Tag: UFC 153

Understatement of the Day: Stephan Bonnar “F*cked Up” Taking Steroids Prior to UFC 153


(“I swear to God, you guys, I had an injury THIS BIG.” Photo courtesy of Getty Images.) 

It’s weird to think about, but the fallout from Stephan Bonnar’s second post-fight steroid bust at UFC 153 has almost been completely washed over by the MMA community. Although his one-year suspension was obviously negated by the fact that he retired from the sport shortly thereafter, even UFC President Dana White — who has been in Bonnar’s corner ever since his legendary fight with Forrest Griffin at the TUF 1 Finale — has all but refused to comment on the situation.

And as for Bonnar? Well, the normally outspoken light heavyweight has been similarly silent — likely due in part to the birth of his son — since exiting the UFC on such terrible terms. Until now, that is.

For the first time since the fight itself, Bonnar addressed the factors that led him to get popped for Drostanolone following UFC 153 during an interview on The MMA Hour (Author’s note: WHAT ABOUT US, STEPHAN?). Although Stephan took full responsibility for his actions, his reasoning for why he fell back on the juice yet again didn’t exactly absolve him of all guilt (via MMAFighting):

…after being shelved for months and being advised to retire by UFC president Dana White, he had given up hope of closing out his career with a major fight…But then, out of the blue, the semi-retired fighter got the phone call he never thought was coming. After about 10 months without a fight, he was being asked to compete against the the sport’s pound-for-pound king, Anderson Silva.

Believe it or not, there are some therapeutic uses to some of the banned substances,” he said. “Bottom line, I wanted to get my strength back. I was very weak. My body didn’t feel good, my joints didn’t feel good. That was my goal.

Poor Stephan; the dude spent upwards of seven years fighting for the UFC and never realized that there was a completely legal way to deal with the aging process.

More from the interview after the jump. 


(“I swear to God, you guys, I had an injury THIS BIG.” Photo courtesy of Getty Images.) 

It’s weird to think about, but the fallout from Stephan Bonnar’s second post-fight steroid bust at UFC 153 has almost been completely washed over by the MMA community. Although his one-year suspension was obviously negated by the fact that he retired from the sport shortly thereafter, even UFC President Dana White — who has been in Bonnar’s corner ever since his legendary fight with Forrest Griffin at the TUF 1 Finale – has all but refused to comment on the situation.

And as for Bonnar? Well, the normally outspoken light heavyweight has been similarly silent — likely due in part to the birth of his son — since exiting the UFC on such terrible terms. Until now, that is.

For the first time since the fight itself, Bonnar addressed the factors that led him to get popped for Drostanolone following UFC 153 during an interview on The MMA Hour (Author’s note: WHAT ABOUT US, STEPHAN?). Although Stephan took full responsibility for his actions, his reasoning for why he fell back on the juice yet again didn’t exactly absolve him of all guilt (via MMAFighting):

…after being shelved for months and being advised to retire by UFC president Dana White, he had given up hope of closing out his career with a major fight…But then, out of the blue, the semi-retired fighter got the phone call he never thought was coming. After about 10 months without a fight, he was being asked to compete against the the sport’s pound-for-pound king, Anderson Silva.

Believe it or not, there are some therapeutic uses to some of the banned substances,” he said. “Bottom line, I wanted to get my strength back. I was very weak. My body didn’t feel good, my joints didn’t feel good. That was my goal.

Poor Stephan; the dude spent upwards of seven years fighting for the UFC and never realized that there was a completely legal way to deal with the aging process.

According to Bonnar, the hardest thing he has had to deal with since leaving the UFC in disgrace hasn’t been the dirty looks or vehemently-worded tweets from fans, but the distance that has grown between himself and the organization he called home for the majority of his MMA career:

You know, there’s no way if I thought there was any possibility of it showing up, that I would have taken the fight. I finally get the opportunity I’ve been begging for in vain for so long. I thought I’d go out there and put on a better fight, but then stuff like this happens. It’s like I came to his house and took a s— on his carpet. It just kills me. I’m like, ‘Come on, Dana, give me this opportunity,’ and then I make him look like that. I’m really sorry.

