Official Mixed Martial Arts Thread

[glb]

UFC has a series called UFC Reloaded, which features a mix of recent and old cards. If BT has similar rights to our deal, they should have episodes for UFC 207, 205, 201 and 67.

 

I like them because they fill a 2.5 hour block on my grid, which makes filling the days with no live broadcasts a little easier!

 

UFC Main Event and UFC Unleashed are also worth a look if BT is showing them.

[McFly]

They show Unleashed pretty regularly plus Beyond The Octagon, which shows classic fights in the lead up to a big event. Usually its the same ones over and over (Lawlor/MacDonald, Ronda/Holly more than 5 times at least) but occassionaly different ones depending on whose fighting, Joanna/Gadelha 2 this week for example. I liked having a whole event from the good ole days of 10 years(!) for a change.

[glb]

Yeah, wish they'd send a few more like that our way. The 205 is good as we have an excuse to put some McGregor content on air but a few more classics would be grand.

 

Speaking of which, UFC Classics has an ep dedicated to Rich Franklin. I'll dig through the catalogue tomorrow and see what else is in there worth a look.

[schmojo]

I've always liked Al Iaquinta a fighter, even if he's sometimes come across as a meathead.

 

However, he's totally slaying it at the moment with his digs at Dana: http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2017/4/30/15494264/ufc-al-iaquinta-dana-white-swanson-gaethje-president-donald-trump-mma-news

 

It's a big gamble - he'll either become a star or get sidelined. But he supposedly can make plenty away from the sport, so I'm glad someone's willing to challenge the party line.

[McFly]

Thats nuts, the Iaquinta stuff, No idea what will come of it.

[Doomguy]

6 hours ago, schmojo said:

I've always liked Al Iaquinta a fighter, even if he's sometimes come across as a meathead.

 

However, he's totally slaying it at the moment with his digs at Dana: http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2017/4/30/15494264/ufc-al-iaquinta-dana-white-swanson-gaethje-president-donald-trump-mma-news

 

It's a big gamble - he'll either become a star or get sidelined. But he supposedly can make plenty away from the sport, so I'm glad someone's willing to challenge the party line.

 

That's brilliant. Think I just became a fan.

 

The Mens Fitness tweet is ace. 'Warrior king that never was'. Ha. 

[glb]

@McFly - checked our UFC content, there's also an episode of UFC Reloaded that features UFC 77 - Silva v Franklin (plus an early fight from Demian Maia). BT should have it on their schedules some time.

[McFly]

Thanks @glb o/

[glb]

\o

[schmojo]

Anderson's saying that he might retire if he doesn't get a shot against Romero at 212, and Romero's saying he'd only do it for an interim belt 

 

How many times has Anderson threatened to take his ball home over the years eh? Still, good luck to him in getting some big fights. I thought Brunson beat him, so finding beatable opponents might be tricky inside the top 10.

[McFly]

Yeah, how many people really want to see Anderson fight now anyway? Retirement might be the best option rather than risking another loss or poor performance (I also thought Brunson won). Saying what i just saud even though Romero would probably crush him, certainly watch it.

[Doomguy]

I'd like to see Anderson vs Belfort then they both retire. Neither have anything to prove. Anderson in his prime would have smashed all the current contenders. Same with Vitor. Having them hang around just shows the lack of depth the division has now. 

[glb]

Rumours circulating of a Chuck Liddell comeback...

 

Hoping it's bullshit or shameless PR exercise but some think he might be lined up for a fight in Bellator.

 

 

[schmojo]

1 hour ago, Stevedave said:

 Same with Vitor. Having them hang around just shows the lack of depth the division has now. 

 

Got to disagree with that. They're still around because they generate cash and crowd interest. They also have a lot of goodwill with Dana as longtime ambassadors.

 

The mw division is still deep, it's just in disarray at the moment. Romero, Mousasi, Rockhold, Jacare, Whitaker, Weidman, Gastelum before long... It's a monstrous top 10. They've just mostly started to lose interest due to bullshit.

[Doomguy]

21 hours ago, schmojo said:

 

Got to disagree with that. They're still around because they generate cash and crowd interest. They also have a lot of goodwill with Dana as longtime ambassadors.

 

The mw division is still deep, it's just in disarray at the moment. Romero, Mousasi, Rockhold, Jacare, Whitaker, Weidman, Gastelum before long... It's a monstrous top 10. They've just mostly started to lose interest due to bullshit.

 

They do generate cash but you lose interest when they get smashed. I definitely did with Chuck. Hendo seems to have gone out in the most favourable light of all the Pride era fighters. I can't think of any others. 

 

22 hours ago, glb said:

Rumours circulating of a Chuck Liddell comeback...

 

Hoping it's bullshit or shameless PR exercise but some think he might be lined up for a fight in Bellator.

