UFC 226 "CHAMPION V. CHAMPION" MIOCIC V. CORMIER July 7th

[Nash Diesel]

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d2/UFC_226_event_poster.jpg/220px-UFC_226_event_poster.jpg


We're a little over a week away so let's get the discussion poppin!

Who takes it? Stipe, the record breaking HW champ with 3 title defenses versus the LHW Mini-GOAT and undefeated @ HW, the LHW champ Daniel Cormier. Plus we have Max Holloway putting his legacy on the line against Brian Ortega and 2 prehistoric monsters in Ngannou and Lewis with the winner no doubt IMO deserving of a shot at the title. We also have a STELLAR scrap on deck w/ Michael Chiesa v. my favorite 155er post-BJ Penn, Mr. Anthony Pettis.

Those 4 fights right there are worth the price of admission.

[Fanny Batter]

It's a fascinating main event in that I think the consensus opinion is that the great big man beats the great "little" man, but it's not something I subscribe to. I don't think there will be much size difference, and if the fight is won by Stipe it's because he uses his tools better, namely his hand speed and ability to stay off the cage. It's a 50/50 fight. Stipe doesn't have an iron chin in that he has been hurt, dropped and stopped before, Cormier hits hard and fights well while pressuring his opponent. Stipe hasn't really fought a wrestler in his entire career so we don't have any credentials to read off there. He's obviously a college level wrestler and hasn't given up a takedown in a long time, but he's hardly faced any and certainly nobody with Cormier's ability. I think this will answer the question of whether Miocic is simply lording over an aging, fragile division or if he's a genuine world class operator. He certainly won't be used to fighting anybody as talented or as fast as DC. Honestly my lean is Cormier, based on him being the better mixed martial artist who's abilities have proven to not negate him north of the 205lb division. We know he can wrestle good heavyweight grapplers in Josh Barnett. He can knock 265lb men like Bigfoot out on the feet. He's world class. Might be the second best to ever do it north of 170lbs. I fancy him winning by rear naked after dropping Miocic inside.

Got Holloway against Ortega in an absolute war. Both will just throw down for five rounds and it'll be awesome. Can't see either man wilting, though I think the greater threat for a finish is probably Ortega - got the bigger one hitter on him and he's lethal on the ground. I just don't see Holloway really giving him much of an inch and will put on a bit of a clinic, though T-City will have his moments.

Ngannou should have a decided advantage on the feet against Black Beast, as well as a huge advantage in speed. Seems he has a chin too. If he gets put on his back like against Stipe though he's in big trouble, Lewis is a huge power puncher from top position. Still taking Ngannou though, in what will likely be a spectacular and early finish. Would love if Black Beast won though, hilarious dude.

Chiesa should be able to batter Pettis, who just can't pull the trigger nowadays and doesn't have the ammo to get in a brawl. There's always hope the real Showtime turns up, but I don't think that's in him anymore.

Saki vs. Rountree is a guaranteed banger to open the main card. Both those guys bang and bang hard. Let them bang bro.

[Nash Diesel]

It's funny to me when looking at the last UFC ppv opening with a guy who's 0-1 in CM Punk and then Saki who is just 1-1 opening this event but the sheer level of difference in their past is why it's like night and day comparing them.

[OD50]

Well Saki's striking is pretty decent but I'd say Punk has him edged in that department.

https://68.media.tumblr.com/1fdab76706df5266117a924894e484bc/tumblr_odd1xxgfPv1qd4esao1_500.gif

[Nash Diesel]

One has to think if Punk fully committed to that knee would he have knocked out Mickey Gall? I can't imagine what it's like to go from fake punching for 15 years and then expected to throw real hands in that environment.

Less than a week away. Very excited for this card. The top 4 fights look incredible on paper.

The more I think about it the more I'm leaning toward DC. In my head, I can see DC taking everything Stipe has to offer in the first 2 rounds and then either pulling off a decision win or finishing Stipe in the 3rd-4th. A very dangerous fight for both men.

[Mark Hammer]

I can see this fight going either way. DC has nothing to lose and everything to gain.

[Nash Diesel]

I can see this fight going either way. DC has nothing to lose and everything to gain.

If Cormier wins, does that make him arguably the GOAT? I put arguably for obvious reasons. But part of me feels, even as a big JBJ fan, that while he has lost to Bones, Bones' career has that black cloud over his career now. That'd be the only argument I'd accept saying DC was the GOAT over JBJ.

[Percussion]

Favoring Stipe here but only by the razor thinnest of margins. Either outcome would come as zero surprise.

[Mark Hammer]

If Cormier wins, does that make him arguably the GOAT? I put arguably for obvious reasons. But part of me feels, even as a big JBJ fan, that while he has lost to Bones, Bones' career has that black cloud over his career now. That'd be the only argument I'd accept saying DC was the GOAT over JBJ.

Very interesting question there. In my opinion the existence of Jon Jones eliminates him even though on paper a "dominant" LHW champ with an undefeated record at HW moving up and winning the belt should cement GOAT status. If DC beats Stipe a third fight vs Jones at HW sells itself.

[Percussion]

If Cormier beats Stipe then we must have a third DC/Jones fight.

But it must be set up entirely big brother style. Just the two of them in a complex that is rigged with cameras all around to monitor Jones for any dastardly Jones kind of bullshit leaving them both to simply train and talk shit for weeks on end leading up to the GOAT super showdown.

1millionppvbuys

[Nash Diesel]

Very interesting question there. In my opinion the existence of Jon Jones eliminates him even though on paper a "dominant" LHW champ with an undefeated record at HW moving up and winning the belt should cement GOAT status. If DC beats Stipe a third fight vs Jones at HW sells itself.

If DC beats Stipe and Jones manages to escape a 4-year suspension then the obvious fight to make, without question, is DC v. Jones for the HW championship. No doubt that would cement either man as the GOAT in MMA.

[Fanny Batter]

I'd say beating Stipe would make Cormier the GOAT. Asterisk's exists for a reason. Nobody retracts Jones' claim to it based on his loss to Matt Hamill. He knew the rules of the contest and he broke them. Now he's fought Cormier twice and only one time he popped, but I think we all know the likelihood of him being on something the whole time is high. You don't fail two drug tests for PED's and have the right to say "well I only started doing them THEN"... so you only started taking performance enhancers when testing for performance enhancers got more stringent? OK. So the 1 official loss on DC's loss is to a cheater. You can argue that Jones would have beaten him clean til your blue in the face, the chances are he never did so the chances are we'll never know.

