Tag: UFC fight booking

UFC Hoping to Book Grant vs. Pettis & Browne vs. Miocic at UFC on FOX 9, Faber vs. “Mayday” Already a Go


(“So then Frodo was all like ‘Give me back the ring!’ and I was all like ‘No way, dude!’ Anyways, long story short, the sumbitch burned me. He burned me bad.” Photo via Getty.)

After unveiling that the next season of The Ultimate Fighter would feature a head-scratching, perhaps even nonsensical coaching matchup, the UFC Tonight gang actually hinted at and/or confirmed a few matchups that fans might actually give two shits about. It’s called progress, you guys. All three of these fights are being pegged for UFC on FOX 9, which goes down in Sacramento, California on December 14th, so let’s start with the only matchup to be confirmed last night.

Currently riding an impressive three-fight win streak, Urijah Faber will be facing an incredibly tough challenge in Michael “Mayday” McDonald at the aforementioned event. Both men are coming off wins over Yuri Alcantara and Brad Pickett, respectively, at Fight Night: Sonnen vs. Shogun. Fun fact: This four fight stretch marks the longest Faber has gone without receiving a title shot of some kind (or defending a title) since his first five fights as a professional. Dude’s like the Mick Jagger of MMA.

In other, more tentative fight booking news…


(“So then Frodo was all like ‘Give me back the ring!’ and I was all like ‘No way, dude!’ Anyways, long story short, the sumbitch burned me. He burned me bad.” Photo via Getty.)

After unveiling that the next season of The Ultimate Fighter would feature a head-scratching, perhaps even nonsensical coaching matchup, the UFC Tonight gang actually hinted at and/or confirmed a few matchups that fans might actually give two shits about. It’s called progress, you guys. All three of these fights are being pegged for UFC on FOX 9, which goes down in Sacramento, California on December 14th, so let’s start with the only matchup to be confirmed last night.

Currently riding an impressive three-fight win streak, Urijah Faber will be facing an incredibly tough challenge in Michael “Mayday” McDonald at the aforementioned event. Both men are coming off wins over Yuri Alcantara and Brad Pickett, respectively, at Fight Night: Sonnen vs. Shogun. Fun fact: This four fight stretch marks the longest Faber has gone without receiving a title shot of some kind (or defending a title) since his first five fights as a professional. Dude’s like the Mick Jagger of MMA.

In other, more tentative fight booking news…

UFC Tonight also hinted that the promotion is currently trying to book the lightweight title fight between Anthony Pettis and T.J. Grant for UFC on FOX 9 as well. The matchup hinders on whether or not Pettis’ knee will be healed up from the sprain he suffered in his title-winning effort over Ben Henderson at UFC 164 last month. All the signs seem to indicate that Pettis will be ready to go in a matter of weeks, so look forward to seeing this bout top what is already looking like another spectacular UFC on FOX card. The fight will also be Grant’s first since withdrawing from his fight with Bendo due to injury and being replaced by, you guessed it, Anthony Pettis. Let’s hope these two can stay healthy.

Additionally, a bout between Travis Browne and Stipe Miocic is also being put together for the December card. Browne is fresh off a come-from-behind KO victory over Alistair Overeem, also at Fight Night 26, whereas Miocic most recently bounced back from his first career loss with a three round beatdown of Roy Nelson at UFC 161. The only outside factor preventing this fight from being confirmed is that of the indefinite medical suspension Browne received after allegedly cutting his foot on Overeem’s glass chin (allegedly). Browne will need to be cleared for by an orthopedist and opthamologist before he can be given the go-ahead against Miocic.

Who do you like for this trio of sure-to-be-slugfests, Nation?

–J. Jones

We’re Not Really Sure What to Think of Shogun Rua vs. James Te Huna, But It’s Happening Anyway


(Despite his best efforts, Te Huna was never able to turn his “Chimney Sweep” dance move into the Gangnam Style-level viral hit he had originally hoped for. Photo via graciemag.com)

According to the Daily Telegraph, former UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio Rua and Australian contender James Te Huna have been booked to square off at the upcoming Fight Night 33: Hunt vs. Bigfoot, which goes down in Australia on December 6th.

The title says it all, really.

