Tag: UFC 196

Tom Lawlor Flagged For Potential USADA Violation

Another UFC fighter has been flagged for a potential United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) violation, and this time it’s UFC light heavyweight veteran, Tom Lawlor. Lawlor was flagged for an out-of-competition sample that was collected on October 10th, and has been provisionally suspended after the test’s results came back positive for a banned substance. The

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Another UFC fighter has been flagged for a potential United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) violation, and this time it’s UFC light heavyweight veteran, Tom Lawlor.

Lawlor was flagged for an out-of-competition sample that was collected on October 10th, and has been provisionally suspended after the test’s results came back positive for a banned substance.

The UFC issued the following statement regarding the matter yesterday (Thursday November 3, 2016):

“The UFC organization was notified today that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has informed Tom Lawlor of a potential Anti-Doping violation stemming from an out-of-competition sample collected on October 10, 2016. USADA has provisionally suspended Lawlor based on the potential anti-doping violation,” UFC officials wrote in the statement.

“USADA, the independent administrator of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, will handle the results management and appropriate adjudication of this case. It is important to note that, under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, there is a full fair legal review process that is afforded to all athletes before any sanctions are imposed. Consistent with all previous potential anti-doping violations, additional information or UFC statements will be provided at the appropriate time as the process moves forward.”

Lawlor last saw Octagon action when he took on Corey Anderson at UFC 196 in March, where he was defeated via unanimous decision after the three round contest. The 33-year-old UFC vet has been with the promotion since 2009, where he made his debut at UFC 100 with his guillotine submission win over C.B. Dollaway in the first round.

‘The Filthy Mauler’ made his 205-pound Octagon debut in July of 2015, where Lawlor defeated Gian Villante via first round knockout that earned him Performance of the Night honors.

As of this writing Lawlor has yet to comment on the situation. We’ll keep you updated as more becomes available.

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Melendez: Nate Diaz Gets McGregor vs. Alvarez Winner Next

UFC 205 is on the horizon and the mixed martial arts (MMA) world is buzzing with anticipation for the ground breaking event in the sport’s history, as UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor will attempt to make history once again. In the evening’s main event McGregor will challenge Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight title in attempt

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UFC 205 is on the horizon and the mixed martial arts (MMA) world is buzzing with anticipation for the ground breaking event in the sport’s history, as UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor will attempt to make history once again.

In the evening’s main event McGregor will challenge Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight title in attempt to become the promotion’s first ever dual-weight champion, as the Irishman currently holds the UFC’s 145-pound title that he won via R1 knockout against Jose Aldo in December of last year. As far as a No. 1-contender goes for the 155-pound title after fight night in New York, lightweight veteran Gilbert Melendez believes his teammate Nate Diaz will get the next title opportunity.

Melendez recently spoke to Champions.co to claim that he believes his fellow Scrap Pack member Diaz will be the obvious candidate for either McGregor or Alvarez next, as he believes that is what the people want to see:

“I think [Nate] fights the winner [of Alvarez vs McGregor],” said Melendez. “We’re talking about business here and how things work … Eddie wins that fight, you know, I think Nate gets that fight. I think Conor wins that fight, I think Nate gets that fight as well.

“I mean, that’s what people want to see and that’s what fills the seats.”

McGregor and Diaz have quite the history with one another, as Diaz is the man who handed the SBG product his first career UFC loss when he tapped the featherweight champ in their welterweight main event scrap at UFC 196 in March. ‘Notorious’ would soon get his revenge, however, as he would engage in a tremendous 25-minute battle with Diaz in their rematch at UFC 202, to which the Irishman would take home the majority decision win in one of the best contests of the year.

Conor-McGregor-Nate-Diaz-punch[1]

With the standings between the two adversaries standing at one a piece at the moment, you can bet the two brash rivals want to bang it out to decide who the best fighter is once and for all.

Diaz and Alvarez have no such history with one another, but interestingly enough ‘The Underground King’ does hold a split decision win over ‘The Pride Of Stockton’s’ teammate Melendez, giving a bit of a story to that potential bout as well.

With Diaz’s new-found level of superstardom after his battles inside the Octagon with McGregor, whoever the former Ultimate Fighter winner takes on next is sure to be quite the show.

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Quote: Conor McGregor’s Lightweight Title Shot Is ‘Bulls***’

The MMA world is definitely awaiting the lightweight title main event between Conor McGregor and Eddie Alvarez at November 12’s UFC 205 from Madison Square Garden in New York City, yet there are still top 155-pound fighters who believe the booking is a bit of a joke. That’s nothing new, however, as McGregor’s leapfrogging of a

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The MMA world is definitely awaiting the lightweight title main event between Conor McGregor and Eddie Alvarez at November 12’s UFC 205 from Madison Square Garden in New York City, yet there are still top 155-pound fighters who believe the booking is a bit of a joke.