If Cormier wins, he'll have beaten Bigfoot Silva (in career form), Josh Barnett, Roy Nelson, Frank Mir and Stipe Miocic at heavyweight. Undoubtedly a top 3 (maybe best, period) all time in Miocic, 2 in the top 10 in Mir and Barnett, and another 2 very serviceable top 10 guys. Jeff Monson, Soa Paleli and Tony Johnson are good wins too, honestly. Monson was a UFC title challenge, Soa was on a great run and Johnson has wins over Volkov and Black Beast. Then at light heavyweight he has beaten Henderson, Gustafsson, Anderson Silva, Rumble Johnson twice and Volkan, finishing 4 of those fights. 2 top 10 GOAT's, likely a top 5 LHW of all time in Gus and a beast like Rumble, who had great wins at the weight class including Gustafsson himself. If you're talking people that have fought at 185 and above, if Cormier beats Miocic there's an argument that he's beaten a quarter of the 185 and above top 20. Miocic, Silva and Henderson without a doubt and maybe Mir, Barnett, Gus and Rumble creeping around the top 20 too. Incredible resume, with no losses without aforementioned asterisk's and titles in the 2 highest weight classes simultaneously. If he wins, can we honestly say any man who has fought clean in the history of the sport would beat him in an MMA fight 5 out of 10 times?

[OD50]

How crazysexycool would it be if DC's last fight next year is vs Bones for the HW title?

[Mark Hammer]

I disagree with Mr. Batter. It'd be one thing if Jones only beat DC once. Yes there is an asterisk (and also a reasonable argument that Jones took a tainted supplement, lol all you want) next to the second win but it's hard to forget such a highlight reel finish and steroids or not DC fought and destroyed plenty of others who were on the juice. Not to mention Jones would be the rightful favorite going into a third bout.

As cool as DC/Jones III would be the spectacle fan in me would prefer Jones vs Brock for his come back fight.

[Fanny Batter]

Lance Armstrong beat a field of cyclists seven times to win the Tour De France. They are now not considered victories, because he obtained the victories due to use of PED's. Would he have won without them? Nobody knows, because he didn't compete under the designated ruleset by using steroids. Jon Jones is the most talented fighter we have ever seen, but there's reason to believe he has never done that while clean. Retrospective testing, like in Armstrong's case, may prove or disprove that. Same with Anderson. The drop off in world class Brazilians is eye opening as well.

[Nash Diesel]

Lance Armstrong beat a field of cyclists seven times to win the Tour De France. They are now not considered victories, because he obtained the victories due to use of PED's. Would he have won without them? Nobody knows, because he didn't compete under the designated ruleset by using steroids. Jon Jones is the most talented fighter we have ever seen, but there's reason to believe he has never done that while clean. Retrospective testing, like in Armstrong's case, may prove or disprove that. Same with Anderson. The drop off in world class Brazilians is eye opening as well.


Like who? Name 1 that hasn't been fighting for at least 10 years and/or pushing 40, or maybe already in their 40's. And I know you're a fucking genius with this MMA stuff so I know you have some names that aren't like Machida, Vitor, Shogun, Maia, Anderson, Wandy, these veterans who've been doing it 10-20 years at the highest level since day one.

[Fanny Batter]

Aldo 1-3 under USADA. Barao looks shot. Guys like Werdum, JDS, De Lima, Tibau, Lil Nog failing tests. Just seems suspicious to me that it goes from being an MMA hotbed to no male world champions, and few top 5 fighters even. Maybe it'll turn out to be cyclical and they'll regain footing though.

[OD50]

Barao is 1-4 post USADA, he's only 31 and was just 28 when the slide started. For many peeps I think the IV ban has been a huge crutch as well.

[Nash Diesel]

Aldo 1-3 under USADA. Barao looks shot. Guys like Werdum, JDS, De Lima, Tibau, Lil Nog failing tests. Just seems suspicious to me that it goes from being an MMA hotbed to no male world champions, and few top 5 fighters even. Maybe it'll turn out to be cyclical and they'll regain footing though.

So again you're throwing out names of guys who have been fighting for at least 10 years, some almost 20. And in the case of De Lima, who isn't exactly "world class", his failed test was overturned due to a tainted supplement......Which happens, not a lot but it does which puts USADA's testing into question i.e. why Josh Barnett and others have left the UFC. The drop off in world class fighters from Brazil (why is this just about Brazil?) probably has more to do with the fighters with name value getting older and/or battle torn.

I mean, Aldo is 1-3, do you really think those losses to Conor and Holloway were drug related? Those are his only 3 losses in the WEC/UFC. To 2 of the absolute best to ever do it.


Barao is 1-4 post USADA, he's only 31 and was just 28 when the slide started. For many peeps I think the IV ban has been a huge crutch as well.

Barao was also what, 30 fights deep into his career by that age. It'd be more alarming if he was still going strong after 30-40 fights as opposed to losing.

[OD50]

You can't see any form of causality that so many fighters just happened to be past their prime around the same time in early/mid 2015? Even if they were 27-28'ish like Hendricks and Barao.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

There was a noticeable change in Aldo's physique in the Conor fight. Rogan picked up on that.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk3hYI1gjDM

[OD50]

But like I mentioned earlier, I also think he IV ban messed some guys up, especially huge cutter like Barao and Aldo.

[Nash Diesel]

But like I mentioned earlier, I also think he IV ban messed some guys up, especially huge cutter like Barao and Aldo.

Yeah see I could see the IV ban being an issue, look at BJ Penn. Does anyone honestly believe that guy was on some shit and he failed a USADA test for using a fucking IV when he was sick........

And if you listen to that audio, which keep in mind this was over a year since Aldo last fought and he had been dealing with injuries so his training was limited for most of that time off.....but Joe says "He could be working a lot more cardio I don't want to assume anything" And then 13 seconds later he was knocked out by arguably the heaviest hitter in both 145 and 155.

I will say this. None of us can honestly say without looking at every fight and comparing that USADA had anything to do with the downfall of certain fighters. Not everyone wins forever and in MMA you have a specific shelf life where most guys are only world class for a short amount of fights imo. I mean, do we blame USADA for Chuck Liddell? Of course not, A-they weren't around and B-he got old lol.

[OD50]

Of course not, the suspicious part is that quite a few guys took a nosedive in 2015 where, surprise.. USADA started testing in July.

Found these, just for fun:
http://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/7572/tNXOWg.png

http://imagizer.imageshack.com/img922/2118/j8Bkmb.png

[Nash Diesel]

That's pretty cool and it just shows that it's not a Brazilian problem it's across the board. Overeem isn't from Brazil, Cro Cop isn't from Brazil.....I mean, why are we not wondering how Romero has lasted this long without truly getting popped because didn't they find his failed test was a tainted supplement that was overturned? He's fuckin 40 and even homeboy he fought questioned how he was able to get stronger as the fight went on lol.

USADA is a strip. Let's suspend Chad Mendes for 2 years for topical cream lol.

[Mark Hammer]

You seriously need to give this Brazilian White Knight thing a rest. People have provided you with evidence and you're still going at it with nothing other than insenuations that they're just "racist" against Brazil.

[OD50]

Whaitaminit.. Johny Hendricks is Brazilian..?

:confused::confused::confused:

[Percussion]

Fight hype is fun..


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zhM9hrTwr0

[kangus]

It wouldn't be International Fight Week without a fighter pulling out and this year it's Max Holloway with concussion like symptoms.