While this fight will likely turn into a slugfest rivaling Shogun’s scrap with Dan Henderson back at UFC 139 (let us not forget that Te Huna set a UFC record for significant strikes landed in a single round against Joey Beltran), it also reflects a somewhat significant step back in the career of Mauricio Rua. Not that Te Huna isn’t a great fighter — with 4 wins in his past 5 UFC contests, he surely is — but by pairing a legend like Rua with a relative unknown (by casual fans standards) like Te Huna, the UFC seems to be officially closing the book on Rua as a title contender.

With four losses in his past six contests and a career first two-fight skid coming at the hands of Alexander Gustafsson and Chael Sonnen, this is perhaps a revelation that we should have seen coming. However, for as long as we can remember, Rua has been one of the most intimidating forces in the sport, a perennial contender and a marquee fighter. To see him playing second fiddle to Antonio Silva (no offense) and fighting anyone less than a future title challenger or MMA megastar kind of erases, or at least blemishes, the mysticism that has existed around him for some time now. As did the fact that he was guillotined by Sonnen inside of a round in his last fight.


(Despite his best efforts, Te Huna was never able to turn his “Chimney Sweep” dance move into the Gangnam Style-level viral hit he had originally hoped for. Photo via graciemag.com)

According to the Daily Telegraph, former UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio Rua and Australian contender James Te Huna have been booked to square off at the upcoming Fight Night 33: Hunt vs. Bigfoot, which goes down in Australia on December 6th.

The title says it all, really.

While this fight will likely turn into a slugfest rivaling Shogun’s scrap with Dan Henderson back at UFC 139 (let us not forget that Te Huna set a UFC record for significant strikes landed in a single round against Joey Beltran), it also reflects a somewhat significant step back in the career of Mauricio Rua. Not that Te Huna isn’t a great fighter — with 4 wins in his past 5 UFC contests, he surely is — but by pairing a legend like Rua with a relative unknown (by casual fans standards) like Te Huna, the UFC seems to be officially closing the book on Rua as a title contender.

With four losses in his past six contests and a career first two-fight skid coming at the hands of Alexander Gustafsson and Chael Sonnen, this is perhaps a revelation that we should have seen coming. However, for as long as we can remember, Rua has been one of the most intimidating forces in the sport, a perennial contender and a marquee fighter. To see him playing second fiddle to Antonio Silva (no offense) and fighting anyone less than a future title challenger or MMA megastar kind of erases, or at least blemishes, the mysticism that has existed around him for some time now. As did the fact that he was guillotined by Sonnen inside of a round in his last fight.

Again, given his current record and Te Huna’s undeniable skill, the pairing makes sense from both a matchmaker’s and a fan’s standpoint. Yet for some reason, it’s kind of disheartening. Maybe us PRIDE fanboys are just deifying Shogun out of some misplaced sense of devotion. Maybe we’re just not ready to see a Mauricio Rua who doesn’t command (and receive) the prime spotlight with his every performance.

There I go, making a mountain out of a molehill again. Like I said, Shogun vs. Te Huna will more than likely turn into a crowd-pleasing affair that silences anyone questioning why this fight was put together in the first place (mainly me). At the same time, Mauricio “Daimyo” Rua doesn’t exactly have the same pop to it.

–J. Jones

Nate Diaz Gets His Rubber Match With Gray Maynard, Doesn’t Want a Rubber Match With Gray Maynard


(Word has it that Dana White responded to Diaz by telling him to “quit being such a fag and fight already.” Photo via Diaz’s twitter.)

Having suffered back-to-back defeats to Ben Henderson and Josh “Bitch Ass Lady Sounds” Thomson — the latter of which was the first TKO loss in his MMA career — you wouldn’t think that Nate Diaz would be in the position to start picking and choosing who he fights next. That is, after all, a right reserved exclusively for self-matchmaker extraordinaire Chael P. Sonnen. That Diaz was also recently fined and “suspended” for making offensive statements on Twitter* would further the belief that he should perhaps keep his nose to the grindstone for the time being, but a Diaz wants what a Diaz wants and that is usually weed or a fight they don’t deserve.

As such, when Nate found out he was once again being paired against Gray Maynard, he posted the above to his Twitter account. While it’s not that shocking that he would call out Pettis, it is shocking that a Diaz would seemingly turn down a fight against a guy who narrowly defeated him in their last contest. Or anyone, for that matter.