The only question that remains is: Where does Bonnar go from here? Well, he’s come up with a simple solution for that:

I feel the best thing for me to do is to respectfully piss off. It’s not to sit there and go, ‘Oh, come on Dana, give me another chance.’ I f—– up and I’ll put my tail between my legs and leave you guys alone for a while. 

Farewell for now, dearest Stephan. At least we’ll always have these memories…

–J. Jones

Erick Silva Talks Bad Weight Cut, Lost 15 Pounds Before UFC 153 vs. Jon Fitch

For many UFC fighters, their next match is won or lost on the scales. If you cut weight the wrong way, it can ruin your performance in the Octagon at the worst time.As it turns out, that’s exactly what Erick Silva learned prior to facing Jon Fitch at U…

For many UFC fighters, their next match is won or lost on the scales. If you cut weight the wrong way, it can ruin your performance in the Octagon at the worst time.

As it turns out, that’s exactly what Erick Silva learned prior to facing Jon Fitch at UFC 153.

During an interview with Fighters Only, the X-Gym and Team Nogueria star explained how a poorly managed 15-pound weight cut would come back to bite him. According to Silva, his cardio suffered greatly as a result, even with the customary 24 hours to rest and rehydrate before his match.

However, he vows that it won’t happen again when facing seasoned veteran Jay Hieron at UFC 156 in Las Vegas this February:

I won’t permit it to happen again. I will be attentive to the weight, I will work it well. I won’t have much on me by the end of the year. In the last fight, I thought that it would be better to get heavier in the final stages of training but afterwards I realized that it ended up making me more slow and tired. Now this is going to be a whole new ball game.

Silva looks to rebound with a win against Hieron, hopefully inching closer to title contention despite his latest setback. Since joining the UFC off a 13-1-0-1 run in the Brazilian regional circuit, Silva only has a 2-2 record to show for his efforts.

However, one of those losses comes with an asterisk, as Silva was infamously disqualified for punches to the back of head during his UFC 142 bout with Carlo Prater by referee Mario Yamasaki.

Regardless, Silva has turned in memorable performances in each of his UFC fights, with “Fight of the Night” and “Submission of the Night” honors in his last two performances against Fitch and Charlie Brenneman respectively.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Fabio Maldonado Receives Sizable Bonus Check for Getting Beat Up at UFC 153


Geez, these XARM events have been getting weird…

It can be argued that no losing fighter has ever deserved one of UFC’s famous locker-room bonus checks than Fabio Maldonado after his downright terrifying loss to Glover Teixeira at UFC 153.

If this was professional wrestling, we’d say this was the fight that got Glover “over” in the UFC. The brutal asskicking that Teixeira dished out transitioned him from MMA’s best-kept secret to a legitimate light-heavyweight contender, causing fans throughout the world to say “Huh, so that’s what a 10-7 round looks like.”

Yet Fabio Maldonado kept fighting back, almost pulling off one of the most insane comebacks in UFC history as he rocked Teixeira near the end of the first round. Maldonado kept coming back for more until the cageside doctor put an end to the fight after the second round. I’m not going to write something cheesy like “it was a moral victory for Fabio Maldonado,” but I would understand why a person would.

The beating that Fabio Maldonado took wasn’t for nothing – at least not financially. Maldonado revealed on his Facebook page that he recently received one of the UFC’s famed locker-room bonus checks, and it was worth more money than his win bonus would have been. Via MMAWeekly:


Geez, these XARM events have been getting weird…

It can be argued that no losing fighter has ever deserved one of UFC’s famous locker-room bonus checks than Fabio Maldonado after his downright terrifying loss to Glover Teixeira at UFC 153.

If this was professional wrestling, we’d say this was the fight that got Glover “over” in the UFC. The brutal asskicking that Teixeira dished out transitioned him from MMA’s best-kept secret to a legitimate light-heavyweight contender, causing fans throughout the world to say “Huh, so that’s what a 10-7 round looks like.” 

