Six years ago today, we covered Joe Rogan breaking down what would be needed in order for Ronda Rousey to defeat Holly Holm after her lopsided loss at UFC 193. Once a believer that Rousey could defeat half of the men’s bantamweight roster and Floyd Mayweather, after witnessing “Rowdy’s” first MMA loss, Rogan’s tone shifted.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On this day six years ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 1, 2016, 9:45 AM]
Headline: Joe Rogan Says Rousey Needs “Massive Overhaul” If She Wants To Beat Holm In Rematch
Author: Matt Boone
While there is still a lot of talk about the fight after the fact, it is UFC commentator Joe Rogan who continues to be the most vocal about the potential rematch between Ronda Rousey and UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Holly Holm.
Rogan recently spoke with BloodyElbow.com and said Rousey needs to replace Edmond Tarverdyan.
“Ronda’s got to go to a camp that has the full arsenal,” Rogan told Stephie Haynes of Bloody Elbow. “She’s got to go to a Firas Zahabi or a Matt Hume, or someone like that, in my opinion. If I was talking to her, that’s what I would tell her. I’d say, ‘You can’t just train with a judo coach and Edmond holds the pads for you.’
“Edmond has definitely done some great things for her boxing technique, that can’t be denied. Her combinations when she hits the pads are very impressive, but there are other elements that come with striking. It’s not just about throwing your hands and having the technique look good.”
Rogan elaborated, explaining why he feels Rousey needs a “massive overhaul” if she wants to have a chance at winning her title back from the former multiple-time women’s boxing champion.
“I think she needs someone who will objectively assess her game as an outsider, not someone like Edmond, who trained her from the beginning with mitts; she needs someone else, as well. She needs someone who is going to be able to look at the big picture of her overall MMA game, and then rebuild.
“She’s gonna need a massive overhaul. When we talk about MMA being high level problem solving, Holly Holm solved the problem. She had all the answers and she got a f*cking A+.”
Rogan, who juggles a stand-up comedy career with his UFC announcing duties, knows what it takes to make it in both worlds. The biggest factor that allows him to be both a celebrity and fight announcer is the fact that he doesn’t have three or four month camps and an insane amount of media obligations for his UFC announcing gigs. It is this reason why Rogan insists “Rowdy” Ronda needs to decide whether she wants to be a “gigantic celebrity” or “the best fighter on the planet.”
“The other advice to Ronda Rousey is you’ve got to figure out what you want to do. Do you want to be a gigantic celebrity or do you want to be the best fighter on the planet? Because if you want to be the best fighter on the planet, you have to pursue that only. I think with this movie bullshit, she could pull it off with some of the girls with all these distractions and all this nonsense, but I don’t think they allow her the amount of resources–mental, physical, everything…all of the above–that she’s going to need at her disposal to be the very best that she can be.
“You don’t want to be good enough, you want to be the best that you can be. I don’t think she was the best that she could be. In my eyes, she was not properly prepared for that fight, whether physically or technically.”
Five years ago today, we ran a story about then-champions Michael Bisping and Tyron Woodley agreeing to fight one another. Unfortunately, that day never came.
Today, Bisping is happily retired and competed for the last time in November 2017 in a loss to Kelvin Gastelum. Woodley is no longer in the UFC and has lost back-to-back boxing matchups to Jake Paul, including a devastating knockout that occurred last month.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 1, 2017, 10:37 PM]
Headline: Michael Bisping & Tyron Woodley Want Catchweight Bout
Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOvGaFWhRNL/
Fight fans may soon have a mega bout to look forward to, though it may not be what they were expecting. Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) title holders Michael Bisping and Tyron Woodley may be going toe-to-toe down the road.
Bisping holds the middleweight strap, while Woodley is the welterweight ruler. The two happen to be colleagues for the UFC panel on FOX Sports. The next likely challenger for “The Count” is Yoel Romero, while “The Chosen One” will probably have another date with Stephen Thompson.
Neither bout has been signed and Woodley has made it a point to try to get fights that will draw big money. He’s called out Nick Diaz, Georges St. Pierre, and has ruffled feathers with lightweight king Conor McGregor.
“The Count” is no stranger to big fights himself. Bisping has traded leather with the likes of Anderson Silva, Rashad Evans, Dan Henderson, and of course Luke Rockhold. Could “T-Wood” be next?
On his Instagram account, Bisping shared a conversation he and Woodley had backstage at UFC 207. The two were talking about a potential fight at 180 pounds. Bisping said he currently weighs more than “little guy” Woodley.
While one may assume the video was all in good fun or a troll post, Woodley said, “I’m a hundred percent serious, dead ass.” The two shook hands at the end of the video and agreed to a May date. They also agreed to not put their titles on the line.
Woodley’s last bout was a majority draw against “Wonderboy” at UFC 205 in New York City. “The Chosen One” retained his title and while the fight was a draw, it was clear he did the most damage. Bisping’s last fight was a war with Dan Henderson. The middleweight champ survived two knockdowns to keep his gold and remain unbeaten on UK soil.
The entire MMA world was abuzz over Ronda Rousey’s second KO straight loss in what would ultimately be her final bout in the UFC. Among those to chime in was Bellator’s Michael Venom Page (MVP).
The following article was published five years ago today. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of the MMA News Archives.
On This Day Five Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 1, 2017, 3:25 PM]
Headline: Michael Page Pokes Fun at Ronda Rousey With Dance
Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.
It’s no secret that Bellator’s Michael Page is flashy and flamboyant. The welterweight has turned some heads with his fighting style and highlight-reel knockouts. His stunning flying knee knockout of Evangelista Santos caused “Cyborg” to suffer a fractured skull.
“Venom’s” flashiness has transitioned outside the cage. He took to his Instagram account to ring in the new year. He has created a new “Do the Rousey” dance. In the video, Page mocks “Rowdy’s” defense in her women’s bantamweight title fight against Amanda Nunes at UFC 207.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30XOnleTw_w
Rousey was starched by “The Lioness” in 48 seconds at the final Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event of 2016. It was “Rowdy’s” first bout since she was knocked out by Holly Holm in Nov. 2015. Following her second straight knockout defeat, the Internet has exploded with jokes and memes at her expense.
Count “MVP” in as one of those taking full advantage.
Page has yet to taste defeat with a 12-0 record and has competed for Bellator eight times. While Page is known for his exciting style, his last bout with Fernando Gonzalez was seen by many as a snoozer. “Venom” walked away with a split decision win.
No matter the year, there is one thing you can be sure will never change: there will continue to be the never-ending debates about who is the greatest of all time (GOAT). This year, however, I say we finally add an extra dimension to these debates that is long overdue: adding the term “BOAT” to the official sports lexicon.
There is a difference between being the greatest and being the best. Being the greatest is based primarily on accomplishments and résumé. Think of this as having the strongest and most accomplished career.
Being the best is based primarily on skill level. Think of this as having the most talent and being the most dominant.
Naturally, there is some overlap between the two, which is where most of the confusion lies when there are GOAT debates with varying criteria.
Being considered the best is something that is backed by the eye test, and then the accomplishments and résumé help prove that the talent level is as high as your eyes thought.
