June 2020 – culturesink

UFC on ESPN: Poirier vs. Hooker – Medical suspensions

Posted on June 29, 2020 by Zane Simon in Front Page, MMA Health and Science, UFC News

The final UFC Apex event before the promotion heads off to Yas Island for the month of July is done and dusted. ‘The Diamond’ Dustin Poirier picked up a fantastic win in the main event of Dan Hooker. A brutal, back and fourth 5-round war of attrition that saw both men bleeding and battered by the final bell. Surprisingly, however, they aren’t high on the list of long-term medical suspensions coming out of the event.

Gian Villante will be sidelined for at least 45 days, following his 3rd round submission loss to Maurice Greene. But could be gone as long as 6 months, pending medical clearance, due to a suspected broken left hand. Likewise Brendan Allen, may have suffered a broken nose in his bout against Kyle Daukaus—which could also keep him sidelined until December.

Down on the prelims, Khama Worthy picked up an impressive third round submission win over Luis Pena—but may have injured his right ankle and left knee along the way. If he can’t get medical clearance to come back sooner, he too could be facing six months without a fight.

Here’s a look at the full list of medical suspensions, as released to Bloody Elbow by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, following UFC on ESPN: Poirier vs. Hooker.

DUSTIN POIRIER – 60 day suspension with 45 days no sparring due to “tough fight.”
DAN HOOKER – 60 day suspension with 45 days no sparring due to “tough fight.”

MIKE PERRY – 30 day suspension with 21 days no sparring due to “left eyebrow lacerations.”
MICKEY GALL – 30 day suspension with 21 days no sparring.

MAURICE GREENE – 45 day suspension with 30 days no sparring due to “left cheek laceration.”
GIAN VILLANTE – 6 month suspension to be reduced to 45 days with 30 days no sparring, pending doctor’s clearance for suspected injury to left hand.

BRENDAN ALLEN – 6 month suspension to be reduced to 45 days with 30 no sparring, pending doctor’s clearance for suspected “left orbital, nasal and sinus fractures.”
KYLE DAUKAUS – 60 day suspension with 45 days no sparring due to “left cheek laceration.”

TANNER BOSER – No suspension
PHILIPE LINS – 60 day suspension with 45 days no sparring.

JULIAN EROSA – 45 day suspension with 30 days no sparring due to “left eye laceration.”
SEAN WOODSON – 30 day suspension with 21 days no sparring.

KHAMA WORTHY – 6 month suspension to be reduced to no suspension, pending doctor’s clearance for suspected right ankle & left knee injuries.
LUIS PENA – 30 day suspension with 21 days no sparring.

TAKASHI SATO – No suspension.
JASON WITT – 45 day suspension with 30 days no sparring.

KAY HANSEN – Indefinite suspension to be reduced to 45 days with 30 days no sparring, pending doctors clearance due to “left eye laceration.”
JINH YU FREY – No suspension.

YOUSSEF ZALAL – No suspension.
JORDAN GRIFFIN – No suspension.

UFC on ESPN: Poirier vs. Hooker – Fights to make

Posted on June 28, 2020 by Zane Simon in Front Page, UFC Editorial, UFC Results

It was a good night for the UFC. On a card ravaged with the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic (a card that didn’t even start out looking all that strong, honestly) the UFC struck gold. Dan Hooker vs. Dustin Poirier was always going to thrill, but pulling wild, totally fight-altering third round submission finishes out of Maurice Greene, Julian Erosa, Khama Worthy, and Kay Hansen made for a memorable show from top to bottom.

So, does Dustin Poirier really want to wait until 2021 before he steps back in the cage? Is Mike Perry actually going to stick with only having his girlfriend in his corner? And how far can Brendan Allen go before he tastes defeat in the Octagon?

To answer those questions – but admittedly very little else – I’ll be using the classic Silva/Shelby fight booking methodology from the UFC of years past. That means pitting winners against winners, losers against losers, and similarly tenured talent up against one another. Hopefully, by following that model, a few of these bout ideas will actually make it off the page and into the Octagon. Now, let’s get to the fights.