Yet Fabio Maldonado kept fighting back, almost pulling off one of the most insane comebacks in UFC history as he rocked Teixeira near the end of the first round. Maldonado kept coming back for more until the cageside doctor put an end to the fight after the second round. I’m not going to write something cheesy like “it was a moral victory for Fabio Maldonado,” but I would understand why a person would.

The beating that Fabio Maldonado took wasn’t for nothing – at least not financially. Maldonado revealed on his Facebook page that he recently received one of the UFC’s famed locker-room bonus checks, and it was worth more money than his win bonus would have been. Via MMAWeekly:

“Just got a check from the UFC,” he commented in Portuguese, noting it was the fourth time he received a bonus [Author Note: That makes him 4/4 for receiving bonus checks, for those of you keeping score]. “The UFC paid me more than if I had won the fight. Thanks to the Fertitta brothers, Dana White and Joe Silva.”

The money UFC fighters make is also often compared to the headline inducing paydays in the boxing world. White often explains that what people are comparing is apples to oranges, as they’re looking at the miniscule amount of boxers at the top of the heap pulling in tremendous paydays, while those at the bottom are sometimes fighting for $50 or $100 a round.

Maldonado, who fought for years in as a professional boxer (with a 22-0 record), sounds as if he agrees, at least to some degree.

“Fought boxing, never seen it happen before,” he said of the bonus he received, even in a losing effort.

Keep in mind that Fabio Maldonado made $11,000 to show at UFC 153, meaning that the bonus check he just received was almost assuredly worth more than that. That’s pretty generous, and definitely well-deserved. When a fighter is willing to take the long-term brain damage that accompanies a beating like the one Maldonado took for the sake of putting on a memorable fight, he deserves special compensation. 

Just try not to take too many more beatings like that, Fabio. It’s not exactly good for your long-term health.

@SethFalvo

UFC 154 Caged in Round Table: Can Anyone Explain the Lack of GSP Hype?

Jonathan Snowden: Today I broke the news to my wife—I couldn’t go out Saturday night because the UFC was on. She had no idea, despite being a huge fan of the sport and GSP in particular. She’s not alone. Not a single person has asked me about the…

Jonathan Snowden: Today I broke the news to my wife—I couldn’t go out Saturday night because the UFC was on. She had no idea, despite being a huge fan of the sport and GSP in particular. She’s not alone. Not a single person has asked me about the fight this weekend. Not one. Two years ago, that would have never been the case. And this isn’t some run of the mill card. This is St-Pierre, the man Dana White calls the UFC’s biggest drawing card. Is this a bad sign for this industry?

Matt Roth: I really don’t get it, man. This is supposed to be one of the most anticipated fights of the year. Everyone should be holding fistfuls of dollars just telling Zuffa to shut up and take their money. But that’s not happening. None of my friends have asked me if I’m having people over for the fights. They really have no idea that GSP is back. I don’t know if it’s a terrible sign for the industry, but it’s a bad sign that arguably the biggest star in the sport is coming back and no one seems to care. My big question is if the UFC recognizes that maybe they need to scale back the events and add more depth to their cards.

Scott Harris: I wonder if a lot of other fans are like me. Even if semi-consciously, I’m picturing a St-Pierre victory by way of lay-n-pray. I know GSP has talked a lot about finishing more fights, and I don’t doubt his sincerity, but there’s no way he’s going to stand and trade with Carlos Condit in his first live action on a surgically reconstructed knee. It’s a matchup that favors the classic GSP playbook, which we all know by heart. All the superfight talk doesn’t help, either. Even Dana White is openly discussing the “next step,” even if GSP refuses to do so. Who cares about the fight before the fight?