Watch this interview and notice Bisping mentions something is off with Max.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=176&v=bd0PUAJvg5Y

[Fanny Batter]

Ridiculous. Why even bother announcing fights nowadays?

To recap:

UFC 221 - Whittaker pulls out of the main event a couple of weeks before and gets replaced by Romero, who misses weight.

UFC 222: Holloway pulls out out of the main event a couple of weeks before, replaced by Ortega.

UFC 223: Ferguson pulls out of the main event a couple of weeks before, replaced by Max Holloway, who himself is removed a day before. Al Iaquinta gets the title fight but not really because he was 0.2lb overweight. Chiesa vs. Pettis among others gets cancelled because Conor.

UFC 224: a poor fightcard goes ahead as advertised with only Mackenzie Dern missing weight by 5+% of her body weight the only incident.

UFC 225: main event becomes non-title when Romero misses weight.

Been a bit daft hasn't it.

[Mark Hammer]

Very disappointing. I doubt I'll ever get used to the last minute main event pull-outs.

[Fanny Batter]

So many fight weeks have just turned into circuses lately, full of scrambling for replacements, negotiations for catchweights etc. It's kind of fun when all the speculation starts (Edgar vs. Stephens 2 for an interim belt is the ludicrous one this time round), but I just want fights that I care about, promoted well, and then they fight. Looking back further from this year, you've got Lineker pulling out of 219 during fight week, Edgar dropping off 218 with a month so spare, Black Beast dropping off 216 the day of the weigh ins, and weigh in day title fight cancellations on 213 and 215 with Nunes and Borg respectively. The unaffected PPV cards of the last year, 213, 217 and 220, shockingly happen to be the best PPV's too. Big fights, well promoted, and everybody got to the cage. There's been excellent cards this year in 223 and 225, but the fight week drama killed hype significantly.

The UFC doesn't help matters either, always leaving things last minute to report things. Shit, they've not even made the Holloway pull out official yet. Plus, I believe they were aware of his ailing condition earlier in the week, Monday I believe he was admitted to hospital. It's Thursday now, 3 days of people buying tickets under the assumption that they're getting a featherweight title fight. Shady.

[Nash Diesel]

You seriously need to give this Brazilian White Knight thing a rest. People have provided you with evidence and you're still going at it with nothing other than insenuations that they're just "racist" against Brazil.

I will simply suggest you go back to the start of this conversation based on Fanny Batter's random assertion about world class Brazilian fighters falling off post USADA. Which is why I said toward OD50 that his list there showed it wasn't just limited to fighters from Brazil like Fanny mentioned. It wasn't anything negative, nobody was calling anyone anything until you popped in. Stop coming in here after your roid dose.

[Nash Diesel]

Max's situation fucking sucks for a kid so young. He's kind of like a Cain Velasquez type where he's going to miss out on a lot of big fights in his prime due to injury.

[Fanny Batter]

I'm not sure it's time to write the obituary on his career just yet. Obviously he's had a rough 5 months in terms of pulling out of 3 fights (admittedly one he should never have been up for in Khabib), but it seems 2 of them are likely weight cut related so that's obviously avoidable with moving up in weight. Concussion symptoms doesn't sound good but you'd imagine the start of his cut has probably added to that. Hopefully he'll move up in weight because he's huge for the weight class and is struggling to make it it seems. Maybe he can get one good cut out of himself for Ortega if they reschedule, then go up? Something really needs to be done about the weight issue - the CSAC recommends fighters move up in weight if they're over 10% above their fighting weight a week out I think, or is it ever being above 15% over at any time? Either way, dude's cutting from pre-camp 180 to 145, just shy of a 20% cut of your entire body weight in about 6 weeks, is mental.

[Mark Hammer]

I will simply suggest you go back to the start of this conversation based on Fanny Batter's random assertion about world class Brazilian fighters falling off post USADA. Which is why I said toward OD50 that his list there showed it wasn't just limited to fighters from Brazil like Fanny mentioned. It wasn't anything negative, nobody was calling anyone anything until you popped in. Stop coming in here after your roid dose.

USADA has affected Brazilian fighters disproportionately to everyone else. Pointing that out isn't the same as "randomly" singling out the country of Brazil.

[Nash Diesel]

USADA has affected Brazilian fighters disproportionately to everyone else. Pointing that out isn't the same as "randomly" singling out the country of Brazil.

I've yet to see anything that backs that up. I'm also not the ones claiming that and you know the golden rule around here is that if you're claiming there this big drop off of world class Brazilian fighters due to USADA I'd like to see where that idea comes from. If the best you have is saying 40 year old Machida lost his last 3 out of 4 fights or that Jose Aldo's 3 losses in his career were due to USADA and not due to the people he fought, 2 of the best in the world, I want to see.

And also keep in mind, I talked about a lot of different fighters like Chuck Liddell, who last I checked was from Cali and white as vanilla yogurt.

[Mark Hammer]

I've yet to see anything that backs that up.

Lololol OD50 literally posted a list of USADA flags like 13 posts up. Guess which country was the most represented on that list. Just stop.

[Nash Diesel]

Lololol OD50 literally posted a list of USADA flags like 13 posts up. Guess which country was the most represented on that list. Just stop.

I did and that list shows a wide variety of fighters from all over the world, not some disproportionate number in comparison to other countries. You need to stop, you constantly needing to remind us how much of an issue you have with Brazil is only solidifying you are Chael Sonnen. Why else would the only time I've ever been banned it was about you Chael!?!? Give it up CHAEL!!

[OD50]

https://twitter.com/jedigoodman/status/1015004521703956485/photo/1

Wtf..?

[Nash Diesel]

A couple things...First off, Chiesa missed weight and said it's his last fight at LW. Second, did anyone hear that Jeremy Stephens was ready to take Holloway's place in the fight against Ortega and Ortega turned it down?

Lastly, Cormier said he'd come in around 225 and he came in at 243lbs. Might be the heaviest he's ever been at HW so I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing.

[Percussion]

Don't really have a problem with Ortega turning down a replacement fight here. I know we all cheer people who say fuck it and are willing to fight who- or whenever, but he's knocking on the door of the pinnacle of this sport. It's so fucking dicey and he has everything to lose and nothing but a bunch of just bleed fans to gain. He'll wake up sunday and still be number one contender for whenever Max is ready or an interim title fight is setup. Sometimes making the smart business move is just the move to make.

[OD50]

A couple things...First off, Chiesa missed weight and said it's his last fight at LW. Second, did anyone hear that Jeremy Stephens was ready to take Holloway's place in the fight against Ortega and Ortega turned it down?

Lastly, Cormier said he'd come in around 225 and he came in at 243lbs. Might be the heaviest he's ever been at HW so I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing.
I think he was in the 240 range versus Bigfoot and Barnett as well.

/Apparently 248 vs Silva and 238 vs Barnett.

