3 rounds of action: FO scores MMA’s hottest stories

ROUND 1: TRT BAN LEAVING FIGHTERS WITH LESSER QUALITY OF LIFE?

There are concerns the ban on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) recently put in place by several commissions and the UFC will negatively affect the health and life of a former user now forced to stop the treatment.

Endocrinologist Dr Neil Goodman told Fightland it could be years before ex TRT users naturally produce testosterone again. “Their muscle strength will decline,” Goodman said of competitors coming off TRT. “They’ll put on some fat weight. Their moods will become depressive. They’ll have fatigue. It’ll be horrible – I feel bad for them. It’s going to be misery.”

Longtime TRT user Chael Sonnen, who has noted the treatment made him a better husband and neighbor, told UFC Tonight: “I’ve had to stop testosterone with the hope that we can find a new way to gain the results of upping testosterone to stay at a healthy level. If it doesn’t work, I may have to stop the sport. And it’s as simple as that.”

FO SCORE: There are many benefits from the TRT ban, but it does cause legitimate issues such as these. TRT had just as much positive effect in the everyday lives of fighters as it did in the gym, and it’s perhaps not entirely fair to leave now-former users high and dry in that regard.

ROUND 2: UFC CHAMP ROUSEY SEPARATES FROM FIGHT MANAGEMENT REP

The California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) has found the fight-related portion of a representation agreement between UFC superstar Ronda Rousey and manager Darin Harvey to be invalid.

The CSAC made the ruling in an arbitration hearing following both seeking to part ways, but deferred a ruling on the entertainment portion of the parties’ contract, relating to things such as modelling and acting, to the California Superior Court.

FO SCORE: Legal matters such as these are notoriously tricky to navigate, but with several opportunities on the immediate horizon for Rousey it doesn’t appear as though they’re going to slow her career any time soon.

ROUND 3: FIGHT LEGEND MILETICH SAYS RUMORED UFC UNIFORMS ‘BULLS**T’

Former coach and UFC champion Pat Miletich has called rumored UFC uniforms “bulls**t”. Word surfaced some time ago the UFC was considering the move, which would limit sponsor space for fighters – although UFC president Dana White has since distanced the company from the concept.

Miletich told Sherdog Radio: “This is not the NFL. These guys are not under certain contracts with their teams. They don’t get 50%-plus of all sales of all clothing and memorabilia and everything else like players do in the NFL and Major League Baseball and everything else. So quite frankly, I think it’s bulls**t.”

FO SCORE: As illustrated by Miletich, the uniform concept is an unpopular one with some fans and fighters.

ON THE RADAR

Three red-hot prospects worth keeping an eye on...

Bubba Bush, 7-2

Legacy FC middleweight champion Bubba Bush has the consistently successful combo of technical, powerful grappling with a pair of heavy hands. The six-foot 28-year-old has earned all but one of his wins by submission (two) and TKO (four) and hasn’t taken a legitimate loss (he has a DQ due to illegal strikes) since 2011 when he lost by fifth-round TKO to UFC talent Andrew Craig. Texas based, he’s been calling for a UFC opportunity for a while and has all the talent and physical qualities to make the most of one.

Gleristone Santos, 25-4

UFC-ready Gleristone Santos is a fearless and aggressive fighter with horrendously powerful striking. Currently signed to Titan FC (and first tipped by FO four years ago), the Brazilian, 25, was supposed to make his debut in February but visa issues meant he never did, extending the featherweight’s inactive streak starting in July last year. A tendency to slow down when he’s got a round won won’t endear him to big-league brass but the Brazilian Top Team fighter’s stand-up is neat, fast and accurate and, on the ground, he’ll often neglect seeking submissions in favor of landing damage from his opponent’s guard. His future should be promising.

Rob Font, 9-1

With a little time, well-rounded Sityodtong featherweight Rob Font has the potential to be a quality fighter. His chops have made him one of the standout fighters in the US northeast, where he’s on an eight-fight win streak after dropping his second fight over three rounds to current Bellator talent Des Green. Although certain strikes can be a little slow at times (his head kicks in particular), he has power in his hands, solid cardio, a keen grappling sense and will follow a game plan through. All valuable traits.

QUOTES

“It’s not a shame to go down, it’s a shame not to stand up. I’m a fighter, I’m a warrior and that’s my job. That’s my love and I enjoy it.”

Ladies and gentlemen, Mirko ‘Cro Cop’, ex UFC and current Glory kickboxing heavyweight.

“How many more years do I have before I get that weird, old guy smell?”

As ever, Kenny Florian’s Twitter comes up smelling of roses.

“All I ask is a fair fight. Right now I need to take some time off. But if they have an offer with something good, maybe.”

Georges St Pierre still doesn’t want to go to middleweight to fight Anderson Silva, unless…

“I think that I was very lucky to be the darling of mixed martial arts officials... it felt kind of strange. But, I know that part of my job is to make decisions that, a lot of times, people aren’t going to be happy with.”

A couple of questionable calls and all of a sudden respected referee Herb Dean is car-pooling with Steve Mazzagatti.

“I’m definitely a fat man in a fit man’s body. I’m the biggest, fattest piece of s**t I’ve ever come across. I can’t explain how hard it is for me to not eat all the fatty foods I love and drink beer while I’m cutting weight for my fights.”

How fat are we talking, Bellator lightweight Dave Rickels? Roy Nelson, or ‘Butterbean’?

STAR SIGHTING: NIALL HORAN

Who? Member of globally popular boy band One Direction

Where? UFC Fight Night London, UK

We’re sure the number of people who read FO and own a One Direction record is in the single figures, but that doesn’t change the fact group member Niall Horan probably has the biggest global profile of anyone in more or less any room. In March, that room was the O2 Arena in London to see Alexander Gustafsson TKO Jimi Manuwa.