Category: MMA

Report: CM Punk Will Make UFC Debut at UFC 202 Or UFC 203

Source: Inquisitr

It’s been almost 18 months since former WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk signed with the UFC, and he still hasn’t made his debut inside the Octagon.

Originally, Punk was supposed to fight on this past Saturday night’s UFC 199 show against Mickey Gall, but a serious back injury that required surgery pushed the former WWE star’s debut back several months. Then, it was rumored that he would be on next month’s UFC 200 card, but Punk himself said that there was almost no chance of that happening.

 So, when will he be making his UFC debut? Well, a date hasn’t been announced yet, but according to Dave Meltzer of the Wresting Observer and MMA Fighting, CM Punk may finally step inside the Octagon this coming August or September.

On Saturday’s post-UFC 199 edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Meltzer reported that Fox Sports 1 is planning on airing a series of CM Punk specials leading up to his fight, and that they’re planning on airing them in August, which suggests that the ex-WWE Champ will fight at either UFC 202 on August 20, which will be headlined by the Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz rematch, or at UFC 203 on September 10, which will be headlined by the Heavyweight Title fight between Alistair Overeem and Stipe Miocic.

“CM Punk is probably fighting by the way. What I can say about CM Punk is that FS1 is scheduling the CM Punk reality show to build to his fight in August, so that would probably mean [that he’s fighting on] August 20, or September 10 in Cleveland, and I believe that August 20 is in Vegas, and I tend to think that, of the two, they’d do it on August 20.”

There have been some questioning whether or not CM Punk would ever fight due to the fact that he’s always dealing with some kind of nagging injury. Also, there have been reports that he’s been struggling in training, mainly during sparring.

It looks like Punk will still be fighting Mickey Gall whenever he’s ready to step inside the Octagon, as Gall has guaranteed that the fighting between the two will happen at some point.

It seems likely that the UFC will put Punk on the UFC 202 card, which, as previously mentioned, is going to be headlined by McGregor vs. Diaz 2. Of the two dates that were mentioned, UFC 202 is, by far, the bigger show, which is why it’s the better card to debut Punk on.

As of right now, most believe that CM Punk will get destroyed if he ends up fighting Mickey Gall. But, unless Punk fought someone who is a complete unknown, almost every fan wouldn’t believe that Punk had the ability to win his debut or any other fight inside the Octagon.

If the UFC is planning on having Punk fight in August, expect them to announce it very soon, maybe even at UFC 200 next month, as there will be a ton of WWE fans watching that show because of the fact that Brock Lesnar will be on the card.

 

Brock Lesnar’s UFC 200 Opponent Revealed; Lesnar Talks SummerSlam, UFC Return, More

Source: WrestlingINC

Brock Lesnar’s return to the UFC is set, and so is his opponent. As announced this morning on ESPN SportsCenter, Lesnar will take on Mark Hunt in his return.

Lesnar last fought in 2011, taking on Alistair Overeem. Lesnar battled diverticulitis throughout his career, missing long stretches of action. Last year, Lesnar re-signed with the WWE for three years, and said that he closed the door on a UFC return.

“I couldn’t live with that decision, that decision has haunted me for the last 15 months,” Lesnar said. “I’m a big believer in facing your fears and facing the reality of not sitting 20 years ago saying ‘Son, you should have done that.’ I was on UFC 100, so why not UFC 200?,” Lesnar said.

Lesnar said that this was his idea, and he immediately regretted not making a return to the Octagon.

“I lost to diverticulitis, that’s who beat me. My performance was because of the illness. I feel a thousand percent, I wouldn’t step in the Octagon if I didn’t. I’m not faking it, this is for real,” Lesnar said.

When Lesnar announced that Mark Hunt would take him on, he noted that he’s never turned down a fight in the UFC. “Why not (Mark Hunt), I don’t care,” Lesnar said.

“It’s taken some time for things to play out, but I said ‘What are the chances of having Brock Lesnar at UFC 200?,” Lesnar said. “I’m a crossover athlete, I’m the modern day Bo Jackson, and I couldn’t be more excited that both companies have the faith in Brock Lesnar to return to the Octagon.”

Lesnar said that he spoke to Vince McMahon about the idea and hashed it out. He said that he doesn’t know what the plans for SummerSlam are, but isn’t sure what the plans are for him on the card.

Interviewer Hannah Storm asked about the UFC banning Ariel Helwani over breaking the story of Lesnar’s return, but Lesnar said that he’s not on Twitter and isn’t familiar with Helwani. Lesnar was also asked about the late Muhammad Ali, and said the two shared a handshake and said he felt something powerful in Ali.

Lesnar closes the interview by saying he isn’t sure what any of this means for his legacy, but has to do what’s best for himself and his family.

Breaking News: Brock Lesnar to compete at UFC 200

At UFC199 in a historic event where Michael Bisping defeated Luke Rockhold for the middleweight title, it was announced that the beast Brock Lesnar will be competing at UFC200.

