Tag: Yoel Romero

After Calling Out GSP & Nick Diaz, Michael Bisping Won’t Be Fighting Soon

In the weeks after his close decision win over Dan Henderson at October 4’s UFC 204, UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping has been busy calling out two big names in Georges St-Pierre and Nick Diaz for the feature bout of December 10’s UFC 206 from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Neither fight seemed to materialize, yet “The

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In the weeks after his close decision win over Dan Henderson at October 4’s UFC 204, UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping has been busy calling out two big names in Georges St-Pierre and Nick Diaz for the feature bout of December 10’s UFC 206 from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Neither fight seemed to materialize, yet “The Count” was tabbed to talked about as a replacement for Luke Rockhold against Jacare Souza in the main event of November’s UFC Fight Night 101 from Melbourne, Australia.

However, while serving as host of “UFC Tonight” on FOX Sports 1, he revealed that wouldn’t be fighting any of those big names, as he’s healing from a broken orbital suffered against Henderson and also has to get treatment on his knee:

“As you all know, I fought Dan Henderson very recently. I’ve got a busted orbital, I’m getting injections in my knee.”

That seems like a peculiar set of circumstances considering he was calling out GSP and Diaz so recently, but Bisping clarified that he miraculously could have recovered to take on either of those two superstars because of the payday involved, something that was absent from the bout with Jacare:

“Now I know what everyone at home is going to say: ‘Didn’t you call out GSP a couple weeks ago? Yes, I did, but really, think about this, that was a massive payday, roughly $3-4 million I would have earned from that fight. Against Jacare, I’m going to get around about a quarter.”

So the MMA world – in addition to Jacare’s manager – thinks Bisping is somehow ducking the lethal submission artist, but the British titleholder insists that is not what he’s doing and something he’s never done. In his opinion, he’s going to face the winner of Chris Weidman vs. Yoel Romero at UFC 205 or Jacare:

“I’m assuming they’re saying that I’m ducking Jacare,” Bisping said. “I’ve never ducked anybody in my life. … Next week, Yoel and Weidman are fighting. Whoever wins, either that guy, or Jacare, will be my next fight, make no mistake. But I’m not doing it in a few weeks.”

While it’s no surprise Bisping is unable to fight Souza in November, it is a curious scenario that he could seemingly fight only three weeks later if he does have a serious injury, especially considering his history of eye issues. Bisping is looking for the big payday, and unfortunately for the Fighter of the Year candidate (whether you like it or not), that’s something he’s been accused of doing rather than facing the best 185-pound martial artists in the UFC.

The only thing he can do to silence those haters is face and defeat Jacare, Weidman, or Romero in his next title fight.

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Tim Kennedy Puts Michael Bisping & Yoel Romero On Blast

After spending over two years on the sidelines, No. 12-ranked middleweight contender Tim Kennedy is set to make his return to action against former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans at Nov. 12’s UFC 205 from the famed Madison Square Garden in New York. Kennedy was last seen dropping a highly controversial loss to Yoel Romero

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After spending over two years on the sidelines, No. 12-ranked middleweight contender Tim Kennedy is set to make his return to action against former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans at Nov. 12’s UFC 205 from the famed Madison Square Garden in New York.

Kennedy was last seen dropping a highly controversial loss to Yoel Romero in September 2014 in a bout where Romero was criticized for the now infamous ‘stool gate’. Kennedy is well aware that he’ll be returning to a completely different division, a division he recently told Submission Radio was a ‘disaster’. He also took the time to put champion Michael Bisping as well as Romero on blast:

“The division’s a mess, man. It’s a disaster,” he said. “It’s anybody’s chance to get that next title fight and everybody wants it because, especially for me, Michael Bisping is the easiest fight in the division. The current champion of the division. If you go down that list, from Chris Weidman, to Jacare, to Luke Rockhold, Derek Brunson – that would be my number two, three, four and five right there. I don’t put Yoel Romero in there because I think he’s a cheater and he shouldn’t even be in the UFC.”

Kennedy actually holds a victory over Bisping and quite a dominant one at that when the two met in April 2014. He now plans to take out Evans in ‘decisive fashion’ and earn a rematch with “The Count”. If the UFC doesn’t see him as a legitimate title threat after UFC 205, however, it could be the end of the road for Kennedy:

“I’m gonna go fight Rashad, I’m gonna beat him in a very, very clear decisive fashion, and Michael Bisping, he has not wanted to utter my name for the past year. He’s been winning, and he might be calling out 47-year-old men that he has losses to, but who he’s not mentioning, is me – the guy that beat him up for 25 minutes. So if he wants to stand there and really be a champion, stop calling out dudes that have been retired for a few years, stop calling out a 47-year-old man. Why don’t you fight a guy that beat the brakes off of you and on November 12th at Madison Square Garden is going to make a huge statement in the division.”