DUSTIN POIRIER

What exactly shakes out next for Dustin Poirier is hard to know. Mostly because he doesn’t at all sound like a man who wants to jump right back into camp and prove something. The obvious bout to make is one between he and Tony Ferguson. But will their schedules line up if Poirier doesn’t want to fight again until early 2021? If Poirier wants to wait that long, who knows what opportunities may come up or get carried away. If Justin Gaethje beats Khabib and Khabib isn’t ready for an immediate rematch, the Poirier would unquestionably be the number 1 contender in that circumstance. Of course, there’s always Conor McGregor to contend with, as the division’s wildcard. End of the day, given what’s on the table, Dustin Poirier vs. Tony Ferguson is the the must see, must make fight of the moment. Whether or not that moment lasts remains to be seen.

DAN HOOKER

Not the win Hooker had to be hoping for coming out of this fight, but he’s nonetheless proved himself as an absolutely elite action fighter and fantastic performer at the highest level, win or lose. This is the kind of defeat that should absolutely convince the UFC to keep Hooker headlining smaller cards against other scrappy lightweight opposition. Poirier pushed his pace to the limit and Hooker did everything he could to try and keep up. Against many many other fighters he would have walked out of Saturday with his hand raised. As a reward, bouts with Charles Oliveira, Tony Ferguson, or Carlos Diego Ferreria await. The Ferguson fight is clearly the grand prize of those, but there are probably fights (like that Poirier one) out there for ‘El Cucuy,’ that fans and the UFC are going to want to see first. At that point, Hooker vs. Oliveira would be an exceptionally fun fight. Two lanky former featherweights with increasingly dangerous games. One built around pressure, the other built around counters. Seems like a surefire thriller. Hooker vs. Oliveira is exactly the kind of action bout to keep Hooker headlining cards.

MIKE PERRY

Honestly – even while it was a solid win for Perry – when push comes to shove, his standup striking looked more raw than it has in a long time. Gall more or less picked him off at will in the first round. And while Perry had him physically out-matched pretty clearly, he struggled to close the distance and find his power shots standing in almost every round. Eventually it was Perry’s top game that was really his saving grace. I’d love to see Perry take on someone like Claudio Silva, but the reality is that ‘Platinum’ is probably headed for something more high profile than the ultra-dangerous Brazilian dark horse. And while that could be Belal Muhammad or Neil Magny, neither idea really excites. There’s a really good ‘big’ fight out there for him, however. One that should be an absolute war and a test of his new found training: Anthony Pettis. ‘Showtime’ just picked up a win over Donald Cerrone, but doesn’t have any real clear next fight in front of him. A bout with a power-masher like Perry should be a fun chance for him to show his skill, and an opportunity for Perry to really test how far he can go under his own guidance. Perry vs. Pettis just feels like the right fight.

MAURICE GREENE

I don’t usually like to match up guys from the same card (and I’d honestly love to see Boser fight Chase Sherman), but the reality here is that both men seem to want this fight and have built in the kind of petty drama that won’t last that far into the future. If they’re both ready to go in the next couple months, then there’s no reason not to book Boser vs. Greene. The Canadian’s low kicking and volume should make him a favorite there, but Greene has had a tendency for sneaky subs (clearly) and has been tough as hell to put away, even when overwhelmed. Should make for a decent scrap, with some emotional backing to give it that little bit of extra punch. Greene vs. Boser is too sensible a fight for the UFC to not make it happen.

BRENDAN ALLEN

Allen’s rolled out to 3-0 in his UFC career, but after a couple strong upsets in his first two bouts, this was probably more of a wake-up call. Daukaus dialed Allen up in exchanges at range, competed with him on the mat, and generally made Allen pay for mistakes—even as Allen did the same to him, to better effect. After the fight, Allen called out Ian Heinisch, a bout I’d be happy to see whenever Heinisch is ready to go again. But instead, I’m gonna say Allen should take on Rodolfo Vieira. The BJJ champion is a beast on the mat, with a strong power-wrestling game. But like Allen, his standup is pretty raw. It’d be a great way to see if Allen can fight a more controlled fight, or whether he can actually dive into Vieira’s world with his usual reckless abandon and still come out on top. Brendan Allen vs. Rodolfo Vieira should be a fun grappling battle.

KHAMA WORTHY

Two UFC fights, two savvy wins for Khama Worthy. While Worthy landing the big counter shot KO in his debut wasn’t much of a surprise, it was clear in most of his ground battles with Luis Pena that Pena was the better grappler. So it came as one hell of a surprise when Worthy forced Pena into a busted takedown attempt and then slapped on the power guillotine to tap him out. Worthy’s proving that he’s a fun addition to the lightweight roster in any situation. A fight against Brad Riddell would be one hell of a war for the ‘Deathstar,’ but the UFC likely has bigger things tabbed for the Kiwi. Instead, how about a fight against Thiago Moises. Mosies got a fantastic upset win over Michael Johnson. Let’s see if he can survive the onslaught of another fast handed striker. Worthy vs. Moises should be a quality next bout.

