Tag: UFC

Conor McGregor Breaks His Silence: Issues Statement On His Retirement.

 We knew it wouldn’t be long before the notorious Conor McGregor spoke up about all the retirement  news, I mean after all he’s known for talking right?
The featherweight champion took to his official Facebook this morning saying:

I am just trying to do my job and fight here.

I am paid to fight. I am not yet paid to promote.

I have become lost in the game of promotion and forgot about the art of fighting.

There comes a time when you need to stop handing out flyers and get back to the damn shop.

50 world tours, 200 press conferences, 1 million interviews, 2 million photo shoots, and at the end of it all I’m left looking down the barrel of a lens, staring defeat in the face, thinking of nothing but my incorrect fight preparation. And the many distractions that led to this.

Nothing else was going through my mind.

It is time to go back and live the life that got me this life.

Sitting in a car on the way to some dump in Connecticut or somewhere, to speak to Tim and Suzie on the nobody gives a fuck morning show did not get me this life.

Talking to some lady that deep down doesn’t give a fuck about what I’m doing, but just wants some sound bites so she can maybe get her little tight ass a nice raise, and I’m cool with that too, I’ve been giving you all raises. But I need to focus on me now.

I’m coming for my revenge here.

I flew an entire team to Portugal and to Iceland to make my adjustments in preparation and fix my errors I made with the weight and the cardio prep.

With the right adjustments and the right focus, I will finish what I started in that last fight.

I will not do this if I am back on the road handing out flyers again.

I will always play the game and play it better than anybody, but just for this one, where I am coming off a loss, I asked for some leeway where I can just train and focus. I did not shut down all media requests. I simply wanted a slight adjustment.

But it was denied.

There had been 10 million dollars allocated for the promotion of this event is what they told me.

So as a gesture of good will, I went and not only saved that 10 million dollars in promotion money, I then went and tripled it for them.

And all with one tweet.

Keep that 10 mill to promote the other bums that need it. My shows are good.

I must isolate myself now.

I am facing a taller, longer and heavier man. I need to prepare correctly this time.

I can not dance for you this time.

It is time for the other monkeys to dance. I’ve danced us all the way here.

Nate’s little mush head looks good up on that stage these days. Stuff him in front of the camera for it.

He came in with no shit to do that last one. I’d already done press conferences, interviews and shot the ads before RDA pulled out.

Maybe I’ll hit Cabo this time and skull some shots pre-fight with no obligation.

I’m doing what I need for me now.

It is time to be selfish with my training again. It is the only way.

I feel the $400 million I have generated for the company in my last three events, all inside 8 months, is enough to get me this slight leeway.

I am still ready to go for UFC 200.

I will offer, like I already did, to fly to New York for the big press conference that was scheduled, and then I will go back into training. With no distractions.

If this is not enough or they feel I have not deserved to sit this promotion run out this one time, well then I don’t know what to say.

For the record also –

For USADA and for the UFC and my contract stipulations –

I AM NOT RETIRED.

There you have it folks! Straight from the champs mouth, he’s not going anywhere. It’s interesting that this statement comes off the heels of Dana White saying that Conor’s chances of fighting at UFC 200 were very slim. He also went on to say that because of the retirement claims it can at least take up to four months before McGregor is allowed to fight again.

We still have a lot of unanswered questions here. Will we see the McGregor vs Diaz rematch in July? Or perhaps at a later date? If Diaz isn’t fighting McGregor who will be his dance partner? Or will Diaz be pulled from the card entirely? What match up can save UFC 200 when many are under the impression that both Aldo vs Edgar and Tate vs Nunes aren’t big enough to do so.

Perhaps the most important question is what does all of this mean for the featherweight division? Only time will tell.

Could Conor McGregor be joining WWE?

 It’s been a crazy 72 hours in the world of MMA. Conor McGregor sent out a tweet on Tuesday that read

I’ve decided to retire young. Thanks for the cheese. Catch y’all later

This sent fellow MMA fighters and fans into an uproar on social media. Many wondered what it meant for the main event at UFC 200? Who would Nate Diaz face?



We still don’t have those answers but according to Dana White Conor has to clear up the retirement comments otherwise the scheduled bout between Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar will be for the featherweight title.

The notorious one is also making headlines in the world of professional wrestling. For what it’s worth this could mean absolutely nothing but WWE super star and fellow Irish Becky Lynch posted a photo via Instagram  of McGregor wearing her shirt with the  caption #ComejoinMeBro. You can see the post here. https://instagram.com/p/BEZnFPBC_eX/
So what do you think guys, will we see the notorious in WWE? Is he really retired from MMA or is all of this a ploy to generate buzz for UFC 200 in July?