Being the greatest is like the number of trophies you have in your closet and the number of heads you have mounted on your wall. It’s based more on what you did than how you did it. But there is still naturally some skill and domination that played a factor in that. The biggest difference is being the best can be judged in a shorter period of time while being the greatest is almost always reserved for those with a very wide body of work.
Jim Brown, Pro Football Hall of Famer
In football, you could argue that Emmitt Smith or Walter Payton is the GOAT at running back based on the records they set and their Super Bowl victories. However, the title of “BOAT” might be reserved for a Jim Brown or Barry Sanders, who ran with a form that set them apart from the pack, even if they lack the championships that a typical “GOAT” would have.
In basketball, one might argue that Kareem Abdul Jabbar is the greatest center who ever lived, with six NBA titles, six MVPs, and two Finals MVPs to support that claim. But in terms of the best? Give me the 1999-2001 Shaquille O’Neal every time. Because no one was more dominant.
In MMA, we’ve seen a couple of glaring examples of people having debates without realizing that they were arguing two completely different things.
Let’s take Jon Jones vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov, for instance. The following graphic best summarizes the difference between GOAT vs. BOAT (graphic via ESPN MMA).
Here, Brett Okamoto is arguing for Khabib as the BOAT while Marc Raimondi is arguing for Jon Jones as the GOAT. The clash comes when the opposing sides feel they are limited to one term of “GOAT.” What results are impossible debates about different topics unbeknownst to the participants. We’ll have more on the Khabib vs. Jones debate a bit later on.
BOAT Sightings
While we still have a ways to go before BOAT is officially added to the sports/MMA lexicon, there have been some “BOAT” sightings that have happened over the past year.
Alexander Volkov Cites Evolution
Below, Alexander Volkov essentially argues that Fedor Emelianenko is the heavyweight GOAT while Francis Ngannou is the heavyweight BOAT.
“Right now, it’s the UFC Champion Ngannou, most likely,” Volkov told RT Sport MMA in response to who is the greatest heavyweight of all time. “Depends on the particular era of MMA. Of course, in terms of achievements, Fedor is one of the greatest, a legendary fighter who was undefeated for many years, had spectacular fights, came back from different bad situations in his fights, beat them all in his time.
“But now, there’s a new generation with new skills, new physical conditions, new techniques. And it’s unclear if the fighters of the past generation would do well against the elite fighters of the present. So before we talk about the greatest heavyweight of all time, we need to define what it really means. For me, there’s no such thing. There’s just the best fighter at the moment. Now, it’s the UFC champion, in my opinion.”
Chael P. Sonnen Weighs In
Next, here’s Chael Sonnen giving his own breakdown of how the line between the best and the greatest often gets warped into a haze.
“Khabib is the most dominant. I can prove that,” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel. “That’s not my opinion. I can prove to you that Khabib is the most dominant. I think that is a wonderful compliment to give a guy. You were the best fighter of all time. Hard to prove. Big compliment, hard to prove. Dominance is hard…Guys, Khabib has won more 10-8 rounds in his career than anybody in the history of unarmed combat. I’m including boxing. What an incredible statement. Then, OK, who’s the greatest of all time?
Khabib Nurmagomedov
“…Khabib does have one thing against him. It’s only one. It’s only one. But it’s still against him, and it’s gonna grow over time. Now that we’re still in the Khabib era, we’ve all seen him fight, we all miss him and want to see him fight again…over time, we’re gonna forget that. We’re gonna forget how we feel right now. We’re gonna see new talent in there. So we’re now left with paper.
“And this even happens now, I mean, Jordan vs. LeBron. You talk about Jordan had six rings and LeBron had none—at one point—but this was the argument. And you could see—many people said, ‘No, LeBron’s better. I don’t give a damn if he has the rings or not. He’s gonna get ’em and he’s better.”
El Cucuy Knows What’s Up
And what kind of guy is Tony Ferguson? Tony Ferguson is the kind of guy to hop on board the BOAT movement before it was cool. Be more like Tony Ferguson.
“B.O.A.T.🕶Status” Keepin’ It Sweet On Tiramisu🍮Tuesday # GetSum 🚣♂️💨🍃 -CSO- 🇺🇸🏆🇲🇽 pic.twitter.com/FNZR1mqoDC
The two most frequent examples of GOAT vs. BOAT debates this past year were the Jon Jones/Khabib GOAT debate and the Georges St-Pierre/Kamaru Usman welterweight GOAT debate. For Jones’ part, he was offended that he was even being compared to the Dagestani in terms of their overall careers (graphic via ESPN MMA).
Here, Jones is solely arguing about greatness in terms of accomplishments. This quote and argument do not address actual talent and dominance over competition.
Now Jones did go on to say that Khabib had just started fighting elite competition, so his dominance is overstated. However, for one thing, “elite” is subjective. You could argue that Rafael dos Anjos was elite already at the time Khabib faced him in 2014. He just didn’t look like it because…you know, Khabib.
Second, if what Khabib did was easy, more people would be dominating “non-elite” competition the way Khabib did. Or maybe….just maybe…he’s just insanely good.
But the frustration Jones is experiencing in this quote below and that a Twitter user had in this tweet is a classic case of what happens when you are in debates about two different things: greatness in terms of accomplishments (GOAT) vs. being superior to everyone else purely in terms of talent (BOAT).
Georges St-Pierre vs. Kamaru Usman
First off, the date in which this viral graphic was created is unclear, as Usman’s unique opponents as champion is currently 3, not 1. Although this discrepancy calls the rest of these numbers into question, that’s not what I want to point out.
This is a classic example of the “lying with statistics” maneuver, and/or the cherry-picking fallacy. Because there’s no logical reason to have stats this in-depth but somehow neglect to mention UFC win/loss record, which at the very least is equally as important as anything else here.
And even aside from posts like these, the most common argument for GSP as the welterweight GOAT is that he had more title defenses. That’s where the majority of the pro-GSP GOAT arguments begins and ends. This argument completely ignores Usman’s longer, harder road to the title through no fault of his own.
Other things to be considered in Usman’s favor is his record for longest welterweight winning streak, having the highest winning percentage out of any fighter who has ever competed in the UFC, and the fact that he has never lost in the UFC while GSP lost twice, including to Matt Serra, and had an extremely hard time against Johnny Hendricks in a win closer than any of Usman’s wins.
Usman’s opponents were considered tougher at the time of the fights. Just compare Usman’s odds history vs. GSP’s odds history to see how experts/the public viewed their level of competition. For the most part, GSP’s level of competition was not as strong, which is something people knock Demetrious Johnson for.
In terms of GOAT vs. BOAT, GSP may very well still have the stronger argument for welterweight GOAT in terms of his overall career, but Usman would make for an easier argument on who is more likely to win any fight and is thus better.
At minimum, that is of equal value to being the GOAT. For instance, you can’t win money on someone’s overall career achievements. But you can win money when correctly judging who will be the better fighter on a given night. Usman has proven to be more reliable on that regard not only in terms of wins/losses but in terms of rounds.
