The UFC just lost their main event for the upcoming UFC Fight Night 101 event. Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting is reporting that Luke Rockhold has pulled out of his scheduled middleweight bout with Ronaldo Souza due to an undisclosed injury. This was supposed to be the main event of UFC Fight Night 101. The
The UFC just lost their main event for the upcoming UFC Fight Night 101 event. Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting is reporting that Luke Rockhold has pulled out of his scheduled middleweight bout with Ronaldo Souza due to an undisclosed injury. This was supposed to be the main event of UFC Fight Night 101.
The UFC has yet to has yet to announce who Souza will fight next, but it appears as though he will not remain on the card, which might put the event in jeopardy of being canceled as well.
This would have been a rematch between the two fighters as their first fight took place back in September of 2011, which Rockhold won by decision.
UFC Fight Night 101 takes place on November 27th in Melbourne, Australia at the Rod Laver Arena. The entire card will air on the UFC’s streaming service, UFC Fight Pass. Here is the updated card:
Coming off of a successful first title defense of his mixed martial arts (MMA) career against longtime rival Dan Henderson, UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping must shift his attention to who the next man up to challenge him for the 185-pound throne will be. ‘The Count’ has no shortage of challengers for the gold, as
Coming off of a successful first title defense of his mixed martial arts (MMA) career against longtime rival Dan Henderson, UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping must shift his attention to who the next man up to challenge him for the 185-pound throne will be.
‘The Count’ has no shortage of challengers for the gold, as perennial contenders Chris Weidman, Luke Rockhold, Yoel Romero, and Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza all have fights with on another set to go down in the near future.
Bisping was recently a guest on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour (courtesy of MMA Fighting) to discuss his future plans inside the Octagon, and he is well aware of the beasts that await to challenge him for the strap that he has held so proudly since winning it at UFC 199 this past June:
“Obviously it’s got to be one of the big contenders next,” Bisping said. “We’ll see how the chips fall regarding their fights. I think I’d like Weidman, to be honest. If Weidman could get past Romero, that’d be a fight that interests me.
“And seeing that me and Weidman have this rivalry now — I’ve got nothing against Weidman. He likes to talk sh*t about my career, and I’ll do the same on his, but I wish him all the best. Competition aside, he seems like a good guy and good dude. But we’ve been talking a lot, so I guess we’re going to settle it in the Octagon. So if he gets past Yoel Romero, which he’s got his hands full there, but if he does, then yeah, I’ll happily fight him next. I believe he’s a good match-up for me.”
The Brit captured his first taste of UFC gold when he downed Luke Rockhold, a rematch of their first contest from UFC Fight Night 55 where Rockhold took home the submission win, in the main event of UFC 199 this past June with a thunderous first round knockout that set the MMA world ablaze. After nearly a decade in the sport Bisping had finally realized his dream of becoming a UFC champion.
Now after taking home a highly controversial unanimous decision win over Dan Henderson in his first career title defense earlier this year, the former Ultimate Fighter Winner is ready to get back in the Octagon for yet another title defense.
When it comes to a rubber match with Rockhold, however, Bisping doesn’t see a big money fight in a trilogy bout with Rockhold, who according to Bisping, ‘nobody really cares about’:
“Well, business-wise, nobody really cares about Luke Rockhold,” Bisping said. “Unfortunately, business-wise, nobody cares about Chris Weidman either, so I don’t think either of them really make me that much money, unfortunately. They’re probably the best two guys in the division other than me, and nobody gives a sh*t about them. Nobody gives a damn. That’s why Chris Weidman couldn’t main event a pay-per-view (when he was champion), he was always the co-main event.
“But I’ll just take on the best challengers. I know what people said about the Henderson fight, but the UFC came to me with the match. I didn’t ask for it, so I said yeah, sure. And now I’m happy to take on whoever the true No. 1 contender is, so we’ll see who wins these fights, and whoever it is, I’ll happily fight him. I’ve never ducked a fight in my life.”
Outside of the top four ranked challengers at 185 pounds, a new challenger could be awaiting Bisping in the form of former Strikeforce champ Gegard Mousasi. Mousasi captured a second round TKO victory over Vitor Belfort in the co-main event of UFC 204 earlier this month, the same card Bisping defended his title against Henderson.