It’s also troubling that, even amid the NHL lockout, as of earlier this week the event was still not sold out. I thought Canada was supposed to be the biggest MMA market out there. Have they gone to the well too often? Yeah, maybe. But again, I think the matchup is the key issue, or more specifically, GSP himself. I love me some GSP. He’s a legend in his own time. He’s extremely smart. He’s humble, he’s lovable, and he seems like a thoroughly decent guy. But he’s boring. In and out of the cage, so help me. He’s a cold fish. He’s uncooked poutine, hold the cheese and gravy, side of shark cartilage. As big of a fan as I am, I catch myself actively trying to psych myself up for this fight. No one had to do that for Condit and Nick Diaz.

Jonathan Snowden: The problem, in many ways, boils down to frequency. Once a month, the UFC is a good diversion from people’s regular lives. It’s a chance to have friends over for a barbeque to enjoy some old fashioned American violence. But when events begin airing on what feels like a weekly basis, it’s harder to get people involved. It feels like the UFC is a houseguest that just won’t go away.&And, to make matters worse, these constant cards means that each event is more than a little watered down. For casual fans, instead of comforting faces, the fighters on the television are little more than strangers. It’s hard to get pumped up for “Red corner vs. Blue corner.”

Matt Roth: Jon, you bring up a great point. The third fight on the main card? Francis Carmont (who?) vs Tom Lawlor (4-3 in the UFC). It’s inexcusable. I’m sure that they’re really nice guys, but why are they on a main card? That would never happen two years ago.

Meanwhile, the UFC puts Mark Munoz vs Chris Weidman on Fuel TV. The fact that these events seem to be happening every week is killing interest, including my own. It’s hard to get excited for UFC 154 when the majority of these guys should be fighting on an Ultimate Fight Night card.

The fact of the matter is that the UFC is just promoting too many events too close together. If we’re having a hard time keeping up with their schedule, what does that say for the casual fan?

Duane Finley: I agree with both of you on the over-saturation part but during two week lapses where there are no events I feel as if I’m missing something. That being said, that longing still won’t get me to watch Bellator or MFC.

Whatever over-saturation issues there are will be put to the test soon because in 2013 the UFC is pumping out big cards in back to back fashion. As a fan I dig it. 

Matthew Roth: Jon, what’s the final word?

Jonathan Snowden: In part, this is all about the decline of The Ultimate Fighter. Perhaps these missing casual fans aren’t as informed anymore about the upcoming fights because they are no longer watching the UFC’s flagship program. With ESPN still not, for the most part, on board and Sports Illustrated just getting around to writing their first ever MMA profile after  20 years, there still isn’t a mainstream presence, at least not the kind the sport deserves. This is one of the greatest sports on the planet and fans don’t even know when the events are airing! What a world.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 154 Caged in Round Table: Can Anyone Explain the Lack of GSP Hype?

Jonathan Snowden: Today I broke the news to my wife—I couldn’t go out Saturday night because the UFC was on. She had no idea, despite being a huge fan of the sport and GSP in particular. She’s not alone. Not a single person has asked me about the…

Jonathan Snowden: Today I broke the news to my wife—I couldn’t go out Saturday night because the UFC was on. She had no idea, despite being a huge fan of the sport and GSP in particular. She’s not alone. Not a single person has asked me about the fight this weekend. Not one. Two years ago, that would have never been the case. And this isn’t some run of the mill card. This is St-Pierre, the man Dana White calls the UFC’s biggest drawing card. Is this a bad sign for this industry?

Matt Roth: I really don’t get it, man. This is supposed to be one of the most anticipated fights of the year. Everyone should be holding fistfuls of dollars just telling Zuffa to shut up and take their money. But that’s not happening. None of my friends have asked me if I’m having people over for the fights. They really have no idea that GSP is back. I don’t know if it’s a terrible sign for the industry, but it’s a bad sign that arguably the biggest star in the sport is coming back and no one seems to care. My big question is if the UFC recognizes that maybe they need to scale back the events and add more depth to their cards.

