Georges St-Pierre, four other UFC stars announce launch of MMA Athletes Association
(mmafighting.com)Five of the most well-known fighters in the UFC are starting a fighters association.
The group, headlined by all-time great Georges St-Pierre, will be called the Mixed Martial Arts Athletes Association and will focus on evening the playing field between fighters and the UFC, it was announced on a media conference call Wednesday.
St-Pierre was joined on the call by Tim Kennedy, Cain Velasquez, Donald Cerrone and T.J. Dillashaw. Those five fighters will make up the association's first board. Former Bellator owner Bjorn Rebney was also on the call and he said he would be part of the MMAAA in an advisory, support role. GSP, Velasquez and Dillashaw are all former UFC champions.
UFC to fighter: No free tickets, unless Dana White approves
(bloodyelbow.com)A top-ranked UFC fighter is ‘shocked’ after she was refused a free ticket to UFC 206.
Joanne Calderwood, who is ranked 7th in the UFC’s women’s strawweight division, took to social media on Monday to relay a ‘shocking’ experience she had with the UFC regarding complimentary tickets for the upcoming UFC 206.
I don't ask for much and I know this is a very selfish sport when it comes down to giving your time and attention esp if you are serious about being a high level professional fighter...as a fighter I know we don't get a lot back and it's never an easy road, we sacrifice a lot and most of the time we are broke. I'm eating into my savings just to pay for myself to get better as a fighter so I can win and put on better fights. Right now I'm recovering from a minor concussion and to know it could put my next pay day back further is scary, not to mention I don't even know when my next fight is going to get offered to me. I'm lucky for the support around me cause Ive been really down the past week with having to take time out of training and it's tough not knowing what's around the corner. But anyway I've been really looking forward to making the trip to Toronto next week to support some of the guys from Tristar, after emailing the UFC to request tickets, I'm still a little shocked after receiving this....to say I'm upset is an understatement
Kelvin Gastelum free of suspension, will face Tim Kennedy at UFC 206
(mmafighting.com)Kelvin Gastelum is good to go for Toronto.
The UFC fighter has been cleared of his suspension from the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) and will face Tim Kennedy at UFC 206 on Dec. 10.
Gastelum was suspended six months for not showing up to weigh-ins before UFC 205 in New York, but the commission and Gastelum settled on a $2,000 fine instead prior to an appeal hearing, per New York State Department spokesperson Laz Benitez.
MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani reported the news earlier Tuesday.
Oops! Some TV guides are revealing who won TUF 24
(bloodyelbow.com)If you want to know who Demetrious Johnson will be fighting in the TUF 24 Finale main event, it looks like you won’t have to wait until Wednesday to find out.
This Wednesday’s episode will be the TUF 24 tournament final, with pre-tournament favorite Tim Elliott facing off against Japan’s Hiromasa Ogikubo. Well I suppose if you flipped ahead in the TV Guide on DirecTV or AT&T, you needn’t bother finding out who won Elliott-Ogikubo, because they already spoiled the result. Here are a couple of tweets that were sent out recently, including one from veteran MMA official Rob Hinds. This is probably a good time for you to exit this article if you don’t want to be spoiler’d.
Coach Kavanagh slams ‘ridiculous’ and ‘shortsighted’ decision to strip Conor McGregor of UFC title
(mmamania.com)Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight titleholder Conor McGregor is no longer the organization’s reigning featherweight champion after promotion president Dana White made good on his promise to strip “Notorious” of the 145-pound strap.
Coach John Kavanagh isn’t happy about it.
“For me personally, I was very disappointed with how they went about doing it. It was a very messy set of circumstances which led to doing it. They lost [UFC 206] main event and then they haphazardly threw together a new main event. They felt they had to make this for a title in order for it to sell so they brought in another interim title that Jose Aldo already has and then bumped Jose Aldo up to the current undisputed champion, which just seems ridiculous to me. Conor has only been 11 months since he won that title. There have been many, many examples of fighters waiting 15 months, 18 months before defending it. He’s 11 months and they stripped him of it. I thought it was very shortsighted by the UFC how they went about doing it.”
Off UFC Fight Night 102 card, Aljamain Sterling vs. Raphael Assuncao targeted for future event
(mmajunkie.com)Aljamain Sterling and Raphael Assuncao are still expected to fight – just not at UFC Fight Night 102.
As MMAjunkie reported this past week, Sterling (12-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) and Assuncao (23-5 MMA, 7-2 UFC) were initially slated for UFC Fight Night 102 – until Sterling suffered an injury and was forced off the card.
Although officials initially looked for a replacement, Assuncao has instead decided to wait for Sterling’s return, and their rebooking is targeted for a future but still-to-be-determined card.
Ontario commission hasn’t received UFC 206 bout proposal for Kelvin Gastelum, will honor all suspensions
(mmajunkie.com)UFC middleweight – and recent welterweight – Kelvin Gastelum needs some good news in order to fight Tim Kennedy, and quickly.
The New York State Athletic Commission hasn’t given Gastelum a date for a hearing on his appeal of a six-month suspension. According to the Ontario Athletic Commission, his record has to be clear to fight at UFC 206.
“The OAC honors all suspensions by members of the Association of Boxing Commissions,” Denelle Balfour, a spokesperson for the commission, wrote today in an email to MMAjunkie.
“The Ultimate Fighter 17” winner expressed confidence that he will be cleared.