To paraphrase Brett Okamoto in the earlier graphic, if my life is on the line and I’m picking who to bet on, I’m betting on the dude with the longest winning streak, the highest winning percentage in company history, and who in my opinion, the eye test shows is the more difficult fighter to beat overall. And none of those conclusions on Usman are being made with a small sample size. The man is setting records that can only be broken with amazing consistency.
Conclusion
In closing, there is a difference between being the best of all time (BOAT) and being the greatest of all time (GOAT). Let’s start firing up the scholarly articles, talk-show debates, or whatever is needed to get the term “BOAT” officially accepted into the sports lexicon! And come on, the boat emojis would be lit, too! ?️
Not recognizing the difference between GOAT and BOAT is a big reason why so many people grow frustrated when having these debates because they and their opponent are literally debating two different things without realizing it. Would differentiating these terms suddenly make these subjective debates more clear-cut and definitive? Of course not. But it sure would make the impossible a little bit easier and the goal post much clearer.
After Ronda Rousey was knocked out for the second time after once being viewed as an unstoppable force, everyone in the MMA community pondered what might be next for her and where she’d go from there. That includes former light heavyweight king Jon Jones.
Rousey has not competed since the loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207 in 2016.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day Five Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 1, 2017, 11:28 AM]
Headline: Jon Jones On Ronda Rousey’s Loss: “What She Does Next Will Truly Determine Her Legacy”
Author: Matt Boone
Many have reacted to the second professional MMA loss UFC mega-star Ronda Rousey suffered at the hands of UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Amanda Nunes in their 48-second main event at UFC 207 this past Friday night, the latest of which is a teammate of the first woman that handed Rousey the taste of defeat, Holly Holm, as Jon “Bones” Jones has chimed in with his thoughts on the matter.
Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones, who is currently serving a one-year suspension for testing positive ahead of his scheduled rematch with Daniel Cormier at the landmark UFC 200 event in July of 2016, took to social media this weekend where he posted a series of tweets to Rousey regarding her loss to Nunes.
“My advice to Ronda [Rousey] would be to pick yourself up and try again,” wrote Jones. “I believe Rousey will be a champion for the rest of her life, even if she never wins another fight I think it’s important for Ronda to show her fans how great she truly is by displaying her courage and giving it another try.”
Jones continued, “What she does next will truly determine her legacy. I really hope she chooses to be a unbroken. Her story doesn’t have to be over here. I also still believe she beats 90% of the division. Lots of ass kicking still to be done, lots of money to be made.”
Agreeing with what has been a big part of the story coming out of both of her losses, Jones pointed to the team and coaches Rousey currently works with as something that he feels would be wise to address if she were to consider a return to the Octagon.
“Maybe she just needs to [compliment] her coach with an MMA family,” Jones continued. “Maybe she should join one of the bigger MMA teams. Being around other bad asses and constantly sharing your spotlight could be good for you [in] so many ways.”
“They can improve on your humility,” said Jones. “Constantly being humbled is never a bad thing in a sport like this.”
For video highlights of Ronda Rousey’s 48-second TKO loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207 from this past Friday night, click here. You can also view Jones’ tweets below.
My advice to Ronda would be to pick yourself up and try again.
The Pulse of MMA: Fan Reactions To The Sport’s Biggest Stories
In this installment of The Pulse of MMA, we look at the raw, unfiltered reactions from MMA fans to the UFC‘s nominations for Best Event of 2021.
It’s the last week of 2021, which means it’s time to start looking back at the biggest and best moments of the year. Right now, that means taking a peek at the UFC’s nominations for the best event of the year.
There were four events nominated for the honor. Below, you can find the fast results for each event, followed by a brief video recap, then we’ll see what the Pulse of MMA had to say when they let their voices be heard.
The Pulse of MMA: Fan Reactions To The Sport’s Biggest Stories
In this installment of The Pulse of MMA, we look at the raw, unfiltered reactions from MMA fans to the most desired matchups heading into 2022!
Heading into the new year always brings limitless possibilities that feed the imagination. Who will be the divisional champions at the end of the year? Who will be some of the new faces and breakout stars that emerge? And of course, what are the biggest fights that await?
Well, we will have to wait until we learn the answers to the questions. In the meantime, one can dream.
Below, MMA Twitter responded to the UFC’s question of what is on their dream fight wish list of 2022. Check out some of the responses below.
Dustin Poirier vs Nate Diaz Charles Oliveira vs Conor McGregor (Charles earned his red panty night payday, Justin can wait). Volkanovski vs Holloway 3 Yair Rodriguez vs Brian Ortega Arnold Allen vs Josh Emmett Sodiq Yusuff vs Shane Burgos
Jon Jones vs Ciryl Gane Nate Diaz vs Dustin Poirier Justin Gaethje vs Michael Chandler 2 Charles Oliveira vs Conor McGregor Justin Gaethje vs Conor McGregor Kumara Usman vs Khamzat Chimaev Israel Adesanya vs Khamzat Chimaev Juliana Peña vs Amanda Nunes 2
Colby vs Jorge (TUF) Conor vs Chandler Gaethje vs Charles Jones vs Stipe Francis vs Stipe 3 Jones vs Gane Vicente Luque vs Khamzat Khamzat vs Neil Magny /Belal Muhammad. Julianna Pena vs Amanda Nunes 2 Kayla Harrisson vs Amanda Nunes (45er) Rose vs Esparza.
Mcgregor vs. Ferguson LW Covington vs. Masvidal WW Jones vs. Ngannou HW Title Poirier vs. Chandler LW GSP vs. Usman WW Title Adesanya vs. Teixiera LHW Title Oliveira (no matter Gaethje result) vs. Makachev (or Khabib should he unretire) LW
In September, Jon Jones was arrested on charges of battery domestic violence and injuring/tampering with a vehicle. On December 14, those charges were resolved, with the domestic violence charge being dropped and Jones being fined $750 in restitution fees for damaging a police vehicle.
Before the world became privy to Jones’ legal update, the former light heavyweight king was well aware of his unfettered state. A day after his court date, he was right back in the gym, seeking to rebound from an inactive yet tumultuous 2021 and make 2022 a clean start in a new division with some fresh gold.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXhOaYSvHgQ/
“I said I’ll be the champion in 2022, that’s exactly what I’m going to do. I feel like I’m jumping up three weight classes, going from competing at 205 pounds to 265 pounds is no easy task. Nothing great happened overnight, I’m patient and I’m working my ass off every day towards my goals,” Jones posted to Instagram.
Jon Jones’ 2022 plans include an expectation of challenging the winner of UFC 270’s main event between Francis Ngannou(c) and Ciryl Gane for the heavyweight title. Jones has not competed since February 2020 and announced his move to heavyweight that summer.
Since then, Jones has been actively updating his progress on social media and has also experienced a change in gym scenery. After a highly publicized split with JacksonWink MMA, Jones is now dividing his time between a JacksonWink affiliate gym and Train Ready in Arizona alongside “Triple C” Henry Cejudo.
Do you think Jon Jones will become the UFC heavyweight champion in 2022?
We’ve got some of the best UFC commentary reactions of 2021 ready to serve right up to you as we close out this memorable year!
