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UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum could reportedly be out months due to an injured knee, but apparently not long enough to wait for Junior dos Santos.
Hosting a live chat with fans Thursday, UFC president Dana White says it's a two-man race to see who gets the first crack at Werdum.
"'Who's next? [Andrei] Arlovski or Stipe [Miocic]?' We're still working on that," said White. "We haven't made a decision yet. We're still working on the heavyweight title fight. I know there's reports out there that Arlovski has it, but that's not true.
"Somebody said Arlovski is fighting for the title. That's not true. We haven't made the decision on that yet."
White sounds in favor of Werdum getting his rematch with Dos Santos, who scored a 'Knockout of the Night' bonus against the new champ in his 2008 Octagon debut at UFC 90.
"Dos Santos should get that fight, I agree," said White. "Dos Santos should get that fight, but he's hurt so he can't take it. It's either going to be Stipe or Arlovski."
Hosting his own live chat Thursday afternoon, Arlowski confirmed he hasn't been contacted regarding the title shot.
"First of all, I'm an employee of the UFC," said Arlovski. "[If] Dana White or UFC called me tomorrow and told me I'd be fighting for the title, totally fine with me. If not, fine with me, as well. It's all up to UFC. I don't have any calls yet so my job is just to train hard, fight even harder."
Arlovski has also previously bested the champ, taking a unanimous decision victory over Werdum at UFC 70 in 2007.
"If not the next fight, that's fine," said Arlovski. "I can wait. Everything is good now. I'm just enjoying my time with my family and I'm not even thinking about [fighting]. I just want to relax a little bit. In a few weeks I'll go back to the gym, do some cardio, play hockey, but for now, I'm in heaven."
[You'll need the Periscope app to watch the replay here, but if not our friends at MMA Digest put together a nice highlight.]
5 MUST-READ STORIES
The MMA Beat. The panel discusses Kimbo vs. Shamrock, the state of the UFC heavyweight division, MMA in New York, a title fight on UFC Fight Pass and more.
Sitdown. Bellator CEO Scott Coker reflects on his first year at the helm of the business on the anniversary of the announcement he was taking over for Bjorn Rebney.
Regrets. Marc Raimondi asks what could have been had Kimbo Slice quit streetfighting and committed to MMA a decade ago. 'I wish I would have took it serious then and started rolling back then.'
Sources. According to sources with knowledge of the situation, Glory Kickboxing has agreed to partner with Bellator MMA for a hybrid combat sports show in September.
'I'm talking to my nutritionist and UFC doctors.' TUF Brazil winner Rony Jason has tested positive for a diuretic and has received a nine-month suspension by the Brazilian MMA Athletic Commission (CABMMA).
MEDIA STEW
More UFC on the fly from Berlin.
Highlights from UFC Fight Night: Berlin media day.
Bellator 138 weigh-ins.
The rest of Dan Hardy's countdown show. (Part 4 here)
Tatsuya Kawajiri "Young fighters are always evolving but I'm going to spank them anyway"
Mike Swick: The Comeback - Episode #5.5.
Long watches.
Heavy Hands 56 - Jason High on Ground & Pound, Guillotines, & Hard Sparring
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The MMA Report: Scott Coker, Sean Wheelock
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TWEETS
Speedy.
Last speed pads session before weighing in. @joannamma #UFCBerlin pic.twitter.com/BpJLqHi6mU
— UFC (@ufc) June 19, 2015
Old buddies.
Great to have former #Strikeforce Champ @nickdiaz209 at the #Bellator138 weigh ins tonight here in St. Louis pic.twitter.com/tQU6gvSL2b
— Scott Coker (@ScottCoker) June 18, 2015
My selfie is better than yours...be jealous. #selfie #legends pic.twitter.com/JBe3Z44wLV
— Will Brooks (@illwillbrooks86) June 19, 2015
Please be careful.
Decided to put our knees in the breeze @BillGoodMMA @cathygood pic.twitter.com/fJzZJ7ja7t
— Cowboy Cerrone (@Cowboycerrone) June 19, 2015
New loud pipes for safety. https://t.co/RCmEO59XZZ
— Chris Weidman (@ChrisWeidmanUFC) June 18, 2015
I ❤️ summer ☀️ pic.twitter.com/AttHCFBfjM
— Paige VanZant (@PaigeVanzantUFC) June 19, 2015
Beef.
