Issue 147

November 2016

Makhachkala, Russia: Hard to bear

Ever wondered what happened to the bear that Khabib Nurmagomedov rolled with as a youngster? “Bear is great he’s very loyal training partner to me,” the Dagestani has revealed on Twitter. One of his followers compared the carnivore to Artem Lobov, except with a better record, but ‘The Eagle’ countered: “Please do not compare bear to nobody he’s undefeated.”

Saitama, Japan: Triple threat

Those crazy folks at Rizin FF want to put its fighters through the ringer at a double-header on December 29th and 31st. The shows will feature the final three rounds of its Openweight Grand Prix, which means three fights in three days for the finalists – which could include MMA senior citizens like Mirko Cro Cop and Wanderlei Silva.

Temuco, Chile: Get well soon 

Fighters Only’s best wishes go out to the UFC’s South American badass from TUF: Latin America, Diego Rivas, who is preparing a comeback to the Octagon after his recovery from cancer. ‘Pitbull’ hoped to fight in Mexico City on November 5th, but is now targeting a date later in the year after successful surgery and a course of chemotherapy.

Graceland, Tennessee: King MMA

The priciest martial arts memorabilia we think we’ve ever seen has sold at auction in Memphis. But this was no normal piece of kit – it was a custom gi owned by the ‘King of Rock and Roll’, Elvis Presley. The winning bid for the outfit was a steep $25,000.

The main card of UFC 204 in Manchester, England is set to begin at 3am local time so it can be broadcast live during prime time hours on North America’s East Coast.

Cangzhou, China: Beefed-up meat

Despite failing a drug test for traces of clenbuterol, UFC featherweight Ning Guangyou was let off the hook by USADA because China is a hotspot for meat tainted with the stimulant, which has anabolic properties. FO is unable to confirm or deny reports of jacked-up bulls in his native Hebei province.