2021 is in the books, and as always, the year contained its fair share of memorable, jaw-dropping moments. Arguably more than any other sport, MMA elicits that “oh, my god” response from fans on a regular basis.
But the commentators themselves are also fans. And even when on duty, it’s hard to stifle those natural, human, fanlike responses when something out of the ordinary or downright historic takes place.
In 2021, the MMA world came out of their seats when Julianna Peña defeated Amanda Nunes at UFC 269 in one of the greatest upsets of all time. They came unglued when “Thug Rose” knocked out Zhang Weili with a gorgeous head kick just one minute into their bout.
And who can forget one of the candidates for KO of the year? When the “wrestler” Kamaru Usman knocked out the bare-knuckle streetifghting legend Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal with one of the most well-timed and well-placed right hands you will ever see?
There were these moments in so many more in 2021. Below, you can relive some of those great moments and also experience them vicariously through the UFC commentators, who were every bit the fans as each of you.
The Pulse of MMA: Fan Reactions To The Sport’s Biggest Stories
In this installment of The Pulse of MMA, we look at the raw, unfiltered reactions from MMA fans to the UFC‘s nominations for Best Knockout of 2021.
It’s the last week of 2021, which means it’s time to start looking back at the biggest and best moments of the year. Right now, that means taking a peek at the UFC’s nominations for the best knockout of the year.
Who doesn’t love a good knockout? A viral KO can be a star-maker and could take an already-established star even further into orbit. But more than anything else, they give fans that jaw-dropping moment that could make a fan’s entire night.
Below, we present to you the UFC’s nominations for best knockout of 2021! After a look at each knockout, we will see what the Pulse of MMA had to say about it.
The four nominees presented by the UFC were as follows:
Transgender fighter Alana McLaughlin has responded to frequent accusations that she transitioned from male to female just so she could fight women in MMA.
Alana McLaughlin made her MMA debut in September at Combate Global: Perez vs. Roa, picking up a comeback victory over fellow debutante Celine Provost of France. McLaughlin was able to secure the rear-naked choke victory in the second round to pick up the first win of her controversial career.
The topic of trans-athletes competing against cisfemale athletes has been a controversial subject in recent years, but perhaps none more so than in MMA, where there is full-on hand-to-hand combat taking place.
Recently, she would again address them, however, specifically responding to those who accuse her of transitioning only so that she could beat up women legally and easily.
Transphobes claim I transitioned specifically to fight women because I couldn't beat men as if my previous job wasn't fighting a real actual war and ending human lives. If I had been able to keep pretending to be a man I'd have started fighting MMA in 2010.
“Transphobes claim I transitioned specifically to fight women because I couldn’t beat men as if my previous job wasn’t fighting a real actual war and ending human lives. If I had been able to keep pretending to be a man I’d have started fighting MMA in 2010,” McLaughlin wrote.
As if I haven't been fighting men without the safety of gloves and referees and doctors my whole life. As if I haven't been shot, stabbed, blown up, and worse. Having a dick doesn't make someone strong, and women, both cis and trans, are stronger than we're given credit for.
“As if I haven’t been fighting men without the safety of gloves and referees and doctors my whole life. As if I haven’t been shot, stabbed, blown up, and worse. Having a dick doesn’t make someone strong, and women, both cis and trans, are stronger than we’re given credit for,” she continued.
McLaughlin is referring to her time as a member of the US Army Special Forces from 2004-2010. She is currently 38 years of age and remains 1-0 as an MMA pro. There is currently no word on when “Lady Feral” will compete again or who will be her next opponent.
What do you make of Alana McLaughlin’s response to the accusations made by her detractors?
Top-5 strawweights Marina Rodriguez and Yan Xiaonan are scheduled to compete on March 5.
As first reported by MMA DNA, this high-level strawweight bout between Rodriguez and Xiaonan will take place at UFC 272. There is currently no main event announced for this card, but the location has been determined to be the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Marina Rodriguez may very well be one fight away from securing a title shot seeing as how she is currently riding a three-fight win streak, with wins over Amanda Ribas, Michelle Waterson, and Mackenzie Dern. Her last victory over Dern took home Fight of the Night.
To further support the notion of Rodriguez potentially earning a title shot with a win here is the fact that the only two fighters currently ahead of her in the rankings are Carla Esparza (#2) and Zhang Weili (#1). Esparza is currently next in line to challenge Rose Namajunas, while Zhang has already lost twice to Namajunas this year.
Yan Xiaonan was in a familiar position heading into the year. She was undefeated in the UFC and unbeaten in her last 12 fights. However, she would come up short against the grappling-heavy Carla Esparza at UFC Fight Night: Garbrandt vs. Font.
Now, Xiaonan will have an opportunity to put on a show in this high-level striking affair against fellow trader Marina Rodriguez. With a big win here, the #4-ranked Xiaonan may very well still be live for a title-shot opportunity herself.
With the addition of this bout, the current lineup for UFC 272 is as follows:
Marina Rodriguez vs. Yan Xiaonan
Edson Barboza vs. Bryce Mitchell
Jessica Eye vs. Manon Fiorot
Maryna Moroz vs. Mariya Agapova
Michał Oleksiejczuk vs. Dustin Jacoby
Tim Elliott vs. Tagir Ulanbeko
Who is your pick to win this crucial strawweight bout between Marina Rodriguez and Yan Xiaonan?
The Pulse of MMA: Fan Reactions To The Sport’s Biggest Stories
In this installment of The Pulse of MMA, we look at the raw, unfiltered reactions from MMA fans to the UFC‘s nominations for Best Debut of 2021.
It’s the last week of 2021, which means it’s time to start looking back at the biggest and best moments of the year. Right now, that means taking a peek at the UFC’s nominations for the best debut of the year.
After a brief recap of each debut, you can find the Pulse of MMA letting their collective voice be heard on their thoughts on the final vote tally of the UFC’s poll.
Michael Chandler def. Dan Hooker (UFC 257)
Credit: Getty Images
There were four nominees presented by the UFC, beginning with Michael Chandler’s UFC 257 debut against Dan Hooker.
Chandler overwhelmed Hooker with his forward pressure immediately after the fight began. Before long, a devastating left hook sent Hooker down to the canvas, and the Missouri native put on the finishing touches with several punches to his downed opponent.
Chandler went on to compete two additional times in 2021, first in the main event of UFC 262 in a loss to Charles Oliveira in a lightweight championship bout; and then against Justin Gaethje in a certified Fight of the Year candidate, which was another loss for Chandler, bringing his year record to 1-2.
We only have seven seconds of footage of Terrence McKinney in the UFC available, but he made every tick count.
At UFC 263, Terrance McKinney came right out, landed a lightning-quick one-two combo that sent Matt Frevola down, and then the celebration began.
Unfortunately, there was a little too much celebrating, as McKinney would turn in a second finish moments after his historic win over Frevola. This time, he gave himself a doctor’s stoppage with a cage flip gone wrong. Take notice Michael Chandler.
Heading into 2022, McKinney is booked to face Fares Ziam in his sophomore UFC performance on February 26.
