Francis Ngannou has an incredible story from digging sand in Cameroon to leaving for France and eventually becoming UFC heavyweight champion. And with that, one manager says it’s impossible to not like him.
According to Ali Abdelaziz, who manages a ton of fighters like Kamaru Usman and Khabib Nurmagomedov, he says Ngannou’s story is incredible. He also considers the heavyweight champion to be one of the nicest people in the sport, so he says it’s impossible not to like him.
However, even with Ngannou’s freakish power and incredible story, he’s in a contract dispute with Dana White and the UFC. The president didn’t even wrap the belt around his waist at UFC 270. Yet, Abdelaziz believes White doesn’t dislike Ngannou.
Francis Ngannou (Image Credit: Frederick J. BROWN/AFP)
“You look at the story. The guy came form Cameroon, went to Morocco, got on a boat, a plastic boat to Europe, you know,” Abdelaziz said to MMAJunkie. “The man has a strong will. Dana White has been waiting 20 years for someone like Francis… This whole narrative that Dana White don’t like Francis or hates Francis, I think is wrong. It’s almost impossible not to like Francis. The guy, he puts on great shows, he’s a great human being.”
Francis Ngannou is coming off a decision victory over Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 to defend his heavyweight title for the first time. He impressed many by using his wrestling to win the fight, a path to victory that not many people thought was going to happen.
With the win, he now has one fight left on his deal or can wait it out until the end of December. At this point, there have been no major progress on Ngannou re-signing with the UFC. Despite the standstill, Abdelaziz believes White doesn’t dislike Ngannou, as many think he does.
Do you think Francis Ngannou will re-sign with the UFC?
Anthony Johnson has put out a warning towards Bruce Buffer.
Anthony Johnson is coming to the defense of himself and all other former UFC fighters who have taken other opportunities. Recently, Bruce Buffer has come out and spoke about how he feels UFC fighters are not better off when they leave the organization. Johnson, who left the UFC back in Dec. of 2020, decided to sign with Bellator. He has found happiness in his new fight home and wants people to know that the UFC is not the end-all, be-all in fighting.
Buffer who was discussing the probability of Francis Ngnanou leaving the UFC in search of other fight opportunities, had this to say.
“No offense to other organizations, but you become irrelevant when you leave the UFC after a while,” Buffer said on his podcast (via MMA Mania). “Instead of losing in the UFC your contract is being ended in the UFC and you fall from the Octagon down into the Bellators.”
Johnson took offense to this since he is now one of the top light heavyweight fighters on the Bellator roster. Johnson has admitted to being happier with Bellator and having a better financial situation. Johnson took to Instagram to respond to Buffer.
“Bruce needs to stay off crack,” Johnson commented on a post. “How’s anything irrelevant when providing food and shelter for family? Oh, by the way, I got paid way more for moving to another organization. Bruce has his guaranteed money so he can talk,” Johnson finished. “Fighters have to wait and actually entertain people when they get the chance to make some money.”
More and more frequently, we are seeing former UFC fighters heading in a different direction when they become free agents. Some have decided to try their hand at boxing, like Anderson Silva and Tyron Woodley. Others have proven that different MMA organizations could be a nice fit. Bellator is a common landing spot along with PFL and now Khabib Nurmagomedov’s MMA organization, Eagle FC.
Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields spoke on conflict with Jake Paul and seemed willing to drop their beef.
Since 2016, Claressa “T. Rex” Shields has dominated women’s boxing. She is the first American boxer to win consecutive Olympic medals and has won multiple world championships in three separate weight classes.
12-0 in her professional boxing career, Claressa Shields is easily a revered champion. And in 2021, the superstar made a switch to mixed martial arts.
She won her MMA debut against Brittney Elkin by TKO at PFL 4 last June. However, later in the year, Shields lost via split decision against Abigail Montes, and immediately following that loss, Jake Paul had a few choice words.
“The only beef I have with Jake Paul is don’t ever disrespect me, you know what I’m sayin’? Like, he tried to kick me when I was down and also going into a new sport,” Shields said in an interview with TMZ Sports. “I lost a split decision. I didn’t get submitted, I didn’t get knocked out, I didn’t get beat up, it was a split. And I’m also brand new at MMA. And when he made that comment, calling me a loser and stuff, that’s what really made me want to fight him.
“And then it’s like, you can’t call me a loser because you don’t box better than me and you damn sure don’t do MMA better than me. You don’t do nothing better than me. That’s it. To kick somebody while they’re down but never give them their props when they’re up, that was kinda wack to me and that’s why I didn’t have no respect for him,” Shields explains on TMZ Sports.
“Let’s put this behind us and work together to continue to build women’s boxing,” Paul tweeted.
Recently, Jake Paul helped promote a highly anticipated boxing match between undisputed champions Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor, which Shields expressed an appreciation for and thus met Paul halfway in his olive-branch extension.
“But now, I just wish him the best,” Shields said. “I wish him the best. If he ever wanna spar, it’s always up in the air. It’s always an option. Because I do owe him a couple blows,” Shields said half-jokingly. “But other than that, I think what he’s doing for Amanda is great. I think him getting involved in helping the fight with Katie Taylor getting made is great for Amanda, and Katie, and it’s great for women’s boxing. So I appreciate him for that,” Shields continued.
Considering women’s boxing is a high priority for both athletes, perhaps their quarrel can now be swept under the rug.
Do you think this is the end of the Claressa Shields and Jake Paul beef?
UFC welterweight prospect Shavkat Rakhmonov is targeting a clash with the unorthodox Michel Pereira next.
Rakhmonov returned to action this past weekend at UFC Vegas 47 for his third Octagon outing. Having arrived on MMA’s biggest stage as a highly touted 13-0 prospect, the Kazakhstani made a splash on debut by submitting divisional veteran Alex Oliveira inside one round at UFC 254 in 2020.
After submitting Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Michel Prazeres in his sophomore appearance last June, Rakhmonov was presented with the challenge of Carlston Harris for his opening fight of 2022.
Venturing away from his imposing submission game, the 27-year-old put his knockout power and striking ability on full display inside Las Vegas’ Apex facility. After flooring his Guyanese opponent with a spinning hook kick, Rakhmonov swarmed Harris on the ground and knocked him out with some brutal ground-and-pound.
You're looking at a future contender at welterweight 😳
Rakhmonov Hopes To Add Another Brazilian To His Record
Having defeated two Brazilian natives and a longtime Brazilian resident fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rakhmonov is hoping to continue his decimation of the country’s welterweights in his next outing.
