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UFC Fight Night 57: Bobby Green Is Ready for His Close-Up

Bobby Green is yet another mixed martial artist who has decided to talk his way into stardom. The rise of the “King” has been as sudden as he has been loud. As he prepares for his co-main event slot at UFC Fight Night 57 against Edson Barbo…

Travel back to UFC 156, when Green walked into the Octagon for the first time to face off against Jacob Volkmann. While Volkmann was far from a fan favorite, he had won six of his last seven fights. That fact made him a +235 underdog heading into the bout, according to Best Fight Odds. He was riding a four-fight win streak at the time and surprised many when he submitted Volkmann via rear-naked choke in the third round.

Since that moment he’s been on quite a run and gaining attention at the same time. His win over Josh Thomson at UFC on Fox 12 was the type of victory that can get experts talking about his viability as a contender in the UFC’s lightweight division.

As Marc Raimondi of Fox Sports commented in his July piece: “Green would have been an underdog against Thomson no matter what. But considering the circumstances, beating one of the best lightweights in the world and registering his name among the elite in the 155-pound division is simply massive.”

The UFC recognized the value of this win, and the California native is now sitting No. 7 within its rankings. Oddly, he’s still behind Thomson but still in a position of value.

The bout against Barboza is a style matchup that fits both fighters in particular ways. However, the fans should reap the benefits as both competitors are known for action-packed contests. This is the exact opportunity that can launch Green’s career to a new point if he can pull off a highlight-reel victory.

He is already taking shots at Donald Cerrone, who is on his own rise within the 155-pound division, via MMA Fighting. If he can take home his ninth straight win by defeating Barboza, this would be the perfect time to call out Cerrone in a title eliminator for 2015.

The fighters who have become bigger stars within mixed martial arts all had their “moment.” Jon Jones smashing Mauricio Rua, Ronda Rousey defeating Liz Carmouche and the Chuck Liddell versus Tito Ortiz series are just three examples of how fighters have seized the moment that led to their stardom. Bobby Green is far off from that same level, but a big win at UFC Fight Night 57 will push him in the right direction.

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Antonio Rogerio Nogueira’s Future in UFC Could Be in Danger Following Injury

For many fighters, consecutive losses put their respective tenures in the sport’s largest organization in question. When it comes to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, the problem is his very physiology.Whether it is a flaw in his training program, inability to…

For many fighters, consecutive losses put their respective tenures in the sport’s largest organization in question. When it comes to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, the problem is his very physiology.

Whether it is a flaw in his training program, inability to slow his pace during camp or simply a lack of luck, Lil’ Nog simply seems incapable of staying healthy.

Pulling out of his fight with Mauricio Rua at UFC 161 has to cast doubt on Nogueira’s viability in the UFC altogether. The latest injury caused his third pull out since August of 2011.

Nogueira’s first injury was due to a shoulder injury, which forced him to drop out of a fight scheduled against Rich Franklin at UFC 133, according to MMAJunkie.com.

In 2012, Nogueira had to back out of a fight against Alexander Gustafsson that was scheduled for UFC on Fuel TV 2, citing a knee injury, according to StudioMMA.com.

A year later and Nogueira is injured once again. This time, the Brazilian has cited a back injury, which spoils a long-awaited rematch of his barnburner match with “Shogun” Rua in 2004. The news was first reported by Combate.com and later confirmed by John Morgan of MMAJunkie.com.

The drop out leaves a chasm in an already lacking UFC 161 card set for June 15. For the UFC, it raises questions of how much it is willing to float on Lil’ Nog, given his history. The Brazilian’s pattern of dropping out of main card fights costs the company each time it occurs.

And as good as hardcore fans of the sport know Rogerio Nogueira can be, he is not a big-name draw, in part due to his lack of screen time due to injury. When one considers the totality of the situation, including his recent lackluster performance against Rashad Evans at UFC 156, Nogueira’s time at the UFC could certainly be in danger.

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Photo of the Day: Alistair Overeem & Badr Hari are InstaFriends/Training Partners Now, Apparently

(“Of course I’d love to train with you, old pal! And since we’re such good friends now, you wouldn’t mind telling the police that I was at your house from the hours of 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. last night, would you chum?”)