Report: McGregor Retires Because Of UFC Pay Dispute

Source: MSN

We finally have a reason that appears to explain Conor McGregor’s shocking and abrupt retirement announcement, and the UFC’s response of pulling him from a fight.

According to Charly Arnolt, McGregor wants around $10 million for his UFC 200 fight with Nate Diaz:

UFC President Dan White pulling McGregor from UFC 200 for refusing to promote the fight by doing press events and commercial shoots made little sense since McGregor seems to be so media-friendly and happy to promote anything for the company.

This report about the pay dispute makes all the sense in the world. McGregor wants more money and will refuse to work in order to get his way. In response, the UFC will make it seem like McGregor is not cooperating. Simply put, this appears to be nothing more than a typical athlete pay dispute.

Conor McGregor Pulled From UFC 200

UFC President Dana White announced yesterday that they have pulled UFC Featherweight Champion Conor McGregor from UFC 200, where he was scheduled to fight Nate Diaz in a rematch from UFC 196. He was pulled from the main event at UFC 200, due to his unwillingness to fly to Las Vegas and participate in mandatory promotional activities.

McGregor sent the MMA world into chaos by tweeting that he has decided to retire young.

Dana White said the following:

“We pulled Conor McGregor from UFC 200. Conor did not want to come to Las Vegas and film the commercial or be any part of the marketing that we have, he’s in Iceland training and that’s not possible. We had other incidents like this where guys didn’t want to do the press conference, you have to, he didn’t want to. He felt that leaving right now would hurt his training, but every other fighter on the card is coming. I respect Conor as a fighter and I like him as a person, but it doesn’t make you exempt, you have to do it. Is Conor McGregor retiring? Only he can answer that question, I don’t know, but he’s not fighting at UFC 200.”

Lyoto Machida Pulled From FOX Card After Drug Violation, New Co-Main, Sarah Kaufman Contract

Source: WrestlingINC

Ariel Helwani revealed on this week’s episode of The MMA Hour that former Strikeforce Bantamweight Champion Sarah Kaufman is no longer under contract to the UFC. Kaufman was removed from the UFC’s official rankings this week as well.

The UFC has yet another former Champion on the shelf following a USADA drug violation, and this time it canceled a fight. Former Light Heavyweight Champion Lyoto Machida had his fight from this Saturday’s UFC on Fox 19 show pulled after he disclosed he had been using DHEA on his pre-fight drug screen. Machida claimed that the supplement was banned in 2016, which isn’t true.

Current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Daniel Cormier commented on all of the recent suspensions on UFC Tonight, saying “This is not the USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) pushing themselves into the sport for no reason. The UFC sought them out. They brought them in to clean this sport up and they are doing that.”

With Lyoto Machida vs. Dan Henderson pulled from this weekend’s UFC on Fox show, Rose Namajunas vs. Tecia Torres has been promoted to the co-main event. UFC posted this video of the former title challenger Namajunas preparing for the fight.

 

UFC Announces Historic Event At Madison Square Garden

UFC issued the following:

UFC MAKES HISTORY WITH ANNOUNCEMENT OF MAJOR EVENT AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN IN NEW YORK ON NOVEMBER 12

Second event to be announced for Upstate New York by end of 2016

Las Vegas – Following today’s landmark bill signing by Governor Andrew Cuomo to legalize and regulate professional mixed martial arts (MMA) in New York, UFC® announced that it will host a major Pay-Per-View event at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, November 12.

Additionally, UFC will be adding another live event in Upstate New York before the end of the year. The organization has pledged four events per year for the first three years after passage of the bill. The events will be held in Upstate cities such as Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, and Albany, in addition to Madison Square Garden and the Barclays Center.

Today’s bill signing and event date announcements cement mixed martial arts’ incredible future in the state of New York, and reaffirm UFC’s commitment to a market that is home to many top stars including former UFC champions Jon Jones, Chris Weidman and Rashad Evans, and countless other title contenders.

“I want to thank Governor Andrew Cuomo, Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Morelle, Senator Joe Griffo and the many other leaders in the state of New York for legalizing and regulating the sport of mixed martial arts,” said UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta. “Our commitment to bringing incredible live events to New York starts immediately, as we’ve planned a major Pay-Per-View event at Madison Square Garden on November 12. It’s going to be a historic, monumental moment for this sport and our passionate fans when the Octagon finally arrives in New York.”

“Today marks a great day for both MMA fans and New York,” said Joel Fisher, executive vice president, Marquee Events and Operations, The Madison Square Garden Company. “We think it’s only fitting that the first UFC event is taking place at The World’s Most Famous Arena and look forward to these world-class athletes becoming part of The Garden’s storied history.”

