Dana White Addresses Booking Shevchenko vs. Eubanks As UFC 230 Headliner

The UFC President had to explain booking such an odd fight for the main event.

The post Dana White Addresses Booking Shevchenko vs. Eubanks As UFC 230 Headliner appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Dana White addresses booking a vacant flyweight title fight between Valentina Shevchenko and Sijara Eubanks for the UFC 230 pay-per-view event. Once this fight was reported online and later confirmed, fight fans around the world, as well as media members, went nuts as this fight was an odd choice.

Thus, when the UFC President had to address it in a recent interview with Brett Okamoto of ESPN, it was quite the scene to see him explain it. All of the uproars about it was due to the situation that the UFC found itself.

First, you had a fight that the fans wanted to see in the headlining role, which was Nate Diaz fighting Dustin Poirier in a lightweight bout. You also had the fact that Shevchenko was supposed to fight former UFC women’s strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk, at the UFC 231 pay-per-view event. By booking this flyweight title fight at UFC 230, not only did the UFC not give fans what they wanted with Diaz and Poirier but also nixed the UFC 231 fight as well.

Dana White Addresses

“Because we moved it sooner, Joanna wasn’t ready for that fight,” UFC President Dana White said (H/T to Sherdog). “Valentina doesn’t care. This girl will fight tomorrow. She wants to fight every month.”

At least in the eyes of White, he appears quite happy with making this fight in the main event. He also made it clear that he has made sure that Eubanks will be able to make weight and to the Octagon for this title fight.

“Eubanks, if she’d have made weight, she’d have been the champion or at least fought for the championship,” he said. “And there’s no doubt Valentina is the baddest girl around at 125 right now. It was the fight to make. I’m just glad we could pull it off this soon. We made sure that Eubanks was on weight,” White said. “So Sijara is close to weight and Valentina is a beast and wanted this fight. It’s a fun fight.”

People’s Main Event

Regarding not making Diaz and Poirier the headliner by creating a 165-pound division and giving them a vacant title fight, he says it was never a consideration.

“It’s all just talk,” White said. “First of all you make 165 pounds, you’re gonna start pulling people from the 170-pound division. Then you’re gonna see a lot of people from 170 and 155 that couldn’t win a title at 170 and 155 jumping to 165 to fight for a title there. It doesn’t make sense. We’ve always kept it simple…We have enough weight classes.”

Save The Date

The UFC 230 pay-per-view event is set to take place on Saturday, November 3, 2018 at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, New York City with the main card airing on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. ET while the preliminary card will air on FOX Sports 1 at 8 p.m. ET and the promotion’s streaming service, UFC Fight Pass.

The post Dana White Addresses Booking Shevchenko vs. Eubanks As UFC 230 Headliner appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Dana White Clarifies Future Of Light Heavyweight Division

It looks like Daniel Cormier’s days as champion in the light heavyweight division are numbered. Dana White has clarified his future vision of the 205-pound weight class and “DC” is nowhere to be found. Double-champ Cormier has been sidelined since winning the heavyweight title back at UFC 226 in July over then champion Stipe Miocic. Cormier […]

The post Dana White Clarifies Future Of Light Heavyweight Division appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

It looks like Daniel Cormier’s days as champion in the light heavyweight division are numbered. Dana White has clarified his future vision of the 205-pound weight class and “DC” is nowhere to be found.

Double-champ Cormier has been sidelined since winning the heavyweight title back at UFC 226 in July over then champion Stipe Miocic. Cormier broke his hand in the fight, adding to his lengthy history of broken hands.

Further complicating matters the UFC has been urging “DC” to relinquish the title in hopes of booking the newly reinstated Jon Jones vs. anyone. Cormier, however, seems focused on defending his heavyweight title against the returning Brock Lesnar.

How White Sees It

Unfortunately for Cormier, White believes the time is coming when the UFC will have to strip “DC” of the 205-pound strap.

“Cormier is hurt right now, said on the “UFC Unfiltered” podcast. “He broke his hand in the Stipe [Miocic] fight. So when they’re in these types of situations, much like the Conor [McGregor] situation and others that it’s happened to, Georges St-Pierre, whoever, Cormier by tying up two belts is going to have to give up one of the belts.”