But as of this write up, Maynard and Diaz are still set to do battle at the TUF 18 Finale on November 30th. The fight will serve as a rubber match of sorts between the two, as Maynard was submitted by Diaz in an exhibition bout during the TUF 5 semifinals but went on to score a lackluster split decision over Diaz at UFC Fight Night 20 in 2010. So…advantage Diaz, we guess?


(Word has it that Dana White responded to Diaz by telling him to “quit being such a fag and fight already.” Photo via Diaz’s twitter.)

Having suffered back-to-back defeats to Ben Henderson and Josh “Bitch Ass Lady Sounds” Thomson — the latter of which was the first TKO loss in his MMA career — you wouldn’t think that Nate Diaz would be in the position to start picking and choosing who he fights next. That is, after all, a right reserved exclusively for self-matchmaker extraordinaire Chael P. Sonnen. That Diaz was also recently fined and “suspended” for making offensive statements on Twitter* would further the belief that he should perhaps keep his nose to the grindstone for the time being, but as the saying goes, “A Diaz wants what a Diaz wants and that is usually weed or a fight they don’t deserve.”

As such, when Nate found out he was once again being paired against Gray Maynard, he posted the above to his Twitter account. While it’s not that shocking that he would call out Pettis, it is shocking that a Diaz would seemingly turn down a fight against a guy who narrowly defeated him in their last contest. Or anyone, for that matter.

But as of this write up, Maynard and Diaz are still set to do battle at the TUF 18 Finale on November 30th. The fight will serve as a rubber match of sorts between the two, as Maynard was submitted by Diaz in an exhibition bout during the TUF 5 semifinals but went on to score a lackluster split decision over Diaz at UFC Fight Night 20 in 2010. So…advantage Diaz, we guess?

Similar to his TUF 5 counterpart, Maynard is also coming off a tough TKO loss — to T.J. Grant at UFC 160. The first round finish was impressive enough to earn Grant a shot at Ben Henderson and now Anthony Pettis, so expect Maynard to come out with something to prove against Diaz this time around.

In other booking news, the struggling Donald Cerrone (I really don’t like how that sounds) has already set a date for his next comeback fight. Despite suffering a rather lopsided beatdown at the hands of Rafael Dos Anjos less than two weeks ago at Fight Night 27, Cerrone was not medically suspended by the Indiana Gaming Commission and has been given the go-ahead to face Evan Dunham at UFC 167 in November. Dunham is also 1-2 in his past 3, having sandwiched a split decision win over Gleison Tibau between decision losses to T.J. Grant and Rafael Dos Anjos. Getting awfully narrow, this lightweight division is.

And finally, Brian Ebersole — he of the hairrow and the cartwheel kick – has been booked against Rick Story, also at UFC 167. We haven’t heard a peep from Ebersole ever since he dropped a short-notice fight to James Head at UFC 149, snapping an 11 fight win streak in the process. The Indiana native has been battling injuries for over a year and will be given no easy return test in Story, who is also coming off a decision loss — this one to Mike Pyle at UFC 160.

Arguably the most stacked card of the year, UFC 167: St. Pierre vs. Hendricks goes down from the MGM Grand on November 16th and features a heavyweight do-or-die fight between Frank Mir and Alistair Overeem and a welterweight showdown pitting Rory MacDonald against Robbie Lawler, among several other fantastic fights.

*Meanwhile, War Machine continues to tweet horrific things with no repercussions whatsoever. Another home run, eh Bjorn? 

–J. Jones

Barnburner Alert: Rafael Cavalcante vs. Igor Pokrajac Joins ‘Fight Night 32: Belfort vs. Henderson’

Strikeforce Dan Henderson Rafael Feijao Cavalcante
(Feijao asks Dan Miragliotta to hold his hand while getting tattooed by Dan Henderson at Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson.)

Looks like it’s time to sound the do-or-die siren once again.

With a combined record of 3-4 2 NC since 2011 (both Feijao and Pokrajac’s UFC on FX 6 opponent, Joey Beltran, tested positive for PEDs last year), the UFC futures of Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante and Igor “The Duke” Pokrajac are on shaky ground to put it politely. While Feijao was trounced by Thiago Silva in his UFC debut at UFC on FUEL 10 in June, the Croatian has dropped 2 out of his last 3 contests. That being the case, the powerful and oft misunderstood Joe Silva has called upon these two gentlemen TO DO BATTLE.