[Nash Diesel]

Don't really have a problem with Ortega turning down a replacement fight here. I know we all cheer people who say fuck it and are willing to fight who- or whenever, but he's knocking on the door of the pinnacle of this sport. It's so fucking dicey and he has everything to lose and nothing but a bunch of just bleed fans to gain. He'll wake up sunday and still be number one contender for whenever Max is ready or an interim title fight is setup. Sometimes making the smart business move is just the move to make.

All I'm going to do is quote Ortega himself and why he's lame for not accepting that fight:


“I’ve been in so many street fights. It doesn’t matter that I’m taking a fight on a month’s notice. I’ve taken many fights on two seconds’ notice. I was out of town, they asked if I want the fight [back at UFC New Orleans with Thiago Tavares in 2015] and I said, ‘Yep.’ I started running right there in the parking lot. It’s not a big deal. It’s like a street fight. If someone puts ’em up, you’ve gotta put ’em up. This is the fight for me [with Frankie Edgar]. Once I took it, I took a second to appreciate the hard work. I’m here. My face is on the poster, the fight’s going down. I’ve never seen this happening like this, so considering that, I’ve already won. Now when I fight Frankie and beat him, I’ll prove everything I need to all the fight fans.”

[Percussion]

238 vs Barnett
247 vs Silva

[Percussion]

Eh, he was asked there, if I'm not mistaken, about how he felt coming in on short notice and of course he was going to sound positive. It wasn't like he was bashing other fighters for not stepping in last minute and therefore coming off entirely hypocritical. And honestly people's pov's change and their thought processes change accordingly. It's such a silly thing to criticize a guy for, he was prepared and ready to fight the guy he signed to fight. He's done nothing wrong here.

[Nash Diesel]

Eh, he was asked there, if I'm not mistaken, about how he felt coming in on short notice and of course he was going to sound positive. It wasn't like he was bashing other fighters for not stepping in last minute and therefore coming off entirely hypocritical. And honestly people's pov's change and their thought processes change accordingly. It's such a silly thing to criticize a guy for, he was prepared and ready to fight the guy he signed to fight. He's done nothing wrong here.

I don't think what he's doing is WRONG I just don't think it matches up with what he was saying just a few months back. If you're supposedly this guy who's ready to on SECONDS notice what's holding you back?

And we've seen what happens when you don't take the shot while you can. He could get injured, be out for a year, and the UFC moves on. He could fail another drug test, which by the looks of the guy I'm not so sure he's exactly the cleanest dude in the division. Maybe he misses weight in the next fight and can't win the belt?

So again it's not so much that he did something wrong I just don't know if what he did was the smartest thing he could have done.

[Percussion]

A shot at a world title you've been building your whole career toward against a high profile opponent you're prepared to the nines for versus a whoopty-doo interim title shot against a dangerous but virtual no-name opponent you have no gameplan for - I'd kinda assume that might hold one back.

[Nash Diesel]

A shot at a world title you've been building your whole career toward against a high profile opponent you're prepared to the nines for versus a whoopty-doo interim title shot against a dangerous but virtual no-name opponent you have no gameplan for - I'd kinda assume that might hold one back.

I'm not trying to knock everyone here but most of the 145 division is virtual no-names. Ask 100 people before Drake's Scorpion album dropped who Max Holloway is. Ask 200 people who Jeremy Stephens is. Ask 2,000 people who Brian Ortega is. You might find 1.

And EVERYONE is dangerous. Especially @ this level. And if you're going to be that guy who talks a bunch of shit to where fans have to go "Oh well THAT time he was just trying to be positive about fighting on short notice" then be prepared to back up.

But we are also in the era where title shots of all kinds and belts are thrown around like nothing. Al Iquinta was almost champion and he's ranked #11 in the division. And he stepped up on less than a day's notice against one of if not the baddest dude in the lower weight classes. Again, because you never know.

You don't have to "kinda assume" anything. I get why he wouldn't take the fight but again, don't talk like you're about that short notice life if you're not truly about it. That has nothing to do with just bleed fans or whatever you claimed he would only gain by taking the fight.

[Percussion]

It was a throwaway answer to a monotonous question. Athletes throw answers out to questions like that all the time with heat of the moment responses because they get asked a badillion questions a day and by and large the repercussions are and should be meaningless. This is just a part of sports, not taking stuff like that seriously.

about that short notice life :lol:

[Nash Diesel]

It was a throwaway answer to a monotonous question. Athletes throw answers out to questions like that all the time with heat of the moment responses because they get asked a badillion questions a day and by and large the repercussions are and should be meaningless. This is just a part of sports, not taking stuff like that seriously.

about that short notice life :lol:

Stop cherry picking what is or isn't acceptable from fighters. That's my job.

And yes, if you're going to go on a Nash Diesel rant about being about that short notice life and then turn into a "Smart" fighter because you want the guy with the concussion issues instead of the killer who can walk through your shit even harder than Max.......Because this isn't the WWF, you say something people think you're being honest especially something like that. If you're trying to put yourself out there as the go-to guy, be prepared for the UFC to come looking for you to be that guy you claim to be.

[Mark Hammer]

Ortega's not obliged to take any late replacement fight. It's so easy to sit on your armchair and condemn fighters when it's not your career on the line. Good for T-City. We'll just have to wait a bit longer for the Holloway fight.

[Percussion]

Ok.

[Nash Diesel]

Ortega's not obliged to take any late replacement fight. It's so easy to sit on your armchair and condemn fighters when it's not your career on the line. Good for T-City. We'll just have to wait a bit longer for the Holloway fight.

Nobody said or implied he was obligated and I'm not condemning him. I'm actually thinking about several scenarios where he might never see another title shot.

We might not ever see Holloway fight again, kind of sad to think about that. I can't even remember the last guy who was pulled due to concussion symptoms.

I still stand by that if you're going to put yourself out there a certain way then be expected to live up to it. It doesn't shock me that you would be going "Good for T-City" when you like to do a lot of that "I wasn't being serious I was just *fill in the blank*"

[Fanny Batter]

How good is this card for guys with big killshot ratio by the way? Stipe was on a record breaking KO streak before the Ngannou fight, Cormier finished his last 2 successful title defences, Ngannou and Lewis ONLY win by knockout recently, Perry is 4 for 4 in UFC wins by knockout, Felder's on a 3 fight knockout streak, Rountree finished his last 2 wins by knockout, Saki is one of the more devastating knockout artists in kickboxing history, Chiesa has submitted 2 of his last 3 wins, and so has Pettis. Then you've got, on the prelims, Costa with his perfect stoppage record, Hall stopping his opponent in 5 of 6 UFC wins, Assuncao winning his last by KO, Rob Font stopping his opponent in all 5 UFC wins, Lando finishing in 8 out of 9 wins, Millender on a 3 knockout streak including his UFC debut, Max Griffin finishing 1 out of 2 UFC wins and busting Mike Perry to pieces in the other, Hooker on a 3 stoppage streak at lightweight, and Gilbert Burns stopping his opponent in his last 5 wins in the UFC. Just seems destined to be a memorable, violent card. Only Drakkar Klose in the top 10 fights is a bit of a points fighter. Most everybody else is a nutcase.

