Tag: UFC 152

Dana White Strikes Deal With Jon Jones: No More Talking S#%t About Greg Jackson


(White pictured with his crossed fingers out of the frame)

UFC President Dana White does not like MMA trainer Greg Jackson. At all.

He’s also been vocal and degrading in expressing his distaste for the New Mexico coach over the years. From blaming Jackson for fighters’ performances that were less than titillating to White to, more recently, calling Jackson a “sport killer” after his charge Jon Jones turned down a last minute replacement fight with Chael Sonnen at UFC 151, Uncle Dana routinely blasts Jackson.

Those days are over, though, according to White. After yesterday’s UFC on FX event White told assembled media that during a meeting with Jones prior to his title defense before UFC 152, President and Champion struck a deal wherein White would stop insulting Jackson and his camp.

“I sat down with Jon Jones and we talked, I made a deal with Jon,” White said. “I’m not going to say anything about Greg Jackson [anymore].”


(White pictured with his crossed fingers out of the frame)

UFC President Dana White does not like MMA trainer Greg Jackson. At all.

He’s also been vocal and degrading in expressing his distaste for the New Mexico coach over the years. From blaming Jackson for fighters’ performances that were less than titillating to White to, more recently, calling Jackson a “sport killer” after his charge Jon Jones turned down a last minute replacement fight with Chael Sonnen at UFC 151, Uncle Dana routinely blasts Jackson.

Those days are over, though, according to White. After yesterday’s UFC on FX event White told assembled media that during a meeting with Jones prior to his title defense before UFC 152, President and Champion struck a deal wherein White would stop insulting Jackson and his camp.

“I sat down with Jon Jones and we talked, I made a deal with Jon,” White said. “I’m not going to say anything about Greg Jackson [anymore].”

“I think you guys know my opinion and how I feel. It hasn’t changed. I’m just not going to talk about Greg Jackson. It’s good news. I will keep my big mouth shut about Greg Jackson. That’s part of my deal with Jones,” he continued.

It took White a few seconds to break his deal with Jones, however. Jones admitted after his UFC 152 win over Vitor Belfort, a dominating win with the exception of when Belfort injured Jones with a tight arm bar in the opening seconds of the bout, that he had not been training Jiu Jitsu every day in training camp.

As much credit as Jones deserves for that honesty in admitting that he needed to train better and smarter in order to improve as a fighter, it was astounding to learn that his coach Jackson would create a camp for Jones that didn’t include at least once daily work in the base style of mixed martial arts, especially as he prepared to fight a BJJ black belt.

“I do think Jon Jones’ arm would be feeling a lot better right now if he didn’t listen to Greg Jackson and that’s all I’m going to say,” White said.

So, no more trash talking Jackson from Dana, starting…now?

– Elias Cepeda

 

 

Guida, Edgar Make Featherweight Division One of UFC’s Best

You know, guys… I have not been a big believer in the MMA featherweight division for a long time. In fact, I have written several articles mercilessly ripping on the 145-lb landscape over the last year. I felt like the division was really weak. Plain…

You know, guys…

I have not been a big believer in the MMA featherweight division for a long time. In fact, I have written several articles mercilessly ripping on the 145-lb landscape over the last year.

I felt like the division was really weak. Plain and simple. The second somebody looked even remotely good, they entered the title picture. As soon as a member of the MMA media could fantasize about Jose Aldo having even a slight bit of trouble against somebody, he became the next in line for a shot at the belt.

While that was only a few months ago, things have changed in a profound way. Now, the featherweight division seems like, perhaps, one of the best in the UFC. In the time since my last derisive article about the 145-pounders, things have completely reversed course.

Just about six months ago, the UFC was in an incredibly bad spot. Chad Mendes had just had his skull kneed out of the rest of his head, and there simply were no real opponents left for champion Jose Aldo. The UFC had two people to choose from; Hatsu Hioki and Erik Koch.

Neither fighter had any wins over big-name opponents. Hell, they had not even fought anybody especially good.

Hatsu Hioki became the presumptive top contender with wins over George Roop and Bart Palaszewski who, to this day, have a combined 8-9-1 record in Zuffa. Hioki opted to not fight Aldo, which forced the UFC to turn to Koch.

Koch, though he himself had a 5-1 record under the Zuffa umbrella, owned wins over Jameel Massouh, Bendy Casimir, Francisco Rivera, Raphael Assuncao and Jonathan Brookins. None of those fighters, by the way, has better than a .500 record as featherweights in the WEC or UFC. The cherry on top is that Koch’s lone loss was to Chad Mendes (who, again, Aldo had beaten just months earlier).