At the UFC Vegas 47 post-fight press conference, Rakhmonov called out a name not many seek to face, Michel Pereira. Having seen his Sanford MMA teammate Andre Fialho beaten by the Marabá native, “Nomad” wants his hands on “Demolidor” next.
“If you’re asking about who (is next), let’s give me Michel Pereira. He fought with my teammate Andre Fialho, so I want to fight with him.” (h/t MMA Junkie)
Pereira’s victory over Fialho at UFC 270 extends his win streak to four. Prior to his triumph over the Portuguese striker, the 28-year-old took home decision victories over Niko Price and Khaos Williams and submitted Zelim Imadaev. He was also well on his way to a triumph against Diego Sanchez before an illegal knee led to his disqualification.
If this matchup comes to fruition, on one side we’d have one of the most entertaining and unique fighters on the UFC roster, and on the other, one of the most highly-touted rising prospects in the promotion.
While Rakhmonov is undoubtedly one to watch moving forward, a victory over an established name like Pereira would certainly accelerate him towards the top.
Would you like to see Shavkat Rakhmonov face Michel Pereira next?
Juliana Peña and Amanda Nunes had their first TUF faceoff earlier today.
The rivalry between newly crowned bantamweight champion Juliana Peña and former champion Amanda Nunes is beginning to heat up. Fresh off her victory over Nunes, Peña was gunning for another chance at the GOAT. Peña wants to prove that she is the best at 135 pounds beyond a reasonable doubt, and if beating Nunes again will solidify that, then she is ready.
Peña and Nunes were announced as coaches for the 30th season of TUF just recently. They have not begun filming yet, but the two were involved in a media day to promote the show. During the media day in Las Vegas, Nunes had the chance to come face to face with the only woman to have beaten her in seven years.
Julianna Peña and Amanda Nunes face off ahead of their Ultimate Fighter season and upcoming rematch. pic.twitter.com/tlsCGWB2Ji
During the face-off, Peña was wearing a black TUF jersey, showing that her chosen team will be the black team. Nunes was wearing red. The man in the middle of the faceoff, standing in for Dana White, was TUF alum Forrest Griffin. No words were spoken between the two, but Nunes was holding her featherweight belt while Peña donned her new bantamweight strap.
Peña’s UFC journey began when she was a member of the season 18 Ultimate Fighter cast. Peña won her season and now gets the chance to help others go down the path she has before.
This 30th season will feature men’s heavyweights and women’s flyweights battling it out for a UFC contract while locked away from the outside world. Since the inception of The Ultimate Fighter, many fighters featured on the show went on to have great UFC careers, with a few becoming champions.
The new season featuring Peña and Nunes begins Tuesday, May 3 on ESPN+.
Do you think Julianna Peña will be able to make in 2-0 against Amanda Nunes after this season of TUF?
Robert Whittaker’s coach Alex Prates has revealed how the former champion has grown into a “whole different beast” on the feet ahead of his rematch with Israel Adesanya.
At the start of 2019, Whittaker was on the UFC’s middleweight throne, riding a nine-fight win streak, and was unbeaten since 2014. That form came crashing to a halt at UFC 243 in Melbourne. Spoiling the champ’s homecoming, then-interim titleholder Adesanya showed his striking superiority by TKOing “The Reaper” in the second round.
But after taking a break from the sport and finding his love for martial arts again, Whittaker has returned to his best. In three outings since his title loss, the New Zealand-born Australian has outpointed Darren Till, Jared Cannonier, and Kelvin Gastelum. In doing so, he’s secured a shot at redemption.
But while he was comfortably outstruck and pieced up by Adesanya, an elite striker who has since outpointed Yoel Romero and Marvin Vettori, and finished Paulo Costa, Whittaker’s team are confident the necessary adjustments have been made.
During an interview with Sherdog, Coach Alex Prates discussed the constant improvements Whittaker has been making between his recent appearances. With big progress in the last year, Prates says fans should expect to see the “best Robert Whittaker” to date this weekend.
“We started to adapt a little bit. I think we learn a lot from that loss to Israel. A few things that make Rob a very dangerous opponent… I think he was coming from nine wins in a row before he lost to Adesanya. We learned a lot,” said Prates. “When you get to a level of striking, a few things, the basics, have to be astounding. So we start to change a little bit, we start to adapt… get all the fundamentals right. He got better. He got a little bit better with Darren Till, he got better with Cannonier, he got better with Gastelum.
“But the biggest improvement, I have no doubt, the biggest improvement that was made in Robert’s game was in-between the last fight with Gastelum and this fight with Adesanya,” added Prates. “He’s probably gonna be, potentially, the best Robert Whittaker you guys have ever seen.”
While a number of factors have helped Whittaker expand his weaponry and fine-tune his arsenal, Prates says one addition to the team has made him a “whole different beast” on the feet. That helping hand has come from renowned Aussie boxing trainer Johnny Lewis.
With the aid of a trainer who’s coached six world champions, Prates believes Whittaker now has what it takes to match “The Last Stylebender” punch for punch.
“He’s sharp, his hands look sharp. We are having the help of a very famous boxing coach in Australia, Mr. Johnny Lewis,” Prates continued. “He’s a guy who trained six world champions. I think Johnny is about 70… He was retired but he came back to train a bronze medalist, that won the bronze medal for Australia in Rio and became professional.
“I know Johnny for a while few a through common friends. So I asked for a favor from him to oversee Rob’s boxing for this fight and he took us on board. I’m very grateful. And the results are showing. Rob’s hands… he looks a whole different beast now,” concluded Prates.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZkrMEtMmnH/
While Whittaker has undoubtedly improved and found the form of his life in his three fights since the crushing loss to Adesanya, whether he can hand the Nigerian-New Zealander his first defeat at middleweight is another question.
We’ll find out if he’s made enough of an adjustment on February 12.
Who do you think will leave UFC 271 with the middleweight gold, Robert Whittaker or Israel Adesanya?
That brings us to today’s story, featuring Sean Strickland and an adult film actress. As you can imagine from such a combination, the readers should brace themselves for the content ahead and reader discretion is advised.
As demonstrated with some of the above-mentioned headlines, Strickland has been quite unpredictable and outspoken over the previous year. In doing so, not only has he garnered the attention of the entire MMA community, but he also caught the eyes and ears of adult film star Karma RX.
