Max Holloway waiting on new contract before making title defense
(https:)With Conor McGregor seemingly gone from the featherweight division for good, and longtime champion Jose Aldo conquered, Max Holloway is the man at 145 pounds
Now he’s looking for a king’s ransom.
While worthy challengers like Frankie Edgar and Cub Swanson are waiting in line to go toe-to-toe with Holloway, the proud Hawaiian is unsure of when he’ll compete next due to the fact that his UFC 212 title unification bout triumph over Aldo was apparently the last fight on his contract.
Mark Hunt: You can hear me starting to slur my words
(mixedmartialarts.com)Fighting is bad for you. It’s thrilling to watch, and more thrilling to do. But if you are a fan, when it’s over, you can go on to the next fight. If you are a fighter, you can develop chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
CTE is found in athletes with a history of repetitive symptomatic concussions as well as subconcussive hits to the head that do not cause symptoms. The first stage can begin eight to ten years after the fighter experiences repetitive, mild traumatic brain injury. It can and often does begin years after retirement. There are treatments, but no cure. And it is progressive.
Jesse Taylor notified of potential anti-doping violation
(mixedmartialarts.com)Jesse Taylor’s roller coaster ride in mixed martial arts continues. Earlier this year the welterweight won The Ultimate Fighter 25: Redemption, nearly a decade after his appearance on TUF 7. He was removed then as a cast member after a drunken incident that involved kicking out a limo window and yelling a hotel security.
Taylor showed composure and maturity on the show this year, and eventually submitted Dhiego Lima at The Ultimate Fighter: Redemption Finale on July 7, 2017. He was scheduled to fight Belal Muhammad at UFC Fight Night 121 on November 19, 2017, but has been pulled from the event over a flagged PED test.
Shevchenko dropping to 125
(mixedmartialarts.com)Valentina Shevchenko appeared recently on Submission Radio for the first time and discussed her controversial Split Decision loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 215, and what’s next.
“Now I’m thinking to move to 125, and I think more probably my next fight it will be in this division 125,” she said. “Because 125 is like much closer weight for me, it’s my real weight category, and even at like 135 I feel comfortable and I feel like 125 I will be able to use all my techniques and all my skills because I will fight with the same-sized opponents as me.”
Gabe Gonzaga to make pro boxing debut on October 28
(mixedmartialarts.com)Gabriel ‘Napao’ Gonzaga started fighting in his native Brazil in 2003. He retired last year with a 17-11 record, which included a failed title shot at the UFC champion Randy Couture, during which he broke The Natural’s arm with a high kick. Now a 4th degree black belt in Jiu-Jitsu and founder of Team Squared BJJ in Worcester, Massachusetts, at age 38 Napao is stepping into the professional boxing ring.
The fourth and final 2017 installment of Rivera Promotions Entertainment’s popular professional boxing series, “New England’s Future”, will be held Saturday night, October 28, at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts. Gonzaga will make his pro boxing debut in a four-round match against Washington D.C. heavyweight Alando Pugh (1-10-1, 1 KO).
Daniel Cormier reinstated as UFC light heavyweight champion
(https:)Daniel Cormier is back to being the UFC light heavyweight champion.
Cormier said Wednesday on UFC Tonight that he spoke with UFC president Dana White earlier in the day and White told him he is the titleholder again. UFC spokesperson Lenee Breckenridge confirmed with MMA Fighting on Wednesday night that Cormier has been reinstated as champ.
Demetrious Johnson vs. Ray Borg rebooked for UFC 216
(https:)Demetrious Johnson vs. Ray Borg is back on.
The flyweight title fight, which was previously scheduled to headline UFC 215, has been rebooked for Oct. 7 at UFC 216 in Las Vegas, Nevada. MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani confirmed the news Wednesday following an initial report by Combate.
Tyron Woodley Reveals Lengthy Absence From The Octagon
(lowkickmma.com)Although it was a lackluster fight at best, UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley dominated Demian Maia in their UFC 214 co-main event bout, defending his welterweight title for the second (third if you count his draw with Stephen Thompson) time in the process.
The only issue, however, is that “The Chosen One” injured his shoulder in the bout, and he recently revealed that he has to ‘consider surgery’, although he’s obviously going to weigh his options in hopes of avoiding it:
Chris Fields added to KSW 40 at Dublin’s 3Arena
(severemma.com)Dublin’s own Chris Fields (11-7-1) has today been officially added to the KSW 40 card at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland on October 22nd.
Fields was amongst the first wave of Irish fighters to make a splash internationally in the MMA world. After rising through the ranks and being involved in some of the most anticipated match-ups on the Irish scene, Fields won the Cage Warriors middleweight title in Amman, Jordan in 2012. Following on from this Fields remained one of the biggest names in Irish MMA and was a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter Season 19.
California Athletic Commission overturns Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier to ‘No Contest’
(https:)The UFC 214 light heavyweight title bout between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier won’t go down as a win for ‘Bones’ after all.
With the recent news that Jon Jones’ B-sample from his UFC 214 drug test failure has come back positive for Turinabol as well, the rest of the regulatory dominos appear to be falling. MMA Fighting reports that the California State Athletic Commission has overturned Jones’ KO win over Daniel Cormier, for the light heavyweight title, to a ‘No Contest.’
