Despite apparent support, Thiago Santos' camp not entirely happy with Bellator brass
(mmajunkie.com)Thiago Santos' manager makes no excuses for his fighter missing weight for Friday's Bellator 62 event.
That said, he's not exactly thrilled at the circumstances that were presented to his client.
Despite Bellator Fighting Championships CEO Bjorn Rebney's decision not to cut Santos for the infraction and to instead help connect him with a nutritional expert, manager Josef Borges believes the company should take a little responsibility for the misstep.
"What happened with Thiago was that he needed to cut a lot of weight for the fight on March 16," Borges told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) in his native Portuguese. "He cut 12 kilograms (27.5 pounds) up until 1 p.m. of March 15, when I called him to inform him the fight was postponed. At that moment, he was only 3 kilograms (6.6 pounds) from making weight...
Following NSAC challenge, lawyer says UFC's Nick Diaz didn't lie about marijuana RX
(mmajunkie.com)A lawyer representing Nick Diaz said the Nevada Attorney General's office made a "very offensive" and "ridiculous" statement when Diaz was accused of lying on a pre-fight medical questionnaire prior to his fight with Carlos Condit at UFC 143.
Las Vegas-based lawyer Ross Goodman contends that Diaz's medical-marijuana card doesn't constitute a prescription.
So, he said, the fighter wasn't lying when he checked "no" on the part of the questionnaire asking whether he had taken or received any prescribed medications two weeks prior to his fight.
"The fact that they're falling back now on this is significant because you would think they would respond to the stuff that we argued in the response, which I think is basically irrefutable," Goodman told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).
Goodman on March 7 responded to a complaint for disciplinary action against Diaz that was issued Feb. 8 when a post-fight drug test revealed the presence of marijuana metabolites. Diaz (27-8 MMA, 7-5 UFC) lost a unanimous decision to Condit (28-5 MMA, 5-1 UFC) in the headliner of UFC 143, which took place Feb. 4 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. He subsequently said he he was retiring from competition after the pay-per-view event.
For now, Diaz is temporarily suspended pending a hearing scheduled for next month in Las Vegas, where he'll appear to face a possible yearlong suspension and fines. He also tested positive for marijuana following a 2007 win over Takanori Gomi at PRIDE 33. Diaz was suspended for six months for that offense, and the result of the bout was changed to a no-contest.
Rule 467.850 of the NSAC's administrative code bars the use of illicit substances such as performance-enhancing drugs and drugs of abuse, including marijuana. The commission also recognizes a list of substances prohibited in and out of competition by the World Anti-Doping Agency, or WADA...
Dana White on 'The Ultimate Fighter: Live' season debut: 'It was perfect'
(mmajunkie.com)From the live format to the new broadcaster partner to the surprise one-round fights, Friday's season debut of "The Ultimate Fighter: Live" couldn't have gone any better.
That's according to Dana White.
The UFC president spoke to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) after the two-and-a-half-hour season debut, which included 16 live elimination-round fights on FX.
"Going into this thing ... you're always nervous when you do something new and do something different," he told MMAjunkie.com. "We worked long and hard on this show to make sure this came off with no hitches. I'm very happy to with how it came off. It was perfect. Everything went according to plan. There were literally no hiccups whatsoever.
"It's not easy doing this live. Nobody's even done this before, and it could have gone any more perfect."
MMAjunkie.com was on scene for the debut, which took place at the UFC Training Center in Las Vegas. After 14 taped seasons on Spike TV, the UFC's long-running reality series went to a live format with its move to the FOX-owned FX. With UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and fellow headliner Urijah Faber on hand to scout for next week's team selections, White said they were treated to a stellar night of fights...
