MMA Fighting: All Posts by Shaun Al-Shatti

Morning Report: Health complications lead former UFC champ Matt Serra to 'walk away' from MMA

2013-05-23T12:00:03Z

Matt Serra always thought he'd come back, if only for one last adrenaline rush, one last moment of glory. But now, at the age of 38, health complications have caused the owner of the greatest upset in UFC history to call it quits.

"It's hard to say it," Serra told Newsday. "It's like you can't say it, even though it probably is true. I would love to put closure on my career with one last fight at the Garden, but at the same time, if that doesn't happen, I definitely consider myself done. It's hard to say the 'R word.' I might never say the 'R word.'

"I really think I'm walking away. I'm going to be 39, I just had my rib taken out. I'm having my third kid. My schools are doing well. What am I doing, looking for another pay day? It's not really for that. I mean, it doesn't stink, but it's not really for that. Am I still trying to hold on for the glory? Glory is a drug, dude. I'm telling you, that's the problem. It really is. I know why guys can't walk away. I absolutely get it."

The rib Serra is referring to is the first rib on his left side, which doctors removed last month after two blood clots in Serra's arm and another in his lungs nearly killed him, if not for a lucky 2 a.m. hospital visit.

"I got freaked out," said Serra. "You don't catch that [and] after the lung, that stops your heart or your brain. Then you're done. I'm very fortunate to, basically, be here. Sounds kind of morbid. If I didn't catch that -- I was about to go to bed. I'm like, man, something's not feeling right."

Serra must now inject the anticoagulant Lovenox into his stomach every day to curb the damage, and he'll continue doing so for the next three months. The surgery to remove his rib, however, was a bit more gruesome.

"They had to cut me open through my armpit and cut through whatever they had to cut through and get my rib out," said Serra. "It's definitely strange and I'm feeling it in there."

Serra retires with a mixed martial arts record of 17-7. He racked up a 7-7 record in the UFC, culminating in a stunning first-round TKO victory over Georges St-Pierre to seize the UFC welterweight strap, after earning an automatic title shot via TUF 4, The Ultimate Fighter's lone comeback season.

"I know I can be beat by some of these guys, but I know I can still knock some of these guys out and be a threat on the ground," Serra said. "But at the same time, it used to be that the thing that made me happiest was the next fight. Now, I whistle to work going to my schools. I love hanging out with my kids, my family. That's something you never really anticipate or understand it until you have a family.

"An aging fighter?" finished Serra. "You know, it's like an aging stripper, but not as funny. Not a lot of people want to see that."

5 MUST-READ STORIES

Serra walking away. Former UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra told Newsday that health complications have led him to more than likely retire from the sport of mixed martial arts.

Overeem vs. Browne. A heavyweight bout pitting former DREAM/Strikeforce/K-1 champion Alistair Overeem against Travis Browne has been scheduled for UFC on FOX Sports 1 at the TD Garden in Boston, MA on August 17, 2013.

Bellator's British invasion. A trio of English prospects inked long-term promotional agreements with Bellator MMA. UFC veteran Paul Sass, knockout artist Rob Sinclair, and TUF 9 alum Martin Stapleton are all expected to make their promotional debut this fall.

Volkmann out to 'expose' UFC. In an interview with Above and Beyond MMA, former UFC lightweight Jacob Volkmann claimed the UFC treats 95-percent of its fighters poorly, and ripped into the UFC's wage scale and healthcare plan.

Lowe files lawsuit over penis gel. Something pretty terrible happened to former UFC fighter Waylon Lowe. Just read this.

MEDIA STEW

Cain Velasquez may have been the least impressed person in the arena when 'Bigfoot' Silva unleashed the fury.

Power vs. Power. Get excited, folks.

Check out the slickest 11-second jiu-jitsu escape you'll see all day.

Yep, that's Dana White singing ~~"Baby I love you, baby."~~ "Baby, I love your way." Chael Sonnen is a very persuasive man.

Okay, this one surprised me. Just wait for it.

Dang, Dana doesn't hold back.

END OF THE TERROR

Thanks for the get well wishes & complements! The fans have always been great to me just like the @ufc has! Appreciate it!!! All my best!!!
— Matt Serra (@MattSerraUFC) May 22, 2013

HARSH WORDS FOR PATINO

So its been 11 days n I havent heard if Jorge has accept the rematch. So I will continue fighting once he Grow some he knows where 2 find me
— Efrain Escudero (@effyescudero) May 22, 2013

WAIT... REALLY?

Hearing some talk about my fight with Belfort being a fix. No amount of money would make me even consider taking a fall. I got caught I lost
— Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) May 22, 2013

@bradtavares social media is out of hand
— Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) May 23, 2013

HE'S BACK

The enemy has returned. I've signed w/the @ufc & no heavyweight is safe. They're all due a lesson in violence from the Warmaster. #ufc #mma
— Josh Barnett (@JoshLBarnett) May 22, 2013

@migueltorresmma The cage will overflow with blood and gore...which we will use to make a delicious menudo mi amigo.
— Josh Barnett (@JoshLBarnett) May 22, 2013

FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Announced yesterday (Wednesday, May 22, 2013):

UFC on FOX Sports 1: Alistair Overeem (36-12) vs. Travis Browne (14-1-1)

FANPOST OF THE DAY

Today's Fanpost of the Day sees Florence Romeo return with: Mark Hunt; and, a UFC Dream

"E toa e le loto, a e pa le noo. (Strong in heart, but broken in the back. Of a man whose will is stronger than his body.) - A Samoan proverb

Mark Hunt will fight Junior Dos Santos in a title eliminator at UFC 160 in Las Vegas, Saturday.

Let me repeat, Mark Hunt will vie for a chance at a heavyweight title fight, Saturday.

