Issue 111
January 2014
DOS SANTOS AGREES CORNER SHOULD NOT HAVE STOPPED VELASQUEZ PUNISHMENT
Former UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos says he would have been “really sad” if his corner had thrown in the towel while he was taking sustained damage from Cain Velasquez in their recent title bout.
The Brazilian stand-up fighter lost by fifth-round TKO at UFC 166 in October, after taking several rounds’ worth of heavy blows that some believe should have caused Dos Santos’ team to stop the bout.
However, ‘Cigano’ says he is pleased they didn’t. “I don’t think the fight should have been stopped earlier because Cain and I were both looking for the victory and defending ourselves at the same time to avoid the fight being stopped,” he told MMAFighting.com.
Stating that he and his cornermen believed he always had a chance to win the fight, Dos Santos noted: “I’m not against throwing in the towel, but I also know my limitations and I would never expose myself to a situation I can’t handle.
“I would be really sad if they had taken that away from me by throwing in the towel, but I’m positive that with my team it would never happen.”
BACK TALK
Joe Lauzon (UFC lightweight): “Sometimes people are too quick to think, ‘Oh, that guy was out of that fight.’ Because a lot of times he comes back and wins. There’s a fine line but I definitely do agree there are times corners should absolutely stop a fight: their fighter is not winning, he’s taking an absolute beating. But I think those are very rare.”
UFC PRESIDENT DANA WHITE CONFIDENT ST PIERRE AND HENDRICKS WILL REMATCH FOR BELT IN 2014
UFC president Dana White is confident welterweight champion Georges St Pierre will rematch Johny Hendricks in 2014, according to the LA Times. White apparently told the paper “all is on track” for the bout.
St Pierre fought to a contentious split-decision win over Hendricks in November, and immediately afterward hinted he was taking an extended career break, citing personal issues.
At the post-fight press conference White expressed frustration with GSP’s decision, saying: “You owe it to the fans, you owe it to that belt, you owe it to this company and to Johny Hendricks to give him that opportunity to fight (for the belt) again. Unless you’re going to retire.”
Gossip site TMZ reported rumors the French-Canadian’s personal problems involve an unplanned pregnancy and his father being ill. White told the LA Times ‘Rush’ is “denying those rumors.”
1.1m
Bellator 106 pulled the highest ratings of any MMA TV show in the US this past Fall (at the time of going to press) with 1.1m viewers. It was headlined by Eddie Alvarez’s split-decision win over Michael Chandler for the lightweight belt.
3rd
UFC 166, headlined by Cain Velasquez’s rubber match TKO of Junior Dos Santos, was the third highest grossing gate ($2.5m) in the 10-year history of Houston’s Toyota Center behind UFC 69 and the Rolling Stones.
WHAT'S HOT
VITOR BELFORT
Yet another head-kick KO in the books. They say you’re only as good as your last fight…
BISPING VS. THE WORLD
Nick Diaz? Tim Kennedy? As ever, ‘The Count’ isn’t short on good matchups
TRAIN
Train Hard Fight Easy has evolved
WHAT'S NOT
WAITING FOR EA SPORTS UFC
Finish it! Now!
CARDS THAT AREN’T LIKE UFC FIGHT NIGHT 32
Two decisions in 11 fights, you say?
CHAMP PETTIS INJURED AGAIN
Somebody wrap that guy in cotton wool