“There’s a really good chance that after this fight you’ll never see me again – well, in the octagon. I’m just getting started in my work outside of the octagon, where you’re gonna probably see me a lot more. But after November 12th, when I beat Rashad, if whoever the matchmaker is going to be in December for the 185 middleweight division, if they’re not talking about me being in the mix, about me as a potential match up against Michael Bisping for the title, then what’s the point?”

Where do you see Kennedy heading after his bout with “Suga”?

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Chris Weidman Inked New UFC Deal Right Before UFC 205 Press Conference

Chris Weidman was a rather late addition to the massive New York card at UFC 205 next month, when he takes on Cuban power-house Yoel Romero in front of the Madison Square Garden crowd. Just before making the trip over for the UFC 205 press conference earlier this month, Weidman revealed that he had just

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Chris Weidman was a rather late addition to the massive New York card at UFC 205 next month, when he takes on Cuban power-house Yoel Romero in front of the Madison Square Garden crowd.

Just before making the trip over for the UFC 205 press conference earlier this month, Weidman revealed that he had just inked a new contract with the UFC after wanting to get paid for what he felt he was worth:

“There was definitely money, trying to get paid what you feel like you deserve,” Weidman said (courtesy of MMA Junkie). “But it wasn’t just as simple as just a number for this fight. You’re starting up a whole new contract, so it gets pretty detailed on what everybody is looking for in the new deal.”

Weidman, once the reigning undefeated champion of the UFC’s 185-pound division, suffered his first mixed martial arts (MMA) loss when he was finished by Luke Rockhold in the fourth round of their co-main event meeting at UFC 194 this past December. The pair were scheduled to rematch in the main event of UFC 199, but ‘The All American’ was sadly forced out of the contest due to an injury sustained in training camp.

Michael Bisping would step in on two weeks notice to replace Weidman, and would go on to knockout Rockhold in the first round to secure his first ever UFC title.

With a potential win over Romero come fight night in New York, Weidman is hoping to get a shot at winning his title back from Bisping, not a redemption match against the man who handed him his first professional loss in Rockhold:

Weidman

“We’ve got time; we’re both semi-young in this game,” Weidman said. “The money fight is the title fight. That’s what I’m looking for. I’m not looking to avenge a loss and not get paid what a champion does.”

For now, Weidman is focused on getting the tall task ahead of him done when he meets Romero inside the Octagon next month, and it’s not going to be easy:

“I think I go out there and do my job, I’ll get the title shot,” Weidman said. “I’m focused on Romero.”

Weidman and Romero will meet on the main card of UFC 205 live on pay-per-view (PPV), from the Madison Square Garden arena in New York City on November 12, 2016.

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Yoel Romero Says Chris Weidman Looks Different Since USADA

UFC middleweight contender Yoel Romero returns at UFC 205 this coming November 30. After learning he’d failed a drug test in January of this year, ‘Soldier of God’ appealed and got his suspension reduced to six months. Facing Chris Weidman in New York City, Romero has been the subject of some criticism from ‘The All-American.’

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UFC middleweight contender Yoel Romero returns at UFC 205 this coming November 30. After learning he’d failed a drug test in January of this year, ‘Soldier of God’ appealed and got his suspension reduced to six months. Facing Chris Weidman in New York City, Romero has been the subject of some criticism from ‘The All-American.’ Weidman has always stood against steroid users in MMA, of whom he’s faced quite a few. His last five fights have featured three fighters (Anderson Silva twice) who have failed drug tests in the last three years.

Now that USADA is running the show, things are a little different. There are fewer places to hide and less substances that can go undetected. Although it was a long time coming, the new dope testing regime is here. The MMA world figured things were going to get worse before they got better, but few expected the high-profile busts of the last 12 months. In the case of Romero, the tainted supplement defense was accepted by the doping agency, but he’s still been taking plenty of heat from fellow fighters.

Yoel Romero-Chris Weidman-Michael Bisping

Romero Accuses Weidman

In an interesting twist on the plot at 185 pounds, Yoel Romero has accused UFC 205 opponent Chris Weidman of some fishy business. ‘Soldier of God’ says ‘The All-American’ looks different since USADA came to town. Here’s what Romero said over Twitter:

Let’s Take a Look

After Romero’s insinuation regarding Weidman’s physique, let’s take a look at a comparison picture.