That's right, the Mark Hunt.

The one who in 2010 boasted a record of five wins and seven losses. The fighter who in September of that same year lost to Sean McCorkle, a veritable no-name, extending his losing streak to six. A man who was one of the only mixed martial artists who was asked by UFC officials to accept a sum of money instead of a contract.

Everyone had all but given up on the "Super Samoan."

But, then came a walk-off knockout win over Chris Tuchscherer at UFC 127 and a unanimous decision victory over Ben Rothwell at UFC 135.

Fans and critics reveled in the flash of Hunt's former striking ability, but largely believed his career was still on the decline.

And, then Hunt knocked out Cheick Kongo.

The MMA community seemed torn between lauding his efforts and scratching their heads. It wasn't so much the finishing punch Hunt delivered to Kongo at UFC 144, it was the manner in which he fought. Hunt appeared to have drastically honed his head and foot movement at the age of 38.

Was there was something left in the former K-1 Grand Prix champion? Or were the MMA gods giving the world one last show?

Those questions seemed to be answered at UFC on Fuel TV 8, when Hunt knocked out Stefan Struve with a left hook in the third round.

The winning streak, now at four, took on mythical qualities.

Fans and critics, alike, begged Dana White and the UFC for him to get a title shot. Videos were made. Articles were published. A hashtag (#rallyformarkhunt) was born.

So here we are, days away from the biggest fight in Hunt's career, and it only seems right for the MMA gods to pull off yet another miracle. Another shock. Another knockout. The MMA community wants it and, above all, Hunt deserves it.

But perhaps Hunt won't conjure the spirits of MMA. Maybe he won't need them. Maybe he can win on his own.

Because, in essence, there is no such thing as MMA gods. There never was.

There is just a man with a dream and an undying will to live it.

Found something you'd like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me on Twitter @shaunalshatti and we'll include it in tomorrow's column.

Morning Report: Chris Weidman nearly signed with Bellator before last-second contract controversy

2013-05-22T12:00:06Z

Chris Weidman is slated to challenge for Anderson Silva's title at UFC 162. It's a stunning accomplishment for a fighter who picked up the game less than five years ago. But in an alternate universe, one without his uncle's caution, things could've gone quite differently.

According to a new report from the New York Post, Weidman nearly signed a multi-fight contract with fledgling Bellator Fighting Championships back in 2010. Actually, "nearly" is an understatement.

Back then Weidman was just a 26-year-old "broke as a joke" prospect hoping to make enough coin to pay his bills, and Bellator had the best offer. As the story goes, Weidman had the contract in hand, ready to sign, with a dinner reservation for his family at Bryant & Cooper Steakhouse booked to celebrate. It was a happy moment; vindication for a risky decision. But fate works in strange ways.

Weidman's uncle is a lawyer, who at the last second asked to peruse the document one last time, just in case he missed anything. And that's when he saw it.

According to Weidman, Bellator officials promised the contract would be a two-year deal. What Weidman's uncle discovered, however, was a tucked away clause that potentially extended the contract's life to anywhere from three to four years, depending on certain circumstances.

"I felt like I was betrayed by them," Weidman said to the New York Post. ... "They never told me that. It was a little sneaky."

"I was so upset. I was so let down. I was excited to go to Bellator."

You already know how the rest of this story goes. Weidman spurned Bellator's offer, and soon after made his UFC debut as a late replacement for the injured Rafael Natal. Had Weidman put pen to paper, he likely could've found himself stuck in a similar situation as Eddie Alvarez, struggling to break away from Bellator's legal grasp as their middleweight champion.

"Everything happens for a reason," Weidman concluded. "Thank God I took my time and didn't just rush into it."

8 MUST-READ STORIES

Weidman recounts Bellator experience. According to a report from the New York Post, UFC middleweight contender Chris Weidman nearly signed a longterm deal with Bellator in 2010 before a last-second contract dispute sunk the deal.

Barnett signs. After months of contract negotiations, top-10 heavyweight Josh Barnett inked a multi-fight contract with the UFC. USA Today first reported the news.

Mousasi wants Belfort at 185. Gegard Mousasi is currently rehabbing his injured knee, but when he returns, the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion wants to fight Vitor Belfort or another top-3 contender at middleweight.

Bad to worse for Atchley. A day after WMMA pioneer Tara LaRosa accused Addison Sports Management president Brett Atchley of gross misconduct, the floodgates broke open as a slew of female fighters backed LaRosa's claims.

Bellator bookings. Undefeated Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren is expected to defend his title against season seven tournament winner Andrey Koreshkov in the main event of Bellator 97. Season eight welterweight tournament finalists Douglas Lima and Ben Saunders are also scheduled to battle on the night's main card.

Hall leaves Tiger Schulmann's. TUF 17 prospect Uriah Hall relocated from Tiger Schulmann's fight gym to Mark Munoz's Reign MMA in Orange County, California.

Barao officially out, Nelson in. UFC interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao officially withdrew from his upcoming title defense against Eddie Wineland at UFC 161 due to torn ligaments in his foot. As such, UFC officials upgraded Dan Henderson vs. Rashad Evans to the main event, plus booked a heavyweight bout between Roy Nelson and Stipe Miocic for the pay-per-view card.

Rosenthal update. The sentencing date of MMA referee Josh Rosenthal has been shifted to July 2, 2013 at 9:00 a.m. in Oakland, California. Rosenthal pled guilty to federal drug trafficking charges in January after agents discovered over 1300 marijuana plants valued at $6 million during a raid of a facility co-owned by Rosenthal.

MEDIA STEW

Choking out your girlfriend one second, proposing to her the next. Welcome to the romantic side of MMA.