[Percussion]

DC busting his ass at about 5:53. Dana having a minor heart attack throughout is great.

Also a terrifically awkward exchange between Miocic and Ngannou at the end.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlijMmsH38Y

[Tainted Eclipse]

what are the odds paulo costa isn't juiced to the gills?

[Fanny Batter]

Ngannou vs. Black Beast the worst fight ever, who knew?! Great card before that stinker. Black Beast just beat the #1 contender with a gammy back by landing about 25 strikes in 15 minutes.

[Percussion]

Dying to see Dana's reaction to this bunch of bullshit.

[Fanny Batter]

Lewis is physically fucked. Any pressure would have killed him. Francis was an embarrassment there.

Brock fighting the winner of the main event then. His last standing victory was pretty much 8 years ago to the day! Crazy.

[Tainted Eclipse]

thicc DC

[kangus]

Sold! Take my money now.

[Percussion]

Good the bad and the ugly.

Happy for DC, enormous accomplishment for a super worthy competitor.
Bummed for Stipe, terrific HW champion got caught while looking good in the middle of a historic run.
As much as Brock showing up is must see, that was kinda garbage all around. Oh well.

[Droid]

Ya that was some WWE antics in the end for sure with the fake shoving and shit talking. Cormier also gets to fight Brock first before Jones. Jones is probably hot about that. Also if Brock comes back doesn't he have to wait out a long suspension by USADA for juicing in his last fight?

[Cewsh]

Why exactly does Jones get another shot ever?

[Droid]

Because he will beat everhone in his path until he gets his shot. Also cause the UFC has to make big money to pay back the 3 billion or so they still owe for the UFC.

- - - Updated - - -

https://scontent-lax3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/fr/cp0/e15/q65/36775568_1946665595363948_8965288869377343488_n.jp g?_nc_cat=0&efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9&oh=67bc09bbe6f9a0ac8951afc7a6427909&oe=5BA36DC2

[OD50]

Why exactly does Jones get another shot ever?
Why did Mike Tyson fight for the HW title after a plethora of scandals and serving prison for rape? Fighting is and always will be a dirty and immoral business. Bones is a draw and one of the best ever, of course he will fight for the title again.

Just the way it is..

http://static3.bornrichimages.com/cdn2/500/500/91/c/wp-content/uploads/s3/2013/06/don_king_lfouw_300x300.jpg

[Droid]

In the end it comes back to money talks. If you can make people money there will be people to promote it somewhere. Hence Chuck and Tito going at it again under Golden Boy promotions of all promotions lol.

[OD50]

Kimbo vs. Dada 5000 drew 2.5 million viewers ffs. Fighting is a such a bizarre thing..

And apparently Lesnar reentered the USADA testing pool about a week ago, that means he's eligible to fight in roughly six months.

[Fanny Batter]

Huge win for D.C.. He has to be up there in terms of the greatest ever now. Superb resume. The Lesnar thing was cheesy but that's the Brock circus, at least Cormier was having fun with it.

[Percussion]

Think I'm more interested in Brock fighting DC than fighting Stipe in looking at the fallout here. Against Stipe he'd just spam bullrush takedown attempts to avoid any and all standup, whereas with Cormier he'll have to consider his takedown timing a little more carefully. I imagine we'll see some degree more standup between the latter and when they do lockup the dynamics of a massive ncaa champion vs a much smaller us olympic team member should be pretty interesting.

And is LHW just in limbo now? Haven't heard Dana or DC comment much on it. Not that the division couldn't stand to take a back seat for a good while anyway.

[OD50]

It's kind of tricky with DC saying he wants two more fights but won't fight beyond March 2019. Lesnar just entered the USADA pool and will only be eligible from January and on. There really is no other HW fight for DC besides Lesnar at this point, he said he had no interest in the likes of Volkov, and Blaydes, not big enough money fights for him at this stage. If Gus destroys Ozdemir next month and really makes some noise I guess it could make sense to do DC/Gus II around November for the LHW title and then DC/Lesnar for the HW title Jan-Mar 2019. DC says he could go back down to LHW before going back to HW, so I have to believe him. Stipe will be right up there fighting for the HW title next year if he can beat someone like Volkov (if he beats Oliynyk) Curtis Blaydes or I guess Derrick Lewis, who will probably be ranked #2 or #3 now (hey, a win is a win..). Can't imagine anyone wanting DC/Stipe instant rematch in the fall, right?

No clue what's going on with Jones so I'm not taking him into consideration. In a perfect world DC would finally get to defeat Jones in his farewell fight. Jones and Lesnar are clearly the highest profile and biggest money fights but Mr Bones has fucked that up like everything else. Gus/DC II might be a (distant) third, if Gus beats Volkan of course. I doubt anyone wants DC/Volkan II, no matter what happens.

Well, that was kind of a ramble.. :freak:

[OD50]

For some reason I'm having a vision we will see Gus/Jones II for the vacant LHW title around summer next year..

http://mmamicks.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Conor-McGregor-Mystic-Mac-Snake-in-the-grass.jpg

[Percussion]

Watching the fight again it's pretty crazy just how willing Stipe was to play Cormier's clinch/box game. He was landing some good shots, combos in fact, from just outside DC's clinch distance, but every time he hung out where Cormier could tie his collar up and take away his length advantage while finding sneaky punching angles he just added the numbers game against his favor. Excellent job by Cormier to walk callously inside and find his comfort zone at will as the round went on.

Shame we'll likely never see a rematch because they were landing some pretty entertaining exchanges and you'd have to think Stipe would learn from his mistakes here. Think a sequel could actually be more compelling than the original knowing on the whole what we do now.

[OD50]

Great game planning by DC/AKA. They noticed Stipe has bad habit to pull out of the clinch with his hands down leaving him open to DC's short hook on the separation. Similar to how Jackson/Wink spotted that DC has a bad habit of leaning to his right, setting him up for the LHK.

[OD50]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kdaoo9Sy3o0

[Percussion]

what are the odds paulo costa isn't juiced to the gills?

What's crazy is that he's been tested 14 times total since the start of 2017. 8 times last year and 6 times so far in 2018.

Athlete Test History (https://www.usada.org/testing/results/athlete-test-history/)

And I'm not making a hard sell that he's all natural, because fucking look at him. But he's either that or the most sophisticated ped cheat on the planet to continuously skirt usada.

[OD50]

http://www.mmarocks.pl/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/borracchinghgagha-e1510032870844-534x462.jpg

He's definitely juicing, one way or the other. Delts are probably the biggest giveaway.

[Droid]

And is LHW just in limbo now? Haven't heard Dana or DC comment much on it. Not that the division couldn't stand to take a back seat for a good while anyway.


