UFC 225's Joseph Benavidez happy to return from long layoff, unhappy being 'buried' on UFC Fight Pass
(https:)As he prepares to return from an an 18-month-long layoff, Joseph Benavidez has a few reasons to be happy.
But then there are others in which Benavidez isn’t all that happy.
Benavidez, the No. 2 fighter in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA flyweight rankings, meets No. 6 fighter Pettis in a meaningful fight for the division. In fact, should he beat Pettis and add a seventh win to his current streak, Benavidez thinks it will be hard to deny him a third stab at champ Demetrious Johnson.
Despite its possible ramifications, the flyweight bout is only the third fight of the evening and will be featured on the UFC Fight Pass-streamed preliminary card at Chicago’s United Center. Asked about it, Benavidez makes no secret of his feelings on the card placement.
Andrea Lee’s husband, coach Donny Aaron apologizes for Nazi tattoos, won’t get them removed or covered
(https:)Andrea Lee’s husband has addressed the recent controversy surrounding him.
Donny Aaron, husband and coach to the UFC flyweight and former LFA champion, issued a public apology Sunday morning via his Instagram account regarding Nazi tattoos he has on both arms.
The tattoos came to light Friday when Lee tweeted a photo at a lake that showed a swastika tattoo on Aaron’s left arm. Later, people on social media dug up a photo of Aaron’s other arm, which has a tattoo of a Nazi SS bolt symbol. Both are considered Neo-Nazi hate symbols by the Anti-Defamation League.
In his statement, Aaron apologized to everyone that was offended by his tattoos and said he got them during his time in prison. Aaron says his tattoos are symbols of his past, but not of his present or future, claiming he’s now a changed man.
Aaron says he won’t cover the Nazi tattoos with other tattoos nor will he get the tattoos removed, as those are not “options” for him. Aaron did say that he will wear keep wearing long-sleeve clothing in public to cover the hate symbols.
Yair Rodriguez Announces He’s Back in the UFC Fold, Fighting in September
(https:)Yair Rodriguez was unexpectedly cut from the UFC roster over an apparent willingness to accept the fights offered him. Now, just a few short weeks later, Rodriguez is just as unexpectedly back in the UFC fold.
“I’m happy to (let you) know that the UFC and I are (on) the best terms ever and now I’m back (on) track to chase my dream of (becoming) a UFC champion,” Rodriguez wrote on Instagram account on Saturday.
Georges St-Pierre: It’s ‘still easy’ to beat drug tests, ‘even now’ with USADA
(https:)Drug testing in the UFC was effectively the wild, wild west when Georges St-Pierre first walked away from the sport in 2013.
Back then, in the era of testosterone-replacement therapy, out-of-competition drug screening was nonexistent and commission-mandated testing was generally viewed as an IQ test more so than anything else. But all of that changed in July 2015 when the UFC and the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) partnered to create one of the most comprehensive drug-testing programs in all of sports. Ever since, failed drug tests have become commonplace in the UFC while the number of suspensions handed out by USADA has ballooned with each passing month.
But St-Pierre is confident that plenty of cheaters still remain in the UFC.
UFC Utica Bonuses: Moraes & Gillespie Bank $50k For Big Wins
(https:)Last night’s (Fri. June 1, 2018) UFC Utica event presented some tremendous performances from several fighters on the card, but only a few could take home the $50k bonuses for their extraordinary efforts.
In the featured bout of the UFC Fight Pass Prelims, UFC newcomer Nathaniel Wood pulled off a D’arce choke victory over Johnny Eduardo. It was a magnificent comeback for Wood, who will take home an extra $50k for his Performance Of The Night.
Ben Saunders also scored a Performance Of The Night bonus after nailing Jake Ellenberger with a knee to the liver that forced the fight to be called off in the first round. Saunders’ paycheck will be $50k fatter as a result.
In the co-main event of the evening, UFC lightweight prospect Gregor Gillespie put on a dominant performance over Vinc Pichel. He wound up scoring an arm-triangle choke in the second round and will get a $50k Performance Of The Night bonus.
Our final Performance Of The Night bonus winner was main event victor Marlon Moraes, who scored a 30-second knockout win over Jimmie Rivera.
Jessica Aguilar pulled from tonight's UFC Utica fight vs. Jodie Esquibel – reportedly due to chapped lips
(https:)Just hours before she was to fight, Jessica Aguilar has been pulled from her bout against Jodie Esquibel at UFC Fight Night 131.