(HT: BigLeadSports)

Three quick takeaways from Dana's latest vlog: 1.) I don't know why, but Chael's little somersault at 5:10 surprised the hell out of me, 2.) Dana and Joe Silva's collective 'just saw a car crash' expression as they first noticed Jones' toe is classic, and, 3.) Michael Bisping, man of the people: "Let's get the f--k out of here, I'm getting f--king drunk."

The latest from Metamoris 2:

Props to New York Ric, who couldn't be more excited for Metamoris 2 if he tried.

Even with a handful of title defenses under his belt, Benson Henderson can't escape the Showtime Kick.

You just knew the Gracie brothers wouldn't be able to stay away from Jacare's slick UFC debut.

Fightland's latest profile subject: Ottavia Bourdain, wife of the Travel Channel's Anthony Bourdain.

THREE DAYS LATER

To all my fans and to all the reporters that was there on the after press conference I would like to ask for... twitpl.us/t/SOU
— Vitor Belfort (@vitorbelfort) May 21, 2013

WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE

Credit where credit due. Just saw victors ko of Rockhold. Great kick.
— michael (@bisping) May 21, 2013

BUMMER

The injury 2 Barao caused the @ufc 2 make sum changes 2 #UFC161 & has left me w/o an opponent. Sorry #HulkGladiators! I will be back soon!
— Soa The Hulk Palelei (@soathehulk) May 22, 2013

JUST CAN'T SHAKE IT

RT @101ydkor: @showtimepettis uhhhhhhh ohhhhhhhhhh twitter.com/101YdKOR/statu…
— We Are TEAM PETTIS® (@WeLoveA_Pettis) May 21, 2013

Mwahahaha, love being a video game character, never imagined I would be...gotta take the good w/the bad n the bad w/the good...#Motivation
— Benson Henderson (@BensonHenderson) May 21, 2013

WELL...

@mmathefilter washouts are never happy
— Dana White (@danawhite) May 21, 2013

WINNER

My 5 year old tells me he was late for work today And his boss got angry with Him, I said what's ur bosses name? Reply, Mr. Corndogs haha
— Edward Alvarez (@Ealvarezfight) May 21, 2013

FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Announced yesterday (Tuesday, May 21, 2013):

UFC 161: Renan Barao (30-1) out with injury opposite Eddie Wineland (20-8-1)
UFC 161: Rashad Evans (17-3-1) vs. Dan Henderson (29-9) upgraded to three-round main event
UFC 161: Stipe Miocic (9-1) vs. Soa Palelei (18-3) cancelled
UFC 161: Roy Nelson (19-7) vs. Stipe Miocic (9-1) booked for main card
Bellator 97: Ben Askren (11-0) vs. Andrey Koreshkov (13-0) booked for main event
Bellator 97: Douglas Lima (24-5) vs. Ben Saunders (16-5-2)
Bellator 97: Patricio "Pitbull" Freire (17-2) vs. Rob Emerson (12-10)

FANPOST OF THE DAY

Today's Fanpost of the Day is a cynical look at the future from devin.wilbourn: Why MMA will one day be boring...

As I've watched MMA over the years I've often wondered where this is all headed. What I mean is that as people get better and better at fighting eventually everyone who competes in MMA (at the pro level anyway) will be high caliber athletes, have a strong foundation in the basics (striking, jujitsu, wrestling etc...), and since we have weight classes will all be similar in weight, especially as fighters become more intelligent about weight cutting. The truth of the matter is I think MMA today is as good as it's ever going to get because the disparities in skill, athleticism and size are what really make fights interesting.

Now I'm sure you may feel compelled to argue that styles make match ups and there will always be styles but I'm not so sure. I would propose that styles just make up the current MMA landscape and culture. Styles however don't win fights, just when you're matched against someone who has a style that is susceptible to yours. What wins fights consistently however is athleticism, discipline, mastery of the game (point fighting included) and game planning. In the short term people will try to emulate fighters like Anderson Silva because he's fun to watch and exciting, but in the long term they will emulate fighters like GSP and Benson Henderson because they aren't fighting with a style, but a quantifiable combination of MMA mastery, peak athleticism, and solid game planning that can be observed and replicated. Bottom line, fighters will eventually care less about fight culture, and more about winning like any other professional athlete, and that will lead them to do what it takes to win consistently, which means mitigating risk, which ultimately means a less exciting fight.

Today however, we are in the unique place in a sport where people are skilled enough to enjoy watching, but there's still enough disparity to make it interesting. We see it with fight's like Anderson Silva and Chris Leban, whereas fights like say Michael Bisping and Alan Belcher are probably more indicative of how most fights will be in the future. Someone only carrying a slight edge over his opponent as both fighters have the tools and athleticism to nullify their opponents attacks, but won't be foolish enough to risk their position. I see it as similar to olympic sprinting, there comes a point where other than a freak athlete like Usain Bolt, everyone is on a fairly level playing field so the race is always very tight. While this is fine in racing, unfortunately fighting just ends up being like nascar, 3 rounds of circling with everyone watching in hopes that someone makes a mistake. I hope I'm wrong about this, I hope there are always freak athletes, and the game has enough possibilities to constantly be evolving and interesting, but I fear this just isn't possible.

I don't think we'll see this evolution for a few more years as the sport is still young, but if you find yourself complaining about the Anderson Silva's and Jon Jones' of the world and long for more title changes, you should bear in mind that the Benson Hendersons and GSP's are the future of the sport because not everyone can be a freak athlete like Jones or a tactical artist like silva. Those fighters are going to be few and far between, and even the ones that do rise will not have the dominance of Silva and Jones because their competition will be GSP's and Benson Henderson's. So enjoy MMA now, at least professional MMA anyway because a day is coming that you will have to have a more refined palate to appreciate the skill on display, much like you do now to enjoy a GSP fight. Yes you'll be able to see the brash unfettered MMA of old in regional circuits, but with it will come a total lack of anything spectacular and a whole lot of two guys who clearly don't know what they're doing. So I say again, enjoy it now, because the next 5 years will probably be the best it will ever be.