KAY HANSEN

For a fighter who’s only just about to turn 21, Hansen already has a surprising amount of MMA experience. And her win over Frey is definitely a strong step forward—undeniably her best victory to date. It could also be the kind of win that gets her pretty quickly thrown into deeper water. The best way to mitigate that, to my mind, is a match-up with one of the division’s many strong grapplers. Someone who won’t pose the kind of high volume striking threat that I’m just not sure Hansen is equipped to deal with yet—at least not if she can’t get the fight on the mat. The upcoming bout between Ashley Yoder and Livinha Souza seems like an excellent opportunity to provide a winning opponent with a ground game to really force Hansen to show her skills. Hansen vs. the Yoder/Souza winner should be all scrambles all the time.

OTHER BOUTS: Mickey Gall vs. Max Griffin, Gian Villante vs. Ovince St. Preux 2, Kyle Daukause vs. Antonio Arroyo, Takashi Sato vs. David Zawada, Jason Witt vs. Anthony Ivy, Julian Erosa vs. Gavin Tucker, Sean Woodson vs. Spike Carlyle, Luis Pena vs. Roosevelt Roberts, Philipe Lins vs. Don’Tale Mayes, Jinh Yu Frey vs. Syuri Kondo, Youssef Zalal vs. Billy Quarantillo, Jordan Griffin vs. Darrick Minner

Jon Jones ready to sit out UFC contract for two or three years ‘to bring light to what’s happening’

Posted on June 25, 2020 by Zane Simon in Front Page

Just a couple weeks ago it sounded like Dana White might be offering Jon Jones an olive branch. Or at the very least, like he was prepared to find a functional middle ground to get the long-time UFC light heavyweight champion back in the Octagon in the not-too-distant future.

“Jon Jones and I do not agree on something right now. We’re having a disagreement, but Jon Jones is a partner in this business,” White told Eddie Hearn and Tony Bellew on their Talk the Talk podcast.

Unfortunately, if White was hoping that his words would be the entry point to smoothing things over between he and ‘Bones,’ that doesn’t appear to be the case. Speaking recently to Jackass celebrity Steve-O on the stunt-comedy performer’s Wild Ride! podcast, Jones made it clear that he’s not about to walk back his demands and return to the Octagon.

“I don’t want to fight soon,” Jones said. “I have no interest in fighting in the UFC until I get paid what I believe I’m worth.”

“If I have to have a bad relationship with Dana, sit out for two years, three years, to bring light to what’s happening, then these are the things people remember you for more than winning belts. I stood for the younger fighters.”

Jones added that he knows of multiple current UFC fighters living in the Jackson-Wink gym, “because they can’t afford to have their own apartment.” Adding that while no want’s to hear from the rich guy who wants to make more money, he believes that – as one of the wealthier fighters in MMA – he possesses “the voice and the platform to make change.”

Just what exactly that change might look like is hard to say. But, estimates have fighters earning under 16% of the promotion’s total revenue intake for 2019, and UFC themselves targeted to keep it at 17% for years. And beyond PPV & TV deals, fighter pay becomes especially notable in terms of things like image rights and merchandising. Rising UFC star Sean O’Malley recently told Brendan Schaub on an episode of the former fighter’s Food Truck Diaries podcast that he’d received just $3,000 of the estimated $1 million that he claims the UFC’s outfitting partner, Reebok, has made selling merchandise branded with O’Malley’s name and likeness.

Whether Jones’ actions end up just being a fight to raise the bar for what the sport’s biggest stars can earn from fighting, or whether he can swing this into a full blown movement to improve UFC payouts for athletes up and down the roster remains to be seen. But it appears for now that he’s willing to take the time to see some kind of change get made.

Jorge Masvidal responds to Dana White: ‘How is this not a career?’

Posted on June 25, 2020 by Zane Simon in Front Page, UFC News

When it comes to Jon Jones and Jorge Masvidal, and their current contract negotiations with the UFC, it doesn’t sound like either one of them plan on backing down. While Jones recently told Steve-O’s Wild Ride podcast that he could see himself sitting out for as long as two or three years to make his point about fighters needing a bigger piece of the UFC pie, Masvidal put out a video on his own YouTube channel to respond to some specific comments from the UFC president.