Tim Sylvia says he can KO Struve, Brown, and Morecraft
(outsidethering.net)In an interview for his campaign to get back to the UFC, Tim Sylvia confidently says he can KO Stefan Struve, Travis Brown, and Christian Morecraft
I know he also called out Kongo before...and after seeing Kongo's last fight, I think Sylvia could def do it. I think Brown would win, but Kongo, Struve, and Morecraft would be good fights to watch
Tim Sylvia willing to return to UFC for old pay
(outsidethering.net)Tim Sylvia had an interview where he said he would be willing to fight in the UFC for what they used to pay him. He also mentioned he'd like to retire in the UFC...but I guess everyone does right?
The more I think about it, the more I say give him 1 fight in the UFC to see how he can handle himself with the new breed of fighters
Ed Herman says Silva is ducking Sonnen
(outsidethering.net)“Of course, Silva is ducking Sonnen. Why would he want to fight Chael again? He got lucky by catching Chael in that triangle arm-bar the first time,”
I disagree...I'm taking Silva by KO as he'll surely work is TD defense and knock him out...especially considering how he looked against Bisping
Former MFC Champ McKee disputes decision to drop Contract, Claims Health Issues Prevented Him From Making Wieght
(sherdog.com)
The Maximum Fighting Championship recently announced that lightweights Antonio McKee and Brian Cobb were released by the Canadian promotion for missing weight prior to their MFC 32 title bout.
McKee officially tipped the scales seven pounds over the contracted 155-pound limit. As a result, his planned lightweight title defense was downgraded to a non-title catchweight affair, and he was stripped of the belt by the organization prior to the contest.
“I was thoroughly disgusted by the lack of professionalism that Antonio McKee showed towards the belt he was scheduled to defend as well as the Maximum Fighting Championship as an organization,” said MFC President Mark Pavelich in an official statement released Tuesday.
McKee earned a unanimous decision victory over Cobb at the Jan. 27 event, which aired live on HDNet from the Mayfield Inn Trade and Convention Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
“It was unacceptable behavior for a champion to demonstrate. On top of that, Antonio never really apologized for missing weight that badly. That was the end of things for him with the MFC,” Pavelich continued. “That’s why he was stripped of his belt immediately and told that he would never fight in the MFC again. I hope it’s a message to all the other fighters in the MFC.”
McKee, however, sees the situation differently. According to the former champion, both Pavelich and Cobb knew McKee would miss weight due to illness. McKee says he and his camp made the conscious decision to “not push the envelope” and try to make weight, as the fighter was experiencing severe lightheadedness and stomach pains.
“[Pavelich] knew I wasn’t going to make weight before the fight because I told him I wasn’t going to make weight. I was sick. I had f---ing kidney issues. My stomach was messed up. They already knew that,” McKee told Sherdog.com on Wednesday.
................................
In my opinion this calls into question the whole practice of cutting weight.
I have no sympathy for guys who miss weight due to "health issues." If you can't consistently make a weight cut in good health, you need to be fighting at a higher weight class.
I think they should institute a policy of multiple weigh ins to prevent this sort of drastic cutting. It isn't good for fighters. What happened to safety first?
Jay Jeans from MMA@Work interviews Che "Beautiful" Mills
(youtu.be)Che Mills is an English mixed martial artist and current UFC Welterweight. He is a former Cage Rage British welterweight champ, and holds 2 notable KO wins over DREAM Welterweight Champion Marius Zaromskis.
MMA@Work's very own, Jay Jeans, recently was able to catch up with Che.
The full audio of the interview can be found below.
Exclusive: At All Costs, Alistair Overeem Is Out for Justice Against Golden Glory
(mmaweekly.com)In this exclusive interview, UFC heavyweight Alistair Overeem talks to MMAWeekly.com about the ongoing legal situation with his former team at Golden Glory and much, much more.
Overeem took time on Wednesday to talk to MMAWeekly.com about his upcoming fight with Junior dos Santos, the work he’s been doing with the Blackzilians and he fires back at his former team at Golden Glory and the lawsuits that have been filed by both parties.