WWE issued an official statement saying

Brock Lesnar remains under contract to WWE, however, he has been granted a one-off opportunity to compete at UFC 200. Following this milestone event on July 9, Brock will return to WWE for SummerSlam on Sunday, August 21, live on WWE Network.

The event will be headlined by Daniel Cormier vs John Jones for the light heavyweight title and the co main event will pit Lesnar against a TBA opponent. Also at the event  will have Miesha Tate defending her battemweight title against Amanda Nunes, and the interim featherweight title will be up for grabs as Jose Aldo takes on Frankie Edgar. It all goes down Saturday July 9th live on PPV

UFC199 (complete card)

Main Card (Pay-Per-View)

13. Luke Rockhold (c) (15-2) <USA> vs. {4} Michael ‘The Count’ Bisping (29-7) <England> in a Middleweight bout for the UFC Middleweight Championship!

12. Dominick ‘The Dominator’ Cruz (c) (21-1) <USA> vs. {2} Urijah ‘The California Kid’ Faber (33-8) <USA> in a Bantamweight bout for the UFC Bantamweight Championship!

11. {4} Max ‘Blessed’ Holloway (15-3) <USA> vs. {5} Ricardo ‘The Bully’ Lamas (16-4) <USA> in a Featherweight bout!

10. {15} Dan ‘Hendo’ Henderson (31-14) <USA> vs. {14} Hector ‘Lighting’ Lombard (34-5-1, 2 NC) <Cuba> in a Middleweight bout!

9. {11} Dustin ‘The Diamond’ Poirier (19-4) <USA> vs. {14} Bobby ‘King’ Green (23-6) <USA> in a Lightweight bout!

Preliminary Card (Fox Sports 1)

8. {12} Brain ‘T-City’ Ortega (10-0, 1 NC) <USA> vs. Clay ‘The Carpenter’ Guida (32-16) <USA> in a Featherweight bout!

7. {10} Beneil ‘Benny’ Dariush (12-2) <Iran> vs. James ‘The Texcutioner’ Vick (9-0) <USA> in a Lightweight bout.

6. {6} Jessica Penne (12-3) <USA> vs. Jessica ‘Bate Estaca’ Andrade (13-5) <Brasil> in a Women’s Strawweight bout!

5. Cole ‘Magrinho’ Miller (21-9, 1 NC) <USA> vs. Alex ‘Bruce LeeRoy’ Caceres (11-8, 1 NC) <USA> in a Featherweight bout.

Preliminary Card (UFC Fight Pass)

4. Sean ‘Tarzan’ Strickland (17-1) <USA> vs. Tom ‘The Octopus’ Breese (10-0) <England> in a Welterweight bout.

3. Jonathan ‘Johnny Bravo’ Wilson (7-0) <USA> vs. Luis Henrique ‘Frankenstein’ de Silva (10-0) <Brasil> in a Light Heavyweight bout!

2. Kevin ‘King’ Casey (9-4, 2 NC) <USA> vs. Elvis ‘The King’ Mutapcic (15-4) <Bosnia and Herzegovina> in a Middleweight bout!

1. Marco Polo ‘El Toro’ Reyes (5-2) <Mexico> vs. Dong Hyun ‘Stun Gun’ Kim (13-7-3) <South Korea> in a Lightweight bout.

Ronda Rousey Had Knee Surgery

Source: MMA Fighting

Will former women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey help make history when the UFC puts on its first event at Madison Square Garden in New York City in November? According to UFC President Dana White, she won’t. In fact, she won’t fight in November at all. White says Rousey recently had minor knee surgery and her timeline for a return is being pushed back.

“Ronda Rousey, I don’t know,” While told ESPN’s Cari Champion on SportsCenter Thursday. “I’m hoping we’re going to get Ronda back this year. She actually just had surgery yesterday on her knee. Nothing serious, just get in there, scope it and clean it out a little bit. She feels great. Her spirits are great. She’s been training.”

According to White, however, November is out of the question. Rousey was originally expected for UFC 200 in July, but pushed back her timeline to October or November due to other commitments. Now, White said, her return is looking more like end of 2016 or early 2017.

“If she fights, I’m hoping she fights in December. If not, then he would probably fight at the New Years show at the beginning of the year,” White noted.

As for who she’ll face, White has remained consistent that Rousey will receive an immediate title shot upon her return. “If Miehsa Tate’s still the champion, she’ll fight Miesha Tate. Whoever has the belt is who Ronda Rousey will fight.”

White didn’t rule out the possibility of Rousey facing Holly Holm, who took Rousey’s belt in November of 2015, but said it would have to be a product of circumstance, not engineering.

“Injuries happen in this sport and a fight is made. Somebody falls out and somebody else slides in,” he explained. “I’m not even saying Holly Holm couldn’t be the champion by the time Ronda comes back. So, whoever holds that belt when Ronda’s ready.”