Adult Film Star Karma RX At the Adult Video News Awards
Karma RX is an award-winning adult film actress who has appeared in over 150 films. At present, she has over 3 million followers on social media and a reported net worth of at least $5 million. However, life wasn’t always flashy and lavish for Karma RX.
Before her rise to X-rated fame, she struggled with meth addiction. She has been very open about her road to recovery with her fans and has thus served as an inspiration for many.
Strickland Nips Romance With Karma RX In The Bud
During his UFC Vegas 43 Octagon interview last year, Strickland stated that if it were not for MMA, he’d probably be somewhere“cooking meth in a trailer.” While Strickland did not explicitly state that he has battled meth addiction, apparently, something about this MMA “Tarzan” made Karma RX identify with him on some level, and the two later began flirting on social media last month.
Do we get married now or do I have to catch a charge first when I jealousy snap and kill someone? It's been awhile since I've fell in love with a toxic whore. I'm like a month flying into a flame..
Following his victory over Jack Hermansson at UFC Vegas 47 on Saturday, Strickland suggested that this flirtatious romance will be restricted to social media—for now.
“No, one of these days, maybe when she retires and I retire, we’ll get it going,” Strickland told reporters at the UFC Vegas 47 post-fight press conference when asked about a potential relationship with Karma RX. “But I mean, how do you—girl fuckin’ sucks dick for a living, bro. What do you say? Like, she just got a bunch of dudes cummin’ in her and you’re like, ‘Hey, wanna go on a date, babe? Wanna go get a steak dinner? As she’s cleaning off her lip.”
Despite his usual unfiltered and NSFW take on the latest subject at his disposal, Strickland did express some quasi-wholesome praise for the adult film star for her rags-to-riches story.
“But I will say one thing. Let me compliment my girl fuckin’ Karma. I wanna give her a compliment,” Strickland continued. “That girl’s life was way fuckin’ harder than me. And yeah, she does suck a little dick, but at the end of the day, that fuckin’ bitch makes more money than me, you, and the man with the gay haircut. I mean, in all fairness, she should be a meth addict in a fuckin’ dumpster. So a lot of people hate on Karma, but at the end of the day, man, girl’s fuckin’ doing well for herself.”
What say you? Would YOU date Karma RX while she is an active adult film star?
UFC heavyweight contender Tom Aspinall is raring to go in 2022 and plans on beginning a heavyweight takeover with a main event victory over Alexander Volkov at UFC London.
For Manchester’s Aspinall, the event will mark the first time he’s fought in front of a capacity UFC crowd, having defeated his first four opponents, Jake Collier, Alan Baudot, Andrei Arlovski, and Sergey Spivak, inside Las Vegas’ Apex facility and on Fight Island. What better way to arrive in front of a sold-out audience than in his home country?
Opposite him in the Octagon on March 19 will be a talented and unique Russian striker standing six feet and seven inches tall. Incredibly, UFC London will mark Volkov’s sixth main event in just 12 UFC appearances.
With Aspinall boasting an unblemished UFC record and getting set for his first headlining bout in the first quarter of this year, many expect the Englishman to replicate the 2021 of his French UFC peer. If he’s to do so, Aspinall will have to get past Volkov, a task the Manchester native is confident he can complete.
“These opportunities don’t come around all the time. I just feel like I’m ready, man. I just feel like this is my time man,” said Aspinall. “I just wanna go in there and show everybody just what I can really do, because everybody thinks they know what I’m good at and what I’m not good at, but nobody really knows. The only people who really know are the people around me. Mate, I’m gonna be up there and I’m gonna be flying the flag, and I’m gonna take over this shit.”
First Main Event ⭐️ First With Fans 🏟 First Top 10 Opponent 👊
Similar to UK stars like Arnold Allen, Paddy Pimblett, Jack Shore, Nathanial Wood, Mike Grundy, Molly McCann, and Muhammad Mokaev, Aspinall will be hoping to leave his mark when he enters the cage inside London’s O2 Arena on March 19.
Who do you think will have their hand raised at UFC London in March, Tom Aspinall or Alexander Volkov?
Bellator heavyweight contender Cheick Kongo is looking to earn more than the heavyweight title in his upcoming rematch against Ryan Bader.
Kongo has proved that age may be just a number during his recent run-in Bellator. The 46-year-old has won 9 of his last 11 fights, including most recently against Sergei Kharitonov at Bellator 265.
Just minutes after Bader earned a unanimous decision victory against Valentin Moldavsky at Bellator 273, the promotion announced that Bader will defend his belt against Kongo in May at an event in Paris.
The Bader-Kongo rivalry is one of the most heated in recent Bellator history. The two top heavyweights fought to a no-contest after an accidental eye-poke by Bader stopped the fight. Bader later denied that he poked Kongo.
Kongo is looking to earn a decisive win this time against Bader. During a recent interview with Mirror, he revealed what he told Bader during their staredown following Bellator 273.
“I told him ‘karma is a b****’ and you did really good,” Kongo said. “I was impressed with his performance, it was a really good satisfaction. I wish he will be able to perform the same way [against me] but I’m going to kill you. When he left the cage, I told him ‘you better be ready, because I’m gonna murder you’. I wasn’t expecting to face him after three years, I thought it was just a utopia but they make it real. Now it’s happening. His salvation will probably for me to die with Covid or get hit by a car to not face me.”
Kongo will have the opportunity to exact his revenge against Bader in front of the hometown crowd in Paris. He has his own gym and team in France called “Kongo’s Smashin’ Club”, which features top prospects such as Djati Melan.
The Kongo-Bader rivalry doesn’t show any signs of cooling down anytime soon, and their fight is expected to be one of the most highly-anticipated in Bellator in 2022.
What is your prediction for Ryan Bader vs. Cheick Kongo 2?
Dustin Poirier isn’t certain what his fighting future holds but doubts it will involve a fourth fight against Conor McGregor.
Poirier is coming off a submission loss to Charles Oliveira for the lightweight title and hinted at retiring after the fight. He now took to social media to provide fans an update on his career where he says he isn’t sure if he will fight again but says if he does, it probably won’t be a fourth fight against McGregor.
“Probably not,” Poirier responded to a fan asking if he’ll face McGregor next.
Although Dustin Poirier says the fourth Conor McGregor is unlikely to happen, it is a fight the Irishman has expressed interest in.
They had their rematch at UFC 257, which Poirier won by second-round KO. The trilogy match happened in July. The bout ended when McGregor broke his leg, which is why he wants the fourth scrap.
Dana White also said after the event he’s open to doing the fight for the fourth time.
