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Morning Report: Dana White says Brock Lesnar asked him to force Pat Barry to retire, believes athletic commissions need to step in

Esther Lin, MMA Fighting

After seeing friend and former training partner Pat Barry suffer yet another knockout, former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar has seen enough. According to UFC president Dana White, Lesnar reached out to his former boss in an effort to convince Barry to call it a career.

"Brock Lesnar called me and begged me to make [Barry] retire," White said during Saturday's media scrum. "He said, 'I don't consider too many people my friend and I consider Pat Barry a friend. Dana, you've got to get this guy to retire.' I said, 'Listen he's a grown man, Brock. What am I going to do?' There's only so much I can do."

Teammates at the now defunct Team Death Clutch gym in Minnesota, Lesnar and Barry trained together through much of the former's brief UFC career. Once home to former Bellator heavyweight champion Cole Konrad, Death Clutch was founded by Lesnar after leaving Greg Nelson's Minnesota Martial Arts Academy in 2008. Predicated on becoming a haven for heavyweight grapplers, the gym disbanded following the retirements of Lesnar and Konrad in 2012.

"It's different with guys like Forrest [Griffin] and Chuck [Liddell] guys that I have relationships with for a long time and guys who have made a lot of money," said White. "That's the difference. Forrest and Chuck are multimillionaires. It's easy to make them quit. A lot tougher to make a guy quit that has to make a living."

Barry had hoped a return to his first love of kickboxing would spur a career resurgence, but that plan took a sharp turn May 3 at GLORY 16. Making his promotional debut, Barry was hurt badly early on before an uppercut from Zack Mwekassa ended the fight.

"I don't want to hurt Pat Barry or throw a monkey wrench into his life or anything, but at the end of the day, it's the state athletic commissions that need to step in and help a guy like Pat Barry retire," White said. "Or people that care about him."

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5 MUST-READ STORIES

In the mix. Dana White says Matt Brown's victory Saturday night puts him right back into title contention.

Good news. After being stretchered out of the Octagon, Erick Silva thankfully did not suffer a concussion or fractured jaw, as was rumored.

Staying on PPV. With Eddie Alvarez out due to injury, Will Brooks steps in to face Michael Chandler at Bellator 120.

Diaz in limbo. Nate Diaz' manager says they're still waiting to have a meeting with the UFC, but that his client would be willing to fight elsewhere.

Healthy at last. Tito Ortiz says his health has finally let him train like he did in his prime. 'I haven't been able to go a full six days a week since 2002. The fight was announced and I just went four hard weeks, six days a week.'

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MEDIA STEW

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Highlights from Matt Brown vs. Erick Silva.

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Dana talks Fight Night and Diaz Bros.

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Quinton Jackson and King Mo preview their Bellator headliner.

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Chael Sonnen vs. Wanderlei Silva in the TUF coaching challenge.

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Highlights from MFC 40.

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Behind the scenes of GLORY 16.

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Long watches.

UFC Fight Night 40 post-fight press conference video

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Joe Rogan Experience - Fight Companion - May 10, 2014

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Bellator 119 Bjorn Rebney media scrum

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TWEETS

Make sure to check out our Pros React piece for instant reaction from UFC Fight Night: Brown vs. Silva.

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Victory lap.

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Better luck next time.

Erick_silva_tweets_medium

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It's official.

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A star is born.

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A few more reactions.

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Very weird.

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For the moms.

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Brown hounding Dana for a title shot.

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FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Announced this weekend (May 9-11 2014)

Michael Johnson vs. Josh Thomson at UFC on FOX 12

cancelled Patricky Freire vs. Marcin Held at Bellator 120

Fabricio Guerreiro vs. Shahbulat Shamhalaev at Bellator 120

Eddie Alvarez out, Will Brooks vs. Michael Chandler at Bellator 120

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FANPOST OF THE DAY

Today's Fanpost of the Day comes via Justin Bouillon.

Matt Brown vs. Tyron Woodley. Make Sense?

After Matt Brown's call for a title shot last night, I was left feeling like this should have been the fight to get him there.

He was set to face Carlos Condit, but with a back injury, Brown was forced to rehab while the fight was given to Tyron Woodley for the UFC 171 co-main event.

This was the fight that should have brought Matt Brown the title shot, but the injury set him back not only a few months, but it seems now maybe a few fights as well.

His matchup against Silva was a tough test for a fighter returning from a layoff due to injury. But In the cage he seemed unaffected by the time off, and looked like an ever bigger animal than he already was. However, the matchup was a step back in the rankings relative to Condit's spot.

I know Tyron Woodley had a lot of hype entering the Carlos Condit fight, but unfortunately, that fight ended in what can only be described as a fluke. Yes Tyron, I know you took him down and his knee popped, but you are not going to have me believe you practiced new take downs that break knees at the gym. I see it as the equivalent of a KO due to a headbut, you may have hurt the guy with it, but are you going to be proud of an accident (à la Johnny Bedford)?

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Check out the rest of the post here.

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

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