Sometimes things get a little wonky in the world of celebrity. You get used to people taking care of all the little things in your life often enough and maybe you just don’t spend much time thinking about how it looks to some random dude at a Ben & Jerry’s kiosk when you walk up, grab an ice-cream bar and walk away without paying for it.
After all, someone else will take care of it for you… eventually.
That’s how the story unfolded for former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson when, during a recent trip to the US Open with his daughter, he decided to grab an ice cream bar on the house. The NY Post reports that Tyson apparently strolled up to the stadium kiosk, grabbed an ice cream bar and strolled away, apparently oblivious to employees calling after him.
“I was like, ‘Are you serious? Am I imagining this?’ (Tyson) was like, ‘I feel like having an ice cream’ and he just took it,” said one stunned worker, adding, “What are you going to do, fight him? He’s Mike Tyson.”
Tyson’s publicist released a statement on the incident, claiming that there was a ‘misunderstanding’ which has since been rectified:
“There was a misunderstanding,” she said. “Mike got the ice cream and was going to have the host pay for it as he was running around with his family. He was being pulled in a lot of directions as his daughter, Milan, is a rising tennis star and huge fan of the sport. … His host, [USTA national manager] David Slade, got the money from Mike and has made sure the bill has been taken care of.”
And while that may be all fine and good in celebrity-land, the rest of us are probably best off just paying for things up front, rather than depending on the kindness of strangers.
Just last week, Conor McGregor’s coach went on the record to say the he expected his fighter to be back at 100% in short order. McGregor picked up a shin injury in his UFC 202 fight against Nate Diaz, the result of several checked kicks that left the two opponents colliding shin-to-shin and shin-to-knee. There were also fears that McGregor may be dealing with a foot injury (one that he potentially entered the fight with), but it seems that isn’t the case.
Either way, and injury be damned, McGregor seems intent on keeping up his training regimen. Fans who may have been worried that he’d be looking to spend some time just sitting on the sidelines after UFC 202, may be relieved to see that it looks like at the very least, McGregor isn’t spending any time letting himself get out of shape.
He showed as much on a recent episode of “The Mac Life,” which highlighted the UFC featherweight champion navigating his workout routine while still on crutches:
It’s a little weird to think it’s already been a year since Tito Ortiz last fought. He stepped into the cage back in September of 2015, to fight current light heavyweight champion Liam McGeary. Ortiz lost the fight, via reverse triangle in Round 1, putting a halt to his mini late-career Renaissance, and handing the former UFC champ his first loss under the Bellator banner. Now, well past the mid-point of 2016, Ortiz is thinking about the future again, or to put a finer point on it, his next fight.
In an interview with Fight Hub TV Ortiz talked about his recovery from a recent neck surgery, taking some time off to be with his family, and now getting back in the gym and getting in shape again. He also talked about who he’d like to fight next, if possible.
“I sat there and started talking about Royce, the whole time,” Tito said, when asked who he’d fight if he could book his own bouts. “You know what, I respect Royce so much. I said that’s the only reason I would want to compete against him. It’s nothing bad against him, I really really like the guy, but I just think his name is such a huge name. It’d really make sense for my last fight. But he don’t want to do it… I guess I don’t want to do it either. So lets make an interesting fight.
“Lets see if Fedor can get down to 205. Rampage. Rampage talked the kind of smack his last fight, saying that he’ll fight me no matter what. Okay, let it be. Let’s see him get down to 205. I’m a 205 lb fighter, been my whole career, 19 years. I’m not going anywhere, no reason to give anybody a little extra. I understand my levels of how I like to compete, and at 205 that’s where I’m super fast. I’m a workhorse and that’s my weight. So, Rampage or Fedor, or whoever they have else to fight me at 205. I don’t care.”
And while he sounded a bit like he was just blue-skying, it seems that Bellator has actively approached him about getting the bout with Fedor done.
“They came to me, actually, about it,” Ortiz said of the Fedor fight. “Scott came to me about it and I was like, ‘If he can make 205, right on!’ I’m down for it, lets do it. Like I said, I’m a light heavyweight, I understand my limits. I’m not going to go out there just to fight for Money and to put on a show for people at the risk of my own health. I won’t do that. I know my limits, as I say, and I’m a 205 lb light heavyweight. I walk around 220, 225, right now. Fedor’s a big cat. I did a press junket with him in England and God, he’s about 6′ 1″ and a good 240, 245. He’s a big cat. As I say, I know my limits. I respect the guy, but at the same time, he makes 205? Let the beatings begin.”