Most notably, Masvidal took issue with White’s assertion that fighting isn’t a “career,” but really just an “opportunity.” And while that in and of itself should seem like an argument for fighters to get paid as much as possible as fast as possible, White seemed to imply that it’s actually a reason fighters should be accepting of whatever chances may come their way, instead of getting into “all this money sh-t.”

“I want to address something actually, because of the Dana White thing,” Masvidal said (transcript via MMA Fighting). “Dana White said the other day – and maybe you can explain this – he said this is not a career, this is an opportunity. I’ve been doing this 16 years, sh-t I’ve had a lot of opportunity, huh? That’s crazy. So, it’s not a career Dana White, that’s interesting to know man. I really think sometimes we don’t see eye-to-eye on anything you f-cking you say, bro. How is this not a career, you know? It’s crazy.”

Still, for all their tense negotiations and public turmoil, Masvidal eventually made it clear that he doesn’t actually have any “animosity” toward White. Instead, White is more like a “co-worker” whose interests are in direct opposition to his own.

“He’s my co-worker,” Masvidal said. “It’s not like I’m going to go hang out with him anywhere anytime soon or anything like that. I don’t have no animosity towards him but I also don’t really like him too much either because he has to do his job which is to generate the most money for his company. I got to do my job which is to generate the most money for me and myself. So, you see where that clashes? You know, we’re not always going to see eye-to-eye but I don’t think he’s like a devil or this evil f-cking person. I just think he is doing his job and I got to do mine.”

Still, with a promotion that has long put the necessity of a continuous, busy schedule and low-cost, compliant talent above any interest in catering to star talent, it may just be that fighters like Masvidal and Jones are going to find the promotion surprisingly willing to move on without them. As long as they’re under contract and getting offered fights at their current rates, the UFC likely feels it can afford to wait them out for as long as it takes.

And for a fighter like Masvidal who’s only really just entered the star headlining portion of his time in MMA, that could be a career killer.

The MMA Vivisection – UFC on ESPN: Poirier vs. Hooker picks, odds, & analysis

Posted on June 25, 2020 by Zane Simon in Front Page, MMA Podcasts, UFC Gambling

For fans who have been disappointed by the recent run of UFC main events, Poirier vs. Hooker should guarantee that Saturday’s card ends on a high note. How much action there will be leading up to that point? Well… that remains to be seen. Perry vs. Gall should be fun, but a lot of the rest of this event feels like it could be a grind.

For those who want to dive deeper into the prelims, check out the Prelims Vivi below.

The MMA Vivisection is brought to you by Combat Wombat, makers of combat sports themed artwork featuring MMA’s legendary fighters and legendary fights. Visit chrisrini.com for the latest pieces and commissions. Get your Combat Wombat themed Vivi t-shirts today! cottonbureau.com/products/dr-wombat

Here’s a look at the UFC on ESPN: Poirier vs. Hooker fight card as it stands right now:

ESPN MAIN CARD | 8pm/5pm ET/PT
Dustin Poirier vs. Dan Hooker – At 4:58, Odds 16:51
Mike Perry vs. Mickey Gall – At 19:11, Odds 27:39
Brendan Allen vs. Kyle Daukaus – At 28:58, Odds 39:20
Gian Villante vs. Maurice Greene – At 43:22, Odds 50:14
Sean Woodson vs. Julian Erosa – At 52:15, Odds 59:20

ESPN PRELIMS | 5pm/2pm ET/PT
Luis Pena vs. Khama Worthy – At 0:56, Odds 11:36
Mara Romero Borella vs. Miranda Maverick (cancelled) – At 13:41, Odds 21:32
Philipe Lins vs. Tanner Boser – At , Odds 26:12
Takashi Sato vs. Ramiz Brahimaj – At 27:37, Odds 36:11
Jordan Griffin vs. Youssef Zalal – At 36:32, Odds 44:21
Kay Hansen vs. Jinh Yu Frey – At 45:37, Odds 52:23

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‘I didn’t think I deserved to be there’ – Rohskopf absolves team of blame for quitting UFC bout

Posted on June 24, 2020 by Zane Simon in Front Page, UFC News

To hear Max Rohskopf tell it, what happened to him against Austin Hubbard on Saturday in Las Vegas, NV was part of a long pattern. But, not in the way that many fans and media members saw it play out—as yet another in the long string of indictments against MMA’s problems with throwing in the towel.