Further information about the upcoming live event at Madison Square Garden will be announced in the weeks to come.

Miesha Tate vs. Amanda Nunes set for UFC 200

Source: SB Nation Bloody Elbow

Contrary to what UFC president Dana White said last month, UFC women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate will not be making her first title defense against Ronda Rousey. In an announcement made on Wednesday’s episode of UFC Tonight, Tate will fight Brazil’s Amanda Nunes at UFC 200 at the newly opened T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The promotion’s big pay-per-view is set for Saturday, July 9th.

Tate (18-5) won the women’s bantamweight title with a dramatic 5th round rear-naked choke of Holly Holm in the UFC 196 co-main event. “Cupcake” was behind 38-37 on the scorecards, and while she nearly choked Holm out in (a 10-8) round 2, she successfully handed Holm her first defeat with just 90 seconds left in the fight. The 29-year-old started her UFC career 0-2, which included a 2nd loss to Ronda Rousey, but has since won 5 straight en route to becoming champion. Earlier this week, Tate signed a new contract with the UFC, which is quite the tale considering she was contemplating retirement over losing her initial title shot to Holm last year.

Nunes (12-4) is 5-1 inside the Octagon, with her only loss in the UFC is by 3rd round TKO to Cat Zingano. She opened the UFC 196 main card with a unanimous decision win over Valentina Shevchenko, although she faded badly in the 3rd round and had to hang on for the victory. Four of her UFC wins have come by stoppage, including an impressive 1st round submission win over former title challenger, Sara McMann, last August.

UFC 200 is headlined by a welterweight rematch between featherweight champion Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz, which was the UFC 196 main event over Holm vs. Tate. Also on the card is an interim featherweight title between former champ Jose Aldo and ex-lightweight champ Frankie Edgar, in a rematch of a fight won by Aldo at UFC 156 back in 2013.

 

UFC Announces Ultimate Fighter Season For Championship Title Shot

Source: WrestlingINC

The UFC has officially announced season 24 of their reality show The Ultimate Fighter. This time, the company is pulling out some stops in order to regain some of the audience the show has lost.

Per a press released issued to us Tuesday, the show will hold a 16-man flyweight tournament in order to determine a number one contender for the 125-pound championship. The winner will get a title shot on the finale in December.

This format isn’t unheard of, as Matt Serra won season four on his way to earning a championship fight. Serra would go on to score one of the biggest upsets in MMA history by defeating Georges St-Pierre for the championship.

Season 20 was actually contested for a championship, with Carla Esparza becoming the first ever UFC Strawweight Champion in 2014.

Demetrious “Mighty” Mouse Johnson is the UFC’s dominant Flyweight Champion, and seems to be running out of contenders. He faces Olympian Henry Cejudo later this month at UFC 197, but has expressed his desire to break Anderson Silva’s consecutive title defense record of 10. Johnson is currently sitting at 7.

Tryouts will take place on April 25 in Las Vegas at Palace Station, with the season set for filming in June, and the broadcast premiere on August 31 on Fox Sports 1.

Daniel Cormier Injured, Out Of Title Defense Against Jon Jones At UFC 197

Source: WrestlingINC

The planned Daniel Cormier vs. Jon Jones UFC Light Heavyweight Title rematch won’t be happening — at least at UFC 197.

The current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Cormier has withdrawn from the planned fight against the former champion, as reported by BJPenn.com. No replacement has been announced yet, although Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson has been training in case of an injury.

Jon Jones Gets Five Tickets From Police Officer And Goes Off (Video), Jones And UFC Make Statement

Source: WrestlingINC

Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones had yet another run-in with the police last week, and it wasn’t pretty.

Jones was ticketed for drag racing, and was pretty outspoken to the police officer who issued the ticket, who also didn’t shy away. The policeman claimed that Jones took off at a high rate of speed off from a stop in his Cadillac.

In the video, Jones can be heard going off on the cop, calling him a “pig,” and a “f–king liar,” before saying ‘you’re despicable.” The police officer later replied and said he felt the same way about Jones. Jones was given five tickets in total.

Jon Jones issued a statement maintaining his innocence, but says he regrets the terminology he used.

“I was not drag racing nor was I speeding. I did not get a speeding ticket. I was driving within the speed limit of the 35mph zone.”

“I feel that police used a technicality to ticket me for drag racing, for simply revving my engine and acknowledging some of my local fans. I regrettably said words to the police officer out of frustration, for which I apologize for, but I do feel this was excessive.”

The UFC also issued a statement, saying “We are aware of the situation and are looking into the matter. We’ve also been in touch with Jon’s team regarding the matter.”

Jones was also cited for a traffic violation last month.