Abraham Lincoln was once infamously quoted as saying, “What kills a skunk is the publicity it gives itself.” It’s a quote I could not help but reflect on in the days following Alistair Overeem’s devastating, hype-deflating KO loss to Antonio Silva at UFC 156. To be fair, it was just as much the media’s fault for filling Overeem’s head with premature discussions of his inevitable UFC title reign as it was his own, but in either case, his arrogance was surely on full display in his lackluster performance that night. Thankfully, we learned not to do the same thing with Uriah Hall.

In either case, it appears that the slice of humble pie Overeem was served last February was not taken lightly by the former Strikeforce heavyweight champ, as he recently posted the above photo on his Instagram account showing himself alongside former K1 rival and terrorizer of the Amsterdam nightclub scene, Badr Hari, along with the following caption:

Badr Hari & me at mikes gym after a great training session. The REEM vs Badr III might just happen… In training.

If you recall, Overeem and Hari engaged in a brutal (albeit brief) pair of fights a few years back — first at Dynamite!! 2008, then at the KI World Grand Prix semifinals in 2009 –with each man emerging victorious in one bout by way of (T)KO. You can find videos of both fights here and here.

Badr Hari & me at mikes gym after a great training session. The REEM vs Badr III might just happen… In training.

As a longtime fan of Ubereem despite his many faults, I must say that it is honestly refreshing to see him bring in some elite talent to help hone his technique, rather than continue to solely rely on his power like he did against Silva. Not to go down the road of speculation, but I speculate that Hari’s help, along with that of the Blackzilians new wrestling coach, Olympic legend Kenny Monday, will propel Overeem to not only a UFC title, but a series of no less than 12 title defenses and a future position in the UFC, MMA, and Baseball Hall of Fames.

God I’m glad I didn’t blow this development out of proportion.

–J. Jones

Is This Real Life?: Alistair Overeem’s ‘UFC 156? Drug Test Comes Back With Below Average Testosterone Levels

(You think Antonio Silva‘s training methods are too tough, Alistair? Just wait until Jillian Michaels gets ahold of you. Photo via Getty Images.)

Well, this would be a hell of a lot more triumphant news had Alistair Overeem not been tenderized like a cheap cut of (horse) steak at UFC 156, but you’ll be happy to know that Overeem, along with all of the 22 fighters who competed on the card, passed their post-fight drug tests with flying colors. Here’s where things get weird; Overeem’s test did come back with abnormal results, just not the kind you’d expect. And no, it wasn’t for Mary Jane. MMAJunkie passed along the results:

But with his blood test form his UFC 156 fight, his testosterone total level actually fell below the normal range of 250-1,100 nano grams per deciliter (ng/dL). Overeem’s total testosterone came in at 179 from the test, which was administered the morning after the fight at 8:25 a.m. on Feb. 3.

All other levels within the blood test came back within the normal reference range.

Wait, Overeem’s testosterone level was below normal?! I think this occasion calls for a very special head-splosion clip:

(You think Antonio Silva‘s training methods are too tough, Alistair? Just wait until Jillian Michaels gets ahold of you. Photo via Getty Images.)

But with his blood test form his UFC 156 fight, his testosterone total level actually fell below the normal range of 250-1,100 nano grams per deciliter (ng/dL). Overeem’s total testosterone came in at 179 from the test, which was administered the morning after the fight at 8:25 a.m. on Feb. 3.

All other levels within the blood test came back within the normal reference range.

Wait, Overeem’s testosterone level was below normal?! I think this occasion calls for a very special head-splosion clip:

While you wouldn’t exactly need to 20/20 vision to notice the difference between UFC 146 Ubereem and UFC 156 Ubereem, the fact that Overeem’s testosterone level was so far below the normal range has to leave you scratching your head a little here. Then again, Overeem has been tested seven times in the past nine months, so perhaps he was simply ~~cycling~~ erring on the side of caution heading into this fight. Not that any amount of testosterone will improve your ability to take a punch, but let’s just save that discussion for the aftermath of a fight that Overeem didn’t all but take for granted heading in.