Instead, in a recent interview with MMA Fighting, the Xtreme Couture fighter admitted that his decision to stop his own fight with Hubbard between the second and third rounds fits a narrative throughout his competitive career. When it’s come to competing on the biggest stage, his doubts have gotten the better of him.

“I’ve done this my whole life. I’ve self-boycotted myself. Even when I was wrestling in high school, I was the best in the state and ended up getting third because I self-boycotted myself. I was one of the best guys in the country in college, was never an All-American when it counted, because I was telling myself that, for whatever reason, I don’t deserve it.

“That’s exactly what I did in my fight with Austin. Sh-t got hard, and I looked at my coach and said, ‘I don’t want to be here anymore.’ Not because I didn’t want to be there, but because I didn’t think I deserved to be there.”

While Rohskopf explained that he still has a lot of emotions that he hasn’t “really processed” he hoped that fans would turn their attention more toward Hubbard’s performance in victory, rather than his in defeat. He also came to the defense of his management over suggestions that they should have known he wasn’t ready for this kind of step up in competition.

“I think what my manager did was 100 percent spot on. He’s been in the sport long enough to know when someone has the ability and the talent to do it. I’ve been around guys who have won world titles in multiple sports—kickboxing, boxing, jiu-jitsu, wrestling, MMA—and everyone around me that’s watched me train knows that I have the skills and the ability to do it. I just didn’t show it on Saturday. It’s no one’s fault that I was in that situation except for mine.

“No one should be getting flack for that.”

Eventually the former collegiate wrestler says he has a lot of “mental problems” that he’ll be working to “fix moving forward.” And while he sounded confident that he would get another chance to show his potential in the Octagon, if that doesn’t happen, Rohskopf feels that he’d “be okay with that, too.” At the end of the day, the most important thing appears to be that fans know that his coach, Robert Drysdale, doesn’t deserve any of the blame.

“I actually didn’t want anything to do with MMA until I knocked on his door and was like, ‘Hey, man. I need help and I want you to coach me,’” Rohskopf said, adding that Drysdale even went so far as to give him a place to live. “He’s done nothing but be there for me and do everything he can for me. So for people to come out and say that he was wrong in that situation, there’s literally no debate or discussion about it. At the end of the day, I’m the one paying him and that’s what I wanted him to do. That’s what I expected him to do and if I was cornering someone else, that’s what I would do.

“There’s really no discussion about it. Rob did the right thing and he’s always done right by me.”

Austin Hubbard ‘can’t blame’ Max Rohskopf for quitting, but ‘would never do that’

Posted on June 23, 2020 by Zane Simon in Front Page, UFC News, UFC Results

The UFC debut for Max Rohskopf couldn’t have gone much worse. The unbeaten prospect and former standout wrestler stepped in to face Austin Hubbard on short notice at UFC on ESPN: Blaydes vs. Volkov. And while he opened the fight with a decent first round showing, things quickly went downhill from there.

Between rounds two and three, a dejected Rohskopf told his corner clearly that he was done. This fight was over and that he didn’t have anything else to give. Despite coach Robert Drysdale’s repeated attempts to push Rohskopf to fight out the final round, Rohskopf stuck by his decision and the bout was waved off.

Austin Hubbard spoke to MMA Fighting about the whole exchange, including Rohskopf’s decision to call it quits, and how he flet about picking up a win via retirement.

“In my mind, that fight was not going to make it to the end of the third,” Hubbard said. “It’s fine that it stopped sooner than I thought it going to. I’ll take it.”

Hubbard didn’t have any unkind words for Rohskopf, who has been on the receiving end of a lot of fan and fighter backlash for his performance in defeat. “I know I was hitting him clean,” Hubbard said. “I can’t blame him. He’s a tough kid. He was taking them well.”

However, as for whether the Elevation Fight Team talent would ever tell his corner he couldn’t go on?

“I would never do that,” he said. “They would have to stop me from going out there than me not wanting to go out there.”

The victory, Hubbard’s second in the UFC, brings ‘Thud’ to 12-4 in his MMA career so far, and comes directly on the heels of a March loss to Mark O. Madsen at UFC 248. And while Dana White also commended Rohskopf’s “balls” and toughness to step up and fight in the UFC, it’s unclear whether the Xtreme Couture athlete will be getting another shot in the Octagon.