Alex Pereira def. Andreas Michailidis (UFC 268)
Alex Pereira entered UFC 268 with a lot of hype on his back, including teammate and UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Glover Teixeira predicting that he will definitely win UFC gold in the future.
In his debut against Andreas Michailidis at UFC 268, the decorated kickboxer’s grappling game was instantly put to the test when Michailidis got the early takedown in the first round. Despite the early setback, Pereira was able to return to his feet but spent most of the round tamed by Michailidis’ clinch control. In this second round, he let loose.
Pereira landed a sure-fire candidate for KO of the year with his flying knee KO in the second round. Now, heading into 2022, he has a date with Bruno Silva on March 12.
Paddy Pimblett def. Luigi Vendramini (UFC Vegas 36)
There perhaps was no debut in 2021 with as much fanfare behind it as Liverpool England’s Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett’s.
In the early goings of Pimblett’s UFC debut, it looked as though his hype train might have been en route to being derailed before it ever really got going. Vendramini was putting it on Pimblett, repeatedly landing hook after hook to the “Baddy’s” exposed chin.
That chin held up and so did Pimblett’s hype. Because after absorbing multiple heavy punches from Vendramini, ultimately it was Pimblett who got the KO finish in a series kicked off by a staggering right hand.
Pimblett and his hype now head to 2022 with a date and opponent yet to be determined. Word around the grapevine is Donald Cerrone is interested in the fight, but there have been no formal reports on this potential pairing.
Best UFC Debut of 2021 Nominees Video
Now that you’ve read about them, SEE these memorable debuts for yourself in the video package below!
MMA Twitter Weighs In
Finally, here is what the Pulse of MMA had to say about the UFC’s nominations list after Michael Chandler took home the most votes on the official poll.
Come on guys, really? Why so many votes for Paddy? He showcased a concerning lack of defense and even his offense wasn't that impressive. Not good, if this debut is any indication of how he will fight against tougher opposition.
Chandlers to me was the best but I chose paddy because he overcame a little bit of a storm there at the beginning and finished it in the first like he said he would.
Dana White is still not open to ever doing business with Jake Paul, but he does have quite a different proposal for his nemesis.
If there were a “Rivalry of the Year” MMA award, you’d be remiss not to add Jake Paul vs. Dana White to the nominations list. There may not be a chance of the two ever fighting one another (although Paul has said that may change someday), but the two have traded shots at one another for the better part of 2021.
Most recently, after Paul knocked out former welterweight champion Tyron Woodley earlier this month, he gloated about embarrassing the entire UFC. He then reiterated his interest in fighting UFC stars, such as Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal. In Masvidal’s case, “Gamebred” expressed optimism that the right financial incentive from Paul’s camp could sway White’s mind.
“No (scenario I’d let Diaz or Masvidal box Paul while under UFC contract),” White said. “You notice how he wants to fight f*cking everybody that’s not in his weight class, guys that are older and all this bullsh*t. Go fight a boxer. Go hump somebody else’s leg, you goofball.”
Dana White Makes A Proposal To Jake Paul
With a fight against a UFC-contracted fighter still out of the question, Dana White would then throw out a counterproposal to the YouTuber. Paul, known to conceive of creative bets and proposals of his own, was now on the receiving end of a rather unexpected offer from the UFC boss.
“I got a challenge for Jake Paul,” White said. “This guy keeps saying that I’m a cokehead. He can randomly cocaine test me for the next 10 years if I can randomly steroid test him for the next two,” White said.
Getty Images
White is not the first person to throw suspension in Paul’s direction regarding steroid usage. Previous opponent Tyron Woodley also suggested that Paul was entering their initial August fight as a tainted athlete. Additionally, John Fury claimed that Paul had avoided being drug tested ahead of the originally planned bout between Paul and Tommy Fury.
Thus far, Paul has always responded to every mention of his name by Dana White, so we shall see if this time is any different. Should he offer a response to White’s proposal, you can be sure that we will bring you the dirt right here at MMANews.com.
How do you predict Jake Paul will respond to this proposal from Dana White?
The Pulse of MMA: Fan Reactions To The Sport’s Biggest Stories
In this installment of The Pulse of MMA, we look at the raw, unfiltered reactions from MMA fans to the UFC’s nominations for Best Comeback of 2021.
It’s the last week of 2021, which means it’s time to start looking back at the biggest and best moments of the year. Right now, that means taking a peek at the UFC’s nominations for the best comeback of the year.
After a brief recap of each comeback, you can find the Pulse of MMA letting their collective voice be heard on their thoughts on the final vote tally of the UFC’s poll.
Charles Oliveira def. Michael Chandler (UFC 262)
In the first round, Michael Chandler got off to a very hot start after an opening grappling exchange. After Chandler had his back taken by Charles Oliveira and lived to tell about it, he tagged Oliveira on the feet while pushing a frenetic pace on the Brazilian. It looked as though Oliveira might have been on his way out, but the second round gave fans an alternate ending.
Nearly finished round 1️⃣, champion 19 seconds round 2️⃣ 👑@CharlesDoBronxs is your first nominee for Comeback of the Year 🏆
First, to add a little context. Rodolfo Vieira entered this fight as the largest favorite on the card at a wide -410. At the start of the fight, Vieira looked every bit the part of the heavy favorite. He easily slammed Hernandez to the mat in the first round, which looked to be the beginning of the four-time jiu-jitsu world champion putting an early end to the fight.
After failing to lock in an arm triangle followed by an unsuccessful armbar attempt, Hernandez was stunningly able to scramble back up to his feet and begin to tee off on the muscle-bound Brazilian. Then, in the second round, this happened:
Weathered the storm, and submitted the 4️⃣ time Jiu Jitsu World Champion 🤯@ILoveBAMF is your next nominee for Comeback of the Year 🏆
That’s right, back-to-back nominees from UFC 258. In this one, Marquez actually entered as the slight favorite, but you couldn’t tell by the way the fight started. After clearly being down 2-0 on the judges’ scorecards and looking to be well on his way to a loss, Marquez summoned the powers of Miley Cyrus and the Kansas City Chiefs to pull this off in the final round.
An insane comeback in the Octagon to cap off a 2.5 year layoff 😳@JMarquezMMA is your next nominee for Comeback of the Year 🏆
MMA fans know that first-round Moraes is one of the most lethal fighters in the sport. And those early powers were nearly enough to make the Brazilian the first man to ever KO the roughhouse Georgian.
It was a big left hand from Moraes in the 1st round that began the danger for Dvalishvili, which was followed by a ferocious onslaught that dropped the Georgian and had him still on wobbly legs before he was able to somehow scramble back up to his feet. After barely managing to survive, here is what happened in the next round:
One of the 𝑪𝑹𝑨𝒁𝑰𝑬𝑺𝑻 fights of the year 🤯@MerabDvalishvil is your final nominee for Comeback of the Year 🏆
WHY THE F*** IS MERAB DVALISHVILI LOOSING THIS NOMINATION,AND EVEN MORE WHY THE F*** IS ovileira winning? I DON'T UNDERSTAND,IT SHOULD BE DECIDED BY PROS,AS IT IS IN FOOTBALL'S BALLON D'OR. THIS MAKE NO SENSE. MERAB'S COMEBACK IS SIMPLY BEST.