“It sucks,” White said after UFC 264. “It’s brutal. It’s not the way you want to see fights end. Dustin Poirier will fight for the title, and when Conor is healed and ready to go, you do the rematch, I guess. I don’t know. The fight didn’t get finished,” he said. “You can’t have a fight finish that way, so we’ll see how this whole thing plays out. Who knows how long Conor is out, so Poirier will do his thing until Conor’s ready.”
Although Poirier says he’s uncertain if the fourth McGregor fight happens, he is interested in it being in boxing.
UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski is hinting that a potential matchup against Henry Cejudo might’ve already come and gone.
Volkanovski is slated to face Chan Sung Jung, otherwise known as “The Korean Zombie” at UFC 273. Volkanovski was originally supposed to face Max Holloway in a trilogy next before Holloway suffered an injury shortly after the booking was announced.
One of the first names that put themselves in the conversation to step up and fight Volkanovski was Henry Cejudo. He has long hinted at a UFC comeback to challenge for the featherweight title and the chance to become a three-division world champion.
The two have gone back-and-forth in a series of interviews and social media posts, but a fight between them hasn’t materialized. UFC President Dana White has been non-committal regarding a potential superfight between Volkanovski and Cejudo.
“I don’t even mind the guy,” Volkanovski said. “Obviously, we have a bit of fun and he’s always trying to troll me and get under my skin and make that fight happen.
“Again, I get people who are going to say I’m running and whatnot. The UFC never brought up his name, ever. And it was never mentioned to me, it was never even close to an option. How am I going to take it seriously if the UFC doesn’t take it seriously? And I don’t even know if Henry is really taking it serious. But man, I like the guy. He’s got great skills. You’ve you’ve done great things in other divisions. And you retired, so it just doesn’t make sense.
“If there was ever a time that I was going to do it, it probably would be now,” Volkanovski added. “But again, the UFC weren’t going to bring it up. They’re thinking that what’s the point? You don’t deserve it. And then what if you do somehow get it done — you’re just going to retire and [drop the belt again]? Even though I heard Henry say, ‘Oh, if I do that, I’ll stay,’ I don’t think they believe that. But you wouldn’t have had to worry about that anyway.”
White has been critical of how Cejudo and his management have handled their desire for a fight with Volkanovski. Cejudo announced his retirement from MMA following his bantamweight title defense against Dominick Cruz at UFC 249.
Holloway has been cleared to resume training following his injury and could serve as the backup to UFC 273. While nothing is certain regarding the featherweight title picture, Holloway will more than likely get the Volkanovski/Korean Zombie winner next.
Meanwhile, it appears that the Volkanovski vs. Cejudo window for a fight has been closed, at least for now.
What is your prediction for a hypothetical fight between Alexander Volkanovski and Henry Cejudo?
UFC Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña has grinded her way to the top of women’s MMA, and she wants to be compensated for it.
Peña pulled off arguably the greatest upset in UFC history at UFC 269, dismantling Amanda Nunes on the feet and eventually securing a submission victory. After the win, she and UFC President Dana White began to hype up the idea of a rematch.
Last week, it was revealed that the rematch between Peña and Nunes will take place after they coach the next season of The Ultimate Fighter opposite one another. Prior to the announcement, White himself had already declared that the bout will be the biggest fight in women’s MMA history.
“What did (Dana White) say? The biggest women’s fight in history,” Peña said. “In history. So I mean, makes sense. You gotta have a dance partner. It takes two to tango. It’s not just a one-stop shop here. You have to have somebody that’s gonna wanna dance with you. And what better opponent than somebody that just beat you and just put a blemish on your gigantic record of being the greatest of all time?”
Peña went on to hint at her desire for a massive payday for the Nunes rematch, using White’s previous comments against him.
“Biggest fight in women’s history sounds pretty big to me,” Peña continued. “And he said Kayla Harrison fighting Amanda Nunes was like a mega-million dollar fight. He’s quoted as saying ‘mega-million dollar fight.’ So if that’s the case, then what is this? I think it’s bigger.”
It’s hard to debate against the Peña/Nunes rematch being among the biggest fights in women’s MMA history. And from the sounds of it, “The Venezuelan Vixen” wants to be given a massive paycheck for her part in it.
How big of a fight do you think the rematch between Julianna Peña and Amanda Nunes will be?
Since that fight, both men have been in fine form. The champion has successfully defended his belt against Yoel Romero, Paulo Costa, and Marvin Vettori. Despite falling to his first loss in professional MMA when he attempted to challenge for Jan Blachowicz’s light heavyweight title last March, Adesanya has remained unbeaten at middleweight.
The pair will now share the Octagon for the second time inside Houston’s Toyota Center on February 12.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZKLJsqhWXG/
Adesanya Targets “Devastating” Finish
The consensus for the clash appears to be split. While some look at Adesanya’s 2019 victory over Whittaker and expect a similar level of dominance, others have pointed to the former titleholder’s form and fight IQ and suggested he’ll be bringing a much tougher test to the champ this time around.
While some fighters may fall victim to complacency when facing an opponent they’ve already comfortably had their hand raised against, Adesanya is not worried about that.
During a recent interview with Chisanga Malata, “The Last Stylebender” suggested his desire to finish the rematch in an even more devastating way is what motivates him ahead of 2022’s second pay-per-view card.
“That’s not been the case this time (complacency after UFC 243 win),” said Adesanya. “It’s actually made me more motivated to do it again and do it more decisively, if that’s even possible, which it is. That’s what my motivation is for this fight, that’s what got me up for this fight, was to do it again, and (in a) more devastating fashion.”
According to Whittaker, Adesanya’s latest defense against Vettori proved he was beatable at middleweight. The New Zealand-born Australian will hope to prove that to be the case when his chance for redemption arrives next weekend.
Who do you think will leave UFC 271 with the middleweight gold, Israel Adesanya or Robert Whittaker?
As Joe Rogan apologized over the weekend for past controversial remarks found in two viral videos containing podcast clips dating back several years, a third video also resurfaced.
Joe Rogan has found himself to be one of the most controversial figures in 2022 thus far. First, over 200 individuals wrote an open letter to Spotify calling on the company to take action against The Joe Rogan Experience podcast. This came after the December 31, 2021 episode featuring Dr. Robert Malone, who is specifically being accused of spreading misinformation regarding COVID-19.