“He’s got to get up tomorrow morning and look at himself in the mirror and figure out who he is and what he wants to do,” White said. “There is no shame in getting here and finding out you’re not it. There’s no shame in that at all.”

Former Invicta champ and former RIZIN contender Jinh Yu Frey gets short notice UFC call-up

Posted on June 22, 2020 by Zane Simon in Front Page

With Aspen Ladd’s recent ACL/MCL tear the UFC needed a new fight for this weekend’s ESPN card featuring a top ranked lightweight bout between Dustin Poirier and Dan Hooker, and they needed it in a hurry. Enter Invicta atomweight champion and former RIZIN title contender Jinh Yu Frey.

Frey won’t be taking Ladd’s spot opposite Sara McMann at bantamweight (thankfully). Instead she’ll be taking on fellow newcomer and former Invicta FC talent Kay Hansen (6-3). Hansen is currently riding a back to back victories over Liana Piarosin and Nicolle Caliari, as well as a victory over Carolina Jimenez that technically ranked as an exhibition bout as part of Invicta’s Phoenix Series 2 one-night tournament.

Hansen will be catching Frey (9-4) fresh off a February win over Ashley Cummins at Invicta FC 39. That win righted the ship for Frey, who dropped an Atomweight title fight against former Invicta champ and current RIZIN belt holder Ayaka Hamasaki at RIZIN 16 in June of last year. Unfortunately for Frey, she missed weight heading into her bout against Cummins and was stripped of her Invicta title in the process. Her victory ensured that she’d be getting the next shot at the newly vacated belt, but the UFC has come calling instead.

UFC on ESPN 12: Poirier vs. Hooker takes place at the promotion’s Apex facility in Las Vegas, NV. Outside the main event, the card is expected to feature a welterweight bout between Mike Perry and Mickey Gall.

UFC on ESPN: Blaydes vs. Volkov – Fights to make

Posted on June 21, 2020 by Zane Simon in Front Page, UFC Editorial, UFC Results

Top to bottom, UFC on ESPN: Blaydes vs. Volkov gave fans something to talk about. Curtis Blaydes got a controlling, if not incredibly damage delivering win over Alexander Volkov. Josh Emmett and Shane Burgos put together a fight of the year contender. And Jim Miller showed the value of veteran craft in the cage.

So, is Curtis Blaydes any closer to a title shot after his lastest win? Is Josh Emmett a newly minted contender? And what’s Lauren Murphy gotta do to get off the prelims?

I’ll be answering all those questions – and pretty much nothing else – using the classic Silva/Shelby fight booking methodology from the UFC of years past. That means pitting winners against winners, losers against losers, and similarly tenured talent up against one another. Hopefully, by following that model, a few of these bout ideas will actually make it off the page and into the Octagon. Now, let’s get to the fights.

CURTIS BLAYDES

Blaydes absolutely had to have this win to keep treading water in the potential title contender’s queue. Unfortunately for him, getting tagged up for the last two rounds and ending the fight just about dead from exhaustion means he’s not likely to jump Francis Ngannou in line for the next chance at the belt. He’s suggested he might wait until Cormier/Miocic 3 and whatever happens with Ngannou is all cleared up before fighting again, but if Dana White’s post-event tirade against him is any indication, waiting may not serve him all that well.

If Jairzinho Rozenstruik beats Junior Dos Santos, that would be a solid stay-busy fight. But the best possible option for Blaydes would be to hope that Derrick Lewis beats Oleksiy Oliynyk. Blaydes vs. Lewis would be fascinating given the way Lewis has tended to give up takedowns and rally for late KOs. If that fight went the way this Volkov bout did, would Blaydes have walked out with the win? The way, way outta left field option would be a fight with Alexander Gustafsson, if Gus beats Werdum next month. End of the day, Blaydes is stuck waiting, but the fight I’d most like to see him wait for is Derrick Lewis off a win.

ALEXANDER VOLKOV

Honestly, all things considered, this is probably just about the best way this fight could have gone outside a shocking upset KO. Volkov got planted on his ass, over and over, just like most everyone assumed he would. But he rallied hard in the fourth and fifth rounds, snagging them both on two out of the three judges scorecards. It showed his ability to stay cool and collected, his great cardio, and his undeniable toughness and heart. It’s the kind of performance that leaves me a lot more interested in what he can do going forward. To that end, this is clearly the time for a fight against Walt Harris. Harris has the power to put most heavyweights away, but his cardio showed up as a major problem last time out against Alistair Overeem. Can Volkov take advantage, or is Harris just too big a hitter to play a high volume, low power game against? Volkov vs. Harris is a solid bounce-back opportunity for both men.