Weights good. (144.4) time to smash a disrespectful fuck boy https://t.co/Kfe6UWjFHN
— Daniel Straus (@DanielStraus) June 18, 2015
OK.
Another day closer to GOLD!!! #AndNEW!!!! pic.twitter.com/4jLJMokpUF
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) June 18, 2015
Can you imagine paying $2500 to fight Cris Cyborg?
So I have to get my medicals all done before I go for my fight in just under 3wks and I need a MRI which awesomely costs...
Posted by Faith "The Immortal" Van Duin on Thursday, June 18, 2015
He gone.
Got this nice basketball from @NBAAllStar - Have to work on my game but my first two shots looked pretty good! https://t.co/0DsMn5BSPP
— Georges St-Pierre (@GeorgesStPierre) June 18, 2015
This Week in Struggle.
What's this thing called a diet again? pic.twitter.com/mDSswlGlJP
— Forrest Griffin (@ForrestGriffin) June 19, 2015
@Cowboycerrone calls me daily asking if he can replace someone. Then he goes wakeboarding when I say no. https://t.co/VjesD3AToB
— Dave Sholler (@Sholler_UFC) June 18, 2015
When that dog at the airport stops at your bag... https://t.co/WhNYs2FhQx
— Joe Rogan (@joerogan) June 14, 2015
WEIGH IN DAY!! It's always the most painful day but it's always worth it. Anything worth doing in... https://t.co/HukEtdbcYb
— Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) June 18, 2015
Took a few little pricks in the arse this evening Some dry needle therapy for my tight glutes courtesy of @johnpicp pic.twitter.com/O2FXwoHBSK
— Cathal Pendred (@Pendred) June 17, 2015
I had a dream that Joe Rogan got REALLY fat.. I guess that's better than my usual teeth falling out dreams
— Felice Herrig (@feliceherrig) June 18, 2015
A nice ice bath after hard sparring today #icebath #UFC189 #sparring https://t.co/WUBVbK8n2A
— Brad Pickett (@One_Punch) June 18, 2015
I feel violated... pic.twitter.com/IVzTgSjkx6
— Nathan Quarry (@NateRockQuarry) June 16, 2015
Is there anything worse than locking eyes with an attractive stranger while you're mid yawn?
— Andre Fili (@TouchyFili) June 17, 2015
When the doctor tells me I can start strengthening my arm now from surgery and I get too excited at the gym pic.twitter.com/b01NixNq5M
— Vinc Pichel (@FromHellPichel) June 17, 2015
This doesn't even fucking make sense. 90 degrees at 3am WTFF!!! AZ you can keep your shit weather, keep it all. pic.twitter.com/sHJuoKMCYg
— Yves Edwards (@thugjitsumaster) June 18, 2015
I think this is the 4th or 5th time we have worn the same shirt on accident. Great minds think... https://t.co/bGlDpczMGq
— chad mendes (@chadmendes) June 18, 2015
Its official, we're in the most confusing hotel on the planet. Been trying to find an exit for like... https://t.co/k5kQpJ5b03
— Urijah Faber (@UrijahFaber) June 18, 2015
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (June 18 2015)
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FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today's Fanpost of the Day comes via Michael Shulski.
Poll: Is Shamrock vs. Kimbo "good for the sport"?
The phrase "bad for the sport" is often used in ambiguous ways. Sometimes, people use it literally as in "War Machine is bad for the sport." It was more figurative when Ricardo Lamas called Conor McGregor "bad for the sport". Lamas, and others, were justifiably angry that UFC title shots were more likely to be based on a fighter's ability to sell tickets and ppvs as opposed to merit. Pretty much everyone agrees that the Kimbo Slice vs. Ken Shamrock fight is a 'freakshow fight'. An article on mmafighting.com back in 2008, when Kimbo vs. Shamrock was first proposed, argues that this fight is 'bad for the sport'. And, indeed, there are many ways it could be 'bad for the sport'. This article, however, considers a few ways that the fight could be GOOD for the sport.
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Check out the rest of the post here.
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