Past Koch and Hioki, the title picture was comparably dismal, with a pileup of no-namers that included Dennis Siver, Diego Nunes, Ross Pearson and Eddie Yagin. None of these fighters had name value. None of these fighters had a winning streak.

Time passed, though, and crazy things have happened.

While people remain quite excited about Chan Sung Jung (though this writer remains skeptical), Cub Swanson has taken it upon himself to raise the finish rate of the featherweight division, rattling off back-to-back-to-back knockout victories. Ricardo Lamas is currently sitting on a three-fight winning streak, and has a “W” over both Swanson and Hioki.

More importantly, the UFC has finally begun attracting high-profile lightweights to drop a few extra pounds.

While there were a few early adapters, most famously Kenny Florian, there had been very few especially exciting additions to the division until the last month, which has seen Frankie Edgar and Clay Guida, two top-10 lightweights, drop to featherweight. That combination of new talent and rising stars offers great matchmaking opportunities and adds some serious star power to the division’s top 10.

The last few weeks have made a believer out of this writer.

Be excited, folks! The featherweight division is shaping up to be one of the best in the UFC.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Vinny Magalhaes: ‘Jon Jones Has Been Screwing Me over Really Bad Lately’

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones won “Submission of the Night” with his americana finish over Vitor Belfort in the main event of UFC 152. However, at least one light heavyweight fighter wasn’t impressed. As a matter of fact, he is developi…

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones won “Submission of the Night” with his americana finish over Vitor Belfort in the main event of UFC 152. 

However, at least one light heavyweight fighter wasn’t impressed. As a matter of fact, he is developing some legitimate bad blood with the champion. 

Check out what Vinny Magalhaes had to say in an interview with MMA Fight Corner: 

“I just texted Joe Silva to give me a fight in December, but I don’t think it’s gonna happen because of (UFC) 151 that thing that happened because of Jones. I wanted to fight. To be honest with you, Jon Jones has been screwing me over really bad lately. He’s taking money out of my pocket and because of what he did with 151, I’m not gonna fight in December.” 

Magalhaes, a runner-up on season eight of The Ultimate Fighter, was originally scheduled to fight Igor Pokrajac at UFC 151, but the card was cancelled after Jones turned down a last-minute replacement fight with Chael Sonnen. 

The original title challenger, Dan Henderson, had to withdraw from the fight just eight days before the card was scheduled due to a knee injury.

Magalhaes, who transitioned from his guard to an armbar from side control to finish Pokrajac, was also less than thrilled he did not get the evening’s “Submission of the Night” bonus. 

“I’ll be honest, it’s not just because I lost $65,000 dollars. It’s not because I’m not going to see that. Looking at the moves as a technician, judging as a technician, as a professional, as a grappler, my move was ten times more difficult, and you know, way more impressive than his move. Maybe that’s how people judge. Maybe they judge how big the fight is, maybe they judge the fighter as well. Who knows?”

While it seems unlikely that Magalhaes will fight before the end of the year, he named Matt Hamill or the winner of Phil Davis and Wagner Prado as an opponent he’d like to square off with next. 

Do you think Magalhaes has a legitimate argument or is the Brazilian way off base here?

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Wednesday Afternoon Link Dump: Chael Sonnen on ‘Always Sunny’, Kenny Florian Talks Possible Return, The Top Ten UFC 152 Photos + More

(Haley Joel Osment turns in his only best performance in years, but even he is upstaged by Sonnen’s shit-eating troll face.)

– GIFathon: Getting to Know UFC’s Jimi Manuwa (BloodyElbow)

– 10 Moments That Made MMA the Sport It Is Today (BleacherReport/MMA)

– Light heavyweight rankings: After the deluge, Jon Jones still No. 1 (MMAFighting)

– The Top Ten UFC 152 Photos (HeavyMMA)

– Rampage Jackson talks newfound love for fighting, says he can beat Jon Jones in a rematch (Lowkick)

– Video: Recovering UFC commentator Kenny Florian undecided on potential MMA return (MMAJunkie)

– Fightlinker UFC 152 Awards (Fightlinker)

– Now Machida wants to fight GSP as well (FightersOnly)

– Best Workout Songs of the Decade (Men’sFitness)

– A Q&A with ADCC world champion Hannette Staack (MiddleEasy)

– Brian Stann: Dana thought I won over Bisping, I did too (CagedInsider)


(Haley Joel Osment turns in his only best performance in years, but even he is upstaged by Sonnen’s shit-eating troll face.)

