Rashad Evans (19-5-1) may have a dance partner next month. The former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight champion has been linked to the UFC 209 card set for March 4 inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. After having his bout with Tim Kennedy fall through for both UFC 205 and 206, “Suga” wants […]
Rashad Evans (19-5-1) may have a dance partner next month. The former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight champion has been linked to the UFC 209 card set for March 4 inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. After having his bout with Tim Kennedy fall through for both UFC 205 and 206, “Suga” wants […]
They say a picture is worth a 1,000 words. While that’s not a rule that applies to every single situation, a photograph released by the UFC this week, at least in a collective sense, probably drew 1,000 words from fan responses within the first hour. On Wednesday, UFC unveiled the official fight poster for the […]
They say a picture is worth a 1,000 words. While that’s not a rule that applies to every single situation, a photograph released by the UFC this week, at least in a collective sense, probably drew 1,000 words from fan responses within the first hour. On Wednesday, UFC unveiled the official fight poster for the […]
UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor and No. 1-ranked Khabib Nurmagomedov have a beef that needs to be squashed. The pair engaged in a verbal battle backstage at the UFC 205 ceremonial weigh-ins this past November, with security needed to keep the two 155-pounders away from each other. With McGregor taking some time off to enjoy the
UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor and No. 1-ranked Khabib Nurmagomedov have a beef that needs to be squashed.
The pair engaged in a verbal battle backstage at the UFC 205 ceremonial weigh-ins this past November, with security needed to keep the two 155-pounders away from each other. With McGregor taking some time off to enjoy the birth of his first child, however, this leaves Nurmagomedov to compete for the interim lightweight title against Tony Ferguson in the co-main event of March 4’s UFC 209 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Nurmagomedov caught up with TMZ (via FOX Sports) recently to promote the bout, and vowed to ‘smash’ McGregor once he’s done with Ferguson:
“Conor has to be careful because I’m going to smash Tony Ferguson and after I’m going to smash Conor McGregor,” Nurmagomedov said. “I think after this one, people will begin to forget about this guy. But now, everybody talks about him, but it’s okay. For me, it’s okay.”
Regardless of if he ever gets the chance to step into the Octagon with ‘The Notorious,’ Nurmagomedov’s key focus at the moment is to one day reign as the UFC’s lightweight king. With a current undefeated record of 24-0, the Russian went on to compare his success in mixed martial arts (MMA) to that of Floyd Mayweather Jr. in boxing:
“I don’t care about him, I only want to fight for the title. This is what I want. I don’t care about Conor or Floyd Mayweather. Floyd Mayweather is one of the greatest boxers, but I think I am the Floyd Mayweather of MMA. I am 24-0, I can be 26-0 — 10-0 in the UFC — undefeated and undisputed UFC lightweight champion. I want to become the greatest lightweight ever. This is what I want.”
With the UFC being adamant in their attempts to get a show in Nurmagomedov’s home country of Russia soon, perhaps the chips could all fall into place pitting a massive lightweight title showdown between McGregor and ‘The Eagle’.
How do you think McGregor would fare inside the Octagon against the undefeated grappling phenom if they ever throw down?
Nurmagomedov’s latest warning means that Conor McGregor should probably take note. There have been many times in which a particular UFC fighter has been compared with boxing legend Floyd Mayweather, for reasons which are mostly found outside of the octagon. A love of flaunting wealth, brash self-confidence, peerless pay-per-view numbers in their sport (in addition to a ‘gift […]
Nurmagomedov’s latest warning means that Conor McGregor should probably take note. There have been many times in which a particular UFC fighter has been compared with boxing legend Floyd Mayweather, for reasons which are mostly found outside of the octagon. A love of flaunting wealth, brash self-confidence, peerless pay-per-view numbers in their sport (in addition to a ‘gift […]
For the second time in his UFC career, Stephen Thompson will compete for a belt on March 4. Although he didn’t lose against Tyron Woodley during their UFC 205 clash, ‘Wonderboy’ also didn’t have his hand raised. When the resulting draw was (eventually) read out, talk of a rematch was immediately in motion. Having gone
For the second time in his UFC career, Stephen Thompson will compete for a belt on March 4. Although he didn’t lose against Tyron Woodley during their UFC 205 clash, ‘Wonderboy’ also didn’t have his hand raised. When the resulting draw was (eventually) read out, talk of a rematch was immediately in motion. Having gone five hard rounds with ‘The Chosen One’ with no clear winner, a second go seemed the obvious option, maybe the only one. Soon after that November night in New York, the champion threw some other ideas out there.
Chucking his name in the hat for fights against Nick Diaz and Conor McGregor, to name a few, Woodley kept us all guessing. Would Thompson really be denied a second crack of the whip? As it turns out, no, but there were reports that Diaz had indeed been offered a fight against the champion. Speaking to our good friends Submission Radio, ‘Wonderboy’ details the timeline of events leading to the UFC 209 booking, and also the heat surrounding the rivalry with Woodley.