The authors of the letter were soon joined by music legends Neil Young and Joni Mitchell in the shared belief that Rogan’s podcast is using the Spotify platform to spread “deadly misinformation” that is causing real harm to the general public. Both Young and Mitchell requested to have their music removed from Spotify in protest of Rogan’s continued presence on the app.
Rogan addressed these concerns in a video last week, where he apologized if he made anyone angry but insisted that it was not his intention to be controversial. He reiterated that his podcast is a place for multiple perspectives to be heard, even if he does not agree with each guest. He also expressed an openness to making changes to the presentation of his content, specifically the order in which guests are scheduled so that opposing views could potentially be heard in consecutive episodes.
Many people praised Rogan for his apology, with Chael Sonnen calling it a “home run.” Even Trevor Noah of The Daily Showpraised Rogan for much of what he had to say in the video. Rogan also had the backing of his many loyal supports and those who resist any strain of the “cancel culture” virus many believe is infecting American society.
Rogan Hit With A Second Controversy Over The Weekend
As Neil Young and Joni Mitchell requested to have their music removed from Spotify in protest of Rogan, another multi-time Grammy-award-winning artist, India Arie, added her name to the Spotify protest. However, Arie’s reason had nothing to do with COVID-19 misinformation and was based on very dated remarks from Rogan’s podcast that were unearthed.
The first video is a compilation of Rogan repeatedly saying the word “ni**er” with a hard “er.” The second video features Rogan comparing his arrival in an all-black neighborhood to landing in The Planet of the Apes.
Below, you can view both videos as well as India Arie’s explanation for why Rogan remaining on Spotify on such a lucrative deal is unacceptable when, as she claims, podcasters of color and music artists are being underpaid (right arrow leads to next video). (h/t Hollywood Unlocked)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZhNdCzL94g/
Of note, UFC fighter Curtis Blaydes was among the 27,000-plus individuals who liked the above post.
Rogan Issues Apology, Swarmed With Support From MMA Community
Rogan would soon address both videos in an apology released on his Instagram page over the weekend.
Rogan began by calling this situation “the most regretful and shameful thing” he’s ever had to discuss publicly. Rogan says that his use of “the N-word” was taken out of context by the video creator, whom he accuses of using handpicked clips from over a decade of podcast content. However, he made sure to point out that this was no excuse and that he should have never used the word for any reason, to begin with.
Regarding the Planet of the Apes remarks, Rogan stated the following:
“And there’s another clip that I have to address. There’s a clip from 11 years ago. I was telling a story on the podcast about how me and my friend Tommy and his girlfriend, we got really high, we were in Philadelphia, and we went to go see Planet of the Apes. And we didn’t know where we were going, we just got dropped off by a cab, and we got dropped off in this all-black neighborhood. And I was trying to make the story entertaining. And I said, ‘We got out, and it was like we were in Africa. It’s like we were in Planet of the Apes.’
“I did not, nor would I ever, say that black people are apes, but it sure fuckin’ sounded like that. And I immediately afterwards said, ‘That’s a racist thing to say. Planet of the Apes wasn‘t even in Africa.’ I was just saying, ‘There’s a lot of black people there.’
“Then, I went on to talk about what a positive experience it was and how much fun it was to go to see this movie in a black neighborhood. It wasn’t a racist story, but it sounded terrible. And like I said, you can have clunky stories about anything, but not about race.”
You can view the full apology below.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZlnH8MAb8L/
Rogan was again praised for the apology, with many in the MMA community, including fighters, showering him with support.
This world and nation are in a strange place right now and the people who bring dialogue in seek of the truth are not our enemies. @joerogan is a friend with a huge heart for everyone. 👊🏽🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/nGJSUQv21w
“This world and nation are in a strange place right now and the people who bring dialogue in seek of the truth are not our enemies. @joerogan is a friend with a huge heart for everyone,” wrote Josh Thompson.
“I don’t feel Joe Rogan is racist, and I don’t need white people telling me what he says is supposed to offend me,” said UFC newcomer Terrance McKinney.
This is just a snapshot of the overwhelming support Rogan received from people in the MMA community of various races, genders, and political affiliations.
There was, however, a very prominent public figure who revoked his support for Rogan.
Dwayne Johnson Revokes Support For Joe Rogan, Third Controversial Video Resurfaces
Recently, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson expressed a desire to appear on Joe Rogan’s podcast as a show of support for Rogan during the Spotify “misinformation” controversy.
However, after the two aforementioned viral videos hit the web, best-selling author Don Winslow pressed the Hollywood superstar to denounce that support. Johnson accommodated this request after being further “educated” on Rogan’s past content.
Dear @donwinslow Thank you so much for this I hear you as well as everyone here 100% I was not aware of his N word use prior to my comments, but now I've become educated to his complete narrative. Learning moment for me.
“Dear @donwinslow Thank you so much for this I hear you as well as everyone here 100% I was not aware of his N word use prior to my comments, but now I’ve become educated to his complete narrative. Learning moment for me. Mahalo, brother and have a great & productive weekend. DJ” Johnson wrote.
Mr. Winslow referenced “many racist statements” regarding black people from Rogan, but he did not enumerate which statements he was referring to. While it is possible he was only mentioning the two video clips that went viral over the weekend, it is also possible that both Winslow and Johnson were made aware of a third video that also recently resurfaced.
In the video, Rogan implies that white people are genetically more intelligent than black people after a guest told him he has a black father and white mother. You can view that clip below.
I noticed this old post of mine is suddenly getting retweeted all over the place today. https://t.co/rbQRjG8pMZ
“Powerful combination, genetic-wise, right? You get the body of the black man, and you get the mind of the white man altogether in some strange combination. It doesn’t, by the way, mean that black people don’t have brains. It’s a different brain. Don’t get me wrong,” Rogan said.
Again, it is unclear if this is part of the “complete narrative” that Johnson was referring to, but there is no doubt that these remarks are racially charged and highly questionable.
The subject of white intellectual superiority over blacks dates back centuries and continues to be linked to white supremacy to this day. In fairness to Rogan, the above clip, not unlike the Planet of the Apes clip, is from many moons ago. But unlike the two videos Rogan addressed over the weekend, this video has not yet been addressed as of this writing, thus it is unclear if his views have changed or if he feels he was taken out of context by the isolated selection of this video clip.
It is also unknown what Rogan said immediately following this clip. However, based solely on the audio evidence at hand, at best, Rogan spouted historical stereotypes considered harmful, especially by people of color who have testified that they struggle against such perceptions in their daily lives.