No it's not in limbo. Since Brock can't fight for atleast 6 months that gives DC time to defend his LHW title. Dana said DC is one of the guys that he would let keep both his titles and let him defend them both. He made it seem like he wouldn't let most guys do that. He also said DC is such a great champion/ambassador/commentator for the sport that if DC was to continue to be champion all the way up until Dana retired from the fight game that Dana would be happy with that.

[Percussion]

Ya I totally spaced out about Brock having to sit out usada until around January. Of course DC has said he's only interested in a couple more big money fights before he hangs em up. And like OD said earlier, unless Gus can position himself as that kind of matchup in these next few months there's really no other opponent that could get Cormier to defend at LHW before Brock is ready to go. At which point we're back in limbo.

[Fanny Batter]

If he can make the weight then Gustafsson 2 is a fine fight for, say, MSG. Then he can retire after the usual Vegas card on 2nd March against Lesnar? The MSG card would perhaps be a bucket list thing too, and obviously they'd stack it like they do for the Garden. Say, Holloway vs. Ortega and Andrade vs. Holm underneath or something. Really can't see him shifting that gut in four months though, especially considering he's bound to enjoy this for a month.

[Mark Hammer]

What a surreal main event and fall-out. DC vs Brock for the Heavyweight crown? Pee on your "integrity of the sport" and sign me up immediately.

As a side note, Jon Jones said that every DC win is added to his own resume and he is correct. Even if we ignore the second fight because of the USADA flag, the first fight was contested under USADA regulation and Jones passed their test after taking 3-4 rounds from DC. So while we can comfortably bury the "DC GOAT" debate he's definitely one of the best we have ever seen and has a huge spotlight and payday on his horizon.

[Mark Hammer]

Why exactly does Jones get another shot ever?

:wtf:

[OD50]

https://i.imgur.com/BvedhHI.png

Seriously, wtf is going on there...?

:eek:

[Fanny Batter]

What a surreal main event and fall-out. DC vs Brock for the Heavyweight crown? Pee on your "integrity of the sport" and sign me up immediately.

As a side note, Jon Jones said that every DC win is added to his own resume and he is correct. Even if we ignore the second fight because of the USADA flag, the first fight was contested under USADA regulation and Jones passed their test after taking 3-4 rounds from DC. So while we can comfortably bury the "DC GOAT" debate he's definitely one of the best we have ever seen and has a huge spotlight and payday on his horizon.

USADA started in the UFC 6 months after that fight. What we do know is that Jon Jones has been scheduled to fight 3 times since then - the first he put in his career worst performance, the second he failed before the fight and the third he failed after. Let's not let his absurd talent and accomplishments get away from the fact that as soon as testing became more prevalent, he either started failing OR looked a significantly lesser fighter than he was before July 1st 2015. No coincidences there. He had 16 fights prior to USADA (as well as a couple of postponements rounding the "scheduled" fights around 20). He passed 100% of fight drugs tests. Since USADA he has passed 33%.

[Mark Hammer]

His "career worst" vs OSP was after what, a two year lay-off? And he still won decisively. We're also ignoring that he has a handful of known PED cheats on his resume so it's hard to criticize someone for playing on an even field. Furthermore DC has easily dispatched plenty of roid cheats throughout his career while this one in particular beat him twice.

Jones is simply the better fighter and DC will forever be in his shadow. I have seen lots of MMA fighters sharing this sentiment too; every DC win just goes to show how great Jon Jones is.

[OD50]

This is most likely what went wrong for Jones, his fast acting test was contaminated with Turinabol that has a detection time of 11-12 months. Some types of testosterone on the other hand has a detection time of 1-3 days. :


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXi_437a39c

The underground labs create their stuff using the same tools so it's quite common that one substance gets contaminated with another. I've even read about UG labs mixing shit together in dirty bath tubs (yeah..).

[OD50]

It was 15 months between DC/Jones I and Jones/OSP (January 2015 -> April 2016) and 15 months from Jones/OSP to Jones/DC II (April 2016 -> July 2017), so exactly the same amount of layoff/ring rust for Jones.

Jones looked off and sluggish as hell and couldn't finish OSP who broke his arm in the first or second round. Could be that he didn't take OSP or his training serious of course, for DC you just know he'd train like a madman.

[OD50]

Found the UFC 197 medical suspensions:

Ovince Saint Preux: needs clearance of broken left ulna by orthopedic doctor or suspended 180 days; minimum suspension 45 days with no contract for 30 days

Got broken in round 2.

[Fanny Batter]

Jones may be the most talented fighter of all time clean, and he may have beaten Cormier clean. We'll never know, because the likelihood is we'll never know whether he was clean during that pre-USADA era. The facts we have are that during a more stringest testing era he has failed twice and looked below par in the fight without. Maybe this is all coincidental - maybe he did start having erection problems when he turned 30, maybe he was just sluggish against OSP, maybe he was a victim of contamination against DC in the second fight. Or maybe he has been a cheat his whole career. I lean on the side that doesn't require an astonishing amount of coincidences to prove true.

[Mark Hammer]

Per Brock Lesnar:

Circus show or not what are everyone's thoughts on the potential of a reigning WWE champ (and top star of the company) taking on a reigning UFC champ?

[Mark Hammer]

It was 15 months between DC/Jones I and Jones/OSP (January 2015 -> April 2016) and 15 months from Jones/OSP to Jones/DC II (April 2016 -> July 2017), so exactly the same amount of layoff/ring rust for Jones.

Jones looked off and sluggish as hell and couldn't finish OSP who broke his arm in the first or second round. Could be that he didn't take OSP or his training serious of course, for DC you just know he'd train like a madman.

Remind me please, did OSP break it throwing a punch or something or did Jones break it during the fight? I honestly don't remember but it would make a big difference on my forming an opinion.

Per Costa:

It's possible that he's simply a genetic freak. They do exist. It's also possible that he shoots his butt for breakfast but he's managed to pass by USADA despite his appearance surely raising flags for them so I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt for now.

[OD50]

Jones may be the most talented fighter of all time clean, and he may have beaten Cormier clean. We'll never know, because the likelihood is we'll never know whether he was clean during that pre-USADA era. The facts we have are that during a more stringest testing era he has failed twice and looked below par in the fight without. Maybe this is all coincidental - maybe he did start having erection problems when he turned 30, maybe he was just sluggish against OSP, maybe he was a victim of contamination against DC in the second fight. Or maybe he has been a cheat his whole career. I lean on the side that doesn't require an astonishing amount of coincidences to prove true.
Just to clarify, I wasn't saying Jones had taken a tainted supplement but that he had taken a performance enhancer (testosterone with an extremely short detection time of 1-3 days) tainted with another performance enhancer (Turinabol which has an extremely long detection time of 11-12 months).

Jones passed blood and urine tests by USADA on Jul 6-7, 2017 but failed a urine sample collected on July 28 (day before the DC fight). He passed the blood test taken the night of the night. Turinabol is only detectable via piss test. As far as I can remember the amount of Turinabol found was too small to even have any effect, which makes it even more likely that he was taking something else that had been contaminated (due to sloppiness by the UG lab) with micro amounts of Turinabol. Since he was clean of July 6-7 he must have gotten the Turinabol into his system between then and July 28. I doubt even a wildman like Jones would be dumb enough to use a steroid with a one year detection time three weeks before a fight, knowing he would be tested.