– GIFathon: Getting to Know UFC’s Jimi Manuwa (BloodyElbow)

– 10 Moments That Made MMA the Sport It Is Today (BleacherReport/MMA)

– Light heavyweight rankings: After the deluge, Jon Jones still No. 1 (MMAFighting)

– The Top Ten UFC 152 Photos (HeavyMMA)

– Rampage Jackson talks newfound love for fighting, says he can beat Jon Jones in a rematch (Lowkick)

– Video: Recovering UFC commentator Kenny Florian undecided on potential MMA return (MMAJunkie)

– Fightlinker UFC 152 Awards (Fightlinker)

– Now Machida wants to fight GSP as well (FightersOnly)

– Best Workout Songs of the Decade (Men’sFitness)

– A Q&A with ADCC world champion Hannette Staack (MiddleEasy)

– Brian Stann: Dana thought I won over Bisping, I did too (CagedInsider)

– 10 New Sex Positions for a New You (HolyTaco)

– 6 James Bond Gadgets You Can Actually Own (MadeMan)

– Honest Trailers: The Avengers (Screenjunkies)

Dana White Defends Jones: ‘There Can Be No More Naysaying, He Looked Unbeatable’

Dana White and Jon Jones are back on the same page.At the UFC 152 post-fight press conference, the UFC President revealed that he had met with Jones a day before the event to patch up some personal differences.White initially was upset at Jones fo…

Dana White and Jon Jones are back on the same page.

At the UFC 152 post-fight press conference, the UFC President revealed that he had met with Jones a day before the event to patch up some personal differences.

White initially was upset at Jones for refusing to step up and fight Chael Sonnen on short notice to prevent the UFC 151 pay-per-event from being cancelled back in August.

Jones, on the other hand, felt like White was out of line in putting all of the blame on him for the cancellation of an entire event. He signed a contract to face Dan Henderson, but an unforeseen injury threw a monkey wrench in the original plans.

Sonnen offered to step up as a late replacement for Henderson, but given the stark contrast in styles, Jones turned down the fight.

Over the past few weeks, White and Jones have taken shots at one another in the media. After meeting face to face to discuss their issues, the two seem to have finally squashed their beef.

“At the end of the day, has he made a few mistakes? Of course he has. He’s not a bad guy. He’s not a bad kid at all,” White said at the post-fight presser. “He and I sat down yesterday, we had a great conversation…Everything is awesome.”

Although Jones is far from being considered a fan favorite, the MMA world seems to have gained more respect for the young champ after his fourth round submission victory over Vitor Belfort at UFC 152.

After steamrolling a plethora of MMA legends, Jones was forced to deal with a little adversity in the opening moments of the first round. Belfort, a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, was able to latch on an armbar and nearly handed Jones his first legitimate loss.

Despite his arm undergoing severe hyperextension, Jones was able to weather the storm and dominate the rest of the fight.

Still, critics are latching on to the possibility that Belfort may have exposed a chink in Jones’ armor. During the press conference, White was asked if Belfort‘s performance put a dent in Jones’ otherworldly aura and proved he wasn’t unbeatable.

“There’s no doubt that this was Jones’ best performance. He looked phenomenal tonight,” White said.

White continues:

“He got injured in the first round, got that elbow popped. There were a lot of questions about Jon Jones that people kept asking over and over and over again no matter who he fought, no matter how good he fought. Could he take a punch? He got hit with some big punches tonight from a real puncher, and he took them.

He was injured. He had the heart to keep going, and he had a great fight tonight. There can be no more naysaying about Jon Jones. Listen, you love him or you hate him. If you don’t like him, whatever, if you like him, good, but you can’t deny that the kid is extremely talented and one of the best in the world…I disagree, and I think that Jon Jones did look unbeatable tonight.”

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Jones vs. Belfort: Questions We Still Have About Jon Jones

Jon Jones defended his UFC Light Heavyweight Championship in another dominating performance at UFC 152.Vitor Belfort had one shot to dethrone the champion, but the first-round armbar attempt was just a little bit off, allowing Jones to get through the …

Jon Jones defended his UFC Light Heavyweight Championship in another dominating performance at UFC 152.

Vitor Belfort had one shot to dethrone the champion, but the first-round armbar attempt was just a little bit off, allowing Jones to get through the pain and start dealing out his punishment.

After getting out of the armbar, Jones dropped several damaging elbows to the dome of Belfort. He continued to batter him on the feet and on the ground until the fourth round.

It was there that Jones put the tired Belfort away. A simple Americana was all it took from the champion, and as a result, the belt remains around his waist. And it does not look as if it is going anywhere anytime soon. Yet Belfort was able to bring another question up regarding Jones.

Here are five questions we still have about the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.

Begin Slideshow