While some may consider such a dated clip irrelevant and yet another example of “cancel culture,” clearly, as demonstrated by Dwayne Johnson’s and even Curtis Blaydes’ response to past clips of Rogan, there are many individuals and groups who take an interest in being fully aware of past questionable remarks made by someone. This is especially the case when the remarks are regarding race and if the individual in question has a large platform.
That said, as UFC President Dana White recently articulated, it’s highly unlikely that Rogan will be “canceled” in any impactful way, regardless of any past remarks. Even if he were to be removed from Spotify, Rogan still has the #1 podcast in the country, over 20 million social media followers, and a very wide-reaching and loyal fanbase. In addition, as demonstrated by the support received in recent days, he remains one of the most beloved members of the MMA community.
What are your thoughts on this third resurfaced video from Joe Rogan?
Fight week for UFC 271 has arrived, and arguably the most significant rematch in middleweight history lurks in the shadows.
At UFC 271, Robert Whittaker will seek redemption when he faces the only man to defeat him in five years and who broke his undefeated middleweight record: Israel Adesanya.
Whittaker did not only lose to Adesanya, but he also suffered only the second knockout in his 13-year MMA career in the defeat. Whittaker has since rebounded with three straight wins, but full redemption will not be had until he returns the favor and hands Adesanya his first loss in the middleweight division as well.
In the co-main event, we have a party that is all but guaranteed to be a knockout. This primetime bash will feature KO king Derrick Lewis taking on notorious banger Tai Tuivasa. You won’t want to blink in this one to find out who will literally be the last man standing after these heavyweight powers collide.
“For me, it’s all about the feeling, the feeling that I give people when I fight.” – Israel Adesanya
Israel Adesanya, Image Credit: Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports
In the Countdown video, Israel Adesanya walks the viewers through his psychology and motivation heading into the rematch against Robert Whittaker. Viewers are left well assured that Adesanya’s fire remains bright and is truly equipped to burn down yet another house.
“This next fight will be the biggest box to tick.” – Robert Whittaker
Robert Whittaker
Robert Whittaker has defeated everyone placed in front of him during his illustrious UFC career—except but one man. The Countdown video takes viewers through the resurrection of The Reaper and how his evolution has rebuilt a man who let the pressure lead to his collapse in their initial clash.
“It’s cool to have the most knockouts in UFC history. All these greats that came here before me, and they didn’t achieve what I did.” – Derrick Lewis
Derrick Lewis, Credit: AP Photo/John Locher
In the Countdown video, the knockout king is praised for his record-setting ways, but not unlike Robert Whittaker, “The Black Beast” is also in hot pursuit of redemption. After losing badly in his hometown to Ciryl Gane last year in one of the biggest fights of his career, Lewis will hope to ring in a much happier ending in his second homecoming within the past six months.
“I got a lot of respect for Derrick. I was growing up watching him. I just think it’s the passing of the torch now. Hand it over to me.” – Tai Tuivasa
Tai Tuivasa, Image Credit: Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
The Countdown video highlights Tai Tuivasa’s growth as a well-rounded mixed martial artist, which has led to “Bam Bam” winning four straight fights. However, it is also acknowledged that this is one fight where “well-roundedness” likely won’t be required.
UFC 271 takes place this Saturday, February 12, 2022, from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. You can find the full card and viewing information below followed by the UFC 271 Countdown video.
UFC 271 Main Card (ESPN+ PPV, 10:00 PM ET)
UFC Middleweight Championship Bout: Israel Adesanya (c) vs. Robert Whittaker
UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington denies the notion that Jorge Masvidal has the support of former U.S. president Donald Trump.
After months and years of bad blood boiling between Covington and Masvidal, the two welterweights will go to battle at UFC 272. The former friends turned enemies will finally square off after a long period of fans clamoring for the matchup to happen.
Covington has long claimed that he’s Trump’s favorite fighter, despite not voting for him during the 2016 U.S. presidential election. He did support Trump in 2020 and was a guest of his during one of the presidential debates against Joe Biden.
“I’m still team captain,” Covington said. “I’m still Jorge’s daddy, and he’s just following in the footsteps of his daddy. He wants to be just like me so much that he wants to do everything I do. But let’s be honest, did Jorge even vote for Donald Trump? Because I know I did. I’d love for the voters out there to go look it up and see if Jorge actually voted for Trump. I don’t know if they let felons vote for Trump. It’s good we have a felon on the Republican side because there’s so many felons and criminals on the liberal side.”
Covington and Masvidal are both coming off of losses to UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman in 2021. Masvidal got knocked out by Usman at UFC 261, while Covington lost in a title rematch at UFC 268.
In addition to the desire for both fighters to stay relevant in the welterweight title picture, bragging rights are on the line between Masvidal and Covington. Depending on how their fight plays out at UFC 272, this could be the first chapter to a potential all-time rivalry in the UFC.
What is your prediction for Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal?
The following article was published on this day two years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 6, 2020, 5:26 PM]
Headline: Khabib Compares Conor McGregor vs. Cowboy Cerrone To ‘Well-Organized Circus’
Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.
Khabib Nurmagomedov doesn’t believe Conor McGregor vs. Donald Cerrone was fixed but he does feel the UFC did its best to ensure McGregor was made to look unstoppable.
McGregor shared the Octagon with Cerrone on Jan. 18. The welterweight bout served as UFC 246’s headliner. McGregor vs. Cerrone was held inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The “Notorious” one stopped “Cowboy” in 40 seconds via TKO.
Khabib Not Impressed By McGregor’s Win Over Cerrone
Speaking to reporters, Nurmagomedov explained why he compares McGregor vs. Cerrone to a “well-organized circus” (via RT News).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8LrJeyfCB0
“A big organization with a lot of history won’t take such risks,” he explained. “If someone finds out that the fight was fixed, it would be a huge blow to the UFC’s reputation. They picked a good opponent though – an opponent that never won anything serious. He could have kept winning and winning and when it came time for a big fight, and just gave up because he’s mentally weak. It’s just a well-organized circus.”
Nurmagomedov has his next title defense scheduled. He’ll put his UFC lightweight championship on the line against Tony Ferguson on April 18. The title clash will be the main event for UFC 249 inside the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.
As for McGregor, UFC president Dana White has made it clear that he wants “Mystic Mac” to challenge the winner of Nurmagomedov vs. Ferguson. McGregor doesn’t appear to want to wait that long and has been mulling a quick return to action.