“Possibly, that’s a good idea too,” he continued, entertaining the idea of a potential catchweight bout. “We’ll see, it’s up to them. It’s up to them and it’s up to Scott. I put every decision in his hands and let him do it and I’m just here to fight. I’m just ready to show my fans that I’m still here to compete and my body’s healthy, my mind’s right; I don’t think I’ve really stepped back on any things in my trainings. So, I’m able to do the stuff that I wanna do to become great.”
At the end of the day, however, weightclass is the deciding factor for Ortiz if talks toward a bout with Emelianenko are going to go forward. If Fedor can get down far enough in weight, Ortiz will be there to fight him.
“I think it’s just the weight, in my mind,” Ortiz explained. “That’s the only thing stopping me. I’m getting paid the same amount of money no matter what, don’t matter who it is. Don’t matter if it’s some nobody on the street – which I would never do – but still. Bellator have really given us our own constructive criticism about our own careers. So, it’s really lucky to have that and to give us the decisions of who we’re going to fight, when we’re going to fight. And give us the opportunity to fight the people we wanna fight, it’s lucky to be at Bellator to do that.”
Ortiz also touched on the recent and growing interest in creating a fighters union. So check out the whole interview.
Is fighting a drug? Is it an addictive substance that seeps into your veins and once tasted never really lets you go? These are fair questions to ask after the latest news that Evangelista ‘Cyborg’ Santos is looking to make a quick return to MMA.
Cyborg was the recipient of a gruesome injury in the process of a TKO loss to Bellator’s rising welterweight star Michael ‘Venom’ Page at Bellator 158 back in July. Page ended the fight with a highlight reel flying knee. But it wasn’t just a knockout shot, the knee hit Cyborg square in the forehead, putting a massive dent in his skull and causing multiple fractures. Just a month after undergoing surgery, however, it appears Cyborg is in great spirits and good health… and thinking about fighting again.
“I had a great recovery,” Santos told MMA Fighting. “This time off was super important for me. I was so busy doing other stuff that I didn’t even notice how fast his month has passed. It was really uncomfortable three or four days after the surgery, but after that I pretty much rested and studied.
“I plan on coming back to training next week and fighting in December,” he continued. “This is my plan. But before I make any decision, I will listen to what the doctors have to say. I have an appointment with the doctor next week to find out if he really clears me to train again, but I’m feeling super fine.”
Cyborg did sound a humorous note of caution saying that doctors told him that he “won’t be the same way he was.” And that he now thinks of himself like “a damaged car” rather than “a brand new one.” Which is all good fun, unless of course it’s the truth.
If Cyborg really can make his return to MMA, then fans and promoters can only hope he does so without any lasting effects from his incredible injury. If not, his return to combat sports could get ugly in a hurry.
It’s a well known fact that one of the most demanding jobs in MMA media is fantasy matchmaking. Lesser men may wilt from the task, but a true dedicated pro like myself will always step forward and dive into the theoretical hellscape that is the UFC roster.
This week I’m looking at the fallout from UFC Vancouver: Maia vs. Condit and the best possible fights to make coming out of the event. I’m trying my best to follow the Silva/Shelby methodology of similarly tenured opponents and (somewhat) winners vs. winners and losers vs. losers. Given those loose guidelines, here are my favorite fantasy matchups:
DEMIAN MAIA: If I’m Demian Maia right now, I’d just go ahead and wait for a title shot. He’s earned it, and he’s far enough in his career that if he’s been smart he shouldn’t “have” to fight right now. So sit on the sidelines. If the UFC goes with Woodley vs. Thompson first, that’s fine. But why jeopardize your shot at the belt to take a fight you don’t need. If he absolutely can’t stop himself from fighting, then I’d love to see him take on Cerrone. But my best advice is wait for a chance at the belt.
CARLOS CONDIT: Is he retiring? I wouldn’t mind if he did, he’s been doing this forever. Not a bad idea to step away. However, if he wants to keep fighting, then a second fight with Robbie Lawler has to be next. Their first fight was amazing and left some real unfinished business. I can’t see that a second fight would be any less awesome. It’s also the kind of thing that could headline a small card or co-main a big one. Lawler vs. Condit 2 is the fight to make.