After the bout Mousasi made quite the claim to a potential title shot against Bisping, claiming he’d jab his face off en-route to securing the gold:
Oct 8, 2016; Manchester, UK; Michael Bisping (red gloves) enters the arena before his fight against Dan Henderson (blue gloves) during UFC 204 at Manchester Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports
“Here’s the thing, Mousasi is an incredible fighter,” Bisping said. “He really is. I like the guy. But I just said that Rockhold and Weidman [would do] terrible business. Jesus Christ, I think it would be astronomically bad business at the moment with Mousasi. He just needs another win or two to really get people’s attention. Unfortunately, it wasn’t that long ago that the idiot Uriah Hall got a fluke knockout against him, so that kind of hurt his stock. And Mousasi is incredible, he really is. He’s one of the best underrated fighters in the world.
“He beat Vitor easily and impressively. I think another big-name opponent, or another one or two in there certainly, he would be more of a household name, then I’d be happy to face him when the time comes. But I think right now he needs another tune-up fight.”
Chris Weidman and Yoel Romero will attempt to make a case for the next shot a Bisping when they meet at UFC 205 live on pay-per-view (PPV), from the Madison Square Garden arena in New York City on November 12, 2016.
Rockhold will attempt to get his rubber match with Bisping if he is able to make a statement against the fierce ‘Jacare’ Souza in their main event clash at UFC Fight Night 101, live from the Rod Laver Stadium in Melbourne, Australia on November 27, 2016.
Three new fights have been added to the upcoming UFC Fight Night 101 card, including a flyweight contest between Ben Nguyen and Geane Herrera.
The other two bouts will take place in the…
Three new fights have been added to the upcoming UFC Fight Night 101 card, including a flyweight contest between Ben Nguyen and Geane Herrera.
The other two bouts will take place in the lightweight ranks, as Yusuke Kasuya meets Alex Volkanovski and Damien Brown tangles with Jon Tuck.
Nguyen (16-6) has won two of his three UFC fights, while Herrera (9-2) has dropped two of his three. Tuck (9-3) owns an even 3-3 mark inside the Octagon, while Brown (16-9) is 1-1.
Kasuya (9-2) dropped his only UFC fight to date and will be welcoming Volkanovski (13-1) to the promotion. Both fighters were expected to compete this coming Saturday – against different opponents – at the now cancelled UFC Fight Night 97 event.
UFC Fight Night 101 takes place November 26 from the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia and features Luke Rockhold vs. Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza.
Middleweights Robert Whittaker and Derek Brunson have been added to the upcoming UFC Fight Night 101 card set for Australia later this year.
Whittaker (16-4) has won five in a row, includ…
Middleweights Robert Whittaker and Derek Brunson have been added to the upcoming UFC Fight Night 101 card set for Australia later this year.
Whittaker (16-4) has won five in a row, including finishes of Brad Tavares and Clint Hester. He is coming off back-to-back decision wins vs. Rafael Natal and Uriah Hall.
Brunson (16-3) sports a similar five-fight win streak that includes a recent finish of Hall and stoppage victories over Roan Carneiro, Sam Alvey and Ed Herman.
UFC Fight Night 101 takes place November 27 from the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia. Luke Rockhold meets Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza in the main event.
Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold will compete for the first time since surrendering his title when he rematches fellow top contender Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza in the main event of UFC 101 on November 27, 2016 from the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia. Prior to this booking, there were talks of a potential rematch
Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold will compete for the first time since surrendering his title when he rematches fellow top contender Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza in the main event of UFC 101 on November 27, 2016 from the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia.
Prior to this booking, there were talks of a potential rematch between Rockhold and Chris Weidman, the man Rockhold took the belt from last December, but Weidman has since been matched up with Yoel Romero. Rockhold feels as if the bout with Souza makes the most sense for him, however:
“I think this is the most credible fight for me right now. Jacare has proven himself as the top-tier guy. I’ve already beat Chris Weidman, beating him again at this stage, I don’t think it proves as much as this fight right now. I think people are high on Jacare and (if) I go out there and put him away, I think it speaks volumes. I think it’s the biggest statement fight right now.” Rockhold told Submission Radio.
The first time the two met was at a Strikeforce event back in 2011 in which Rockhold walked away with a split-decision victory. In the time since, the former champ doesn’t feel as if “Jacare” has evolved as much as he had:
“I’m very aware of what Jacare brings to the table and I’ve watched him as he’s grown. I don’t think he’s grown as much as me. He’s tough, I think he’s gotten more confidence in his right hand, but he hasn’t grown in the ways I have. I respect Jacare, but I’m gonna go out there and I’m gonna pick him apart.”