The bad blood between Nurmagomedov and McGregor still lingers. The two were engaged in a heated feud that involved a confrontation between Team Khabib and Artem Lobov in a hotel lobby and a bus attack involving McGregor and his entourage. Ultimately, Nurmagomedov submitted McGregor back in Oct. 2018 and it led to a brawl in the crowd between both camps.
Al Iaquinta has doubts about Jake Paul’s intentions regarding fighter pay.
The topic of fighter pay has become a hot-button issue lately among fighters and media. Jake Paul is one man who is leading the way to help improve the pay structure with MMA. He has been vocal about wanting the UFC to pay their fighters more money and has targeted UFC President Dana White in this battle. However, some people are having doubts about Paul’s true intentions in this fight, including Al Iaquinta.
Image Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Paul has blown up in the boxing world over the last few years. He has made his way by fighting former UFC fighters such as Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley. In these bouts, the former UFC fighters are reported to have made much more than they did in their time with the MMA organization.
This led Paul on his crusade against the UFC and White. He even released a “diss track” criticizing White and his low payment of fighters. Iaquinta feels that Paul’s whole charade is for self-promotion rather than helping the fighters in need.
“I don’t know how sincere it is or not, but I don’t think it can be that sincere because it hasn’t really affected him,” Iaquinta said to MMA Fighting. “If it had affected him then it would be super sincere, see I think it works for him as he’s getting promotion out of it. That video got a lot of views. I think he’s young, smart, wealthy, and he’s not bound to anything. He’s gonna be successful.”
Iaquinta was on a similar mission as Paul. He was one of the first UFC fighters to begin complaining about the payments in the UFC. Iaquinta was a perennial top ten fighter throughout most of his career. His shining moment was perhaps his UFC 223 title shot against Khabib Nurmagomedov. He later sat out two years due to contract negotiations problems and wanting more money.
Former UFC featherweight title challenger Chad Mendes is getting paid big money for his bare-knuckle boxing debut.
Mendes is slated to return to combat sports after a lengthy hiatus. He’ll fight Joshuah Alvarez at BKFC’s upcoming Knucklemania II event on Feb. 19.
Mendes hasn’t fought since his UFC finale against Alexander Volkanovski in 2018. After falling to Conor McGregor for the interim featherweight title at UFC 189, he would go on to lose two of his next three against Volkanovski and Frankie Edgar.
Mendes excited his fans when he announced his return to fighting during a recent appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast. During an interview with MMA Junkie, he admitted that BKFC is giving him a big paycheck for his return, and he’s slated to make more than UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou did at UFC 270.
“I’ll put it this way: I just saw what the UFC heavyweight champion of the world just got paid, and it’s gonna be more than that,” Mendes said. “It’s pretty crazy. I feel blessed for sure.”
Mendes, one of the biggest standouts from the famous Team Alpha Male gym under Urijah Faber, had a very memorable run in the UFC’s featherweight division. He earned wins over the likes of Ricardo Lamas, Myles Jury, and Clay Guida during his time in the Octagon.
While Mendes never earned a UFC featherweight title, he fought in an epic battle against José Aldo at UFC 179 in which some believed he was robbed of the decision. He would go on to get knocked out by McGregor in his last shot at a title a couple of fights later.
Ngannou has been outspoken about how he feels he’s been treated by the UFC brass over the past few years. Ngannou wants flexibility with the UFC to pursue potential boxing fights with the likes of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and others, along with better pay.
If Mendes’ claims about his upcoming paycheck are true, it certainly puts gas on the fire concerning Ngannou’s stance regarding fighter treatment in the UFC.
UFC commentator Jon Anik has serious doubts regarding Jake Paul’s aspirations of fighting in the UFC.
Paul is coming off of an eventful 2021 in which he continued his undefeated boxing career. He earned back-to-back wins over former UFC champion Tyron Woodley after knocking out former welterweight Ben Askren in a matter of seconds.
Paul has recently alluded to transitioning to MMA at some point in time and more specifically fighting in the UFC. He’s challenged UFC President Dana White to sign him to a one-fight deal if White agrees to make changes to fighter pay and other components of the promotion.
But Anik isn’t so sure that Paul is serious in his alleged desire to fight on MMA’s biggest platform. During a recent interview with DAZN, Anik compared Paul’s aim to fight in the UFC to that of professional wrestler and former UFC fighter CM Punk.
“I just don’t think that he wants to scratch that competitive itch,” Anik said of Paul. “I think he is legitimately passionate about boxing. CM Punk, for lack of a better example, he needed to scratch that itch. It didn’t go the way he wanted it to. It didn’t go the way he thought it would. But he needed that for his own peace of mind. I think Jake Paul needed that in boxing.
Jake Paul, Image Credit: RYAN HATTAWAY
“But Jake Paul’s not going to have a better retirement or enjoy any part of his life by scratching that MMA itch. I don’t think that he wants to devote his training life the way he’d need to become a mixed martial arts athlete. I don’t think we see Jake Paul in the UFC. But if we do, hopefully, the matchmaking is done in an appropriate way.”
Punk, otherwise known as Phil Brooks, fought for the UFC in 2016 and 2018. White and the UFC brass gave him an opportunity to compete in the promotion despite little MMA experience, losing to Mickey Gall at UFC 203 and a no-contest against Mike Jackson at UFC 225.
Punk has returned to professional wrestling via AEW and remains a commentator for Cage Fury Fighting Championships. As for Paul, he remains at odds with White and the UFC as he works his way back to a boxing return later this year.
Do you think Jake Paul will ever fight in the UFC?
UFC middleweight Jack Hermansson has spoken out on social media for the first time since his decision loss to Sean Strickland at UFC Vegas 47.
Hermansson got out-paced and out-struck from start to finish against Strickland. He had issues getting the fight to the ground and dealing with Strickland’s clean boxing techniques.
Hermansson has traded wins and losses over his last five fights and entered UFC Vegas 47 off of an impressive win over Edmen Shahbazyan. However, he was unable to replicate his earlier success and suffered a setback in his pursuit of a middleweight title shot.
The day after the event, Hermansson addressed his fans and Strickland in an Instagram post.
“I’m sorry fans, about tonight,” Hermansson said. “I had a bad performance, and I lost the fight. It wasn’t pretty, or technically sound. I could get the bastard to the ground. Sorry Sean this one went to a decision. Best of luck to murder your next competition.”
Hermansson is one of the few top middleweight contenders who hasn’t fought middleweight champion Israel Adesanya yet. He had an outside chance of potentially receiving the next title shot if he was able to get past Strickland.