White isn’t opposed to a third Cormier vs. Jones fight, however, he wants that fight to take place in the heavyweight division. Cormier insists he wants to finish the trilogy with Jones where it started – at 205 pounds.

What Cormier Wants

“[Cormier] wants to fight Jon Jones and beat Jon Jones at 205 [pounds],” White revealed. “Not that that’s going to happen, but that’s what he wants in a perfect world. I would obviously rather see them fight at heavyweight, but I really don’t know if Jon Jones wants to move up to heavyweight. It really hasn’t played out yet.”

White had hoped to announce Jones vs. Gustafsson for the light heavyweight title as the main event for UFC 232 on Dec. 29 in Las Vegas.

That fight is definitely worthy of such accolades, but with Cormier unwilling to play ball, the future of the light heavyweight division is very much up in the air.

The post Dana White Clarifies Future Of Light Heavyweight Division appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Joe Rogan Has Never Heard Of Valentina Shevchenko’s UFC 230 Opponent

UFC 230 has its main event. However, commentator Joe Rogan has never heard of Valentina Shevchenko’s opponent Sijara Eubanks. It took months but the UFC’s annual November trip to the Big Apple finally has its main event. You could say the overwhelming feedback from fans and media alike has been plain awful. The decision to […]

The post Joe Rogan Has Never Heard Of Valentina Shevchenko’s UFC 230 Opponent appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

UFC 230 has its main event. However, commentator Joe Rogan has never heard of Valentina Shevchenko’s opponent Sijara Eubanks.

It took months but the UFC’s annual November trip to the Big Apple finally has its main event. You could say the overwhelming feedback from fans and media alike has been plain awful. The decision to make a women’s flyweight title fight between Shevchenko and Eubanks is quite the head-scratcher, to say the least.

Not only did this fight come out of nowhere, but there are also far-reaching ramifications. Most notably, this hijacked a previously discussed title bout between Shevchenko and Joanna Jedrzejczyk for December 8’s UFC 231.

Even longtime UFC color commentator Joe Rogan was taken back by the fight announcement. He even admitted to Brendan Schaub while on air, that he doesn’t even know who Eubanks is, despite the fact he will be calling her fight on November 3.

“What?!” Rogan’s reaction to the report of Shevchenko vs. Eubanks.

“No offense, but I don’t even know who Sijara Eubanks is, and I’m the commentator for the UFC,” Rogan added.

Background

Eubanks was a finalist on season 26 of The Ultimate Fighter. She won all three of her tournament fights in the TUF house to face Nicco Montano for the inaugural UFC women’s flyweight title. Unfortunately, she was hospitalized on weigh-in day over a bad weight cut. It should be noted that Eubanks did have difficulties making weight while in the TUF house.

Rogan only said what most people were thinking in the first place. Eubanks is a fine fighter in her own right. Shevchenko is essentially the uncrowned champion of the women’s 125-pound division. Fans just didn’t think they’d be headlining a supposedly massive event like UFC 230 so soon.

No Jones vs. Gus?

A highly-anticipated light heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson was rumored for the UFC 230 main event. ‘The Mauler’ claims that he’s signed his bout agreement and that Jones has “gone missing.’ Jones, meanwhile, says that he’s back to take his throne with a brutal ‘daddy’s home now’ tweet to champion Daniel Cormier.

Obviously, that fight is exponentially more awaited than the one currently headlining the pay-per-view card. Is there still hope for UFC 230?

The post Joe Rogan Has Never Heard Of Valentina Shevchenko’s UFC 230 Opponent appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Joe Rogan Has Never Heard Of UFC 230’s Sijara Eubanks

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) color commentator Joe Rogan has been taken aback by the UFC 230 main event. On Nov. 3, UFC 230 will take place inside the world famous Madison Square Garden in New York City. For a while, the UFC was without a main …

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) color commentator Joe Rogan has been taken aback by the UFC 230 main event. On Nov. 3, UFC 230 will take place inside the world famous Madison Square Garden in New York City. For a while, the UFC was without a main event for the card. Lightweights Nate Diaz and Dustin […]

The post Joe Rogan Has Never Heard Of UFC 230’s Sijara Eubanks appeared first on MMA News.