JOSH EMMETT

It may not have ended with a classic Josh Emmett KO, but this was still an incredible performance that clearly marks Emmett as a threat for anyone in the top 10. Even with a fairly limited arsenal, few fighters can deliver that kind of speed and power for 15 minutes straight. And to do it all with a busted wheel? [chefs kiss] Beautiful. Bouts against Yair Rodriguez, Jung Chan Sung, Zabit Magomedsharipov, Brian Ortega, or even Arnold Allen would all be totally fine next fights as the division waits to find out who the next title challenger will be after Volkanovski vs. Holloway 2. Of all those options, Yair Rodriguez feels like the fighter most likely to be not in the immediate title hunt and not a step sideways. It would also be a wild thriller given Yair’s non-stop range kicking game against an incredible one-punch distance closer like Emmett. Rodriguez vs. Emmett is must see featherweight action.

RAQUEL PENNINGTON

One of the most consistent performances of Pennington’s career. Reneau clearly came out looking to keep the pace high, but Pennington controlled clinch exchanges and still managed to out-work her opponent from range. That keeps her solidly in her spot as a gatekeeper to the belt at 135 lbs. Unfortunately, there’s really not a lot of new fights out there waiting for her right now. A quick turnaround to fight Sara McMann next week isn’t even remotely realistic after this kind of three round fight. But if McMann were willing to wait a little, I’d love to see that bout happen. Surprisingly, Pennington also hasn’t faced Julianna Pena, but I’m not at all sure when the ‘Venezuelan Vixen’ will be back in action after her latest injury. Given all the options, Pennington will likely just have to wait for the winner of Vieira vs. Kunitskaya, or hope Sara McMann will wait a few weeks.

BELAL MUHAMMAD

Muhammad had a name all set and ready for his post-fight interview, with a call-out of power punching Argentinian Santiago Ponzinibbio. If Ponzinibbio is going to be ready to fight anytime soon, I’m not against that fight. At this point most of ‘Gente Boa’’s momentum toward title contention is pretty dead in the water, given his long injury layoff. Still, there are plenty of other bouts at the edges of the top 15 against people more likely to be ready to step into the cage soon. Fights against Neil Magny, Anthony Pettis, or even a rematch against Vicente Luque would all be reasonable. I had wanted to propose a scrap with Alex Oliveira (which I think would be just about perfect), but Oliveira’s already booked. Eventually I’ll settle for Muhammad vs. Magny, even though I’m not convinced it’ll be a thriller. At the very least it should be a busy fight.

JIM MILLER

Roberts wasn’t any kind of household name heading into this fight with Miller, but it was expected by many to be something of a passing of the torch moment for the young prospect. Instead, Miller turned it into a sharp lesson about veteran savvy. He’s always a must-see fighter, win or lose, and there are still a few bouts I’d like to see him take in the Octagon. A fight against Bobby Green is an easy match-up to make, but opponents like Drew Dober or Renato Moicano would also provide thrillers. More I think about it, I’d love to see Miller take on Dober. Dober’s had his troubles with athletic grapplers and submission hunters, but packs some scary power these days. It’s a fight where both men could get serious opportunities to finish early. Miller vs. Dober should be a nail biter.

TECIA TORRES

This was absolutely a must-win fight for Torres. Her 4-loss skid doesn’t look so bad when digging into exactly who she lost to, but it’s a rare fighter in the UFC that gets to drop that many bouts and come back for another chance. Faced with a relatively inexperienced opponent who didn’t have a size advantage for once, she had to pull out the victory. And she did, with a pretty dominant display of volume striking. That could make this a great time to have a rematch with Angela Hill, or to see if she can shut down Yan Xiaonan’s rise. Hell, she could even give playing spoiler to Mackenzie Dern a try. Of all those options, I’ll say put Torres in against Xiaonan. If she can win that fight then she clearly has something to offer the divisional elite again. If not, then she can always go back to being a gatekeeper. Tecia Torres vs. Yan Xiaonan is a great opportunity for Torres to prove she’s still in the mix at strawweight.