Found something you'd like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me on Twitter @shaunalshatti and we'll include it in tomorrow's column.

Roy Nelson vs. Stipe Miocic added to UFC 161 main card

2013-05-22T11:30:01Z

A short notice heavyweight bout pitting Roy Nelson (19-7) against Stipe Miocic (9-1) has been added to the main card of UFC 161.

MMA Junkie first reported the booking, which was later confirmed by UFC officials.

UFC 161's main card was left one bout short after UFC interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao withdrew from a scheduled title defense against Eddie Wineland due to a torn ligament in his right foot on Tuesday. Wineland's status on the card remains undetermined at the time of this writing.

Miocic was initially slated to fight returning heavyweight Soa Palelei (18-3) on the night's preliminary card. Left without an opponent, Palelei will now serve as a backup opponent in case any of the card's four heavyweight suffer an additional injury.

Nelson returns to action just weeks after knocking out Cheick Kongo at UFC 159. The performance earned Nelson yet another ‘Knockout of the Night' bonus and extended his streak of first-round knockouts to three straight.

UFC 161 takes place June 15, 2013 at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Canada.

Gegard Mousasi leaning heavily towards middleweight, wants Vitor Belfort or other top contender

2013-05-21T21:07:08Z

Gegard Mousasi is currently rehabbing his injured knee, but when he returns, the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion may very well be fighting in a brand new division.

"There's a big chance that I will go to middleweight," Mousasi revealed to MMAFighting.com "It all depends on the fights that I'm going to get. If I'm going to get a big name at middleweight, I'll probably go down.

"It's all about matchups. Let's say they're going to give me somebody like Vitor Belfort that's maybe a contender. That's the kind of fight I want."

Mousasi fought much of his early career in Japan at middleweight, and easily tipped the scales at 204 pounds without cutting weight for his UFC debut.

In the past, the 27-year-old believed dropping back down would've been a dicey proposition, but after considering the way he's recently trained and the ease with which he's lost weight, he's now confident it won't be a problem.

"To be honest, I believe middleweight will be much better for me," Mousasi said. "I will give my opponent less advantages. But at the end of the day it's all about skills. That doesn't mean that size advantages always win, but like I've said, in the highest level, you don't want to give the slightest edge to your opponent. Everyone is skilled, everyone has abilities. So that's why I think middleweight will be much more suitable to my body frame.

"It's all about the opportunity," he continued. "I really want to go for this belt. I believe that style-wise, matchup-wise, I matchup much better against Anderson Silva than Jon Jones, but it doesn't mean that I'm scared to fight at 205. Jon Jones is skilled and so is Anderson Silva, but at the highest levels, when you're competing against the top levels, you don't want to give anybody an advantage. So I don't want to give a weight and size difference advantage also. That's why I said middleweight."

Mousasi is currently ahead of schedule in his recovery from injury and is targeting a late-2013 comeback to the Octagon. When he returns, the Dutch-Armenian fighter hopes to immediately make up for lost time.

"My focus is to get to the belt as soon as possible," said Mousasi. "I‘ve done the route of [waiting]. I don't have those things that other fighters complain about, jetlag and days off. I don't have those issues. I never have. So I'm just looking for big fights.

"The fight I had last (Ilir Latifi), the guy wasn't known, he wasn't ranked. It doesn't mean anything. But I have a history. I only haven't fought in UFC, but I have a history. People come and get immediate title shots. I don't think that's going to be the case for me, but I've beaten champions, ex-champions. So it's all about one, maybe two big names and then I hope to get a title shot."

Mousasi emphasized that his decision is not yet final and will be reliant on whichever division offers him the quickest road to the top. If UFC matchmakers prefer him to fight at light heavyweight, he'll be more than willing to do so, but only against a top-3 opponent, and preferably against Alexander Gustafsson since the two never got the chance to meet at UFC on FUEL 9.

Nonetheless, middleweight is Mousasi's preference at this juncture.

Aside from Belfort, Mousasi also mentioned Yushin Okami as a possible opponent, repeating that he'll cut down to fight anybody residing in the top-3 of the UFC middleweight rankings.

In Mousasi's perfect world, victories over one or two top contenders at 185 pounds would ultimately lead to UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. That matchup, Mousasi believes, is a more suitable bout than one against the much taller, longer and heavier Jones.

"I think size-wise, the difference wouldn't be much. Also matchup-wise, I think Anderson is more of a striker," Mousasi said in closing. "Jon Jones is more of a takedowns guy. So I think matchup-wise and also size-wise [it makes more sense]. But I don't have any problem fighting Jon Jones either. So before people make something else out of it and say, ‘Ah, he's already losing' -- I'm confident. I'm a fighter. If I don't have any confidence I can win a fight, then I shouldn't be fighting. So it's not about that. It's just being smart.

"I fought Mark Hunt, you know? I fought K-1 at heavyweight. My last fights, Mike Kyle was much bigger. The guy that I fought, Latifi, he cut 20, 22 pounds before that. He was also much heavier. Size doesn't mean a lot. But like I said, on the highest level guys are much better, so you don't want to give any advantage. That's what I'm saying."

Morning Report: Jon Jones eyeing two more fights in 2013; Tara LaRosa accuses MMA manager of crooked practices

2013-05-21T12:00:07Z

Just as one fight week ends, another begins. Yes folks, the blistering summer schedule has finally kicked off, and as such, we have another loaded docket of mixed martial arts goodness on tap today. So without further ado, let's get to some headlines.