That’s nothing new, however, as McGregor’s leapfrogging of a packed lightweight fray for his third consecutive fight outside of his division – where the belt sits collecting dust since last December – has caused a drawn-out uproar amongst fans and fighters alike ever since it was booked.

One lightweight who shares that sentiment is Michael Chiesa, who currently sits on the sidelines awaiting his recovery from the back injury that forced him out of a potentially great main event against Tony Ferguson this summer.

In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, ‘Maverick’ had some harsh criticism for ‘Notorious’ and his title shot, believing him to be in over his head as an easy out at 155:

I think it’s bullshit. I feel bad for the guys that have been leaped-frog by him. I do understand that there is an entertainment aspect to the sport and to this promotion, but I think you have to maintain the sport before you let a guy make moves like that. Do I like him being in my weight class? Yeah, because it’s a big money fight and I match up really well against him. I mean, I’d be one body-lock away from subbing him.

“Other than that, it doesn’t really… you know, I just feel bad for the Tony Fergusons, and the Nurmagomedovs, and these guys that have racked up these huge win streaks and they’re getting leaped-frogged by a dude, who really, I mean, we’ll find out if he has any business in our division on November 12, but until then, I don’t think he’s in the right spot. He needs to go back and do what’s right. He’s got Max Holloway and Anthony Pettis in his own weight class to deal with. So I hope Eddie puts him back down to 145, but if not welcome to your new home, welcome to the deep waters.

Chiesa’s far from the first fighter to question McGregor’s ground game, but it’s also difficult to question the Irish champ at least deserving a spot in the stacked 155-pound division, as he just beat top-ranked veteran Nate Diaz in a knockdown barnburner at August’s UFC 202. We’ll soon find out if he can beat the current best lightweight onthe planet, and if he does, a decision will have to be made about which title McGregor will defend next.

He’s already beaten Holloway, and Pettis, despite being an enticing style match-up with McGregor, has only won one fight at 145 pounds after dropping three straight at lightweight. That would mean bouts with Ferguson and/or Nurmagomedov could be on the horizon for ‘Notorious,’ and those would obviously be huge fights that were tough to pick.

With McGregor teasing some significant time off after UFC 205, we may unfortunately never get to see him take on the most dangerous 155-pound talent in the world.

Would he falter like Chiesa thinks he would, or would he rise to the occasion and silence his doubting peers?

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Breaking: Ronda Rousey Returns Against Amanda Nunes At UFC 207

Word of a ‘huge UFC announcement’ from UFC President Dana White was swirling all day today (Wed., October 12, 2016), and the exec delivered just that. Speaking during an appearance on FOX Sports 1’s “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd, White revealed that longtime former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey would finally be making her long-awaited

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Word of a ‘huge UFC announcement’ from UFC President Dana White was swirling all day today (Wed., October 12, 2016), and the exec delivered just that.

Speaking during an appearance on FOX Sports 1’s “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd, White revealed that longtime former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey would finally be making her long-awaited return to the Octagon to face current champion Amanda Nunes in the main event of December 30’s UFC 207 from Las Vegas:

Rumors of the bout have been circulating for weeks, and MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani said the bout was close to being official late last night. Rousey has been out of action since suffering her first MMA loss to Holly Holm in the main event of last year’s UFC 193.

The onetime dominant queen, who built a superstar persona in Hollywood built on the foundation of her once-thought-to-be-invincible fighting prowess, has also hardly been seen in the public eye since the defeat.

With Invicta FC featherweight champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos now having won two UFC bouts over lesser-known competition in Lina Lansberg and Leslie Smith, the brutalizing Brazilian has once again ramped up trash talk directed at “Rowdy,” posting a seething, lengthy response to the UFC’s perceived booking of Nunes vs. Rousey before the fight was even announced.

Stepping right back into a bout with the most dangerous women’s fighter ever, and one that has never competed at her weight class, simply wouldn’t be the smartest career move for Rousey coming in off an already-devastating loss, and she appears to know it. Holm, despite obviously possessing knockout power of her own, can’t hold a candle to Cyborg in that department.

Of course Nunes is far from a slouch in that department, as she battered former champion Miesha Tate, who submitted Holm to win the belt at March’s UFC 196, at July’s UFC 200 to secure the title. For that reason, ‘Cupcake’ thinks Nunes would be a big, big problem for Rousey.

Do you?