Islam Makhachev has politely let upcoming opponent Beneil Dariush know that he is being overlooked.
In two months, two of the best lightweights in the world will compete in what is currently expected to serve as a title-eliminator bout. With UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira virtually a lock to defend against #1 contender Justin Gaethje next, the fight between Makhachev (#4) and Dariush (#3) seems to be a no-brainer for determining who will be next in line.
Makhachev got his wish when Oliveira submitted Dustin Poirier at UFC 269, as the Dagestani is eager to showcase his sambo skills against Oliveira’s masterful jiu-jitsu. In fact, he is so excited at the prospect of fighting Oliveira that he doesn’t seem to be giving any concern to the possibility of Dariush standing in his way. On the contrary, he believes Dariush is merely lying along the way.
Sean Strickland has turned in his unfiltered remark for the day, this time the controversial middleweight addressed the topic of homosexuality.
Strickland has made headlines on several occasions throughout the course of 2021. In June, a heated altercation with a training partner was captured on video. His words then began to attract attention as well when, in the same week as the aforementioned incident, he threatened to smack his trolls in front of their children.
That being said, the following tweet from Strickland may or may not come as a surprise when responding to a fan’s colorful question about whether the welterweight would rather have a homosexual son or a promiscuous daughter.
If I had a gay son I would think I failed as a man to create such weakness….. If I had a whore for a daughter I'd think she just wanted to be like her dad lol!! https://t.co/QlfKlpUnWr
“If I had a gay son I would think I failed as a man to create such weakness….. If I had a whore for a daughter I’d think she just wanted to be like her dad lol!”
He also offered these follow-up remarks moments later.
LISTEN gay men are great, i support them and their choices. freedom! Gay guys have it made. Most gay guys I know are always happy. They all just get to hang with buddies all day and have sex.. us straight men, we're fucked… we gotta do some serious work to get laid. Not fair
“LISTEN gay men are great, i support them and their choices. freedom! Gay guys have it made. Most gay guys I know are always happy. They all just get to hang with buddies all day and have sex.. us straight men, we’re fucked… we gotta do some serious work to get laid. Not fair”
It is unclear if Strickland was merely offering some of his eccentric humor or if he was being earnest with these remarks. There are two things that are for certain, however. Many people will consider his words, especially the initial tweet, to be homophobic in any context. Meanwhile, many others will consider that interpretation to be an example of “cancel culture.”
In any event, when he’s not chopping it up with Twitter followers in questionable Q&A sessions, Strickland is always in the gym, readying for his next battle. His first bout in 2022 is slated to be against Jack Hermansson on February 5.
What are your thoughts on Sean Strickland’s remarks?
The Pulse of MMA: Fan Reactions To The Sport’s Biggest Stories
In this installment of The Pulse of MMA, we look at the raw, unfiltered reactions from MMA fans to the UFC’s nominations for Best Submission of 2021.
It’s the last week of 2021, which means it’s time to start looking back at the biggest and best moments of the year. Right now, that means taking a peek at the UFC’s nominations for the best submission of the year.
You can expect everyone and their grandpappy to break out their year-end lists over the next few days. But naturally, the UFC’s lists stand apart from the rest given that, well, it’s their promotion.
So on behalf of the UFC, we at MMA News present to you their nominations for best submission of 2021! After a brief recap of each submission, you can find the video showcasing all the action followed by the Pulse of MMA letting their collective voice be heard on their thoughts on the nominations list. And as you will find out, public opinion was, in large part, not in accord with the UFC’s thinking.
Vicente Luque Submits Tyron Woodley via D’Arce choke (UFC 260)
During what was an action-packed first round, Tyron Woodley brought the fight to Vicente Luque. No longer gun-shy and tentative, Woodley took a more proactive approach. Though he had some success in the beginning, eventually, Luque got the better of the stand-up exchanges, culminating with a barrage of strikes that had “The Chosen One” on wobbly legs before ultimately being dropped by a looping left hook by the Brazilian, which led to the D’Arce.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Brandon Moreno Submits Deiveson Figueiredo via Rear-Naked Choke (UFC 263)
Brandon Moreno came into UFC 263 as an underdog, but he exited as a champion. Heading into the third round, Moreno was up on two out of the three scorecards, with the third judge having it one round apiece. The judges would be taken out of the equation when he secured the rear-naked choke after peppering Figueiredo with a couple of left hands while applying a full body lock.
Glover Teixeira def. Jan Blachowicz via Rear-Naked Choke (UFC 267)
Coming into the fight, it was well known what was Glover Teixeira’s path to victory when he challenged Jan Blachowicz for the light heavyweight championship at UFC 267. The second-degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt would be well served to get the fight to the mat and do what he had done in three of his previous five fights: get the submission. And that’s exactly what happened.
After getting the takedown in the second frame, Teixeira effortlessly passed Blachowicz’s guard into mount, prompting the Pole to give up his back, which is the last thing you want to do against Teixeira. Within seconds, the 42-year-old had secured the light heavyweight prize as well as his place in UFC history.
Glover Teixeira, Jan Blachowicz
Khamzat Chimaev def. Li Jingliang via Rear-Naked Choke (UFC 267)
Khamzat Smesh.
Khamzat Chimaev (Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa)
UFC’s Best Submissions of 2021 Video
You can check out each of the above submissions for yourself in the video below!
MMA Fans Weigh In
Finally, here is what the Pulse of MMA had to say about the UFC’s nominations list:
Car-Jitsu is beginning to find its wheels in the wide-open spaces of the loopy world of combat sports.
Invented in 2020 by Vik Mikheev, Car-Jitsu features jiu-jitsu contests held within mid-sized sedans. The participants compete in two three-minute rounds of grappling and alternate between driver and passenger between rounds.
Points are earned by establishing an advantageous position or scoring a submission. If the submission tally is tied at the close of the second round, the grapplers take the heated action to the backseat until one participant earns the most points within four minutes in an overtime period.
Kristin Shea and Alexandra Rosa Florez Engage In Fierce Car-Jitsu Battle
Everything within the vehicle is fair game and available for use. That means mirrors, seat belt, steering wheel—you name it. This is all factored into the “creative use of the environment” criterion. Participants are awarded four points for mount and back control and two points for placing their knee on the belly of the opponent.
So what spawned this idea from Mikheev? He says it began as something of an experiment that could yield fruitful long-term results for the participating grapplers.
“In 2020, I came up with the idea of doing competitive grappling in vehicles.” Mikheev said, per Jiu-Jitsu Times. “Since October of 2020, I and my friends run small tournaments of Car-Jitsu to study the aspects of jiu-jitsu application in such a confined space.“
Aljamain Sterling’s perception of Petr Yan as a cheater doesn’t stop at illegal knees.
Aljamain Sterling’s bantamweight championship win at UFC 259 will be tough to top on the “most controversial title wins in UFC history” list for a long time yet. With Sterling being the benefactor of Yan’s miscue, he has been the subject of most of the attention and scrutiny for the way he won the title. However, the fact remains that it was Yan who broke the rules by landing an illegal knee to a downed opponent.