*plays medieval trumpet, reads from scroll*

The winner shall receive the ultimate glory: a feast of carp, sloths, yams and breakfast cereals, as well as twenty thousand dollars cash. The loser shall be cast into Bellator purgatory forevermore. Tis a fate some consider worse than death, and other, humorless people oft lose their shit over when we joke about it.

Feijao vs. Pokrajac becomes just the third fight to join the UFC Fight Night 32: Belfort vs. Henderson card (along with the originally scheduled TUF Brazil finals match between Cezar Ferreira and Daniel Sarafian), which goes down on November 9th from somewhere in Brazil because Vitor Belfort is fighting. I know Dana White can’t see me, but I’m totally giving him the X-Pac Suck-It! gesture right now.

Who will be seeking new employment come November 10th, Potato Nation?

Fun facts: Cavalcante has never gone the distance in 15 contests and the Suck-It! gesture was originally a parody of Michael Buffer’s infamous “Let’s get ready to rumble!” catchphrase. Small world.

–J. Jones

Strikeforce Dan Henderson Rafael Feijao Cavalcante
(Feijao asks Dan Miragliotta to hold his hand while getting tattooed by Dan Henderson at Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson.)

Looks like it’s time to sound the do-or-die siren once again.

With a combined record of 3-4 2 NC since 2011 (both Feijao and Pokrajac’s UFC on FX 6 opponent, Joey Beltran, tested positive for PEDs last year), the UFC futures of Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante and Igor “The Duke” Pokrajac are on shaky ground to put it politely. While Feijao was trounced by Thiago Silva in his UFC debut at UFC on FUEL 10 in June, the Croatian has dropped 2 out of his last 3 contests. That being the case, the powerful and oft misunderstood Joe Silva has called upon these two gentlemen TO DO BATTLE.

*plays medieval trumpet, reads from scroll*

The winner shall receive the ultimate glory: a feast of carp, sloths, yams and breakfast cereals, as well as twenty thousand dollars cash. The loser shall be cast into Bellator purgatory forevermore. Tis a fate some consider worse than death, and other, humorless people oft lose their shit over when we joke about it.

Feijao vs. Pokrajac becomes just the third fight to join the UFC Fight Night 32: Belfort vs. Henderson card (along with the originally scheduled TUF Brazil finals match between Cezar Ferreira and Daniel Sarafian), which goes down on November 9th from somewhere in Brazil because Vitor Belfort is fighting. I know Dana White can’t see me, but I’m totally giving him the X-Pac Suck-It! gesture right now.

Who will be seeking new employment come November 10th, Potato Nation?

Fun facts: Cavalcante has never gone the distance in 15 contests and the Suck-It! gesture was originally a parody of Michael Buffer’s infamous “Let’s get ready to rumble!” catchphrase. Small world.

–J. Jones

Thy Gangster’s Will Be Done: Chael Sonnen vs. Rashad Evans Set For UFC 167


(Further proof that Chael Sonnen is a direct descendant of Prometheus.) 

One of the most well known Bible verses is Matthew 6:10, which in the King James version reads: “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Although scholars believe that the verse was/is a plea for all of mankind to obey the will of God, recent evidence indicates that it was clearly describing the will of Chael P. Sonnen. For ye, whenever the “American Gangster” speaketh, so the UFC shall maketh it a reality.

Two days ago, we reported that the mushroom cloud of anger that Wanderlei Silva has become would have to wait until next year to rearrange Sonnen’s butt face (and to think, he coulda been in the NFL if it weren’t for his bum back). Being that Chael loves fighting more than Jack Donaghy loves negotiation, he figured he might as well keep busy while his (next) Brazilian nemesis recuperated by calling out his UFC Tonight co-worker Rashad Evans in “The Axe Murderer’s” place.

Which brings us to today’s announcement: The Oregonian will indeed be facing Evans at UFC 167, because shit happens when you were one half of the highest selling UFC PPV of all time. The event will mark the UFC’s 20th anniversary and will transpire at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on November 16th.