Jesse Taylor flagged for USADA violation, bout vs. Belal Muhammad removed from UFC Sydney
(https:)Jesse Taylor’s UFC return has hit a snag.
On Wednesday, the USADA announced that the Ultimate Fighter 25 winner Jesse Taylor has been flagged for an Anti-Doping Policy violation stemming from an out-of-competition sample taken on Aug. 22, two months after a submission win over Dhiego Lima at The Ultimate Fighter: Redemption Finale earned him a new contract with the UFC.
Taylor’s upcoming bout with Belal Muhammad at UFC Sydney on Nov. 18 has been removed from that card and the promotion is currently looking for a replacement to fight Muhammad.
Thiago Alves Withdraws from UFC Fight Night 116 Co-Main Event Bout vs. Mike Perry
(m.sherdog.com)UFC Fight Night 116 could be down one marquee bout unless the promotion is able to find a short-notice opponent for Mike Perry.
Thiago Alves, Perry’s original foe, was forced to withdraw from Saturday’s event for undisclosed reasons. MMAjunkie.com was first to report the news. A replacement opponent for Perry is currently being sought.
UFC Fight Night 116 takes place at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh and is headlined by a middleweight tilt between former champ Luke Rockhold and David Branch. The card airs on Fox Sports 1 following one early prelim on UFC Fight Pass.
Jon Jones' B sample from UFC 214 also positive for steroid turinabol
(mmajunkie.com)Jon Jones’ B sample also tested positive at UFC 214.
UFC Vice President of Athlete Health and Performance Jeff Novitzky confirmed the results to MMAjunkie tonight that Jones’ B sample has come back positive for metabolites of turinabol, the same steroid found in his urine during a pre-fight test for his title win over Daniel Cormier via knockout at the July 29 pay-per-view event in Anaheim, Calif.
ESPN.com was first to report the news.
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Jones, 30, is now likely to go to arbitration with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which administered the test, in an attempt to clear his name. That process could take anywhere from three to six months. His representatives have maintained his innocence.
Pedro Munhoz vs. Rob Font added to UFC Fight Night 119 in Brazil
(mmajunkie.com)The UFC today announced a bantamweight bout between Pedro Munhoz and Rob Font is set for UFC Fight Night 119, which takes place Oct. 28 at Ibirapuera Gymnasium in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and airs on FS1 following prelims on UFC Fight Pass.
The addition of Munhoz-Font comes on the same day Glover Teixeira vs. Misha Cirkunov was moved from the card to UFC on FOX 26 on Dec. 16 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
The latest UFC Fight Night 119 card now includes:
Lyoto Machida vs. Derek Brunson
Colby Covington vs. Demian Maia
Jarred Brooks vs. Deiveson Figueiredo
Augusto Mendes vs. Boston Salmon
Christian Colombo vs. Carlos Felipe
Antonio Carlos Junior vs. Jack Marshman
Jack Hermansson vs. Thiago “Marreta” Santos
Rob Font vs. Pedro Munhoz
Rousimar Palhares' controversial split-decision loss at FNG 73 overturned
(mmajunkie.com)Rousimar Palhares’ split-decision loss to Shamil Amirov at Fight Nights Global 73 has been overturned to a draw.
Fight Nights Global President Kamil Gadzhiev said the initial result – announced without scores at the Sept. 4 event – was changed after the bout was reviewed by the Russian MMA Union.
“If fighters are not happy with the decision, fighters themselves, or their management, send an official protest letter to the Russian MMA Union,” Gadzhiev today told MMAjunkie. “They invite three new judges, they watch again, and they can change the decision. Sometimes, they change the decision.”
Mickey Gall returns at UFC 217 in New York City
(mmajunkie.com)Fast-rising welterweight prospect Mickey Gall is slated for a return at UFC 217.
Gall (4-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) meets Randy Brown (9-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) at the fall event, officials today announced via newsday.com.
The latest UFC 217 card includes:
Champ Michael Bisping vs. Georges St-Pierre – for middleweight title
Champ Cody Garbrandt vs. T.J. Dillashaw – for bantamweight title
Champ Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Rose Namajunas – for women’s strawweight title
Ricardo Ramos vs. Aiemann Zahabi
Paulo Borrachinha vs. Johny Hendricks
Curtis Blaydes vs. Aleksei Oleinik
Gadzhimurad Antigulov vs. Ion Cutelaba
Jorge Masvidal vs. Stephen Thompson
Corey Anderson vs. Patrick Cummins
Randy Brown vs. Mickey Gall
Demetrious Johnson Issues Ray Borg Ultimatum For UFC 216
(lowkickmma.com)Dominant UFC flyweight champ Demetrious Johnson is willing to give Ray Borg another crack at the title after “The TazMexican Devil” pulled out of their scheduled UFC 215 fight last weekend due to illness.
He’s just not willing to wait that long.
‘Mighty Mouse was all set to break Anderson Silva’s record for consecutive title defenses with 11, a number he could have already reached had Borg been healthy enough to make it to the fight. But Johnson isn’t going to get up in arms about it, and he recently told ESPN (via Bloody Elbow) that while cancellations like this happen in the fight game, he wants to fight Borg at October 7’s UFC 216 from Las Vegas:
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