Petr Yan, Aljamain Sterling. Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
“Yea fuck that Alga guy. He sucks. Aljo, on the other hand- yea, he can’t wait to fuck you up. Dirty rat,” Sterling posted with a syringe emoji.
When one fan indicated that Sterling’s physique is more suspicious than Yan’s and that the champion is oversized for his weight class, Sterling issued this response:
All natural work. I get fat. I have normal veins. And I get in peak shape and lose it after a few days of eating bad.
“All natural work. I get fat. I have normal veins. And I get in peak shape and lose it after a few days of eating bad. Glass these some milk and cookies.”
Dr. Funkmaster would then turn his attention over to USADA and their uselessness on stamping out PED usage.
You think the USADA team are flying Americans over there to test their athletes? Lol give me a break. Shits a complete joke.
They got a Dr. hiding here in the states, from airing their dirty Olympic doping laundry. No one is outing their athletes without concern for their life https://t.co/6sZAvcCAck
“You think the USADA team are flying Americans over there to test their athletes? Lol give me a break. Shits a complete joke. They got a Dr. hiding here in the states, from airing their dirty Olympic doping laundry. No one is outing their athletes without concern for their life,” Sterling said in response to a supporter of his crusade.
One week vs months and years of cheating aint shit. You keep you gains man. It’s cool tho. I’m use to competing against these athletes. These fighters been cheating for years since the beginning days.
They still are, and it’s something you understand but still get pissed about.
“One week vs months and years of cheating aint shit. You keep you gains man. It’s cool tho. I’m use to competing against these athletes. These fighters been cheating for years since the beginning days. They still are, and it’s something you understand but still get pissed about,” Sterling continued.
Sterling would then respond to additional criticism by invoking T.J. Dillashaw’s name as an example of USADA’s ineffectiveness both in general and as it directly relates to Petr Yan.
Lol call me what you want Bubba. They said the same about TJ Dillashaw. NYSAC caught him that dirty rat. NOT USADA.
Don’t worry. I’m still getting back in there against the rat. Calm your tits. https://t.co/2INgb16L5K
“Lol call me what you want Bubba. They said the same about TJ Dillashaw. NYSAC caught him that dirty rat. NOT USADA. Don’t worry. I’m still getting back in there against the rat. Calm your tits.”
It should be noted that Petr Yan has never failed a drug test in his athletic career. It is unclear what precisely Sterling is basing his accusations on. Then again, perhaps this is merely a tool for promoting their upcoming fight.
That fight is expected to take place in early 2022 now that Sterling has fully recovered from lingering issues following his neck surgery from earlier this year. UFC President Dana White has confirmed that this unification bout is the fight to make after Yan defeated Cory Sandhagen at UFC 267 to become the interim bantamweight champion.
What do you make of Aljamain Sterling’s PED accusations lobbed at Petr Yan?
On this day one year ago, we ran a story about Claressa Shields’ insistence that she will be the individual to prove that boxers can succeed in MMA. One year later, her record sits at 1-1, with Shields losing her most recent bout to Abigail Montes at the 2021 PFL Championships in October.
Although it cannot be denied that Shields suffered a setback and has much work to do before she can be successful in her mission, she has let it be known that she will not be deterred by her first defeat.
Here is a look back at Shields’ mindset before she ever stepped foot into an MMA cage in this story published one year ago. The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED DECEMBER 26, 2020, 10:54 AM]
Headline: Claressa Shields Vows To Prove Boxers Can Succeed In MMA
PFL newcomer and boxing world champion Claressa Shields is eager to prove that boxers can indeed be successful in MMA.
Some would say that there is a common perception that boxers do not have what it takes to be successful at the highest level of MMA. Case in point, just ask anybody what Floyd Mayweather’s chances would have been against Conor McGregor in an MMA bout. Whether a casual fan or a hardcore MMA aficionado, odds are you would get a response of McGregor being at least a -1000 favorite after the person scoffed at the very question.
This belief is further perpetuated by the precedent of one James Toney, a former boxing heavyweight champion who attempted to cross over into MMA, only to get submitted in the first round of his lone MMA fight. This has served as a precautionary tale for boxers ever since.
But now, there’s Claressa Shields, an Olympic boxing gold medalist who is venturing into MMA full time in the Professional Fighters League. Shields feels that it goes beyond a perception that boxers can’t cut it in MMA but that it is a full-blown myth, one that she cannot wait to burst.
“Listen, I’m excited and I’m just ready to prove everybody wrong,” Shields told MMA Fighting. “Not everybody but all the doubters. It seems like everybody keeps saying like ‘oh anybody that’s come from boxing can’t be successful in MMA.’
“Like they say look at James Toney, and I kind of laugh cause James Toney was 42 years old. I’m 25. He was also 42 years old and he went in there, I don’t know how long he prepared but he fought against one of the best guys that they had. It’s not that I wouldn’t do that, but I’m preparing. I’m taking it one step at a time.”
It is true that James Toney’s submission loss came to a UFC Hall of Famer (Randy Couture) and that he was indeed 42 years old at the time. Claressa Shields, on the other hand, is only 25 years of age and is arguably the best female boxer in the world. And most importantly, unlike Toney, Shields is fully invested in putting in the work to becoming a complete mixed martial artist.
“I’m not an egotistic person,” Shields said. “I am the best woman’s fighter in the world. There is no other woman fighter in boxing that can beat me in boxing, for sure. But going over to a whole other sport and saying that, it’s just not true now. I have to work my way up from the bottom and learn and train and drill.”
Claressa Shields plans to begin her mythbusting expedition around May or June of 2021 in a non-tournament fight in the PFL.
Do you believe there is a myth that boxers can’t cut it in MMA and that Claressa Shields will debunk it?
Mike Perry’s and Darren Till’s desire to fight one another went back four years until those plans suffered a likely fatal blow in 2021 when Perry parted ways with the UFC.
The year was 2017. Mike Perry and Darren Till had a combined UFC record of 8-1 entering the month of December, and the two men’s fan bases were continuing to grow.
What was also growing in popularity was the idea of the two welterweights fighting one another. As much as many fans wanted to see the fight, it was Perry and Till who have always lobbied for it the hardest.
Perry and Till’s banter would continue for years, and the two constantly flirted with fighting one another. During the Christmas season in 2018, Perry was coming off a loss to Santiago Ponzinibbio while Till defeated Donald Cerrone earlier that year.
Despite their most recent outcomes at the time, Perry decided to shoot his shot with the following Christmas wish and birthday message.
#HappyBirthday@darrentill2 and #MerryChristmas , for a gift I’d like to give you a contract with my name on it. We’ll make it happen. Until then don’t lose that 0 and remember nobody wants to stand and fight you like I do. #TheyreAllGonnaRun
“#HappyBirthday @darrentill2 and #MerryChristmas, for a gift I’d like to give you a contract with my name on it,” Perry wrote to Till on Twitter this Christmas Eve, which was also the Liverpudlian’s 24th birthday. “We’ll make it happen. Until then don’t lose that 0 and remember nobody wants to stand and fight you like I do,” Perry posted on Christmas Eve 2017.