- - - Updated - - -


Remind me please, did OSP break it throwing a punch or something or did Jones break it during the fight? I honestly don't remember but it would make a big difference on my forming an opinion.
I think Jones broke it with a kick.

/I'll go check it out..

Kind of hard to tell but it looks like it breaks when OSP blocks one of Jones left body kicks.

[Nash Diesel]

Per Brock Lesnar:

Circus show or not what are everyone's thoughts on the potential of a reigning WWE champ (and top star of the company) taking on a reigning UFC champ?

On one hand I love it. On the other hand, I know if it were pretty much anyone else I'd be shitting all over it so I'll suck a hypocrite dick and call it a day lol.

[OD50]

Per Costa:

It's possible that he's simply a genetic freak. They do exist. It's also possible that he shoots his butt for breakfast but he's managed to pass by USADA despite his appearance surely raising flags for them so I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt for now.
He didn't look anything like a genetic freak not too long ago though..
https://mmasun.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/paulo-henrique-costa-borrachinha.jpg

[Mark Hammer]

That's actually pretty convincing lol.

[Nash Diesel]

He didn't look anything like a genetic freak not too long ago though..
https://mmasun.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/paulo-henrique-costa-borrachinha.jpg

How long ago was this?

If we're talking less than 3 years then it would be pretty tough to get that huge without SOMETHING. But SOMETHING could be various legal supplements, good genes, but with USADA you get flagged for wiping your ass with the wrong toilet paper so....

[OD50]

How long ago was this?

If we're talking less than 3 years then it would be pretty tough to get that huge without SOMETHING. But SOMETHING could be various legal supplements, good genes, but with USADA you get flagged for wiping your ass with the wrong toilet paper so....


Even now, it’s still easy to [cheat]. Even now,” St-Pierre said recently during an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deVoaRTfVqs). “Let’s say I want to have an injection of a product that will last in my body for two days or one day. So I know that particular day I cannot be tested, because if I am, I’m screwed. So I put on my [USADA] whereabouts [app] that I’m traveling to freakin’ Antarctica or anywhere, somewhere that is believable, and then I come back two days after. That substance will stay in my body for a certain period of time, but the effect of it will last maybe a month. And now we’re talking about performance enhancing drugs — people, they misunderstand this.


“They go, ‘Well yeah, but it still doesn’t make a difference.’ Yes, it does make the different in an athlete,” St-Pierre continued. “And the reason, in the eighties and before, [PEDs gave] you more power, more stamina, more endurance. Now, man, with the technology, they have stuff that will change your reaction time, your confidence, your reset time. And this is a huge, huge application, man. If you play baseball or you’re fighting, you see the things coming, you have your reaction time, you’re sharper in the brain. What makes a guy athletic, it’s not his muscle. The reason why Usain Bolt ran faster — there’s many reasons why, but one of the main reasons is because his brain, his nervous system is faster.


“And if you make your nervous system better and more competent, you’re a better athlete. You’re a better fighter, you’re a better baseball player. You’re a better person, in a way. Of course that effect is limited, but there’s still the muscle memory thing that will last and it could last forever.”

St-Pierre, 37, has long been one of the staunchest anti-PED voices in the UFC. He spearheaded a push for improved drug testing during his heyday as welterweight champion, including memorably debating Johny Hendricks (http://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/305/johny-hendricks) for months over a desire to have out-of-competition drug testing administered by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) ahead of the pair’s November 2013 title fight at UFC 167 (http://www.mmafighting.com/fight-card/565/ufc-167-st-pierre-vs-hendricks).

In that case, Hendricks initially agreed to St-Pierre’s request of VADA testing but then changed his mind (https://www.mmafighting.com/2013/9/25/4765882/fired-up-georges-st-pierre-clarifies-wada-vada), leaving St-Pierre furious at both Hendricks and the UFC.

Whether by coincidence or circumstance, Hendricks has lost five of his six fights since the UFC-USADA partnership came into effect — and St-Pierre was asked point-blank on the show whether he believed “Bigg Rigg” was cheating in the lead-up to UFC 167.


“You asked me if I think he was taking [PEDs]. I don’t know,” St-Pierre said. “I have suspicions, but it’s not right if you don’t have the evidence to accuse someone. And even today, do I think there’s a lot of guys who take steroids and performance-enhancing drugs? Yes. And I have an idea of who, and I’m pretty — like, just for my gut feeling — 99.9 percent sure. But I don’t have the evidence.


“It’s not what you think, it’s not what you know. It’s what you can prove. And I don’t know. I’m in the game, I’m talking to a lot of people. Between fighters, we know who does. There’s only a few handful of people who do the whole thing [in regards to supplying PEDs]. One guy could do this team, this team, this team, and one other guy can do two teams. The word goes around, man. Especially when you’re a complete fighter, the word goes around.”

St-Pierre added that although he believes the current drug testing setup in the UFC is a massive improvement over how things used to be, USADA can only do so much.
After all, he said, the technological capabilities of cheaters will always be one step ahead of those who are looking to stop them.


“It’s very hard to catch people. So like I said, it’s easy to take something,” St-Pierre said. “There is a always a chance that you get caught, but if I would do it, that’s how I would do it. I would pretend I’m going to Antarctica, get an injection, then I come back and I’m good.”



:chin:

[Percussion]

Everyone else reading that 100% in GSP's voice?

Right, ok.

[Nash Diesel]

I read that thinking there was an answer to my question about when that picture was taken lol.

[OD50]

It must be a pretty old picture, 2012 or 2013. He was on TUF: Brazil in 2014 and was definitely more jacked then, still had the blonde hair though.

http://mmanouvelles.com/wp-content/uploads/alexandre.png

[OD50]

I read that thinking there was an answer to my question about when that picture was taken lol.
#clickbait

:wiggle:

[Nash Diesel]

I mean I'm no guru on how to acquire muscle and look shredded but I just have to think if you're only job is to look awesome and fight.....I mean that's all you are doing, 24/7, working out. You better see some results. Look at Derrick Lewis, dude said he was in the gym maybe 30 minutes a session, not even daily, and look at him. He tried to do more cardio and it backfired lol. Stick to donuts and ribs DL.

You see a guy like Yoel Romero, never failed a single test other than one that was overturned due to a tainted supplement. I get what GSP and others say, you'll find a way and maybe it's just that you haven't been caught but I don't know man, I like to give ninjas the benefit of the doubt unless they're Overeem who seemed to go from 205 to 290 in the span of 2 minutes.

[OD50]

I've been lifting weights (clean) since 1989 so I have a fair amount of knowledge of what is attainable naturally. I've also trained with two different peeps who were on the roids at the time so I know what massive difference it does. Doesn't mean I know everything or is always correct though, but just saying.