At 33 years old, Hermansson still has plenty of time to potentially get on a winning streak and earn an elusive title shot. But he’ll need to bounce back in a big way against his next opponent.
What do you think should be next for Jack Hermansson?
UFC veteran Sam Alvey isn’t done fighting despite a disappointing loss to short-notice replacement Brendan Allen at UFC Vegas 47.
Alvey’s loss to Allen came via submission in Round 2. He had some moments early in the fight on the feet, but Allen was able to put a torrid pace on him and eventually secure the rear-naked choke for the win.
Following his loss to Allen, many speculated that Alvey’s retirement announcement could be inevitable. But during a recent video on his TikTok page, Alvey sounded optimistic regarding his fighting future.
“Hey guys, I’m fresh off my UFC fight and as I’m sure a lot of you saw, I did not — I didn’t get it done,” Alvey said. “I’ve lost a step. Something needs to change and I’m gonna make the correction.
“I’m not done fighting but I love this sport and you know what? God has blessed me. God, I raise God’s name on a high. I would not have the career I’ve had without him and I really have had a good career. I’ve had a long career.
“I’ve had — shoot, that was my 23rd fight in the UFC. I’ve had a career that people dream of. I’m not done fighting but I know I need to take a little bit of a hiatus.
“My YouTube channel, I’m gonna really push that. I wanna help coach, I wanna help coach you guys. If you have questions, if you wanna learn from me, if you wanna teach me, follow me on there, follow me here. I’m gonna keep pushing. I wanna help others win, I’m winning again too.
Alvey has a history of staying positive and outspoken following his losses. However, it’s clear that he feels especially defeated by this latest setback at UFC Vegas 47.
Alvey made his debut with the UFC back in 2014, losing to Tom Watson before winning three-straight. He would go on to compete against the top middleweights in the promotion, earning wins over the likes of former UFC champion Rashad Evans and former Strikeforce champion Nate Marquardt.
It’s unclear what Alvey’s UFC future holds, but he seems optimistic regarding a return to the cage to get his first win in nearly four years.
The following story was published on this day three years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day Three Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 6, 2019, 9:11 PM]
Headline: Jon Jones Dispels Israel Adesanya Comparisons
Israel Adesanya has been receiving a lot of comparisons to his upcoming opponent, Anderson Silva, as of late. However, there’s also another name he has been compared to quite often recently. That name being UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
Speaking to the UFC recently, Jones addressed the recent comparisons to “Stylebender”. Other than their frame and the color of their skin, Jones doesn’t really believe there are too many similarities (via MMA Mania):
“We have similar body types and we’re both black,” Jones said. “And that’s about it. I don’t think we fight alike, I don’t think we fight similar. I do a lot of wrestling, heavy ground-and-pound, a lot of submissions – I strike in both stances, I feel like our games are very different.
“But I do respect him, a lot. I think he is going to be a force to be reckoned with. He is great for the sport, great talker and he finishes fights. He is a very exciting young man.”
Adesanya will take on Silva in the co-main event of this weekend’s (Sat. February 9, 2019) UFC 234 pay-per-view (PPV) from the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia. As for Jones, he will be defending his championship in the main event of UFC 235. That PPV goes down from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 2, 2019.
What do you think about Jones’ reaction to comparisons to Adesanya?
The following article was published on this day two years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 6, 2020, 9:50 PM]
Headline: Dana White Weighs In On Disagreement Between Joe Rogan & Stephen A. Smith
Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.
UFC President Dana White has given his two cents on the disagreement between Joe Rogan and Stephen A. Smith.
Stephen A. got plenty of flak for his comments on Donald Cerrone’s performance against Conor McGregor at UFC 246. “Cowboy” was defeated in 40 seconds. During the post-UFC 246 edition of SportsCenter, Stephen A. said he felt Cerrone “gave up” and that his performance was “atrocious.”
MMAJunkie.com caught up with UFC boss Dana White, who gave his viewpoint on the situation. White said disagreements are simply bound to happen between two opinionated personalities.
“I’m not into it. Rogan is not into it. You don’t see that in the UFC. There will be times where I’m pissed off at a guy, and I’ll voice my opinion on what he did or whatever – or if a fight is really bad or somebody did something. What we don’t do is, when a fight is over and a guy loses, we don’t go in and rip them apart. It’s just not our style. We’re fans. We don’t do it. I think Rogan was reacting to that. That’s our philosophy here. For Stephen A. Smith, that’s his thing. That’s what he does. It’s going to happen. You’re always going to have people who have difference in opinions, especially when you have two very opinionated guys like Stephen A. Smith and Joe Rogan.”
Stephen A. has been discussing UFC bouts more since the promotion’s deal with ESPN. While Smith has covered MMA in the past, he doesn’t do so nearly as much as other sports such as basketball or football.
While many within the MMA community have been at odds with Stephen A., some have looked at the other side. There’s no doubting that Stephen A. is ESPN’s most popular personality and his reach to the casual sports fan is significant. If he talks about lesser-known MMA fighters, it could boost their stock. Of course, insinuating that a fighter quit can also have the opposite effect.
Even though he got his hand raised at UFC 47 last night, Sean Strickland did not live up to his own standards of bloodshed and violence, and he’s putting a portion of the blame on some fancypants folks in suits.
Sure, Sean Strickland was able to pick up his sixth consecutive victory, which at this level is always something to be proud of. However, Strickland didn’t feel much like celebrating after defeating Jack Hermansson in the UFC Vegas 47 main event.
Although Strickland did not shy away from taking the lion’s share of the blame for what he considered to be an underwhelming victory, he also thinks the pressure from outside sources played a role in his performance. Specifically, he cited anonymous folks in suits who got in his head.
“I mean, none of you guys wear suits, so I can’t say this to you guys. You guys all look like common folk,” Strickland said when addressing reporters in the post-fight press conference. “But I get a lot of fancy fuckers who wear suits, and they come up to me and they start talking about title fights and things of that nature. You hear that all the time and you start thinking, ‘Do I really want to risk getting knocked out when I could go for a title fight?’ So I let the fancy folk in the suits throw me off a little bit, but it won’t happen again.”
Strickland’s description of events sounds like something straight out of a Men in Black movie, with one of the suits flashing the neuralyzer in Strickland’s face, prompting him to forget his gory ways.
In any event, a W is a W, and it can’t be denied that “Tarzan” is now one step closer to a title shot and an opportunity at a bloody redemption in front of an even wider audience.
Do you believe Sean Strickland should be next in line for a welterweight title shot?
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