6 MUST-READ STORIES

Jones wants back in. According to manager Malki Kawa, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is actively eyeing two additional fights in 2013. "That's very aggressive and I know that's crazy, but it's something that he discussed with me and we talked about it," Kawa said to Bleacher Report. "I told Superman to relax a little bit, you're injured right now, but he's got an aggressive timeline in his head. Certain goals and accomplishments that he wants and we're looking to get that record. The truth and the fact of the matter is before we can talk any superfight or any move in weight class or anything to that effect, Jon Jones wants to win his next fight at light heavyweight, he wants to break that record, he wants to own that record solely. He wants to be considered the greatest light heavyweight of all time at this point."

LaRosa accuses Atchley. A day after Invicta FC CEO Shannon Knapp issued a statement on Facebook warning fighters of an unspecified manager making false claims in her name, Women's MMA pioneer Tara LaRosa alleged the figure in question to be Addison Sports Management's Brett Atchley, who LaRosa claims tried to have her blackballed from Invicta FC and "physically accosted" her at an Invicta event and a Seattle airport.

The MMA Hour. Ariel Helwani and The MMA Hour are back in your life with another star-studded episode, featuring Rory MacDonald, Gray Maynard, Stephen Thompson, John Cholish, MMA manager Mike Kogan, and boxer-turned-martial artist Holly Holm.

Caraway responds. In response to allegations of elbowing Cat Zingano at TUF 17 Finale's weigh-ins, UFC bantamweight Bryan Caraway released the following statement on Facebook: "This is a joke and a feeble attempt to jump on the band wagon and get a little publicity. It's sad that someone would stoop so low. I know if someone elbowed Miesha I would say something about it right then not when conveniently there's a ton of media involved. Total Lies and BS."

Diaz unapologetic. In the day's least surprising news, UFC lightweight Nate Diaz isn't remorseful for the gay slur he included in his controversial tweet towards Bryan Caraway last week, according to manager Mike Kogan.

Riddle enters tourney. Former UFC welterweight Matt Riddle is expected to join the eight-man field of Bellator's season nine welterweight tournament. "This division is just so stacked, and being able to fight in a tournament makes it even better," Riddle said in a statement. "Bellator is doing a lot of great things right now, and I want to be a part of it."

MEDIA STEW

NickTheFace just crushed it.

"No. No, not at all. I'm actually at a disadvantage. Before the surgery, I started on hormone replacement therapy back in 2002 or 2003. ... If I don't take estrogen hormone replacement therapy, I can get osteoporosis. So any other women that I'm actually competing against, my testosterone levels are drastically lower than theirs. It's almost nothing." -- Fallon Fox, answering whether she has an advantage over her competitors.

The UFC just uploaded the entire Mark Hunt vs. Stefan Struve fight from UFC on FUEL 8. Even if you don't watch it all, I know you're going to skip ahead to 12:00 for the brutal third round.

Here we go, folks. 12 finishes from the regional scene -- you vote for the best one.

There's something unsettling about a supremely calm, ice cold Icelander silently pounding away on a heavy bag in what totally looks to be an industrial warehouse.

SHOTS FIRED

I thought he would just fade away, that's why I didn't make a deal about it before, but Brett Atchley continues to terrorize other fighters.
— Tara LaRosa (@TaraLaRosa) May 20, 2013

Brett Atchley just called my manager Monte Cox and told him to get me under control, or he was going to sue me.
— Tara LaRosa (@TaraLaRosa) May 20, 2013

@thecyrildotcom Monte told him it's probably not a real good idea to mess with me, because I never let things go. :-)
— Tara LaRosa (@TaraLaRosa) May 20, 2013

SOMETHIN'S A BREWIN'

Looks like I will most likely be doing a seminar after my @bellatormma bout in the Dallas/Ft Worth area at @genesisjiujitsu Stay tuned =)
— War Machine (@WarMachine170) May 20, 2013

@zoo_n_thegang @bellatormma @riddletuf7 is he even in Bellator? I don't much like his face.
— War Machine (@WarMachine170) May 20, 2013

"@warmachine170@bellatormma @riddletuf7 is he even in Bellator? I don't much like his face."First Round please :)
— matthew riddle (@riddletuf7) May 20, 2013

TOTAL NOOB

Hand is still bleeding a day after the doc cut it trying to get my hand wraps off!! Damn noob!! twitter.com/NikLentz/statu…
— Nik Lentz Ufc mma (@NikLentz) May 19, 2013

CLASSY

#urstillasorryassbitch
— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) May 18, 2013

EVEN CLASSIER

Doing my part. #SaveOlympicWrestling twitter.com/JoeJitsu/statu…
— Joseph Benavidez (@JoeJitsu) May 20, 2013

FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Announced yesterday (Monday, May 20, 2013):

FANPOST OF THE DAY

Today's Fanpost of the Day comes to us from Florence Romeo, who writes: Vitor Belfort; and, the Start of the TRT Era

"You never had control, that's the illusion! I was overwhelmed by the power of this place. But I made a mistake, too, I didn't have enough respect for that power and it's out now." - Dr. Ellie Sattler (Jurassic Park)

The day was May 18, 2013. The event: UFC on FX 8. The place: Jaragua Do Sol, Brazil.

Vitor Belfort, a self-proclaimed "young dinosaur," stood in the middle of the octagon. His opponent, Luke Rockhold, laid unconscious on the mat. Thousands cheered in the stadium, while millions watched in awe by television.

And, whether they knew it or not, they had just witnessed history.

Because with a single kick, Belfort had changed the landscape of mixed martial arts.

Forever.