 

 

 

I think this all stems from his instagram. He posted a pic from about a week ago and he is in amazing shape. 

 

 

 

[Yobo Ahoy]

GSP saying he can't fight until 'after October'. What the fuck has he been doing all this time? Presumably now we'll get another daft interim belt, can't see Bisping doing the honourable thing and fighting Romero in the summer if it means giving up his big payday.

[McFly]

Bloody hell, what a waste of time. 'After october' would surely lose all the media momentum created by Georges return? Has he got injured and trying to hide it?

Bisping said he'd fight someone else if its not in july but who knows, maybe he'll fight Whittaker and Romero will be super upset and go to Bellator.

[Orion]

Bisping has been back tracking on that abit on his podcast lately saying his knee is still hurting and he is fine with the fight being later in the year. That was before this "after October" comment though. I blame GSP for this whole mess tbh. 

[McFly]

I guess Bisping/GSP would be looking at potentially a serious amount of money for their fight and thatd make most people wait for it rather than taking a really hard fight for a lot less money. So, while its annoying as fuck, i do get it. Better to wait and be fit rather than for another fight to fall apart

[Gotters]

Bisping would be mad to fight anybody else if the GSP fight is on the table - him vs Romero is the proper MW title fight but would be lucky to get 500,000 PPV buys - GSP is one of only 3 guaranteed million plus PPV fighters (and Bisping isn't fighting Rousey or MacGregor). As champ Bisping gets points off the PPV gross so why risk the belt against a super dangerous fighter in Romero for less pay if you don't have to.

 

He hasn't got many more huge paydays left in his career and it makes totally sense to wait for GSP, he'd be an idiot not to.

[Doomguy]

Yes, can't really blame Bisping. I think any of us in the same position would just wait, fight, get paid, then retire. 

 

I see Nate Diaz is out banging the drum gain. 'I'm not interested in fighting conor'. Brilliant because neither is he. Are you going to fight again or retire? 

 

Same with Nick. He's been offered an Anderson Silva rematch, a title fight against Woodley, a GSP rematch. What do they think is going to come along better than that? 

[glb]

Absolutely, Bisping has been offered the GSP fight, so he's entitled to wait until

he gets it. He's a rich man already, but the fight is the difference between a very good retirement and a great retirement.

 

Situation is shit for the title picture in what is probably UFC's most stacked division, but if Dana et al want these marquee fights bringing back older stars they'll have to live with the stalling.

[schmojo]

Thank god that Gastelum's win over Belfort has been overturned due to his cannabis use. 

 

It's a crying shame when straight-shooters like Belfort have to suffer unjust losses against freakishly overpowered weed users.

[Orion]

My sympathy would be with Kelvin more but to pass the "in competition" PED test for weed as long as you don't get lit the day or two before your fight your fine now. Kelvin was getting blasted the day of his fight apparently.

 

All Kelvin needed to do was not smoke weed for a few days and he couldn't be arsed. Passing the new Weed rules is so easy a Diaz could do it. There is no excuse.

[schmojo]

I read that it was testing in the evening following the fight.

 

Reckon there's any chance that he got on it right after the fight, and that's what got him?

 

(Clearly making excuses for a fighter that I like, there...)

[Orion]

It's possible he started smoking bongs in his dressing room immediately right after the fight, minutes before an expected drug test. You would have to be a total fucking idiot to do that though. 

 

You would think no one would ever be that stupid but Nick Diaz did that right after his win over Gomi and got it turned to a NC.

[schmojo]

6 hours ago, Orion said:

It's possible he started smoking bongs in his dressing room immediately right after the fight, minutes before an expected drug test. You would have to be a total fucking idiot to do that though. 

 

You would think no one would ever be that stupid but Nick Diaz did that right after his win over Gomi and got it turned to a NC.

 

They're probably not exactly lighting up bongs, but using the little vape kits like Nate. Have to imagine that it crosses someone's mind after a fraught few weeks, and a rollercoaster of a fight.

 

Still dumb, but I imagine adrenaline is a bit out of control at that point.

[Orion]

They lose their whole win bonus and any FOTN or performance bonus. As well as being stripped of the win on their record.

 

I had sympathy when it was "no weed for a month" before the fight but now it's basically don't smoke for 48 hours. You are gonna lose half your payout if you do as well so you really have to be an idiot to fuck up with the new rules.

[Yobo Ahoy]

Yussssssssssss. Common sense prevails. Bisping/GSP off, Romero in. Time to face the music Mike!

 

http://mmajunkie.com/2017/05/dana-white-michael-bisping-vs-georges-st-pierre-title-fight-off-yoel-romero-gets-next-shot

 

(Although to be fair I think he'll make a decent fist of it, he's a much more intelligent fighter than Romero.)

 

 

[glb]

Oooooh, hype for this one should be goooood. Glad common sense has prevailed, hopefully 214 just got its main event!