GILLIAN ROBERTSON

Robertson’s striking was somewhat exposed against Maycee Barber, but this fight clearly displayed that she’s still one of flyweight’s better wrestling threats. She chains her takedowns wonderfully, and against a fighter like Casey that meant that she could continually get this fight off the feet and to the mat where she dominated position. It’s not the most well rounded game, but she’s a dangerous fight for a lot of the division. Bouts with Maryna Moroz or Justine Kish would make for good next fights to keep her streak going. And taking on Mariya Agapova or Sabina Mazo would also be solid options. But, end of the day, I like a fighter like Moroz as a next step. Someone who has a pretty complete MMA game and should be able to test Robertson’s offensive wrestling more, as well as her range kickboxing. Gillian Robertson vs. Maryna Moroz sounds like a chance for both women to grab a spot in the rankings.

LAUREN MURPHY

A must have win for Murphy if she’s going to pursue her title aspirations. Both she and Modafferi have been hanging out as gatekeepers to the elite, but with Valentina Shevchenko in constant need for title challengers, Murphy has about as good a shot as anyone for getting there. Bouts with Jessica Eye, Cynthia Calvillo, or even a rematch with Katlyn Chookagian would all be strong options. But, with a bout between Jennifer Maia and Viviane Araujo out on the horizon, it feels like the winner of that would be absolutely primed to take on Lauren Murphy next. Lauren Murphy vs. the Araujo/Maia winner is a solid way to put one fighter into future title contention.

OTHER BOUTS: Shane Burgos vs. Jeremy Stephens, Marion Reneau vs. Lina Lansberg, Lyman Good vs. Niko Price, Roosevelt Roberts vs. Joaquim Silva, Bobby Green vs. Scott Holtzman, Clay Guida vs. Evan Dunham, Brianna Van Buren vs. Ariane Carnelossi, Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Maki Pitolo, Oskar Piechota vs. Bevon Lewis, Cortney Casey vs. JJ Aldrich, Justin Jaynes vs. Ottman Azaitar, Frank Camacho vs. Teemu Packalen, Roxanne Modafferi vs. Andrea Lee 2, Austin Hubbard vs. Jalin Turner, Max Rohskopf vs. Fares Ziam

Royce Gracie sworn in as police reserve officer in Pocatello, Idaho

Posted on June 19, 2020 by Zane Simon in BJJ Competitions, Crime, Front Page, MMA News

The Gracie family’s connections to law enforcement in the US aren’t exactly new, but they just became a lot more official. Official Gracie BJJ websites offer whole sections on training for law enforcement, including online courses, certification, and other tools to help create and maintain a relationship between law enforcement officers and the Gracie brand of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

So perhaps it’s only natural that one of the Gracie clan’s most notable representatives, former 3x UFC tournament champion and hall of famer Royce Gracie, would take the next step and actually join the force. Well, more or less. The Idaho State Journal reports that Royce Gracie, along with longtime TV and film actor Dean Cain (of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman fame), have both been officially sworn in as reserve officers for the Pocatello Police Department.

While Gracie still resides in Los Angeles, he and Cain earned their badges through the Crimes Against Children Foundation (CACF). The program officially helped swear in its first representative in March of this year—and counts actor Erik Estrada among its ranks (who was sworn in as a Pocatello reserve officer in 2016). The CACF states that their focus is on preventing cyber crime against children, as well as fighting human trafficking and involvement in community education. A statement on their website reads:

“C.A.C.F. joins forces with communities to provide support to local police departments and schools; to provide more training and resources. Additional contributions include donation and installation of door locks to prevent active shooters in schools and adoption and training of department K9.”

In a statement to the Idaho State Journal, Gracie explained his own reasons for becoming a reserve officer and how he hopes to make use of his new position.

“I love to help the police officers whenever I can,” Gracie said. “At home in LA, when I leave the house I surely hope the police know what they are doing so if I can help them out in any way, I will.”

Gracie also spoke a little bit about the current climate of hostility between police officers and citizens in many major cities around the United States, following the recent murder of George Floyd by an officer in Minneapolis. Gracie urged that people should place their trust in the police and that the actions of a few aren’t representative of policing in general.

“What I heard from the chief today, these guys are heading in the right direction. But they have been doing it right in this area for a long time already. This is not something new for them. Because one officer screws up doesn’t mean that all of them are bad. We are all humans. We have to have trust in the system.”