Few lauded Belfort's efforts, claiming hard training and evolution. However, most, within seconds of the knockout, publicly reviled the effects of Testosterone Replacement Therapy. Do fighters gain a significant advantage with TRT? Is TRT a loophole? Is TRT the same as steroids? Have we officially entered the TRT Era?

And, if we have, can we survive it?

Because, if we have learned anything from sports such as baseball, cheating is not only detrimental but nearly fatal. Sure, the sport will continue. Sure, fighters will win and lose. But, not a single knockout, submission, or win will ever be viewed the same.

Today, we have to decide as fans what, and how much of what we'll be able to endure. How far will we suspend our imagination for entertainment? When is enough, enough?

Because, "the power is out now," and we are the only ones who can control it.

Found something you'd like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me on Twitter @shaunalshatti and we'll include it in tomorrow's column.

Gray Maynard ignoring critics, believes Benson Henderson isn't the division's best

2013-05-20T19:16:34Z

UFC lightweight contender Gray Maynard hoped to return from injury to a high-profile bout. Two months after he signed a contract to fight T.J. Grant at UFC 160, he got his wish.

In the closing moments of UFC on FOX 7's post-fight press conference, UFC President Dana White announced the winner of Maynard vs. Grant would be next in line to challenge reigning lightweight champion Benson Henderson. It was exactly the opportunity Maynard had been waiting for.

"I thought it could be [an important fight], yeah, because we asked for Anthony Pettis and then he dropped down. And then they offered [Grant] and I thought that he was a top guy too, so we took it and we kind of knew it would be one of those types of fights," Maynard said on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour.

"Halfway through the camp, you get a little bit down, a little slowed up. But [announcing it was a No. 1 contender fight] was a kick in the ass, so I was pumped."

That's not to say White's announcement was met without its fair share of criticism. Just hours before, perennial Strikeforce contender Josh Thomson made his presence felt with a resounding knockout of Nate Diaz in his UFC return, while Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez fell just inches away from stealing Henderson's strap on the judges' scorecard.

Maynard has heard it all since that night, but if you've ever listened to the man speak, you'd understand that the criticism just doesn't bother him like it does some fighters.

"There's a lot of people out there, so there's a lot of people that like Josh, Gilbert, me, and they're just, that's what they say," Maynard explained. "I don't know what to say to that. I just do what the boss tells me to and I believe I've been a top guy. I believe I've beaten the champ, but it was a draw, and I slipped up a little bit. Just trying to get back to that belt.

"There's no clear guy, though. I think Anthony [Pettis], he was. I called him out, I asked to have him, and then he dropped down. But basically after that, who else? Who else is a clear guy?"

While he may not carry the smoldering name recognition of Pettis, Grant poses several of his own problems. A winner of four straight since dropping down from welterweight to lightweight in late-2011, Grant has quietly pieced together one of the most creditable streaks in the division.

Nonetheless, Maynard believes the 29-year-old has yet fight anyone on his level.

"I'm impressed to the point where it gets me up everyday to train hard as hell to beat him. That's all I need," said Maynard. "I don't fear anything anyone brings to the table. But there's a couple things that I'm aware of.

"I don't want to go into great detail about it. He's a tough kid, doesn't have a lot of huge holes, but there's a couple small technical holes that we're trying to exploit."

Maynard, who fought just once in 2012, was initially scheduled to meet Joe Lauzon at UFC 155. However a month out from the bout, lingering injuries forced him to reconsider.

"I had to get a scope [on] my knee, there was just a lot of stuff in there," said Maynard. "I actually pulled my hamstring for the Clay Guida bout and thought it would heal up, so I kept going on it. And then by the time camp came around for Joe, my knee and my hamstring were pretty bad. So the camp was just turning out to be pretty hard."

It took some time, but Maynard finally believes he's back to 100-percent health. Now a fulltime member of San Jose's American Kickboxing Academy, Maynard is eager to get back to work and wash out the bitter taste left in his mouth from his bizarre split decision victory over Guida.

"It was definitely not my best, of course," Maynard admitted when asked for his thoughts on the fight that White brashly condemned. "It was just, it's hard to describe that bout. I don't know because I couldn't fight. That was the hardest, the guy just wouldn't do anything. So I don't know if I was good or not good. It was just a hard bout to compete in, just because I had to chase him the whole time. I know that's not my best, but it was a weird fight."

Ultimately, Maynard knows he has his hands full with Grant. But after falling so dramatically short in not just one, but two UFC title bids, he's confident about his chances.

And as for the current champion, Maynard is of the mind that Henderson isn't even the best in the division, regardless of what the record books may say.

"He's not," Maynard flatly concluded. "He's good though. He is good. Tough to beat. He's that guy that's hard to beat, but not the best.

"I think he has three bouts that could've gone either/or, that were very close. And to be honest I scored three of them to the other guy -- the two Edgar's and Gil. But it could've gone either way."

Morning Report: John Cholish retires from MMA, urges UFC to raise low fighter compensation

2013-05-20T12:00:03Z

As the sunny rays of Jaraguá do Sul, Brazil shined down on him, John Cholish had already made up his mind. So the morning of his UFC on FX 8 bout against Gleison Tibau, Cholish took to his Twitter account to announce it to the world.

"Looking forward to my last fight today, Win, Lose, or Draw," he wrote. "I'll do my best to put on a strong performance and of course be having fun!"

Cholish ultimately fell short against Tibau, submitting to a second-round guillotine choke. Afterward he made good on his promise and retired from the sport of mixed martial arts.

But the thing is, Cholish isn't like most fighters. He may only be 29 years old, but MMA was just a side job for Cholish -- a hobby. His real career, working for a Wall Street commodities brokerage firm, is a far more lucrative endeavor, so it's not like he'll be strapped for cash anytime soon.