With no fight planned for Till at the time following his victory over Cerrone on the headlining bout of UFC Fight Night 118 in Poland, Perry looked set to square off with the Brit. Having slipped to a unanimous decision defeat to Ponzinibbio at UFC on FOX 26, “Platinum” could be forgiven for believing that he may have lost out on that bout.
Till, however, offered some very encouraging words in his response to Perry, which was music to the ears of the then-26-year-old Perry:
Thanks for the well wishes… same to you!! The 0 is staying don’t worry about that… and yes I’ll sign it! Let’s go to fucking war if that’s what you want! Rankings and losses mean fuck all to me!!! 🦍👍🏻
“Thanks for the well wishes… same to you!! The 0 is staying don’t worry about that… and yes I’ll sign it! Let’s go to f**king war if that’s what you want! Rankings and losses mean f**k all to me!!!
Since this exchange took place, the combined record of Till and Perry went on to be 5-10. Today, Till no longer competes in the UFC’s welterweight division, and Perry no longer competes in the UFC at all and recently signed with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.
Unless Mike Perry makes his UFC return someday or he and Till finally compete against one another in a Triller event in the distant future, then this is one Christmas wish that will likely go down as unfulfilled.
Is Darren Till vs. Mike Perry the Christmas gift that got away for MMA fans, or were you among those who were uninterested in this fight taking place?
Yesterday, we shared an editorial from last year that documented Jon Jones’ chaotic drug-testing history. Heading into UFC 232, that history had more questions and fewer answers than ever before. But there was one thing Jones’ upcoming opponent at the time, Alexander Gustafsson, felt he knew for sure: Jones has always been a cheater.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of the MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED DECEMBER 26, 2018, 9:00 AM]
Headline: Gustafsson: “Of Course” Jon Jones Has Always Cheated
Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson will be squaring off in the main event of UFC 232 this Saturday night from The Forum in Los Angeles, California, and there has been a lot of tension between Jones and Gustafsson during the lead-in to their contest.
After Jon Jones’ latest run-in with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) with a test that rendered an “atypical” result, Gustafsson joined in on the chorus of criticisms that has rained down on Jones. In spite of slamming Jones publicly, though, Gustafsson claims that trash talking is not in his nature:
“I’m not one to trash talk my opponents,” Gustafsson told the LA Times. “If the talk is on, then let’s go, I’ll say the truth — nothing more or less. But it doesn’t affect me in my competition.”
It is with this pledge of truth that Gustafsson answered the question of whether he believes Jon Jones has always cheated, even before USADA partnered with the UFC in 2015,
“Yeah, of course I do,” Gustafsson said frankly. “I don’t care, though. It is what it is. That’s in the past and it doesn’t change anything. We have a new fight coming up and it’s all about that fight. Nothing else. I’m going to prepare for the best Jon out there — dirty or not, I don’t care. I’ll be sure I win this fight.”
At the end of the day, Gustafsson does not care what Jones has done or even what he may be doing. All he cares about is what he can control and the results dictated by his own performance:
“I don’t put an effort into what Jones is doing or not doing. I’m not sitting at home and thinking if he’s doing [performance-enhancing drugs] or not, and it’s not my job to prevent it. I’m just looking at the fight,” said Gustafsson.
“My job is to go out there and do my talking in the cage, and to beat the crap out of him.”
Do you agree with Alexander Gustafsson? Do you believe Jon Jones has been cheating throughout his career?
On this day six years ago, we ran a story about Nick Diaz slamming the UFC for how the promotion was compensating his younger brother Nate.
Today, the topic of fighter pay is stitched into the fabric of everyday MMA discourse. However, six years ago it was far less common. The Diaz brothers’ outspokenness on the subject was ahead of its time and is one of the many reasons they are considered trailblazers of the sport.
In December 2015, Nick Diaz appeared on Chael Sonnen’s You’re Welcome podcast and spoke out against how the UFC pays their fighters. Our coverage of his comments was published precisely one week after Nate’s iconic callout of Conor McGregor at UFC on FOX 17.
In the podcast appearance, Nick Diaz brought up that his brother Nate earned only $40,000 to compete and win at UFC on FOX 17.
“[Nate’s purse] makes me sick. It makes me sick what I get paid. It makes me sick for what I’ve done in the past. Then you see this guy [McGregor] come out and do really well, and it drives you crazy. [Nate] is stuck in the stone age back there, but I’m trying to help bring him some understanding. It’s a quick fix, though. They really sell him short, both of us. As far as the 20 and 20, these guys are laughing, thinking it’s a joke. No, dude. That’s what he gets paid. You can’t lie to the fans.”
Nick went on to say Nate was the man fans wanted to see step in the Octagon across from McGregor next.
“They know what they want to see. It’s the fight that needs to happen. My brother’s definitely relevant. You can’t just act like he’s not. This fight should probably happen, as far as I’m concerned. You’ve got these other guys that aren’t very popular, even though they’re holding the belt. Belts aren’t important. It’s the fights that are important. Important to the fans, important to the show. That’s more money for everybody.”
During this period, Nick Diaz was serving a five-year suspension by the NSAC after UFC 183. Diaz competed for the first time since 2015 earlier this year against Robbie Lawler at UFC 266. Diaz lost the fight via TKO (retirement).
Today, Nate Diaz is getting paid much more handsomely, beginning with him making good on his callout of McGregor at UFC 196. Since that victory, Nate has been getting the superstar treatment from both fans and arguably the UFC brass as well.
Yesterday, we shared an editorial from last year that documented Jon Jones’ chaotic drug-testing history. Once the news broke of another atypical test finding for Jones, Daniel Cormier was expectedly one of the first to react. Stipe Miocic would then react to Cormier’s reaction, five months after DC defeated him for the UFC heavyweight championship.
The following story is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of the MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED DECEMBER 26, 2018, 10:23 AM]
Headline: Stipe Miocic Sends Message To DC After Jones’ Drug Test Incident
Author: Jon Fuentes
Current UFC “Champ Champ” Daniel Cormier’s mixed martial arts (MMA) career is coming to an end. Cormier has said that, following his heavyweight title defense over Derrick Lewis in November, he has one fight left in him. It’s believed that fight will be against the returning Brock Lesnar sometime in the first quarter of 2019. However, it’s also believed Cormier will fight longtime rival Jon Jones once more before retiring as well.
Should that take place, however, there will always be doubts about Jones’ competitive integrity. After having issues with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) in the past, Jones has once again found himself in a bit of controversy. “Bones” is set to face Alexander Gustafsson in the main event of this weekend’s UFC 232 pay-per-view (PPV). Initially, the fight was to take place in Las Vegas.
However, traces of turinabol were recently detected in Jones’ system. It has been said that those traces are leftover from Jones’ initial failed drug test last year, and are not new traces. Despite this, the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) did not license Jones to fight this weekend. This forced the UFC to move UFC 232 from Vegas to California, where Jones was able to get licensed.
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