UFC 225 bonuses: Robert Whittaker gets extra $50K over Romero weigh-in flub
(https:)The action certainly delivered last night (Sat., June 9, 2018) at UFC 225 live on pay-per-view (PPV) from inside United Center in Chicago, Ill., as UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker outlasted Cuban machine Yoel Romero in a five-round bloody classic.
In addition to the main event mayhem, Colby Covington walked away with the interim welterweight strap by suffocating Rafael dos Anjos, CM Punk got beat up by Mike Jackson for 15 minutes, Cutis Blaydes turned Alistair Overeem into a bloody mess, Anthony Smith kneed Rashad Evans into oblivion, and Charles Oliveira quickly choked out Clay Guida.
Ronda Rousey becomes first female UFC Hall of Famer
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Ronda Rousey was the first American woman to medal in the Olympics in judo.
She was the first women to be signed by the UFC.
She was the first to headline a UFC pay-per-view. She was the first to win a championship match. She was the first to sell out a major arena. She was the first woman in any combat sport to draw a $1 million live gate and nearly quadrupled the largest pay-per-view number for any kind of sporting event headlined by a woman. That was all on the same night.
She was the first woman to headline a combat sports event in front of 50,000 fans. She was the first to headline a 1 million pay-per-view buy show, and did so twice with no real undercard support.
She was the first MMA fighter to win an ESPY award, winning Best Female Athlete in both 2014 and 2015, and was the first MMA fighter to break the boxing stronghold on the Best Fighter award in voting among sports fans.
She won her first seven fights by armbar, all in less than 57 seconds.
She still has the fastest submission — 14 seconds against Cat Zingano — in modern UFC history. She has the third-fastest knockout — 16 seconds against Alexis Davis — in UFC title fight history.
Her six title defenses is still a women’s UFC record. In her 12 pro and three amateur wins, every single one was via stoppage. Only one of those opponents got out of the first round and only three lasted more than 66 seconds. They included wins over major organization champions Julia Budd, Sarah Kaufman, and two over Miesha Tate.
For all those reasons, Rousey had to be the first woman inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.
Demetrious Johnson vs. Henry Cejudo 2 booked for UFC 227
(https:)For Demetrious Johnson to make it to a dozen successful title defenses, he’ll have to defeat one of his most decorated opponents — again.
On Saturday’s UFC 225 Fight Pass prelims broadcast, the promotion announced that Johnson will defend his flyweight championship in a rematch against Henry Cejudo at UFC 227 on Aug. 4 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Yoel Romero fails to make championship weight on second attempt for UFC 225 fight with Robert Whittaker
(https:)After two tries, Yoel Romero will not be competing for the UFC middleweight title on Saturday.
The would-be challenger was granted an extra two hours by the Illinois State Athletic Commission to make weight at Friday’s weigh-ins for UFC 225 in Chicago after coming in heavy on his first attempt for his championship rematch with Robert Whittaker. Clearance from a physician was also required for Romero to attempt a second weigh-in.
Romero initially weighed in at 186 pounds and he came in at 185.2 pounds on his second attempt, making him ineligible to win the title in Saturday’s main event. It is unclear whether the fight will proceed and if so what conditions will be negotiated by the fighters’ teams.
Brad Tavares out of TUF 27 Finale vs. Israel Adesanya; Thiago 'Marreta' Santos possible replacement
(https:)Brad Tavares’ long-awaited opportunity to headline a UFC card is going to have to wait a little longer; the middleweight contender is out of The Ultimate Fighter 27 Finale headliner.
Tavares (17-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC) was scheduled to fight unbeaten rising star Israel Adesanya (12-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) at the July 6 event, which takes place at Pearl Theater in Las Vegas. The card airs on FS1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.
According to UFC President Dana White, who today revealed the news to TMZ.com, Tavares suffered a broken foot in training that’s ruled him out of competition.
Dana White says Georges St-Pierre is retired, but ex-champ's manager denies claim
(https:)UFC President Dana White and former two-division UFC champ Georges St-Pierre have once against reached a crossroads in their relationship at which the promoter claims the fighter doesn’t want to compete.
During an interview today with TSN in Canada, White said St-Pierre (26-2 MMA, 20-2 UFC) is “retired” from MMA competition and has no intention of fighting any time soon, nor does he even want to compete.
“We’ve been talking about a fight with ‘GSP,’ but ‘GSP’ is retired,” White told TSN. “As far as I’m concerned, ‘GSP’ is retired right now. He’s not interested in fighting anybody.”
When contacted by MMAjunkie, St-Pierre’s longtime manager, Rodolphe Beaulieu, denied his client is retired via text message.
Jessica Aguilar vs. Jodie Esquibel re-booked for UFC Boise
(https:)A strawweight bout between Jessica Aguilar and Jodie Esquibel has been re-booked.
MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani confirmed with sources that Aguilar and Esquibel will fight at UFC Idaho on July 14 at the CenturyLink Arena in Boise. The two were supposed to meet at UFC Utica this past weekend, but a day prior to that event the New York State Athletic Commission ruled that Aguilar had a medical condition that would prevent her from competing. Esquibel was subsequently pulled from the card as well.
Ed Ruth to make welterweight debut vs. Andy Murad at Bellator 201
(https:)Ed Ruth’s journey at 170 pounds begins this summer.
Undefeated at middleweight, Ruth will drop down a division to fight Andy Murad at Bellator 201 on June 29 at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, Calif. The three-time NCAA wrestling champion was originally scheduled to make his welterweight debut in April, but a late opponent switch caused the bout to be changed to a 175-pound catchweight affair.
Keri Melendez returns at Bellator 201 to fight Tiani Valle
(https:)Keri Melendez will soon be back in Bellator action.
The professional kickboxer-turned-cage fighter will compete in MMA for the second time when she meets Tiani Valle in a strawweight bout at Bellator 201 on June 29 at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, Calif.
Dana White: UFC working with commissions to get rid of early weigh-ins
(https:)With more and more frequency, it seems fighters missing weight has become an issue in MMA.
And on several occasions, it’s been more than a mere nuisance that a fighter has come in off the mark. In the UFC, in particular, it’s not been a rarity for a fighter to be pulled from an event altogether because of a weight-cut that has gone awry at the 11th hour. In some cases, fighters have been hospitalized because of it.
On the latest edition of the “UFC Unfiltered” podcast with hosts Matt Serra and Jim Norton, UFC President Dana White said he believes the early weigh-ins the promotion moved to in 2016, in partnership with most state athletic commissions, are to blame for more fighters missing weight than should be expected.
But White also said the UFC is making an effort to do away with the early weigh-ins and go back to the previous format – which was a late afternoon public weigh-in event for the fans the day before the fight card, usually at 4 p.m. local time. In the new format, fighters weigh-in during a two-hour window, typically between 9-11 a.m. local, and then at many events return for a ceremonial weigh-in for the fans in the afternoon.
Damir Hadzovic vs. Nick Hein set for UFC Fight Night 134 in Germany
(https:)The UFC’s return to Germany next month continues to build with the addition of a new lightweight bout.
Damir Hadzovic (11-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC) will take on Germany’s own Nick Hein (14-3 MMA, 4-2 UFC) on hostile turf at UFC Fight Night 134. UFC officials announced the new booking today.
UFC Fight Night 134 takes place July 22 at Barclaycard Arena in Hamburg, Germany. It airs on FS1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.
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
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