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Dana White ‘Won’t Do Three’ With McGregor-Diaz

After he gained revenge on bitter rival Nate Diaz in their rematch at UFC 202 on August 20, 2016, featherweight champion Conor McGregor said the two would likely fight for a third time down the road. But UFC President Dana White said that he was moving away from the rivalry for the time being, and it

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After he gained revenge on bitter rival Nate Diaz in their rematch at UFC 202 on August 20, 2016, featherweight champion Conor McGregor said the two would likely fight for a third time down the road.

But UFC President Dana White said that he was moving away from the rivalry for the time being, and it appears he’s sticking to it, at least for now. Recently speaking on the topic, White once again showed little interest in a third bout between the two stars:

“You can’t do three,” White told Hot 97 in New York. “Here’s the thing, Conor McGregor is this guy where if a fight falls out, this guy will step up. He doesn’t give a (expletive). He’s legitimately that guy. I’ve been on the phone and I’ve stood in the living room many times and looked guys in the face when their opponent pulls out, nobody faces that adversity the way that Conor McGregor does.

“It’s awesome and it makes me respect him very much.”

The two first met at UFC 196 last March in an instant classic that saw Diaz score an emphatic second-round submission victory. The rematch then turned out to be a five-round war in which each fighter had his moments. The “Notorious” one, however, took home a close majority decision victory.

From a business perspective, the rivalry is a lucrative one to say the least, as UFC 202 reportedly broke the all-time pay-per-view (PPV) record that was set by UFC 196. White, however, says a third contest ‘doesn’t make sense’:

“(Conor) ends up saying ‘let’s do this Nate Diaz thing’ and dude he’s two weight classes heavier than you and he doesn’t care. So we do the fight,” White explained. “Conor has to try to weigh 168 when they’re weighing in at 170. The night of the fight, Diaz comes in at 190. Now Conor McGregor is a 45, 55 pound guy and if you look at the wars he’s had with Diaz, you can only have so many of those wars in your career. It doesn’t make sense.

“That’s why we have weight classes. It ended up being an amazing fight, but you don’t want to keep doing that.”

Instead, McGregor will next challenge lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez in the main event of November 12’s UFC 205 from New York. Despite this being a blockbuster fight, the UFC has received a bit of criticism for allowing McGregor to call his shots so to say, as the Irishman has yet to defend his featherweight strap that he won last December.
Continuing on, White explained why McGregor gets this ‘special’ treatment:

“That’s why I give this guy way more rope than I give anybody else. Conor can say whatever the hell he wants to, the guy steps up on four days notice, he can say whatever he wants,” White said.

“We’re in the fight game, who really wants to fight? That dude wants to fight.”

Do you approve of McGregor facing Alvarez, and would you like to see him and Diaz run it back one more time in the future?

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Conor McGregor Earns Record-Setting Cash In 2016

Everyone already knew Conor McGregor is the highest-paid star in the UFC, but the numbers he’s claimed to earn this year -and his own valuation of his worth to his employers – are truly staggering numbers. ‘The Notorious’ set the MMA world on fire earlier this week at the UFC 205 press conference form The

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Everyone already knew Conor McGregor is the highest-paid star in the UFC, but the numbers he’s claimed to earn this year -and his own valuation of his worth to his employers – are truly staggering numbers.

‘The Notorious’ set the MMA world on fire earlier this week at the UFC 205 press conference form The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York, and not surprisingly, his record-setting paydays were at the center of his beloved trash talk.

With a potentially record-breaking lightweight championship bout against Eddie Alvarez scheduled for the main event of the UFC’s New York debut on November 12, McGregor plans to add another monstrous payday to the two already-huge hauls he gained for his electric rivalry with Nate Diaz, and at the presser, he revealed it would all add up to a massive payday never before heard of in MMA (via FOX Sports):

“By the time 2016 closes out, I’ll be closing in on $40 million. This is a $40 million dollar year for me. It’s been a damn good year.”

The same could certainly be said for the UFC as a whole, as the company recently sold to talent group WME-IMG for a record-setting $4.2 billion, the largest sale in sports history. Much of that number can be attributed to McGregor’s still-skyrocketing success rate, which brought him two of the top three pay-per-view numbers in UFC history in 2016, and it’s hardly a surprise that ‘The Notorious’ knows it.

When asked what he believed his valuation to the company was he responded with quite the exact number:

“$4.2 billion dollars,” McGregor said. “That’s what I’m worth to this company.”

A brash proclamation to be sure, but that’s what McGregor has long been known for by now. It’s also hard to argue wth his price tag, because as arguably the biggest star in MMA history, his value is limitless – evident by his calling the shots in keeping his never-defended featherweight title bout to hold up the division while fighting at welterweight and for the lightweight title.

Who can argue with him? Certainly not his bosses, who are enjoying the spoils of his record-setting numbers. McGregor’s making quite the sum himself, but according to him, he’s simply the “$4.2 billion-dollar man.”

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