In either case, Overeem better be able to get his levels in order (and perhaps switch training camps. Sorry, Blackzilians) by the time he fights Junior Dos Santos at UFC 160 in May, or the results or going to look eerily similar to his last performance.

–J. Jones

Alistair Overeem UFC 156 Testosterone Levels Below Normal

Results have come back from drug tests administered to UFC 156 fighters, and they indicate that heavyweight Alistair Overeem’s testosterone levels were below normal. The event at the start of the month was Overeem’s first sin…

Results have come back from drug tests administered to UFC 156 fighters, and they indicate that heavyweight Alistair Overeem’s testosterone levels were below normal.

The event at the start of the month was Overeem’s first since he began his nine-month drug suspension and it was marked by an embarrassing KO at the hands of Antonio Silva in the third round.

But those speculating how a drug-free Overeem would fair already saw the consequences of the low testosterone during the weigh-ins for the fight. One blogger on MMA Freak described him as a much “softer” Overeem to the one that defeated Brock Lesnar more than two years before.

According to MMA Junkie, Overeem not only passed the UFC 156 drug test, but his testosterone levels were in fact well below the lower range for the average male.

“[Overeem’s] testosterone total level actually fell below the normal range of 250-1,100ng/dL,” said MMA Junkie. “Overeem’s total testosterone came in at 179 from the test, which was administered the morning after the fight at 8:25am on Feb. 3.”

The low value could explain this “softer” Overeem.

The Dutch fighter, who has spent most of his career fighting untested in Japan at light heavyweight, shocked everyone as he ballooned to a heavyweight behemoth with next to no fat. Speculations of suspected steroid use only grew louder after he missed a drug test in the run-up to his first UFC fight against Brock Lesnar.

The failed test in his next fight confirmed all the suspicions.

But now, following his first loss in over five years, his testosterone levels seem to have fallen far below normal.

The question now is whether this is a sign of his years of steroid abuse, or overtraining in the run up to UFC 156. His languid, almost disinterested performance on the night, hardly suggests it was the latter.

One bit of “good” news Overeem could draw from this, however, is that he could now have a legitimate claim for a therapeutic use exception for testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), allowing him to use steroids legally. But whether a fighter who has been found to be a drugs cheat should be allowed to use TRT is sure to spark fierce debate.

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All UFC 156 Fighters Drug Tested by Commission, All Return Negative Results

Following an action packed night of fights at UFC 156, the Nevada State Athletic Commission has released the drug testing results from the Feb. 2 card in Las Vegas. According to Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer, all 22 fi…

Following an action packed night of fights at UFC 156, the Nevada State Athletic Commission has released the drug testing results from the Feb. 2 card in Las Vegas.

According to Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer, all 22 fighters on the card were tested and all tests came back negative.

UFC 156 featured a main event pitting featherweight champion Jose Aldo against former lightweight title holder, Frankie Edgar. After a back and forth battle for five rounds, Aldo came away the victor with a successful title defense.

The fighters on the card are tested for performance enhancing drugs (steroids, etc) as well as drugs of abuse (marijuana, cocaine, etc).

The card featured the return of former K-1 and Strikeforce champion Alistair Overeem, who was in the center of a drug testing scandal in 2012 that prevented him from competing for the UFC heavyweight title.

Prior to his scheduled bout at UFC 146 in 2012 against then champion Junior Dos Santos, Overeem failed a pre-fight screening for having elevated levels of testosterone. Overeem was removed from the fight and eventually was denied a fight license by the commission and handed a de facto 9-month suspension.

During the time he was absent from the sport, Overeem was involved in several out-of-competition drug tests, with all coming back negative. His test taken at UFC 156 by the Nevada State Athletic Commission has now also come back negative as well.

While his tests came back clean, Overeem unfortunately suffered a loss on the card to Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva that likely cost him a shot at the UFC heavyweight title. Silva is now in position to face champion Cain Velasquez later this year at UFC 160.

Just last week the UFC returned a positive drug test from the UFC on FX 7 in Brazil, where lightweight fighter Thiago Tavares was suspended for nine months for having Drostanolone, an anabolic steroid, in his system.

Damon Martin is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report

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