ANTHONY PETTIS: Pettis won his featherweight debut, and he looked dangerous, but he didn’t necessarily look “great.” Oliveira plunked him with a lot of hard shots as Pettis’ gas tank faded fairly quickly. Pettis was able to win this fight with his grappling, which is ultra impressive, but it doesn’t quite make him an immediate superstar at 145. If Renan Barao beats Phillipe Nover (and he should), then Pettis vs. Barao would be a great/weird 135 vs. 155 superfight. Otherwise, I wouldn’t mind seeing Pettis take on Ricardo Lamas once Lamas is done doing bad things to BJ Penn. Or if Penn somehow wins, Pettis vs. Penn would be a real fun fight. Otherwise, fights with Cub Swanson (who is now a semi-teammate) Frankie Edgar, Jeremy Stephens, and Max Holloway are all out there. Maybe, since Barao and Lamas are already booked, the best idea right now is to book Anthony Pettis vs. Frankie Edgar.
CHARLES OLIVEIRA: Kind of a funky loss for “Do Bronx” I don’t think many people expected him to get out-grappled over and over again and eventually submitted, but there you have it. Even though it’s a winner vs. loser matchup, I’m gonna say this is the time to do Dennis Bermudez vs. Charles Oliveira. It’s a fight that favors Oliveira, but should be a fun action contest no matter what, and despite both guys having been around a while, they have yet to fight each other. Cub Swanson would also be a fun fight right now, but I think Bermudez makes more sense because we haven’t already seen it.
PAIGE VANZANT: Paige is in a weird place right now, she’s a promising upcoming face in the UFC, in a thin division. Which means it’s going to be very hard for them not to keep rushing her into contention. Especially since her 4-1 strawweight record makes her the second winning-est fighter at 115 (Joanna being no. 1). She could face someone like Courtney Casey, another good bullying athlete trying to become a more technical fighter, but I think Maryna Moroz is the best next step. Moroz is tall and fast and a good striker, but she can be bullied and would be a good test for VanZant’s ability to press her physical game on an opponent that has a deeper striking game than Rawlings, but not a ton of stopping power. VanZant vs. Moroz is the way to go right now.
JIM MILLER: Erik Koch needs to heal up from injury, but he’s another fighter floating at the edges of the top 15 at lightweight, with a lot of high level experience. A fight against Koch would make for a great action bout for Miller, and give him a chance to really regain footing as an elite lightweight. If Koch isn’t going to be ready soon, then James Krause is out there too. And if the UFC really wants to give him a tough fight, they could do Miller vs. Chiesa. Still, I think Miller vs. Koch is the right fight to book.
JOE LAUZON: Similarly for Lauzon, fights with guys like James Krause are what he should be looking for right now. Guys near the top 15, who have a lot of time in as vets at this level. I think the best option among those out there is John Makdessi. Makdessi is coming off a split decision win, but he’s really had trouble putting together a really dominant string of performances. And I think Makdessi makes for a fun style matchup. Makdessi switches a lot, but he’s most comfortable as a right handed fighter, which should keep Lauzon from just getting handled. And I think Makdessi’s better striking, but lack of wrestling/grappling would create a fun dynamic for the fight. So Lauzon vs. Makdessi is a fight I really like.
Sam Alvey: It’s a little too bad that Thiago Santos is already booked against Eric Spicely, because I’d much rather see Alvey vs. Santos. But with Alvey is at the point where he seems to want to fight often enough and he’s got enough experience under his belt that he should really just face whoever. Tim Boetsch would be a great fight for Alvey, also Chris Camozzi, even Trevor Smith, depending on who’s ready in a hurry. I’d also be interested to see him face Magnus Cedenblad with his new striking focus. Eventually I think the fight with Boetsch makes the most sense coming off Boetsch’s big win over Josh Samman.
OTHER BOUTS: Rawlings vs. Markos, Bochniak vs. Knight, Barzola vs. Collard, Di Chirico vs. Janes, F. Silva vs. Packalen, Laprise vs. Mustafaev, Kennedy vs. Gruetzemacher, Ricci vs. Novelli
It’s a bit of a strange week for MMA talent. The UFC’s most notable young prospect on display this Saturday will be PaigeVanzant, and while Alessio DiChirico and Kyle Bochniak have a chance to stand out and make a name for themselves, there’s not many other young athletes to get hyped about. Over in Bellator, Bubba Jenkins and A.J. McKee Jr. have the most cache, but fans have already seen Jenkins Struggle. This Friday’s Spike TV card may be McKee’s time to shine. We’re talking all that and a lot more on the latest episode of the MMA Prospectus.