That unique position afforded Cholish the opportunity to reflect back on his time with the UFC, in particular the low wage scale that led to his current predicament.

"I'm fortunate enough that I have a job that provides for me really well," Cholish told MMA Junkie. "I give a lot of these guys credit that fight at this level. I think they could be compensated much better based on the income that the UFC takes in. Fortunately, I can just walk away and I'm okay with it. By no means do I mean it disrespectfully toward any other fighters because I think they do a great job. But hopefully Zuffa and the UFC will start paying them a little better.

"At the end of the day, it's hard. I have great coaches that take time off and travel. They deserve money, as well. To be completely honest, on a fight like this, I'm losing money to come down here. Flights, hotel rooms, food -- and that doesn't even cover the cost of the time I have to pay for my coaches for training. It's funny because people talk about the fighters, but at the same time there's camps and coaches behind the fighters that you don't even see. So if a fighter is having a tough time making ends meet, how do you think his coaches are doing?"

Cholish earned a reported $4,000/$4,000 split for his UFC debut win against Mitch Clarke back in 2011. His salaries against Danny Castillo and Tibau are unlikely to be disclosed.

It's rare to hear UFC fighters speak out against Zuffa's stranglehold on the market. We're inundated with specifics of the six-figure contracts of Eddie Alvarez and the sport's top draws, but Cholish is a perfect representative of MMA's lopsided class structure. The fact that he believes he actually lost money by fighting Tibau is alarming.

Unfortunately, other than the far-fetched formation of a fighters' union, Cholish isn't sure what can be done to alleviate the problem.

"It's hard because you have top-level guys like Georges St-Pierre, Jon Jones, Anderson Silva that have started off where we started and worked really hard to get there," Cholish finished. "So is it right for them to have to give up what they did to try and sacrifice for the greater good? It's an individual sport, at the end of the day. It's not like you have a whole team that can kind of step away, like in baseball, when the first union started. Only time will tell. (Zuffa is) a private company. Maybe when it goes public at one point?

"I know the Zuffa higher-ups probably aren't happy with what I'm saying, but I'd like to think I can speak for the lower portion of fighters. A lot of guys I'm sure would love to say the same thing but aren't in a position where they have another source of income."

And with that, ladies and gentlemen, let's get to the fights.

7 MUST-READ STORIES

Belfort rolls. The old lion struck again. 36-year-old Vitor Belfort knocked out former Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold with a spectacular first-round spinning heel kick in the main event of UFC on FX 8. (Video.) Afterward Belfort staunchly refused to answer questions about his TRT use or Anderson Silva, while Belfort's supporters and critics within the MMA community weighed on his performance.

'Jacare' impresses in debut. Former Strikeforce middleweight champion Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza made short work of Chris Camozzi, putting the veteran to sleep with a first-round arm triangle in his impressive UFC debut. Souza earned a $50,000 'Submission of the Night' bonus for his efforts.

Barao out in jeopardy. UFC interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao suffered an undisclosed foot injury, which may force him to withdraw from his scheduled title defense against Eddie Wineland at UFC 161. Brazilian outlet Tatame first reported the news, which UFC President Dana White later confirmed to MMAFighting.com.

Hunt good to go. According to a report from New Zealand's Stuff.co.nz., Monday was considered the "last possible day" for Mark Hunt to resolve his visa issues, fly to the Unites States and acclimatize to the significant time change. Luckily, everything worked out.

Cholish retires. UFC lightweight John Cholish retired from mixed martial arts following his second-round submission loss to Gleison Tibau at UFC on FX 8. On his way out, Cholish urged the UFC to increase fighter pay. "I give a lot of these guys credit that fight at this level," he said to MMA Junkie. "I think they could be compensated much better based on the income that the UFC takes in. ... To be completely honest, on a fight like this, I'm losing money to come down here. Flights, hotel rooms, food -- and that doesn't even cover the cost of the time I have to pay for my coaches for training."

Caraway, Zingano feud. Cat Zingano claims Bryan Caraway intentionally struck her in the head with an elbow prior to TUF 17 Finale's weigh-ins, according to a report from Bloody Elbow. Zingano's husband, Mauricio Zingano, later released a statement echoing the report.

Riddle to Bellator. Former UFC welterweight Matt Riddle inked a deal with Bellator MMA after the promotion bought out his multi-fight contract with Legacy Fighting Championship.

MEDIA STEW

That kick, man. That kick.

~~UFC President Dana White sat down for a candid hour-long interview with announcer extraordiniare Michael Schiavello. You can check out the whole episode here.~~ Annnd it's down. Well, never mind then.

This was uploaded while we were away, so in case you missed it, check out Dana White's latest video blog. Nate Diaz keepin' it classy at 4:30.

Myles Jury isn't just an undefeated 24-year-old rampaging through the UFC's toughest division. He's also trying his hand in the video blog game.

"I feel for the guy. I did another interview and I feel like I was a little brash towards the whole marijuana thing. And, you know, it's not the biggest deal in the world, but it is a rule and it was broken, and it sucks." - Bryan Caraway on the Pat Healy situation.

Rin Nakai videos are always a little weird, right? Well, today is no exception. Yep, that's Nakai dressed (kind of) like a bunny during her weigh-in over the weekend. And yep, she still totally looks like she doesn't want to be there.

(HT: Reddit)

But you know what's even better? Rin topped the bunny costume just 24 hours later with her spectacular walkout outfit.

