s NEVER had a professional MMA fight in his life.
Brooks has been undergoing a rigorous training regime under the tutelage of Duke Roufus (the coach of former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis) to condition himself to fight inside the octagon. It’s no secret why the UFC signed him. Brooks is a superstar (over 2.5 million Twitter followers!) with a lot of pulling power. When he steps inside that octagon, he will attract interest from everywhere, especially fans of the WWE. Brooks will need to be prepared because the octagon is an unforgiving place to be, especially for a rookie. Win or lose, it’s a smart business decision by the UFC.
You might think the UFC has done this before in the form of Brock Lesnar. While Lesnar entered the octagon as a relative novice, he had a few fights in lower MMA promotions and actually had a professional record before signing with the company. Lesnar also had the advantage of being a physical specimen. His sheer size and athletic ability were enough to get him so far.
While Brooks’ inclusion into the UFC is strange, it’s no less unusual then former world champion boxer James Toney signing a one-off fight to face UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture in the octagon. Toney had been criticizing the UFC and Dana White offered him a fight. It ended in predictable fashion with Couture taking him down with ease and submitting him.
At times, the UFC does represent a circus more than a professional MMA promotion. You might question the comments and decisions of the president. You may (like me) seem surprised when certain fights materialize. What you can’t deny though is the exposure the UFC has given to MMA. The UFC is exciting and fun to watch. The chaos and general shenanigans we’ve seen over the years just add to the charm. While the company goes against the norm and make their own rules up, they do a good job of giving the fans what they want.
As the largest Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion company in the world, you’d expect the UFC to be a well-oiled machine. After all, they have the best fighters, the largest financial backers and the biggest fan base. However, if you peel back the layers, you’ll find a dysfunctional company with an outspoken (and often crude) president.
Does the UFC’s controversial and unorthodox approach to MMA hinder or help make it into the multi-billion dollar company it is today?
To give you some background, the UFC was acquired by the two Fertitta brothers (Frank and Lorenzo) and current UFC president Dana White back in 2001. At the time, the company was on the verge of extinction. The three of them injected a significant amount of money into the company while securing lucrative televisions deals, setting up multiple revenue streams and eventually creating a monopoly in the MMA landscape by buying and absorbing rival promotions.
The UFC is not the governing body of MMA, it’s a business; and as a business, the goal is to create a product that is both appealing and profitable. While the UFC are bound by a strict set of rules set by the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation, they run their own show while giving the fans what they want.
Throughout the life of the UFC, we’ve witnessed a number of these “business” decisions which have been made to appeal to the fans rather than following a traditional formula. If you’ve watched enough UFC events, you’ll know what I’m talking about. I’ve picked a few examples recently to emphasize my point.
Cast your mind back to last year before the announcement of the Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm fight. Miesha Tate was the clear number one contender to face Rousey. Instead, Dana White stated that if they gave Tate a shot and she lost, her career would be over. This forced Tate to consider retirement as she felt worthless in the UFC. In hindsight, it was a good decision although Dana White doesn’t have those kinds of powers. The fight between Rousey and Holm had to happen from a business perspective as the fans had already seen Rousey vs Tate (twice) before with Rousey winning both bouts convincingly. Rousey had also beaten all the other contenders in front of Holm. The idea to throw Holm in the deep end to face Rousey was a gamble, although she had a few selling points which excited the fans. Holm was (is) a former boxing world champion and at the time was undefeated in her MMA career. Stylistically, she was a good match up for Rousey, although, in many people’s eyes, she hadn’t done enough in the UFC to warrant a shot at the title.
Recently, Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson came out and questioned the UFC’s decision to give Henry Cejudo a title fight against him. Cejudo has only fought four times in the UFC. The reason he’s been given the fight is because no other opponent in the division has even come close to dethroning “Mighty Mouse”. Cejudo – on paper – is potentially the most dangerous opponent to face him. Cejudo is a gold medalist in Olympic wrestling and he’s undefeated in MMA. From a business perspective, he’s the most attractive opponent and will no doubt help sell more pay-per-views than anyone else.
Another one of these unusual “business” decisions was the acquisition of Phil Brooks.
For anyone who isn’t aware, Phil Brooks (or “CM Punk”) is best known for his time in the World Wrestling Entertainment or WWE. Brooks is a wrestler by trade although he’s NEVER had a professional MMA fight in his life.
Brooks has been undergoing a rigorous training regime under the tutelage of Duke Roufus (the coach of former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis) to condition himself to fight inside the octagon. It’s no secret why the UFC signed him. Brooks is a superstar (over 2.5 million Twitter followers!) with a lot of pulling power. When he steps inside that octagon, he will attract interest from everywhere, especially fans of the WWE. Brooks will need to be prepared because the octagon is an unforgiving place to be, especially for a rookie. Win or lose, it’s a smart business decision by the UFC.
You might think the UFC has done this before in the form of Brock Lesnar. While Lesnar entered the octagon as a relative novice, he had a few fights in lower MMA promotions and actually had a professional record before signing with the company. Lesnar also had the advantage of being a physical specimen. His sheer size and athletic ability were enough to get him so far.
While Brooks’ inclusion into the UFC is strange, it’s no less unusual then former world champion boxer James Toney signing a one-off fight to face UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture in the octagon. Toney had been criticizing the UFC and Dana White offered him a fight. It ended in predictable fashion with Couture taking him down with ease and submitting him.
At times, the UFC does represent a circus more than a professional MMA promotion. You might question the comments and decisions of the president. You may (like me) seem surprised when certain fights materialize. What you can’t deny though is the exposure the UFC has given to MMA. The UFC is exciting and fun to watch. The chaos and general shenanigans we’ve seen over the years just add to the charm. While the company goes against the norm and make their own rules up, they do a good job of giving the fans what they want.
UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta and former UFC Middleweight Champion Chris Weidman felt like most of the MMA community when watching the New York State Assembly vote to legalize professional MMA in the state of New York on Tues…
https://youtu.be/9-X6suw5qxQ
UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta and former UFC Middleweight Champion Chris Weidman felt like most of the MMA community when watching the New York State Assembly vote to legalize professional MMA in the state of New York on Tuesday.
Fertitta and Weidman spoke in a conference call that featured several UFC executives after the event and in the former UFC 185 pound champion’s opinion, many of the comments made in the speeches given during the voting process were “ridiculous” and “embarrassing.”
“Some of the things they were saying were so ridiculous that I was actually happy and embarrassed for them for even bringing it up,” Weidman said during the conference call.
“First of all, that comment by [Daniel] O’Donnell was absolutely ridiculous,” Fertitta added. “And no, that is absolutely — we have no knowledge of anything like that. We invested in the sport, no different than we have done in the last 15, 16 years. It’s unfortunately part of the process.”
Among the comments made by Daniel O’Donnell was this gem.
“You have two nearly naked, hot men, rolling around on top of one another trying to dominate each other. And in case you didn’t know, that’s gay porn with a different ending.”
You can watch footage of Daniel O’Donnell’s speech above. Additionally, you can listen to audio of the UFC conference call after the vote below. Featured in the call are UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, UFC Executive Vice President and COO Lawrence Epstein, UFC Senior Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner and former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman.
It looks like MMA fans can start preparing themselves for the return of “The Korean Zombie.”
Former UFC Featherweight title contender Chan Sung Jung put his career in the UFC on hold in October of 2014 to fulfill mandatory military service that is r…
It looks like MMA fans can start preparing themselves for the return of “The Korean Zombie.”
Former UFC Featherweight title contender Chan Sung Jung put his career in the UFC on hold in October of 2014 to fulfill mandatory military service that is required for all South Korean citizens.
Jung, dubbed “The Korean Zombie” in the MMA world, will see his military service requirements come to an end this October, and according to his team, he hopes to fight inside the Octagon again in late 2016 or early 2017.
Chan Sung Jung (13-4) last competed in the UFC back in August of 2013, where he lost via TKO to then-champion Jose Aldo. The fight was Jung’s first loss following a three-fight win streak he had compiled prior to the title shot.
It looks like former WWE Superstar CM Punk, who has sold out the venue many times in the past, intends on becoming the first ever person in history to perform at Madison Square Garden as both a WWE Superstar and a UFC fighter.
The bill was passed on…
It looks like former WWE Superstar CM Punk, who has sold out the venue many times in the past, intends on becoming the first ever person in history to perform at Madison Square Garden as both a WWE Superstar and a UFC fighter.
The bill was passed on a 113-25 vote on Tuesday to finally legalize professional mixed-martial arts in the state of New York.
UFC has previously announced their intentions on running their first ever event at MSG in 2016, rumored to be in November, and it looks like “The Best In The World” has his sights set on being on the card.
Punk wrote the following seconds after the bill was passed in New York to legalize MMA:
The more Firas Zahabi makes media appearances, the more it seems like Georges St-Pierre returning to the Octagon could be a realistic expectation.
Zahabi, the head coach at the Tristar Gym who has worked with GSP for years, was asked to comment on the possibility of St-Pierre returning to do battle inside the Octagon during his appearance on Ariel Helwani’s “The MMA Hour” at MMAFighting.com on Monday.
“I personally think, if you ask me my own personal opinion, I think he cannot stay away,” Zahabi said. “I think he’ll eventually get bit by the bug and he’ll eventually do something spontaneous. That’s just Georges.”
When asked outright to pick either “yes” or “no,” Zahabi offered the following response in regards to St-Pierre returning to the UFC at some point in the 2016 calendar year.
“I would say yes [GSP will return in 2016], if I had to venture,” Zahabi said. “Keep my comments in context. If I had to venture, I would say yeah, he comes back in 2016. Again, it’s no guarantee. I’m not confirming that…I think he’s a motivated guy, I think he’s in shape, I think for him it’s just the fight that excites him. That’s all that he needs.”
While nothing is official, if you listen to Zahabi, it looks like GSP returning to the fight world is a legitimate possibility.
The more Firas Zahabi makes media appearances, the more it seems like Georges St-Pierre returning to the Octagon could be a realistic expectation.
Zahabi, the head coach at the Tristar Gym who has worked with GSP for years, was asked to comment on the possibility of St-Pierre returning to do battle inside the Octagon during his appearance on Ariel Helwani’s “The MMA Hour” at MMAFighting.com on Monday.
“I personally think, if you ask me my own personal opinion, I think he cannot stay away,” Zahabi said. “I think he’ll eventually get bit by the bug and he’ll eventually do something spontaneous. That’s just Georges.”
When asked outright to pick either “yes” or “no,” Zahabi offered the following response in regards to St-Pierre returning to the UFC at some point in the 2016 calendar year.
“I would say yes [GSP will return in 2016], if I had to venture,” Zahabi said. “Keep my comments in context. If I had to venture, I would say yeah, he comes back in 2016. Again, it’s no guarantee. I’m not confirming that…I think he’s a motivated guy, I think he’s in shape, I think for him it’s just the fight that excites him. That’s all that he needs.”
While nothing is official, if you listen to Zahabi, it looks like GSP returning to the fight world is a legitimate possibility.