Damon Martin: First let’s start with what’s coming next for you in the UFC. It’s going to be Junior dos Santos for the title. I want to start by asking your thoughts on him as a fighter and his striking?
Alistair Overeem: Junior dos Santos is the heavyweight champion of the UFC so he’s the best fighter in the world at the moment and he has that belt around his waist, which I’m still missing. He’s a very strong fighter with knockout power in his punches, and he moves very well for a heavyweight. His boxing skills are the best in the MMA business so that would make for a very interesting fight. It will be a classic striker versus striker, which an audience always loves to see. It will be a great fight for sure...
With fighter pay in spotlight, UFC vets shed light on life in octagon's middle-class
(mmajunkie.com)For three of the UFC's rank and file, the bottom line rarely ends at "show" and "win."
Sponsorships, performance bonuses, and discretionary bonuses help to line the pockets of George Roop, Jacob Volkmann and Nam Phan.
They are not millionaires. But despite a wide disparity in pay with their headliner counterparts, figures disclosed by the fighters painted an upper-middle-class living.
Pay-per-view dollars are, for now, a faraway dream that Roop, Volkmann and Phan hope to realize. They have won and lost and are no strangers to the preliminary card. They draw hardcore interest but are known by a casual few.
Featherweight Roop, a veteran of "The Ultimate Fighter 8," has fought nine times in the now-defunct WEC and UFC and carries a record of 3-5-1 under the Zuffa-owned promotions. Lightweight Volkmann signed with the promotion in 2009 and has fought seven times in the UFC, where he's amassed a 5-2 record including five consecutive wins inside the octagon. Phan, a veteran of "The Ultimate Fighter 12," has fought four times in the UFC as a featherweight and carries a 1-3 record.
Thirty-nine millionaires have been created by the promotion, according to UFC executive Lorenzo Fertitta, who defended his company's pay structure in a controversial segment aired on Sunday for ESPN's "Outside the Lines." Responding to charges that top stars are compensated handsomely while lower-tier fighters risk life and limb for as low as $6,000 a fight, he said the company shares around 50 percent of its revenue with athletes under contract.
Roop, Volkmann and Phan's guaranteed pay leans toward the lower end of what fighters make in the promotion.
But they're not struggling...
Ed Herman wasn't happy with TUF coach Ken Shamrock
(insidefights.com)Ed had a recent interview with MMA 24/7 radio and discussed his time on TUF. In his interview, Ed expressed his displeasure with being on Ken Shamrock's team saying although he and his coaches were nice, they were not good coaches and his team was often stood up by Shamrock.
Ed once again said he would love a rematch against Alan Belcher since he thought he won that fight. He also would like another chance at Demian Maia and any other top 10 fighter in his class.
Ed also answered several fan submitted questions on the show.
Ed's interview starts at the 32 minute mark in the podcast.
Gabriel Gonzaga Talks Taking Time Off, His UFC Return and More
(outsidethering.net)"I believe the time away from the Octagon was really good, as it allowed me to take care of some smaller projects in my life. It also allowed me to regain my focus on my career as a mixed martial artist.
I’m very happy to be back fighting for the UFC. I’m hungry to get back in there and fight. I want to prove that I can make a big run in the heavyweight division. It’s time to focus on winning my fights and getting back to where I was before I left."
Fight Path: Adlan Amagov goes from war-torn Chechnya to Strikeforce co-headliner
(mmajunkie.com)For his first eight years or so, Adlan Amagov liked to play outside, particularly soccer. He has four brothers and one sister, and the large family was close, living in the village of Sernovodsk in the Republic of Chechnya.
Then, when he was 8 years old, Amagov's school was bombed in the opening stages of the First Chechen War. Life changed.
"In 1994, it all stopped," Amagov told MMAjunke.com (www.mmajunkie.com) through interpreter and manager Sam Kardan.
-Interesting read on the guy that's fighting Robbie Lawler in January.
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