“What we’re trying to do is get the suspension lifted, and that’s what my team is working for right now,” Gastelum told MMAjunkie. “News should be coming soon this week.”
UFC looking to quadruple its TV broadcasting deal up to $450 million dollars
(mmafighting.com)When Zuffa sold the UFC to WME-IMG earlier this year for $4 billion, one of the key talking points in the aftermath was the upcoming TV rights deal expiration and renegotiation. The UFC's current broadcasting deal with Fox Sports is a seven-year deal for $115 million annually, and by most accounts, FOX is getting a bargain for that price.
Well, soon they won't be. On Monday, the Sports Business Journal put up a piece delving into the plan WME-IMG has for the new TV rights deal, and among other things, it includes a major price bump with the UFC seeking $450 million per annum for ten years.
"Its magic number is $450 million a year, a potentially staggering increase from the $115 million annual average that FOX Sports now pays, according to several media and UFC sources.
"Although formal negotiations aren't expected to start until next year, network executives have learned that the UFC plans to seek at least a 10-year deal under those terms, sources said."
Georges St-Pierre, Bjorn Rebney, former UFC champs to make MMA ‘re-defining’ announcement
(mmafighting.com)A major MMA announcement is planned this week and the names involved are eye-opening.
Georges St-Pierre, former Bellator MMA promoter Bjorn Rebney and a handful of other well-known fighters will be making an "industry re-defining" announcement Wednesday on a media conference call, according to a press release sent out Monday.
Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, former UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw, Donald Cerrone and Tim Kennedy are the other names listed in the release and they will be part of the conference call.
The conference call is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET.
Jose Aldo 'knew' Conor McGregor's belt would be stripped; plans title defense and then rematch
(mmajunkie.com)Newly minted UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo said it was inevitable Conor McGregor would have to give up one of his titles.
Now that two-division champ McGregor has “relinquished” his featherweight belt, Aldo, who was subsequently promoted from interim titleholder to primary champion, plans to defend the title in February or March, presumably against the winner of next month’s interim title bout between Max Holloway and Anthony Pettis at UFC 206.
After that, Aldo is targeting a rematch with McGregor.
With Emmanuel Sanchez injured, Friday's Bellator 166 lineup gets new co-headliner
(mmajunkie.com)Due to an injury, Friday’s Bellator 166 event has a new co-headliner.
Bellator officials today announced Emmanuel Sanchez (13-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC) has suffered an injury and been forced out of his bout with featherweight A.J. McKee (5-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA).
As a result, Ray Wood (7-2 MMA, 1-1 BMMA), who was originally slated to fight Treston Thomison (9-4 MMA, 2-3 BMMA) on the prelims, has been tapped as a replacement. Thomison awaits a new opponent.
Walt Harris vs. Chase Sherman added to UFC Fight Night 103 in Phoenix
(mmajunkie.com)Officials today confirmed a number of recently reported fights, as well as a new one, for UFC Fight Night 103: heavyweight Walt Harris (8-5 MMA, 1-4 UFC) vs. fellow knockout artist Chase Sherman (9-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC).
UFC Fight Night 103 takes place Jan. 15 at Phoenix’s Talking Stick Resort Arena and airs on FS1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.
Matt Schnell gets late-replacement spot on Saturday's TUF 24 Finale fight card
(mmajunkie.com)Matt Schnell didn’t win “The Ultimate Fighter 24,” but he’s got a spot on the undercard of the show’s live finale.
As MMAjunkie reported this week, Alejandro Perez was forced to withdraw from his bout with Rob Font. UFC officials have since confirmed that Schnell has stepped in as a replacement.
The TUF 24 Finale takes place Saturday at The Pearl at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. The card airs on FS1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass, though the bout order hasn’t been finalized.
UFC announces Conor McGregor has relinquished featherweight title, Jose Aldo is new champ
(mmafighting.com)Conor McGregor is no longer a two-division world champion. At least, according to the UFC.
The Irishman, who also holds the UFC lightweight belt, has relinquished given up his featherweight title, the UFC announced Saturday night during the UFC Fight Night 101 broadcast.
Although the UFC says McGregor has given up the featherweight belt voluntarily, sources told MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani that McGregor never agreed to that decision. Regardless, the UFC has the right to strip the belt from McGregor.
Jose Aldo, who won the interim title back at UFC 200 in July, defeating Frankie Edgar, will now take McGregor's belt and become the undisputed 145-pound champion.
33-fight veteran Kyle Noke announces retirement
(mmajunkie.com)A longtime stalwart of Aussie MMA is calling it a career.
Following a loss to Omari Akhmedov at UFC Fight Night 101, UFC middleweight Kyle Noke announced he is now retired.
“Thank you to the ufc and all the fans,” Noke wrote. “It’s time to hang up the gloves. I’ve had a blessed life doing what I love. I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Tim Kennedy gets recently suspended Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 206 – pending commission approval
(mmajunkie.com)A middleweight bout between Tim Kennedy and Kelvin Gastelum is the latest addition to December’s UFC 206 event – but there’s one hurdle to clear before it’s official.
Gastelum (12-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC), who is currently suspended by the New York State Athletic Commission for skipping UFC 205’s weigh-ins earlier this month ahead of a scheduled fight with Donald Cerrone, must first receive clearance to compete against Kennedy (18-5 MMA, 3-1 UFC).
UFC officials today announced the bout during the broadcast for UFC Fight Night 101 in Australia.
UFC 206 takes place Dec. 10 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass, though the bout order hasn’t been finalized.
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