Team representatives for both Aguilar (19-6 MMA, 0-2 UFC) and Esquibel (6-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) confirmed the news to MMAjunkie following an initial report from ESPN Radio’s Jordan Sherwood on Twitter. UFC officials have not yet made a formal announcement of the cancellation.
According to MMAfighting.com’s Ariel Helwani on Twitter, the New York State Athletic Commission asked for additional medical clearance on Thursday for Aguilar – and received it. But today, the commission reportedly decided to scrap the fight despite the thumbs up the day before.
Aguilar coach and cornerman Din Thomas said chapped lips was the culprit, confirming a report on Twitter from Helwani.
Yair Rodriguez reconciles with UFC, agrees to fight Zabit Magomedsharipov at UFC 228
(https:)It appears featherweight contender Yair Rodriguez and UFC officials have patched up a seemingly broken relationship.
This past month, UFC officials released Rodriguez (10-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC), who’s No. 15 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA featherweight rankings, after UFC President Dana White said he turned down a fight with Zabit Magomedsharipov (15-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) at UFC 227.
Now, though, Rodriguez and UFC officials have apparently mended fences – and the fight is back on for UFC 228, according to ESPN.com’s Brett Okamoto
Video chronicles Darren Till’s brutal weight cut before UFC Liverpool
(https:)Darren Till missed weight last weight by 3-1/2 pounds. But certainly not from lack of trying.
Till’s weight cut ahead of his fight with Stephen Thompson at UFC Liverpool was chronicled in a video released Thursday by his sponsor Paddy Power. Till can be seen unable to stand up in sauna. And at one point he told his coaches he could not see, prompting them to stop the weight-cutting process.
Cris Cyborg battery case dismissed after fine, anger management course
(https:)Cris Cyborg is in the clear with regards to her legal issues.
The UFC women’s featherweight champion issued a submittal plea in Las Vegas Municipal Court after being cited for battery last year in an incident involving fellow fighter Angela Magaña, a court spokesperson confirmed with MMA Fighting. Cyborg paid a $398 fine and the case was recently dismissed.
Kelvin Gastelum to make his studio analyst debut at UFC Utica
(https:)Add Kelvin Gastelum to the list of fighters giving the commentary game a go.
FOX Sports announced Thursday the middleweight contender and former TUF winner will make his debut on the studio desk commentary team for UFC Utica on Friday night.
Gastelum will be joined in studio for the FS1 card by Kenny Florian, Brandon Fitzgerald, and in an interesting twist, welterweight champion Tyron Woodley.
Danny Roberts vs. Alan Jouban booked for UFC Hamburg
(https:)A meeting of knockout artists has been announced as Danny Roberts and Alan Jouban are set to clash at UFC Hamburg on Jul. 22.
The UFC announced the lightweight meeting through its social media channels on Thursday afternoon following an initial report from FloCombat.
Khabib Nurmagomedov now targeting first UFC title defense sooner than expected
(https:)After winning the UFC lightweight title with a five-round decision over Al Iaquinta at UFC 223, Khabib Nurmagomedov said he wasn’t planning to return to fighting until November or December of this year. But now it looks like the champ will be back sooner than anticipated.
Speaking with his fans during a live chat Tuesday, Nurmagomedov announced that his team had begun talks with the UFC about returning to action this fall, either for the September or October pay-per-view event.
Sara McMann announces pregnancy
(https:)Baby number two is on the way for Sara McMann.
On Wednesday, the one-time women’s bantamweight title challenger announced on Instagram that she is three-months pregnant.
Nick Diaz mugshot released, court date set after domestic battery arrest
(https:)Nick Diaz has his next day in court date scheduled.
The popular UFC fighter will have to appear in Las Vegas Justice Court on June 6 at 8:30 a.m. before judge Amy Chelini, a court rep confirmed with MMA Fighting on Tuesday.
Diaz was arrested Friday on charges of domestic battery by strangulation and domestic battery in the first degree. The former is a felony. His booking photo was released Tuesday by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
Charles Oliveira in to fight Clay Guida at UFC 225 after Bobby Green withdraws
(https:)Bobby Green has been forced to withdraw from a matchup against Clay Guida, and Charles Oliveira will now step in to face the longtime veteran on short notice at UFC 225.
Guida (34-17 MMA, 14-11 UFC) today posted word of Oliveira’s (22-8 MMA, 10-8 UFC) sub for Green (24-8-1 MMA, 5-3-1 UFC) on Instagram, and his manager, John Fosco, confirmed the new booking to MMAjunkie.
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