[Nash Diesel]

I've been lifting weights (clean) since 1989 so I have a fair amount of knowledge of what is attainable naturally. I've also trained with two different peeps who were on the roids at the time so I know what massive difference it does. Doesn't mean I know everything or is always correct though, but just saying.

On here I look to you for these answers because I know you're pretty well versed.

[Nash Diesel]

So what's next for Lewis, Ngannou, and Stipe?

I mean, I'm not negative toward seeing any of those 3 against Volkov. Stipe v. Blaydes or Lewis would be solid. I mean they could even run it back with Blaydes v. Ngannou as I believe that was a doctor stoppage right?

[Percussion]

Daniel Cormier says light heavyweight fight with ‘Shogun’ could precede Lesnar fight (https://www.bjpenn.com/mma-news/daniel-cormier/daniel-cormier-says-light-heavyweight-fight-with-shogun-could-precede-lesnar-fight/)

Not that I'm holding my breath that Shogun beats Smith.

[Nash Diesel]

I know he said that he only has interest in "big" fights and looking at 205, I don't see anyone with a bigger name than Shogun.

[Percussion]

Francis Ngannou apologizes for his poor outing vs Derrick Lewis (https://www.instagram.com/p/BlBCsqRAkAs/?utm_source=ig_embed)


I am not proud of my last performance. I have carried my fear from the last fight to this one. I completely understand the frustration & anger that it has caused to my fans, coaches, teammates, family and friends and I am truly sorry for that. I won't let everyone down again. All I can do now is prove myself and make you proud again.

Cheers for the brutal honesty, but I'm certainly surprised at the choice of words there, 'fear' in particular.

Maybe it's a lost in translation thing or a different kind of fear thing or a genuine contrition thing ... but that's kind of a bold thing to say.

[Nash Diesel]

Francis Ngannou apologizes for his poor outing vs Derrick Lewis (https://www.instagram.com/p/BlBCsqRAkAs/?utm_source=ig_embed)



Cheers for the brutal honesty, but I'm certainly surprised at the choice of words there, 'fear' in particular.

Maybe it's a lost in translation thing or a different kind of fear thing or a genuine contrition thing ... but that's kind of a bold thing to say.

Maybe he was just saying "fear" because during the interview he thought that's what people wanted him to say. Kind of like the interview where Brian Ortega said he's ready on 1 second notice or whatever it was that was taken out of context.

[Percussion]

Maybe he was just saying "fear" because during the interview he thought that's what people wanted him to say. Kind of like the interview where Brian Ortega said he's ready on 1 second notice or whatever it was that was taken out of context.

Perhaps. That's why I was trying to consider some context other than just actually saying he was scared. It's just such a taboo thing to throw out there in the fight game.

[OD50]

He probably means that he "feared" to gas out like in the Stipe fight, not that he's actually scared.

[Mark Hammer]

Which would be a plausible excuse had he picked it up in the third round.

[OD50]

Personally I think he's gun shy from the Stipe fight. Many fighters that are used to steamrolling their opponents don't react well to adversity.

[Nash Diesel]

Perhaps. That's why I was trying to consider some context other than just actually saying he was scared. It's just such a taboo thing to throw out there in the fight game.

Exactly. You need to be careful but I give him a pass because maybe he meant something else beyond "I was scared!" You ever hear the guy talk? He's not exactly from Phoenix.

But you're right man, when you start talking about fear or being ready to go at the drop of a dime and then you show no fear or you don't take a fight on short notice, that can lead to a lot of money being flushed down the toilet. So Ngannou better be fucking shook when he fights next or he's a liar.

[Spedizzo]

Just got back from Vegas. Been there for 6 nights and I am happy to be home.

-The event overall (UFC 226) was pretty exciting and the fans were loud all night. Biggest pop of the night goes to Pettis finishing Chiesa followed by DC's finish of Stipe which was more shocking than anything because of how quick it happened. Lewis/Francis fight was fun because of the crowd. There was a wave that was going on in the audience for quite a while. There was also a point in the fight where every lit up their cell phones (like the Wyatt family thing) and it looked pretty cool, not sure how it came off on TV.

-International Fight Week was okay, but I feel it has been watered down since 2016 when they used to have it in the massive Las Vegas Convention center. Now it is held at the downtown Las Vegas Events building, which is much smaller and doesn't have that feel that the convention had. Apparently this was a WME decision to save money.

-I went to the Hall of Fame ceremony and ran into a drunk Mike Goldberg who was roaming around the Pearl Casino. Told him I missed him and he should be inducted into the HOF. He was really emotional about it and it is obvious he still hates not being the UFC. But he also had a few drinks in him. There were also a ton of other fighters just casually walking around the casino which was a cool visual.

-I went to Cormier's afterparty at Chateau Nightclub which is located on the Eiffle Tower at the Paris Casino. Nothing too special, Cormier didn't really interact with anyone (aside from the tons of guys and gals throwing themselves in front of him demanding selfies) and just kept to himself/his enterourage although he was smackdab in the middle of the club. It was funny watching hoardes of women ask "who is that" in regards to Cormier, and when they found out he was a champion/UFC fighter all started throwing themselves at him. Some women were going right up to DC with his wife next to him and rubbing up his leg/etc.

Cain Valasquez was there and was sweating profusely to the point that they had to keep bringing out rags for him. Cain has the biggest head ever. The guy looks massive.

[Mark Hammer]

Is it just me or is Mike Chiesa extremely unlikeable?

[Spedizzo]

Is it just me or is Mike Chiesa extremely unlikeable?

I think it his whole personality of "I am wittier/smarter than you because I look like an artsy hipster" gimmick he has going on.

[Nash Diesel]

Sounds like a blast especially where you said DC didn't interact with anyone other than the tons of people wanting selfies lol. Poor Goldy, we really took him for granted I think.


Is it just me or is Mike Chiesa extremely unlikeable?

Sorta. Hit or miss for me, like most fighters these days I barely pay attention to anything they do and say because there's so many fucking fighters....Wasn't he the guy who's father passed away while he was on TUF and he claimed he (chiesa, not the dad) was possibly homeless as well?

[Mark Hammer]

Yep. I liked him on TUF, just seems he has developed an entitlement complex of late.

He also came off really poor in the build to the Kevin Lee fight. Lee was addressing his lack of drawing power saying the only person who will buy a ticket to see Chiesa is his mom (which is not disrespectful whatsoever to his mother) and Mike responded by blowing up with the "don't talk about my mom!" noise.

[Nash Diesel]

Yep. I liked him on TUF, just seems he has developed an entitlement complex of late.

He also came off really poor in the build to the Kevin Lee fight. Lee was addressing his lack of drawing power saying the only person who will buy a ticket to see Chiesa is his mom (which is not disrespectful whatsoever to his mother) and Mike responded by blowing up with the "don't talk about my mom!" noise.

Yeah it felt like Chiesa was looking for ANYTHING to make that fight a draw and put some spotlight on himself. This manufactured beef fighters come up with is so hit or miss.