Scott Harris: I wonder if a lot of other fans are like me. Even if semi-consciously, I’m picturing a St-Pierre victory by way of lay-n-pray. I know GSP has talked a lot about finishing more fights, and I don’t doubt his sincerity, but there’s no way he’s going to stand and trade with Carlos Condit in his first live action on a surgically reconstructed knee. It’s a matchup that favors the classic GSP playbook, which we all know by heart. All the superfight talk doesn’t help, either. Even Dana White is openly discussing the “next step,” even if GSP refuses to do so. Who cares about the fight before the fight?

It’s also troubling that, even amid the NHL lockout, as of earlier this week the event was still not sold out. I thought Canada was supposed to be the biggest MMA market out there. Have they gone to the well too often? Yeah, maybe. But again, I think the matchup is the key issue, or more specifically, GSP himself. I love me some GSP. He’s a legend in his own time. He’s extremely smart. He’s humble, he’s lovable, and he seems like a thoroughly decent guy. But he’s boring. In and out of the cage, so help me. He’s a cold fish. He’s uncooked poutine, hold the cheese and gravy, side of shark cartilage. As big of a fan as I am, I catch myself actively trying to psych myself up for this fight. No one had to do that for Condit and Nick Diaz.

Jonathan Snowden: The problem, in many ways, boils down to frequency. Once a month, the UFC is a good diversion from people’s regular lives. It’s a chance to have friends over for a barbeque to enjoy some old fashioned American violence. But when events begin airing on what feels like a weekly basis, it’s harder to get people involved. It feels like the UFC is a houseguest that just won’t go away.&And, to make matters worse, these constant cards means that each event is more than a little watered down. For casual fans, instead of comforting faces, the fighters on the television are little more than strangers. It’s hard to get pumped up for “Red corner vs. Blue corner.”

Matt Roth: Jon, you bring up a great point. The third fight on the main card? Francis Carmont (who?) vs Tom Lawlor (4-3 in the UFC). It’s inexcusable. I’m sure that they’re really nice guys, but why are they on a main card? That would never happen two years ago.

Meanwhile, the UFC puts Mark Munoz vs Chris Weidman on Fuel TV. The fact that these events seem to be happening every week is killing interest, including my own. It’s hard to get excited for UFC 154 when the majority of these guys should be fighting on an Ultimate Fight Night card.

The fact of the matter is that the UFC is just promoting too many events too close together. If we’re having a hard time keeping up with their schedule, what does that say for the casual fan?

Duane Finley: I agree with both of you on the over-saturation part but during two week lapses where there are no events I feel as if I’m missing something. That being said, that longing still won’t get me to watch Bellator or MFC.

Whatever over-saturation issues there are will be put to the test soon because in 2013 the UFC is pumping out big cards in back to back fashion. As a fan I dig it. 

Matthew Roth: Jon, what’s the final word?

Jonathan Snowden: In part, this is all about the decline of The Ultimate Fighter. Perhaps these missing casual fans aren’t as informed anymore about the upcoming fights because they are no longer watching the UFC’s flagship program. With ESPN still not, for the most part, on board and Sports Illustrated just getting around to writing their first ever MMA profile after  20 years, there still isn’t a mainstream presence, at least not the kind the sport deserves. This is one of the greatest sports on the planet and fans don’t even know when the events are airing! What a world.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 154 Conference Call with Georges St-Pierre and Carlos Condit Live Blog

The Ultimate Fighting Championship will host a media conference call on Wednesday, Nov. 7 at 2 p.m. ET with the stars of the upcoming UFC 154 card, Georges St-Pierre and Carlos Condit.UFC welterweight champion St-Pierre, making his highly anticipa…

The Ultimate Fighting Championship will host a media conference call on Wednesday, Nov. 7 at 2 p.m. ET with the stars of the upcoming UFC 154 card, Georges St-Pierre and Carlos Condit.

UFC welterweight champion St-Pierre, making his highly anticipated return to the Octagon, and interim welterweight champion Condit will be available to discuss their main event bout scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 17 at Bell Centre in Montreal. UFC President Dana White will also join the call.

Join Bleacher Report for live updates from the UFC media call. 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com