Jon Jones Flames Daniel Cormier: “Daddy’s Home Now”

It’s that time of the year when Jon Jones flames the double champ Daniel Cormier on social media…again. The back-and-forth between 205-pound champion Cormier, Jones, and Alexander Gustafsson has been hard to follow these last couple of days. It’s been unfolding at a breakneck pace. Just earlier today Gustafsson claimed Jones had ‘gone missing’ in an […]

The post Jon Jones Flames Daniel Cormier: “Daddy’s Home Now” appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

It’s that time of the year when Jon Jones flames the double champ Daniel Cormier on social media…again.

The back-and-forth between 205-pound champion Cormier, Jones, and Alexander Gustafsson has been hard to follow these last couple of days. It’s been unfolding at a breakneck pace.

Just earlier today Gustafsson claimed Jones had ‘gone missing’ in an attempt to get the recently-reinstated fighter to sign their perceived contract to fight.

While its unlikely Gustafsson’s antics will get “Bones” any more excited to fight him, Jones did sound off on Twitter. However, Jones took aim at his bitter rival “DC” instead.

Jones Flames Cormier…Again

The UFC has been urging Cormier to relinquish the title but the double champ doesn’t seem to keen on that proposition.

Muddying the waters even more, the UFC announced a rather head-scratching main event for the highly anticipated UFC 230 next month in New, York. Still, Jones and Gustafsson could end facing off for “DC’s” belt. Should they?

The post Jon Jones Flames Daniel Cormier: “Daddy’s Home Now” appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Gustafsson Claims Jon Jones Refuses To Sign UFC 230 Contract

Alexander Gustafsson claims Jon Jones ‘has gone missing’ before November 3’s UFC 230 from Madison Square Garden in New York. After Jones was recently given a reduced suspension by USADA, speculation ran rampant that ‘Bones’ would meet longtime rival Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 230. Current UFC 205-pound champion Daniel Cormier even said the UFC was […]

The post Gustafsson Claims Jon Jones Refuses To Sign UFC 230 Contract appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Alexander Gustafsson claims Jon Jones ‘has gone missing’ before November 3’s UFC 230 from Madison Square Garden in New York.

After Jones was recently given a reduced suspension by USADA, speculation ran rampant that ‘Bones’ would meet longtime rival Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 230. Current UFC 205-pound champion Daniel Cormier even said the UFC was attempting to get him to vacate his belt for the fight. UFC President Dana White confirmed on the ‘UFC Unfiltered’ podcast that the promotion was indeed looking into it.

But when a head-scratching main event was confirmed for UFC 230 today, the fight seemed like it wasn’t happening for now.

It’s lead Gustafsson to suggest Jones has gone into hiding. He trolled the troubled former champion on Instagram with a post claiming he signed his bout agreement before suggesting Jones was chicken:

@jonnybones, you are pissing me off! I signed my agreement. Where are you?? Are you chickening out again?? Stop being a coward! #chicken#signthecontract #scared

Gus Is Getting Impatient

‘The Mauler’ suggests that the ball is in Jones’ court. Apparently, all he need do is sign the contract so they can fight. But White has repeatedly said Jones will return in 2019 rather than at UFC 230.

It’ll be interesting to see how this situation plays out. There’s a lot of doubt that Cormier will cut back down to 205 pounds to defend that title before he fights Brock Lesnar at heavyweight. Jones vs. Gustafsson is the only fight to make for the belt if that’s the case. There’s not enough talent at light heavyweight to avoid it due to the division’s pure lack of depth at the top.

Gustafsson, meanwhile, has been out of action for too long. He was last seen defeating Glover Teixeira in May 2017. Time could be running for his title relevancy. He’s been chasing a rematch with Jones ever since their classic first fight at UFC 165 in 2013.

Will he finally get the fight he’s been chasing for five years? Or is Jones truly M.I.A.?

The post Gustafsson Claims Jon Jones Refuses To Sign UFC 230 Contract appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.