DAT KICK

…… What in the world… Really?…. A spinning wheel kick… From Vitor Belfort… tmblr.co/Z8wavwlImWtj
— Michael McDonald (@MaydayMcDonald) May 19, 2013

Wow! That was unbelievable!! What about that leg speed, spinning? Are you kidding? Freaking awesome!
— Bas Rutten (@BasRuttenMMA) May 19, 2013

OMFG!!!!!! @vitorbelfort is the man
— Demetrious Johnson (@MightyMouseUFC) May 19, 2013

Vitor's win creates an interesting problem - as far as I know Nevada hasn't licensed him for TRT but he's on it, & clearly the #1 contender
— Joe Rogan (@joerogan) May 19, 2013

Well that couldn't have gone much worse. Congratulations @vitorbelfort amazing kick! I'll be back real soon.
— Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) May 19, 2013

Be carefulwhat you ask for. twitter.com/vitorbelfort/s…
— Vitor Belfort (@vitorbelfort) May 20, 2013

ANOTHER TAKE

@benfowlkesmma @mmajunkiesteven I disagree. I have trained with guys pre & post testosterone usage & difference is incredible. Speed & power
— Brian Stann (@BrianStann) May 19, 2013

I am not trying to be a jerk & not jealous of other fighter success, I am secure in who I am. (cont) tl.gd/lriei6
— Brian Stann (@BrianStann) May 19, 2013

In a day & age where we discover new long term effects of concussions and how horrible they are, I speak out of concern for my peers
— Brian Stann (@BrianStann) May 19, 2013

@brianstann agree . confidence , energy , swag , cardio everything goes up . It allows you to train harder , etc . Just ridiculous
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunsonMMA) May 19, 2013

@brianstann don’t justify it to please morons who don’t compete. Plain & simple insecurities somewhere means they need shit
— Tom Kong Watson (@TomKongWatson) May 19, 2013

FEAR THE GATOR

WOW!! Jacare is NASTY
— Dana White (@danawhite) May 19, 2013

Maybe the fastest I’ve ever seen anybody put to sleep. Choke prob started 2-3 secs before it actually looked like an arm triangle #UFConFX
— Jason Highwalker(@KCBanditMMA) May 19, 2013

Camozzi is tough but I saw that 1st round submission coming from the day this fight was announced. Just a bad match up for him
— Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) May 19, 2013

Man, @jacaremma is a BEAST! That's some top shelf strangulation skills right there
— Joe Rogan (@joerogan) May 19, 2013

Middleweights,Jacare just arrived!!!!!
— patrick cote (@patrick_cote) May 19, 2013

Thank you @danawhite @lorenzofertitta and @reedharrisufc . I knew it was a tough fight on short notice but I thought I had it. I'll be back
— Chris Camozzi (@ChrisCamozzi) May 19, 2013

DON'T WORRY GUYS, WE'RE GOOD

Thank u for my visa father
— mark richard hunt (@markhunt1974) May 19, 2013

FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Announced over the weekend (Friday, May 17, 2013 - Sunday, May 19, 2013):

FANPOST OF THE DAY

Today's Fanpost of the Day comes from jme.mansour, who gives us a: Quick Technical Breakdown of Vitor's New Kicking Strategy

At face value, it seems that Vitor is randomly throwing kicks that are just happening to catch people. Comments denoting his success despite 'no set-up' are plentiful. However, Vitor's recent KO's have not been even remotely caused by a combination of random kicks and chance. They are part of a well known strategy.

The strategy involves establishing oneself as a power striker, thus forcing ones opponent to frequently slip or circle away from ones power punch. At this point, the opponent is very susceptible to kicks (they have blocked incorrectly and are moving towards the kick).

Spin kicks are very powerful. However, they land infrequently because the spin telegraphs the attack. But there are a few ways to use them effectively. That is, one shortens the spin by:

1. Distracting the opponent while stepping across to set up the attack, and/or

2. Tricking/forcing the opponent to slip or circle towards the spinning attack, and/or

3. Tricking the opponent into thinking a liner attack is coming, so that they react accordingly such that their reaction to the spin (the real attack) is slowed

What we saw today was a combination of 2 and 3. Vitor has established himself as a powerful striker who attacks with his fists in a linear style. He often utilises what is termed a straight blast (stepping forward with the back leg while firing 1-2's in rapid succession). His hand power is feared and opponents know it is coming straight.

Sequence breakdown:

- Rockhold is watching Vitor

- Vitor's left shoulder pulls back and his right jerks forward

- Rockhold expects either a (loaded) lead left hook, a jab or (most likely) a right straight

- Thus, Rockhold back hand rises to parry, he braces and he begins to slip to his left

- Rockhold realises he has reacted incorrectly and tries to return his hand to block and to brace on the opposite side; and

- BAMN! Too late.

A similar thing happened with Bisping. Michael expected a powerful straight attack, slipped to his left and into the trajectory of the kick which he ate in devastating fashion.

In summary, Vitor's opponents adapted to his linear power style by practicing their slips and circling, and he in turn adapted by developing a kicking game that intercepts them as they maneuver away.

Found something you'd like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me on Twitter @shaunalshatti and we'll include it in tomorrow's column.

Vitor Belfort vs. Luke Rockhold fight video highlights

2013-05-19T04:22:41Z

Watch Vitor Belfort vs. Luke Rockhold fight video highlights from UFC on FX 8's main event above, courtesy of FOX Sports.

UFC on FX 8 took place May 18, 2013 at the Arena Jaraguá in Jaraguá do Sul, Brazil. The old lion, Vitor Belfort (23-10), welcomed former Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold (10-2) into the Octagon in the night's brutal main event. Catch the video highlights above, along with highlights of the rest of the main card.

For more on Belfort's explosive victory, check out the play-by-play from our own Luke Thomas.

Round 1: Leon Roberts is the referee in charge. Both fighters open orthodox. Rockhold shoots and is stuffed. Belfort follows up with a right and they briefly tie up. Rockhold staying active with...

Video: UFC on FUEL TV: Highlights - UFC on FX 8