Official Mixed Martial Arts Thread

[McFly]

Yeah, it's not a good omen for the year judging by incidents and deaths already. I bloody love the UFC, it's changed my life watching mma but why do they have to be such fuck-ups and ethically gross? 

 

 

[Junker]

Dana hitting his wife was terrible. The number of people saying “well she hit him first ..” was depressing. Slap league is a hideous idea and you’d hope this would have sunk it, but it looks like it’s going to happen regardless. 

[McFly]

Francis Ngannou is no longer with the UFC, he is a free agent. Yes, his power is insane but I can't say I'm that fussed really, it frees up the belt and that is best.

[Corrogate]

19 hours ago, McFly said:

Francis Ngannou is no longer with the UFC, he is a free agent. Yes, his power is insane but I can't say I'm that fussed really, it frees up the belt and that is best.

 

Jones Vs Gane at UFC 285. Madness on three levels: two amazing athletes, and Jon Jones's heavyweight debut. For the title.

[Kingpin]

I feel kinda bad/concerned for Francis*, but jesus christ, gimme that Jones vs Gane fight.

 

* I dislike Dana/UFC as much as anyone, but this feels like a risky move....unless he has some sort of guarantee that a huge boxing match can take place, where's he going to be long term? Hope it works out for him and he gets paid big money somewhere.

 

Master stroke by the UFC drawing all the attention to the return of Jones though, damn! Next question - will Jon be on his best behaviour and make it to the cage?

[McFly]

Was hoping for Jones to get a "tune up" fight before being dropped into the grinder do we can see as good a fight as possible between Gane and him. 

 

 

 

Can't wait for Fig v Moreno IV this weekend and the London card is shaping up 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Corrogate]

51 minutes ago, McFly said:

Was hoping for Jones to get a "tune up" fight before being dropped into the grinder do we can see as good a fight as possible between Gane and him. 

 

 

 

Can't wait for Fig v Moreno IV this weekend and the London card is shaping up 

 

Jesus Christ, that's this weekend? Checking - The only way they've made that the co-main is either trying to draw on the LHW division or putting on a slobber knocker with the chance of a big KO in the main to seal the deal for the card.

 

I've gotta think Ngannou must have some huge money lined up to be leaving the UFC. He did $600,000 in his last fight. He's got Jake Paul floating his name, but don't see him as much of a needle mover - to coin a phrase - outside of the UFC. Honestly, I think he'll do a couple of fights and fade.

 

Quality to see Miocic piping up, too. Real UFC fans know he's the boy. Him and Gane is money. Jones beats Gane, Gane Vs Miocic, Miocic decision (?), Jones Vs Miocic. Unless you factor in Blaydes and Pavlovic.

[Corrogate]

Edit: Man, Gane Vs Miocic is some serious shit to ponder on, though. Srs.

[Orion]

1 hour ago, Corrogate said:

I've gotta think Ngannou must have some huge money lined up to be leaving the UFC. He did $600,000 in his last fight. He's got Jake Paul floating his name, but don't see him as much of a needle mover - to coin a phrase - outside of the UFC. Honestly, I think he'll do a couple of fights and fade.

 

Jake Paul will probably make him more money in those few fights than 99% of anyone in the UFC's whole careers. Jake Paul is a bellend but knows how to promote and make money. Sticking something daft like Ngannou vs Mike Tyson on the undercard of whoever he is fighting next and he could chuck a million dollars or two at both with ease. Paul is linked with PFL too.

 

I know Francis and Tyson Fury both wanted a stupid boxing match, Heavyweight UFC champion vs boxing World champion but don't think/hope that doesn't happen. Think he will go the boxing route though with Paul's promotion. It's a shame as it would have been nice to see him uppercut a Heavyweight Jon Jones head into orbit but his whole story of being homeless and starting from nothing in Cameroon is inspiring so hope he makes his millions now beating up Youtubers or whoever. 

[Yobo Ahoy]

Somehow missed all of the news. Agree with the general consensus that the plodding, kneepad-wearing Ngannou of late seems a world away from the Overeem fight and he will probably be forgotten about quite quickly.

 

On the other hand, decent HWs are always at a premium and I'm going to go out on a limb here and say Jones vs Gane will suck. And yeah, Miocic is as decorated a HW as they come but I have to say I wasn't a huge fan. Extreme inactivity as a challenger and champ, the DC trilogy was awful (eyepokes galore) and a whiny fucker to boot. I barely noticed he was gone.

[schmojo]

The UFC is such a shit organisation. Dana clearly didn't want to pay his HW champ big money, and so he lets him go. Diminishing the value of his own titles and the prestige of his company.

 

It's crazy. Dana is a god-awful promoter who makes horrendous, anti-consumer, anti-fighter business decisions, creates zero stars and slaps his wife in public, but gets no repercussions. I know it's all about the bottom line, and the PRIME HYDRATION ZONE corner branding will make the balance sheets look good, but...

 

...it's the worst high-profile thing in sports. And it feels dirty to even watch.

[Yobo Ahoy]

Unfortunately I can't ever see a time when they aren't the premier MMA organisation, and Dana will cling on to power until he's dead. It's like boycotting the Premier League or World Cup, of course you are directly or indirectly lining the pockets of absolute arseholes if you watch it but by avoiding it the only person you're really hurting is yourself.

 

Anyway plucky old Bellator is back with a bang tomorrow, Fedor's final fight (honest!) and actually a pretty stacked card, compares favourably to UFC's apex snoozefest.

[Naysonymous]

Eventually MMA will go the way of boxing with everybody promoting themselves.  You’ll have loads of champions and nowhere near as many fights between the top guys, but the fighters will get paid more.  