Ultimately, Rockhold requested a big main event fight, and he was granted his wish. With that being said, he plans to make a statement and receive another shot at divisional supremacy:
“I think it’s pretty plain and simple – I already put Weidman away in devastating fashion, Yoel Romero has his controversies, and this is the fight. Jacare, I believe won the fight with Yoel Romero. And for me it was obvious – it was a five-round fight, the main event. I love it out here in Australia and five-round fights really tell the tale of who the true fighter is, the better fighter, and that’s what I requested and this is what I got.”
Who do you expect to come out on top in the rematch?
Despite turning down a fight from the UFC last week due to the money being ‘bulls**t’, former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold signed on the dotted line earlier this week to step into the Octagon with perennial 185-pound contender Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza later this year. Rockhold joined the Extra Rounds podcast yesterday (September 15, 2016), courtesy
Rockhold joined the Extra Rounds podcast yesterday (September 15, 2016), courtesy of MMA Fighting, and stated that although he loves to step into the UFC’s Octagon and scrap he still needs to see a pretty paycheck when it’s all said and done:
“I signed my contract with the UFC back before I fought Machida. I had confidence in myself to win the title and I thought that I’d find myself in a better situation but the contract fell back – before I was able to restructure it – to a place where I wasn’t really happy with it.
Seeing what I fell back to and knowing what I’ve accomplished and my credibility in the sport, I wasn’t happy with what they were offering. It’s gonna take more than that to get me to fight. I’ve got other avenues outside the sport, and I’m not gonna go fight when it’s not worth it.
I gotta get my due, I’ve gotta get my worth. No matter how much I love fight, and what I’m doing out here, I need to get f*cking paid.”
The UFC has been embroiled in quite a few contract disputes with it’s top tier talents such as UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone, and now Rockhold.
The AKA product believes the sport is in a bit of a ‘transition period’ in which fighters are beginning to utilize their leverage in contract negotiations to get what they believe they are worth in terms of finances:
“I think we’re in a transition period. I think there’s definitely positive change in the sport and people are starting to realize it’s about leverage in the right situation and understanding your worth… These guys are trying to keep you down on these paychecks, keep you hungry, keep you needing more.”
The new deal seems to have pleased the former 185-pound champ, and believes the fight between him and ‘Jacare’ makes the most sense to lead him back into the title picture:
“They restructured the deal for the time being, and so we got a new contract. We got a new contract upping the money, and we got the right fight so I think this will be the best fight for me right now to get me back to the title. I think we’re clearly the best two guys in the division, so this will solidify myself to going back and getting my gold back.”
Last time out Rockhold failed to respect Michael Bisping at UFC 199 earlier this year, and paid the consequences with a stunning first round knockout loss. Bisping would take home the gold for the first time in his career, and Rockhold would be left disappointed with himself in the Octagon as he knows in his heart he has what it takes to down the British veteran.
Now Rockhold is going into his bout against Souza with respect for the man that will be standing across from him in the Octagon, and doing what he has to do to get back to the gold belt that once rested across his shoulder:
“It’s about respecting your opponent, something I didn’t do the last time out. I went out there and completely disregarded my opponent and what he brought to the table. Anything can happen in this game and I got caught.
But it doesn’t tell the tale of who the better fighter is. It’s time for me to go back and fight in a way that got me to the title. That’s being a precise, tactical fighter and respecting my opponent. Going in there and doing what I have to do.”
Rockhold will meet Souza in the main event of UFC Fight Night 101 live on FS1, from the Rod Laver Stadium in Melbourne, Australia on November 26, 2016.
The Brit captured his first taste of UFC gold when he downed Luke Rockhold, a rematch of their first contest from UFC Fight Night 55 where Rockhold took home the submission win, in the main event of UFC 199 this past June with a thunderous first round knockout that set the MMA world ablaze. After nearly a decade in the sport Bisping had finally realized his dream of becoming a UFC champion.
The UFC has been embroiled in quite a few contract disputes with it’s top tier talents such as UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone, and now Rockhold.
Now Rockhold is going into his bout against Souza with respect for the man that will be standing across from him in the Octagon, and doing what he has to do to get back to the gold belt that once rested across his shoulder: