Issue 112
March 2014
Morsels of Fighters Only musings on everything mma
3 ROUNDS OF ACTION: FO scores MMA’s hottest stories
1 UFC SEEKING WEIDMAN-BELFORT BATTLE IN VEGAS DESPITE TRT ISSUES
The UFC wants to stage Chris Weidman’s second UFC middleweight title defense, against number-one contender Vitor Belfort, in Las Vegas despite potential issues with the Brazilian’s fight licence.
ESPN confirmed the UFC’s intention with CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, who earmarked May or July for the showdown.
Belfort has started testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) since last fighting in Las Vegas in 2011. Former Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) head Keith Kizer had expressed doubt Belfort would be allowed to use TRT in the state since ‘The Phenom’ failed a NSAC drugs test in 2006. Belfort blamed it on an over-the-counter supplement.
FO SCORE: This being a big fight (although it would have been more significant business-wise had Anderson Silva beaten Weidman to rematch Belfort), Las Vegas is an appropriate location should Belfort and the commission come to an agreement. No matter where it takes place, it’ll be intriguing to see Weidman and his improved skill-set fighting someone not called Anderson Silva for the first time in nearly two years.
2 BOXER ROY JONES JR WANTS NICK DIAZ BOUT
Living and still-competing boxing legend Roy Jones Jr is re-exploring the possibility of boxing Nick Diaz.
Jones Jr had been linked to a boxing contest with former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, thanks to several years of interest from the Brazilian, until Silva’s recent back-to-back losses and leg break against Chris Weidman.
That turn of events has shifted Jones Jr’s attention to quasi-retired UFC welterweight Diaz. A contest between the pair was mooted in 2009 after the UFC said no to Silva’s initial request for a Jones Jr bout, but, similarly, Showtime, the broadcast home of Strikeforce, then Diaz’s employers, poured cold water on the concept.
FO SCORE: It’s hard to see a boxing bout ever happening in the Octagon, or the UFC somehow applying its brand to the ring. If Diaz wanted in but Zuffa didn’t, contractual squabbling could arise.
3 WANDERLEI-SONNEN TUF BRAZIL 3 IS 185LB AND HEAVYWEIGHT
The third season of the Portuguese-language The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil is rumored to feature middleweight and heavyweight participants.
Filming of the series, which is coached by UFC foes Wanderlei Silva and Chael Sonnen, began in Sao Paulo at the middle of January.
MMAFighting.com reported the news, adding Brazilian grappling ace and FO contributor Vinny Magalhaes will be among Sonnen’s training staff.
FO SCORE: The UFC’s heavyweight class is far stronger than in 2009, the last time the firm used it on TUF, but you can never have too many heavyweights with the type of public support the show fosters. Whether the talent will match is another thing. At least there’ll be plenty of big men around to separate any Silva-Sonnen scraps on set.
ON THE RADAR
Three red-hot prospects worth keeping an eye on...
Lukasz Sajewski, 12-0
A capable grappler with sharp striking, 23-year-old Pole Lukasz Sajewski is ready for a chance in the upper echelons. The Gdansk lightweight, who has a ‘W’ over Bellator standout Marcin Held and the nickname ‘Wookie’, hasn’t met an opponent he couldn’t beat ever since starting his career at 18. Any concerns about ‘European level wrestling’ should be directed towards his double Olympic champion coach, Andrzej Wronski, while it’s worth noting one of his six submission wins actually came via strikes.
Larissa Pacheco, 9-0
Brazilian bantamweight female Larissa Pacheco has torn through her opposition with ‘Cyborg’-esque aggression. Nine fights into her 23-month career, Pacheco, now just 19 years of age, has stopped every opponent. She’s raw and awkward but unquestionably powerful and accurate on the feet, although a serious lack of defense and evasive movement could give her real problems as she moves up the ranks. With an aggressive guard, and the majority of her wins by a variety of submissions, Pacheco could be a very exciting addition to the UFC’s women’s bantamweight division.
Nicolas Dalby, 11-0
There’s buzz about this undefeated 29-year-old Dane. Nicolas Dalby’s skills are somewhat rough around the edges, and we didn’t get to see much of his development in his European MMA welterweight title-winning first-round KO in September, but fighters rarely get to 11-0 with six stoppages by luck. He can take a shot, as well as give one, while his movement is improving. All that combined with a marketable look and personality makes Dalby a likely big-show acquisition
QUOTES
“It’s almost like you’re a gerbil or a hamster running around in a wheel because there’s never an end; there’s always something else to do. (Training) sucks.”
Fight life? Hamster life, says UFC light heavyweight Daniel Cormier
“That slow-mo replay though... I have no words.”
Even Justin Timberlake, via his Twitter, was transfixed/disgusted by Anderson Silva’s leg break at UFC 168
“Apparently I’m ‘not allowed’ to go into Victoria’s Secret by myself and massage the outfits on the mannequins while I sob uncontrollably.”
Retirement has done strange things to ex UFC competitor Kenny Florian
“I don’t like that his leg got broken. It’s bittersweet on that, but I felt I was completely dominating the fight. If anything, him breaking his leg stopped me from putting on more of a show.”
UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman, the biggest beneficiary of Anderson Silva’s UFC 168 shin snap, might have a point
“Our kids are arrows that we shoot out to this world. Love your wife like Jesus loved us. Never give up! Fight until your last breath.”
Either we’re going crazy or Vitor Belfort’s Twitter feed is
INSTAGRA MMA
BIGFOOTSILVA “Fun day with my parents at Disney World”
REALVITORBELFORT “This boxe legend almost choke me out but I got away hahahahah. I was 19 years old when I became the youngest champ of @ufc”
CISCORIVERAUFC (FRANCISCO RIVERA) “Ok I have way too many damn workout #shoes #Nike #Adidas #DC #Reebok need a shoe #sponsor”
REWIND / FAST FORWARD
Legend reborn: linking two combatants – one past, one present
Quotable multi-weight fighters partial to a bit of snappy dressing
SHONIE CARTER
Longest undefeated run:
11 wins, three draws
Best line: “I was just trying to be a little incog-negro.”
CONOR MCGREGOR
Best line: “Sinead O’Connor… that’s some go-to-war s**t.”
Longest undefeated run: 10 wins
MARIO LOPEZ - STAR SIGHTING
Who? Saved by the Bell actor
Where? UFC 168, Las Vegas, Nevada
There were plenty of A-listers cageside at UFC 168, but there was only one AC Slater. Sometime boxing broadcaster Mario Lopez, better known as his character from ‘90s series Saved by the Bell, has been a certified MMA fan and practitioner of the sweet science for years.
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