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Here’s this week’s quick & dirty non-prospect list:
Jenkins, Bubba Mckee Jr., AJ Joey Davis
Naurdiev, Ismael Stamann, Cody Lamson, Troy Gooden, Jared Benicio, Luciano vs. Malta, Matheus Cleverson Silva Marcos Rodrigues Marcus Vinicius Naoki Inoue Igor Svirid Marcin Prachnio vs. Jake Butler Zelimkhan Umiev Idris Gezalov Alexandre Ribeiro Manny Bermudez* Bobby Nash Sam Toomer Joby Sanchez Edward Thommes vs. Tyler Diamond
Beginnings are one of those strange and tricky things in MMA. For a combat sport, many fighters’ early experiences with mixed martial arts seem less sport and more combat. It’s not always what’s expected for someone on their way to becoming a top pro athlete, where careers usually started in childhood (or at the latest, teens) and have been carefully manicured with regular and regulated steps up in competition. For a lot of MMA fighters, even at the highest level, their careers often started with an opportunity to prove themselves.
Saad Awad is one of those fighters. The Bellator lightweight is getting ready to fight Derek Anderson at Bellator 160, this Friday, August 26th in Los Angeles, California. But nine years ago, he found himself in a cage in Costa Rica, with almost no training, no corner, and very little chance of succeeding.
“I fought my first fight in King of the Cage,” Awad remembers. “So, I fought that fight and there was a guy there that was training out here, nearby where I live, and he was Costa Rican. He’d been in MMA for a while. We became friends and he approached me to see if I wanted to fight over there. ‘Yeah, I’m putting on a show over there, it’s my first show. Do you wanna fight?’ I was like, ‘Sure,’ but it was kinda short notice and I didn’t take it.”
That was how it started. Simply enough, and not even with a fight. But, what was a first opportunity missed, turned into a more timely offer that the “Assassin” didn’t want to pass up.
“I ended up training with him,” Awad continued, “he was kinda my coach. And then, ‘Hey, I’m having another fight, you want to go out there?’ I said, ‘Sure.’ So, I went out there and fought a tournament. I fought twice in one day, and it was… He told me it was at 170, but when I get there some of the guys are weighing in at 184 and 185. I’m like, ‘Dude, I thought it was at 170!?’ He’s like, ‘Oh, it’s 170 to 185.’ I’m like, ‘That’s 185! That’s not 170.’”
But changing weight classes was just the beginning. Out-sized promises, organizational mishaps, and a decidedly unsavory atmosphere all quickly added to his concerns.
“It’s easy for me to explain it now,” Awad said casually, recalling the details of those early fights, “but you gotta remember I was probably 4-6 months into training. So before that I didn’t know anything, I was just a wrestler that had graduated high school 4-years prior to that. Next thing you know, I’m on a plane to go fight in a tournament in Costa Rica, and they’re telling me they got the best talent from South America in the tournament.
“They got, like, a world champ kickboxer from Costa Rica and a black belt in Jiu Jitsu from Panama, and then they had me representing the United States. I mean, it wasn’t that big of a tournament, but that’s how they were trying to pump it up to me. I was scared shitless going out there, to be honest. And then we go out there and we land and we end up fighting… They couldn’t get a permit for where it was supposed to be held at, so we ended up fighting in this old, run-down gym, or coliseum. And it was literally run-down, like water running through it and they had a cage in the middle of it.”
Adding to all this was that, because Awad’s coach was the one organizing the event, he wasn’t able to corner or coach his fighter. Awad was thousands of miles from home, in a foreign land, and suddenly out on his own.
“We were warming up in the back, and there was some Americans there too that I ended up… They’re from Millennia,” Awad explains, as a way of introducing his now longtime gym, “and at the time I didn’t know what Millennia was. But they had a guy in the tournament too and he lost in the first round, so they came and they helped mentor me. Because my coach was running it, he couldn’t help mentor me. So I was kinda in the back there by myself, about to fight these dudes.
“And they’re out there killing each other and taking steroids over the counter. I know all those dudes were juiced up. It reminded me of Bloodsport, you know? Where you’re just waiting in the back and you see killers over there punching the walls and doing all kinds of stuff. It was crazy, it was a crazy experience. But I was just happy I got out of there safe and I won my fights.”
Following the first tournament, Awad fought two more times down in Costa Rica, defending his title. It’s not an approach he would entirely recommend for other young fighters, but it’s not one he’d take back either.
“It definitely woke me up and it prepared me,” Awad said, when asked if he’d recommend it. “Because, after going there I was kinda like, ‘Okay, well I got thrown to the wolves in a different country with who knows what the hell was going on out there. And now I’m over here where things are sanctioned and more normal.’ So, it really opened my eyes up to all sides of MMA. Not just: you go in there with some picture perfect setup, where weigh ins are on time and everybody makes weight and everybody gets paid… Because I don’t… I believe I didn’t get paid for the first tournament I went to. They were like, ‘Oh, the show didn’t make money. Sorry.’ But, I was like, ‘Fuck it. I got a free ticket to Costa Rica, got to sight see a little bit.’ It was cool, I’m glad I got to experience it.