[Orion]

It needs an AEW equivalent tbh. The son of a billionaire who actually wants to take on the established, biggest rival with a ton of cash and a clear idea how to do it. 

 

Nayson the problem there is people were saying that 15 years ago. It never happened. It might happen eventually but with the UFC's stranglehold it will be hard to break.

[Naysonymous]

Aye. I genuinely thought that all the sport needed was a crossover star like Conor McGregor to promote himself in a show and the floodgates would open but it seemed that the UFC had everybody else locked in on awful contracts. The stories about GSP not being able to come out of retirement to fight elsewhere because of the very real threat of legal action was telling. 
 

It will happen at some point though.  It’s just a question of timescales. It might take another generation of fighters to come into the sport with a different mentality but the change is inevitable, even if it’s another 15 years before we see it.  

[McFly]

I maybe totally wrong but wasn't Big Frank offered $8m a fight? 

 

 

 

But who cares because Connor is back from TUF against Chandler!

 

Also Volkanovski against Makachev is almost here.

 

[glb]

I hope Chandler, who has barely wrestled since he came to the UFC, folds McGregor up like pretzel.

 

Wouldn’t be made if Makachev does the same to Volkanovski to be honest.

[Orion]

I think the $8 million was just for a Jon Jones fight in a 3 fight contract. I don't know what the rest of the deal was or what caveats were on top for the UFC but he noped out on it. I'm presuming he has some better offers lined up from the Tyson Fury/boxing YouTuber mobs.

[McFly]

8 minutes ago, Orion said:

I think the $8 million was just for a Jon Jones fight in a 3 fight contract. I don't know what the rest of the deal was or what caveats were on top for the UFC but he noped out on it. I'm presuming he has some better offers lined up from the Tyson Fury/boxing YouTuber mobs.

I thought  it was per fight and no doubt laced with the self-renewing  clauses going forward. A fight with Jones could've been sweet but there's still time for both guys.

I don't think he has any deal signed officially iirc.

[schmojo]

10 hours ago, McFly said:

I maybe totally wrong but wasn't Big Frank offered $8m a fight? 

 

 

 

But who cares because Connor is back from TUF against Chandler!

 

Also Volkanovski against Makachev is almost here.

 

 

Ngannou also supposedly asked for health insurance, the return of sponsorships, and a fighter advocate in board meetings.

 

If he left big money on the table because those weren't forthcoming, respect to him.

[McFly]

7 minutes ago, schmojo said:

 

Ngannou also supposedly asked for health insurance, the return of sponsorships, and a fighter advocate in board meetings.

 

If he left big money on the table because those weren't forthcoming, respect to him.

That all seems reasonable stuff, especially health insurance I can't imagine what those bills areike for fighters.

[McFly]

So this accusation from Dan Hooker against Makachev for using an IV has opened a can of shit. I was under the impression ivs were banned due to masking issues. I assumed this was still the case, but apparently, according to Fight Disciples, if I understand it, they've basically been legal since 2019! No wonder weight-cutting has gone through the roof. They read the rules out on FD and they are vague at best.

 

 

 

[disperse and recoagulate]

Been away from UFC for a long time but will be watching Jon Jones. What time are events these days? It falls on the same night as an AEW PPV so might stay up.

 

Delayed EDIT: this is false info. UFC is Saturday, AEW is Sunday. I've booked Monday off work and will be avoid all spoilers.

[Yobo Ahoy]

Yeah, I haven't even bothered watching the last 2 events (really rare for me), they've been paper thin even before the Spann/Krylov dropout. I don't know why they keep stacking the PPVs with 2 title fights and then giving no incentive to watch the TV cards, I guess it's a money move but it seems a little short-sighted - build the guys up on free platforms and then people are more likely to pay to see them. I guess they are using the PPV prelims for that purpose instead. 

 

Not sure about the time, 3/4ish finish I guess? 

[McFly]

It's a 3am start I believe, and it's normal BT Sport thankfully.

 

I didn't watch this week's card at all and only some of last weeks.

 

 

 

[schmojo]

Well, I pretty much had to watch this one.

 

Congrats to Grasso. As much as Valentina is amazing, I'm 100% over immediate rematches.

 

As for the main event? Gane was never going to do anything in the grappling space, and Jones continues to do things nobody else does. Part of me was hoping for a loss, not just because Jones is a prick, but because once his aura is gone, I'll find it pretty easy to not come back. 

[McFly]

Dunno what Valentina was thinking with that spinning back kick so close in, perhaps she was stunned from earlier? Gaassos backtake and finiahbwas excellwnt however.

 

Shocking stand up from the ref tho when Shevchenko was in guard. 

 

Jones v Gane was a bit of nothing such was the gap, oh well. I bloody hope Stipè can do us all a favour soon as possible.

 

Some good fights on the undercard too.

[McFly]

[Orion]

Shavkat Is a badass. He needed that kind of fight tbh. Good experience for him.

 

Jon Jones is such an unlikable bellend and GSP such a nice guy. It is depressing watching him pretty much establishing his GOAT credentials. Impressive but depressing.

 

Stipe has not fought in two years and Ngannu is out the door. He has timed this well.

[Floyd]

Really good card that and some enjoyable fights.

 

I honestly thought Gane was going to give Jones more of a fight than that. Jones started out and he looked a bit awkward on the feet and Gane just kept backing off, Jones found an opening and took him down and did what Jones does.  I like Jones but  I want a competitive fight. 

 

I don't think Stipe can beat Jones but I'm bloody hoping he makes him work hard for it. Don't forget, Jones bossed DCTWICE but then Stipe beat DC twice but 2 very very different fights. Also by the time they fight, (earliest in July) there wouldn't be too much difference in activity as Stipe hasn't fought in March 2021.