(Further proof that Chael Sonnen is a direct descendant of Prometheus.) 

One of the most well known Bible verses is Matthew 6:10, which in the King James version reads: “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Although scholars believe that the verse was/is a plea for all of mankind to obey the will of God, recent evidence indicates that it was clearly describing the will of Chael P. Sonnen. For ye, whenever the “American Gangster” speaketh, so the UFC shall maketh it a reality.

Two days ago, we reported that the mushroom cloud of anger that Wanderlei Silva has become would have to wait until next year to rearrange Sonnen’s butt face (and to think, he coulda been in the NFL if it weren’t for his bum back). Being that Chael loves fighting more than Jack Donaghy loves negotiation, he figured he might as well keep busy while his (next) Brazilian nemesis recuperated by calling out his UFC Tonight co-worker Rashad Evans in “The Axe Murderer’s” place.

Which brings us to today’s announcement: The Oregonian will indeed be facing Evans at UFC 167, because shit happens when you were one half of the highest selling UFC PPV of all time. The event will mark the UFC’s 20th anniversary and will transpire at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on November 16th.

After dropping back-to-back contests against two guys you’ve probably never heard of, Sonnen got back in the win column with a decisive and dominant first round submission over Mauricio Rua in August. Evans, on the other hand, is coming off a much less decisive split decision victory over Dan Henderson at UFC 161. The trash-talking alert for this matchup has already reached threat level double rainbow.

Does anyone see Sonnen making it two straight at light heavyweight, or will he end up licking Rashad’s boot once again?

–J. Jones

Thy Gangster’s Will Be Done: Chael Sonnen vs. Rashad Evans Set For UFC 167


(Further proof that Chael Sonnen is a direct descendant of Prometheus.) 

One of the most well known Bible verses is Matthew 6:10, which in the King James version reads: “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Although scholars believe that the verse was/is a plea for all of mankind to obey the will of God, recent evidence indicates that it was clearly describing the will of Chael P. Sonnen. For ye, whenever the “American Gangster” speaketh, so the UFC shall maketh it a reality.

Two days ago, we reported that the mushroom cloud of anger that Wanderlei Silva has become would have to wait until next year to rearrange Sonnen’s butt face (and to think, he coulda been in the NFL if it weren’t for his bum back). Being that Chael loves fighting more than Jack Donaghy loves negotiation, he figured he might as well keep busy while his (next) Brazilian nemesis recuperated by calling out his UFC Tonight co-worker Rashad Evans in “The Axe Murderer’s” place.

Which brings us to today’s announcement: The Oregonian will indeed be facing Evans at UFC 167, because shit happens when you were one half of the highest selling UFC PPV of all time. The event will mark the UFC’s 20th anniversary and will transpire at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on November 16th.


(Further proof that Chael Sonnen is a direct descendant of Prometheus.) 

One of the most well known Bible verses is Matthew 6:10, which in the King James version reads: “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Although scholars believe that the verse was/is a plea for all of mankind to obey the will of God, recent evidence indicates that it was clearly describing the will of Chael P. Sonnen. For ye, whenever the “American Gangster” speaketh, so the UFC shall maketh it a reality.

Two days ago, we reported that the mushroom cloud of anger that Wanderlei Silva has become would have to wait until next year to rearrange Sonnen’s butt face (and to think, he coulda been in the NFL if it weren’t for his bum back). Being that Chael loves fighting more than Jack Donaghy loves negotiation, he figured he might as well keep busy while his (next) Brazilian nemesis recuperated by calling out his UFC Tonight co-worker Rashad Evans in “The Axe Murderer’s” place.

Which brings us to today’s announcement: The Oregonian will indeed be facing Evans at UFC 167, because shit happens when you were one half of the highest selling UFC PPV of all time. The event will mark the UFC’s 20th anniversary and will transpire at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on November 16th.

After dropping back-to-back contests against two guys you’ve probably never heard of, Sonnen got back in the win column with a decisive and dominant first round submission over Mauricio Rua in August. Evans, on the other hand, is coming off a much less decisive split decision victory over Dan Henderson at UFC 161. The trash-talking alert for this matchup has already reached threat level double rainbow.

Does anyone see Sonnen making it two straight at light heavyweight, or will he end up licking Rashad’s boot once again?

–J. Jones