“It’s funny, you know,” Awad continued. “I don’t put too much thought into it, but when I reminisce and think about it, it’s like, ‘Man, that’s pretty out there.’ Not too many guys would go and jump on a plane to fight in a third world country against guys that are supposed to beat them. Like I said, I was 4-months into training, probably. And they’re like, ‘Yeah this guy’s a world champ in kickboxing, this guy’s a black belt in Jiu Jitsu.’ I’m like, ‘Oh, well I wrestled for four years in high school!’ And it was like, ‘I’m representing America!’ I think they kind of brought me out there to get smacked. But thank God wrestling prevailed.”
Awad will fight Derek Anderson in the co-main event of Bellator 160. You can follow him on Twitter @SAADMMA
Hey, there’s a solid Bellator event this week too. Benson Henderson is fighting Patricio Pitbull, alongside a slew of up and coming Bellator talent. We’re here to get you prepped with all our notes and odds for Bellator 160.
As always, if you enjoyed the show give us a “like” on YouTube. And while you’re there, why not subscribe to MMANATIONDOTCOM. That way, you’ll always be among the first to get the latest BE shows, interviews and analysis.
If you’re just here for the audio, you can find it on iTunes and SoundCloud.
Somehow it’s UFC fight week again. And while we all may still be reeling from the fallout of UFC 202, we’ve got another big couple fights to see this coming Saturday in Vancouver. Carlos Condit is back and he’s fighting a streaking Demian Maia. Anthony Pettis is making his long teased debut at 145 against top level action fighter Charles Oliveira. Throw som Paige VanZant and a Joe Lauzon vs. Jim Miller rematch and you’ve at least got a fun main card.
As always, if you enjoyed the show give us a “like” on YouTube. And while you’re there, why not subscribe to MMANATIONDOTCOM. That way, you’ll always be among the first to get the latest BE shows, interviews and analysis.
If you’re just here for the audio, you can find it on iTunes and SoundCloud.
It’s a tale as old as time. Well, not that old, but certainly not without plenty of history to it. Fighter gets lined up for title shot, gets passed over for less deserving/more interesting opponent, MMA becomes “not a sport.” Whether it’s Chael Sonnen and Vitor Belfort fighting Jon Jones, or Nick Diaz fighting Georges St-Pierre, or Ronda Rousey taking on Holly Holm, back down through the years, we’ve seen more than a few entertainment first bookings.
Only, lately it’s become a much more regular narrative. Dan Henderson is getting the next crack at the middleweight belt over Jacare, Jose Aldo is waiting patiently while McGergor does whatever he’s going to do next. And we’ve seen everyone from Joanna Jedrzejczyk to Tyron Woodley talking about finding bigger fights than whoever might be next in line for their belt.
The latest victim of such a booking may become top bantamweight contender, and former champion, TJ Dillashaw. Dillashaw is seeing his spot as the unquestionable no. 1 contender rattled by young rising star Cody Garbrandt. Garbrandt has not only been demolishing opponents in his path, but he’s kicked up a fresh war of words with current champ Dominick Cruz. And that combination of impressive performances alongside “legit heat” in the media, could push Dillashaw out of the picture.
If that happens, the former bantamweight champion told Brian Stann on SiriusXM Rush that it’ll be a major blow to the sporting integrity of the UFC (transcript via MMA Fighting):
“It only makes sense. If you really look at the sport, when the No. 1 ranked fighter beats the No. 2 ranked fighter, the only thing that’s up next for him is a title fight. Who else am I gonna fight? The guy I lost a razor close decision to and, in my opinion, I won the fight. All I want is a chance to prove that I’m the better fighter and I did that by beating the No. 2 [guy] Raphael Assunscao. I did my job. I did what I was supposed to do to get that shot.” … “I just don’t think there’s any way of them denying it, denying me that fight. And if they do, it’s a straight up robbery and this is not even a sport anymore. If they don’t give me that title fight, they skip me and give it to someone else, this is turning into more of the entertainment factor drama than it is an actual sport, and I hope we stay on the side of continuing to be a sport. Let’s really have the best fight the best. I think that’s the way it needs to go.”
Still, Dillashaw admits that he’s not really willing to try and pump up his mic game to get a shot at the belt, saying “I’m not a guy that’s gonna go out there and not be me and be fake and talk a bunch of crap…” And that attitude may unfortunately be just the thing to get him skipped over in a current UFC landscape hungry to produce more big fights and big stars.
culturesink 