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The Verdict

In a way, Yoel Romero is right. Chris Weidman does look different since USADA, if anything he looks better. That said, his form was not on par with what we’ve become accustomed to in his last bout. Luke Rockhold battered Weidman to a bloody pulp at UFC 194, and Romero is one hell of a rebound fight for the former champion.

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Michael Bisping & Chris Weidman Trash Yoel Romero’s PED Violation

It appears as though the UFC’s middleweight division is in an uproar following Yoel Romero’s recent United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) violation. Romero was flagged by USADA following his UFC 194 split decision win over Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza, and handed a six month suspension after the Cuban’s tainted supplement defense. Current 185-pound champ Michael Bisping, however,

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It appears as though the UFC’s middleweight division is in an uproar following Yoel Romero’s recent United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) violation.

Romero was flagged by USADA following his UFC 194 split decision win over Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza, and handed a six month suspension after the Cuban’s tainted supplement defense.

Current 185-pound champ Michael Bisping, however, isn’t buying Romero’s tainted supplement defense (courtesy of MMA Fighting), who says those who are caught with PEDs in their system should be suspended ‘forever’:

“Once you have PEDs in your system, any time you put the PEDs in your system, I think you should be suspended forever,” Bisping said. “And now you have this whole thing where, tainted supplements, I’m not sold on it.

“I feel like every time someone failed a drug test the first thing they go to was ‘oh, I was taking this and it was tainted,’ I mean, it doesn’t take too much time to be like, I failed for testosterone or whatever it is, let me find a supplement inside GNC that people might feel is not a big deal to take and they might be a little more lenient on me.”

tim kennedyRomero’s next opponent will be former UFC middleweight champ Chris Weidman, as the two talented 185-pounders will meet on the main card of UFC 205 from Madison Square Garden. Weidman stated that he finds this contest a bit personal as he gets ‘pissed off’ when people take steroids in the sport to get an upper hand on the competition:

“It’s personal because the guy, he’s a gifted athlete, he just failed for steroids, and this is the biggest fight of my life,” Weidman said. “I don’t like when people take steroids and cheat, especially when they walk into a cage, it pisses me off. And then when you have all these excuses and people start feeling bad for you, it pisses me off.

“Either way I still go crazy, these guys are taking steroids, I was in this sport pre-USADA and I was used to the idea all these guys were taking steroids and now they’re getting caught for it. At the end of the day I was fighting guys on steroids even before this and now they’re getting caught for it.”

Weidman and Romero will meet on the main card of UFC 205 live on pay-per-view (PPV), from the Madison Square Garden arena in New York City on November 12, 2016.

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Previewing Michael Bisping’s Future As Middleweight Champion

Michael Bisping successfully defended his UFC middleweight title for the very first time at last weekend’s (October 8, 2016) UFC 204 from his home of Manchester, England, scoring a unanimous decision victory over Dan Henderson in a five round war that left him battered and bloodied, albeit still the titleholder. With his first title defense

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Michael Bisping successfully defended his UFC middleweight title for the very first time at last weekend’s (October 8, 2016) UFC 204 from his home of Manchester, England, scoring a unanimous decision victory over Dan Henderson in a five round war that left him battered and bloodied, albeit still the titleholder.

With his first title defense now in the rear-view mirror, Bisping can look at what lies ahead, and it may only get tougher for him from here on out. The murder’s row of middleweight contenders will be competing next month to earn the next shot at divisional supremacy.

Let’s take a deeper look into potential opponents for Bisping and how he may fare against each of them:

Chris Weidman

Chris Weidman

No. 2-ranked former champion Chris Weidman hasn’t competed since surrendering his title to Luke Rockhold at last December’s UFC 194, but he’s set to return to action at November 12’s UFC 205 from New York against No. 4-ranked Yoel Romero.

Weidman was actually scheduled to rematch Rockhold at June 4’s UFC 199, but he was forced to withdraw from the bout due to injury. Bisping stepped up on short notice and took out Rockhold to become the undisputed champion. With that being said, if Weidman can indeed get by Romero, a man who’s won seven straight UFC bouts, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him receive the next title shot.

In terms of how Bisping and Weidman stack up against each other, it would undoubtedly be an interesting clash from a stylistic standpoint.

Weidman has always been a tough and gritty wrestling-based fighter with powerful and ever-improving striking as well as strong submission skills. In my opinion, Bisping may hold the pure striking advantage in terms of combinations, movement, and footwork, although I’d give Weidman the advantage in the grappling department.

Bisping, however, has always had solid takedown defense, and keeping the fight on the feet against Weidman would be a crucial factor. To defend his title against the ex-champion, “The Count” would likely have to use his speed and angles to pick Weidman apart on the feet, while avoiding the New York native’s power. I simply don’t see him having much success if Weidman gets a hold of him.

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