Paige VanZant Finishes As Runner-Up On ‘Dancing With The Stars’

Source: MMAFighting.com

Paige VanZant, the popular UFC fighter, finished second on this season of “Dancing With The Stars” on Tuesday night in Los Angeles. VanZant and partner Mark Ballas earned a perfect score of 30 for their salsa-jiva amalgamation on the second night of the finals, but it was not enough. Deaf male model Nyle DiMarco and his partner Peta Murgatroyd took home the title when the scores and fan votes were combined.

VanZant and Ballas got a 29 out of 30 with a paso doble routine Monday on the first night of the “DWTS” finale. DiMarco and Murgatroyd earned perfect scores of 30 both nights this week. Ginger Zee and dancer Val Chmerkovskiy came in third.

UFC Hall of Famers Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture both competed on “Dancing With The Stars,” but didn’t make it nearly as far as VanZant.

VanZant, 22, made six figures for appearing on the show and even more for making the semifinals and finals. Despite the loss, “DWTS” was also a boon for her mainstream popularity and social media engagement.

“12 Gauge” is a rising star in the UFC’s women’s strawweight division. She has a background in dancing, modeling and acting. This week, news broke that VanZant earned a role in the next Jean-Claude Van Damme “Kickboxer” sequel due to her performances and personality on “Dancing With The Stars.”

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Dana White Denies Reports That UFC Is Up for Sale

Source: WrestlingINC

Darren Rovell of ESPN reported that the UFC was in “advanced talks” to sell the promotion. According to the report, at least four bidders have submitted offers to purchase the company, including WME/IMG, The Blackstone Group, China Media Capital and Dalian Wanda Group. It was noted that the winning bid will be in the $3.5 billion – $4 billion range, with the Chinese-based Dalian Wanda Group being in the lead. UFC President Dana White responded to the report, telling The Las Vegas Review Journal that the story is “overblown.”

“The UFC is not for sale,” White said. “The ESPN story is overblown. Darren Rovell is not a fan of facts. His facts could not be further off.”

Rovell responded to White on Twitter, writing:

Ronda Rousey Signs Deal With Lifetime

Source: WrestlingINC

Ronda Rousey has signed a three-movie deal with Lifetime. The former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion will “bring stories that reflect her passions about empowerment to the screen,” according to Deadline. Rousey will reportedly not star in the films, however.

Cormier VS Jones To Headline UFC 200

Source: MMA Fighting

The rematch is once again official.

Jon Jones will fight Daniel Cormier in a light heavyweight unification title bout at UFC 200, as first reported during a telecast of Good Morning America on Wednesday. The fight will headline the July 9 card in Las Vegas, at the brand new T-Mobile Arena.

“UFC 200 has been, uh, interesting to say the least, putting this thing together,” UFC president Dana White said on the show. “There’s been some crazy things that have gone on. Some ups and downs. Jon Jones just fought on Saturday night and won his fight against OSP. He’s been out for 15 months, and now he’s back, and he wants his light heavyweight UFC title back. So the main event will be Daniel Cormier versus Jon Jones.”

Jones was originally slated to face Cormier at UFC 197 this past Saturday, yet the current 205-pound champion had to withdraw due to an injury. He was replaced by Ovince Saint Preux, who lost a unanimous decision to Jones. The fight was contested for an interim title.

The Jones-Cormier rematch had been rumored for the big UFC 200 card, yet Jones was nursing a sore foot after his fight with Saint Preux. Though he has yet to have an x-ray taken, he tweeted out on Tuesday evening that he was walking around and the foot was fine.

“I just want to get back to my original plan and dominate Daniel Cormier again,” said Jones on the show.

The bad blood between Cormier and Jones extends back to UFC 178, where the two were booked to meet for Jones’ light heavyweight title. During a press conference for the fight, the two engaged in a brawl. Jones had to pull out of the fight with a leg injury, but they finally met at UFC 182 in early-2015.

Jones won the first fight via unanimous decision.

He was stripped of his title just a few months later after a hit-and-run incident in Albuquerque. Before then Jones had eight title defenses. In his absence Cormier defeated Anthony Johnson for the vacant belt at UFC 187, and later defended it againstAlexander Gustafsson at UFC 192 in Houston.

UFC 200 will feature a women’s bantamweight title fight between Miesha Tate andAmanda Nunes, as well as an interim featherweight title fight between Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar.

Dana White Says Conor McGregor Isn’t Back On UFC 200

Source: WrestlingINC

A little earlier we mentioned that UFC Featherweight Champion Conor McGregor posted on Twitter that he’s back on the UFC 200 card. 

UFC President Dana white says that it’s not true:

“It’s not true. We haven’t talked to Conor or his manager since the press conference. I don’t know why he would tweet that,” White told TMZ on Monday.

White is adamant that the UFC and McGregor are not pulling a publicity stunt in order to gain attention for the landmark UFC 200 event.

“All the media keeps asking me that. I feel like the scene in ‘Step Brothers’ when they ask if they can build the bunk beds. I don’t know how many more times I can say the fight is off or how many more press conferences I can have saying the fight is off for people to believe it’s off,” said White.

UFC is hoping for a Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier rematch for the UFC 200 main event, although the health of both fighters will determine if that happens.