Wonderboy Says Woodley Is Entitled
“I didn’t have to work too hard to get this fight. I know he was talking about McGregor, St-Pierre and Bisping. If it’s a draw, you always run it back. I was surprised when he was talking about other people, he was talking about all these guys. I got the contract before the Christmas break and sent it right back. Then I posted a picture of the contract on Twitter, and I think it hit a nerve. He told me later that he was going to sign and announce the fight, and that I had kinda jumped the gun by announcing it.”
“I laughed (when Woodley said I was entitled). There’s not an entitled bone in my body. I didn’t ask the UFC for the contract, they sent it to me. If anything it seems like he’s entitled, begging for the money fight and riding these other guy’s coat tails.”
Racism Comments
During a number of interviews since UFC 205, Tyron Woodley has claimed to be the worst treated UFC champion. Citing his race as the reason for alleged lesser treatment from his employers, ‘T-Wood’ has sparked some tense debates. Responding to these claims, Thompson says he doesn’t see Woodley as the most hated champ:
“The guy hasn’t been champion long enough to even feel this way. To me it seems like the most hated champion would be Bisping. (Tyron) hasn’t defended the title like he’s supposed to. When it comes to race, that’s stupid. One of the highest paid athletes in the UFC is Jon Jones, Anderson Silva too.”
“He’s focusing on that, and he should be focusing on the task at hand. I don’t want to fight a distracted Tyron Woodley. I don’t see what goes on from his point of view, during negotiations, maybe I’m missing something. From my side, it’s not necessary. I know the fans were more on my side because of him denying me, he was asking for a money fight.”
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight contender Stephen Thompson has regrets about his first title bout with Tyron Woodley. The two 170-pound warriors fought to a majority draw at UFC 205 inside Madison Square Garden in New York City.
“The Chosen One” had his moments where it looked like he had Thompson finished. The champion had “Wonderboy” bloodied and locked in a tight guillotine choke. Thompson showed his heart, got out of danger and made the fight so close that the judges couldn’t declare a winner.
Thompson recently appeared on the UFC Unfiltered Podcast (via MMAMania.com) and he talked about his first encounter with Woodley. “Wonderboy” said he’s ready to prove that he’s better than what he showed at UFC 205:
“It fuels me knowing that I wasn’t at my best, while Tyron was at his best, he hit me with his best shots, had a deep guillotine choke on me and still couldn’t finish me. So that gives me the fuel and fire to get out there and do it again. To train as hard as I can knowing that.”
“Wonderboy” was on a seven-fight winning streak going into the UFC 205 championship bout with “T-Wood.” Four of his wins in that stretch were knockouts. Some of the fighters Thompson beat to get his shot were Johny Hendricks, Rory MacDonald, Robert Whittaker, and Jake Ellenberger.
While Thompson hasn’t lost since 2012, Woodley hasn’t suffered a defeat since 2014. After falling short to MacDonald, Woodley starched Dong Hyun Kim in the first round. He then fought Kelvin Gastelum and took a split decision.
Woodley was supposed to meet Johny Hendricks in a title eliminator, but “Bigg Rigg” was forced to pull out thanks to weight cutting issues. “The Chosen One” was granted a title opportunity for the fiasco. Woodley made the most of it by knocking out Robbie Lawler in the first round to capture the welterweight title.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT9SCx1gkbw
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight contender Stephen Thompson has regrets about his first title bout with Tyron Woodley. The two 170-pound warriors fought to a majority draw at UFC 205 inside Madison Square Garden in New York City.
“The Chosen One” had his moments where it looked like he had Thompson finished. The champion had “Wonderboy” bloodied and locked in a tight guillotine choke. Thompson showed his heart, got out of danger and made the fight so close that the judges couldn’t declare a winner.
Thompson recently appeared on the UFC Unfiltered Podcast (via MMAMania.com) and he talked about his first encounter with Woodley. “Wonderboy” said he’s ready to prove that he’s better than what he showed at UFC 205:
“It fuels me knowing that I wasn’t at my best, while Tyron was at his best, he hit me with his best shots, had a deep guillotine choke on me and still couldn’t finish me. So that gives me the fuel and fire to get out there and do it again. To train as hard as I can knowing that.”
“Wonderboy” was on a seven-fight winning streak going into the UFC 205 championship bout with “T-Wood.” Four of his wins in that stretch were knockouts. Some of the fighters Thompson beat to get his shot were Johny Hendricks, Rory MacDonald, Robert Whittaker, and Jake Ellenberger.
While Thompson hasn’t lost since 2012, Woodley hasn’t suffered a defeat since 2014. After falling short to MacDonald, Woodley starched Dong Hyun Kim in the first round. He then fought Kelvin Gastelum and took a split decision.
Woodley was supposed to meet Johny Hendricks in a title eliminator, but “Bigg Rigg” was forced to pull out thanks to weight cutting issues. “The Chosen One” was granted a title opportunity for the fiasco. Woodley made the most of it by knocking out Robbie Lawler in the first round to capture the welterweight title.