Jon Jones Pulled from UFC 200: What Happens Now?

You know what.

Let's not even start with the pound for pound number one, because it is clear to many that not only does he not deserve that title anymore, but he doesn't deserve to be the focal point of discussion. Let's start with Daniel Cormier.

It goes without saying that there is not one male or female competitor within the UFC to this current day that can fully empathise with Cormier in this tragic moment. A feud in which DC truly, wholeheartedly believed he could lay his marker down on, is now out of the picture, and there is nothing Cormier can do about it.

Devastating is an understatement.

Back in April, Cormier was left shell-shocked that he (not Jones) was the one being booed at the UFC 200 Press Conference in Madison Square Garden. But, no-one really raised any eyebrows. We all knew the deal. Fans were sceptical about DC's belt because it was "not solidified" until he beat the champ who never lost the belt, Jones.

Fans who booed Cormier, have to now look back now in embarrassment. You boo a man who has never violated any form of drug testing, has never got himself in any trouble outside the octagon, and has never been defeated in the UFC by any man bar Jon Jones.

On the flip side of the coin, we come to the man of the hour. "Sexual Chocolate" "Bones" "JBJ" whatever you want to call him, for Jon Jones it is just another case of two steps forward, one step back.

A distraught Daniel Cormier addresses the media today
Credit: MMAFightingonSBN

Cormier had it all written out on the table. He predicted this drama would unfold yet again on countless occasions, but no-one really spared him any second look. "Mistakes, mistakes, you don't constantly make mistakes" Cormier said speaking on UFC Counterpunch last week. 

"Many times we've heard this speech. Why am I supposed to believe this guy?" Well DC, us UFC fans (at least myself for that sake) now repeat this question to ourselves when thinking about Jones. Too many times now, Jones has bit off more than he can chew. And if Jones stated that his hit-and-run incident last September left him at 'rock bottom', where he is going to be now? Bedrock? Please, spare me the excuses.

However, I'd be lying if I said my thoughts on Jones mimicked DC's. Cool calm and collected may be way to cliché, but seriously, Jones was almost in a 'state of zen' so to speak prior to this Saturday's fight. His laid back mannerisms at the press conferences won most of us over, and then boom. Just like that. It's gone, all gone.

The reason why no-one shared the same opinion as DC is because they didn't want to believe it. Why would fans want to think Jones will mess up again a few days prior to the biggest event UFC ever? Why would Dana or Lorenzo have any form of concern when everything was going smoothly and as planned? For Cormier, it was expected, but he just didn't know when it would occur.

I guess we now have our answer.

Records set to be broken, animosity begins to climb, sitting patiently for those two words, as Buffer yelps “it’s time!”

Three tantalizing title fights. The return of a global phenomenon. A chaotic card from head to toe. Each day, we step ever so closer to the “the biggest event in company history.”

To say the build up to UFC 200 has been frenetic would be an understatement. All it took was one tweet, which didn’t even come close to bypassing Twitter’s absurd 140 character-limit, to send not only the MMA world, but the whole sporting world into a rambunctious rampage. CNN, ESPN, BBC, FOX Sports, and monumental newspapers from over the globe (even the New York Times for God’s sake!) were all captivated by Conor McGregor’s retirement tweet. Now, there are two things which we evidently know about “The Notorious One.” Firstly, being he loves to cash pay checks, and secondly, he has a lust for breaking records. Ironically, his ‘retirement’ tweet did both. Whilst graciously thanking his fans for the “cheese”, his message was retweeted over 152,000 times, smashing fellow sports icon Kobe Bryant’s retirement tweet out of the water.

No-one predicted the flamboyant Irishman’s memo would of lead to such catastrophic repercussions. Denied a potential $10m payday, raucous rematch and an appearance at the UFC’s grandest event to date, it was surprisingly McGregor who had the last laugh. Putting on a brave face (but was undoubtedly turbulent inside!) president, Dana White, stood uncomfortably as he was heckled by an exasperated crowd after pulling McGregor from UFC 200.What makes the situation even more comical, is that they left an empty seat for the Irishman at the conference; if that is not shooting yourself in the foot, or rubbing salt in your wound, I don’t know what is.

McGregor's tweet which "broke the internet."

The hegemony of the so called ‘trash talker’ lives on again though. Once the pestering and pansiness had all boiled down, McGregor (to many bandwagoners disbelief) was reinstated and rewarded his re-match. Who said luck of the Irish was just a myth.

Wait a second, did I say the pansiness had all boiled down? Oh, forgive me. Because as we all know, this is the UFC, and the senseless squabbling never seems to stop simmering. Let’s cut to the chase, White has never had the most sentimental feelings towards Ariel Helwani, so if a chance arises to take a pop at him, you can be pretty sure that White’s dictator-like style is going to pounce at it.

This scenario could have never been so fitting last month at UFC 199. Minutes prior to Michael Bisping’s gold-claiming knockout over Luke Rockhold, Helwani’s career as a triumphant journalist was about to take a plunge for the worst (at least that’s what we all thought!) “Leaking” the McGregor fight had White peeved, but leaking the Brock fight drove Dana up the wall. Credentials taken, relationships ruined, Helwani left heartbroken. After two days of endless criticism from fans who were up in awe, Helwani (like McGregor) was reinstated to cover UFC events.

What a shock, the UFC backpedal on an irrational decision, who would have ever predicted that?!

After all the miscommunications, diversions and altercations, it looks like we at last have our ‘stacked’ UFC 200 card (although other may not feel as enthusiastic). What looked to be the most promising card in MMA (let alone UFC) history, has somewhat been overshadowed by the loss of “Cholo Gangster Vs Leprechaun 2.”

Bugger.

However, if there was one fight that could re-ignite fans expectations, from flyweight to heavyweight, from Bob Sapp to Georges St Pierre, it would have to be the long awaited grudge (re)-match between current #1 pound for pound, and arguably the greatest fighter in UFC history (no that’s not being hyperbolic!), Jon Jones. Against his adversary, and current heavyweight champ, Daniel Cormier.

Hey pussy, are you still there?

It would be no stranger to your ears if I told you how much Jones and ‘DC’ despise each other, so no, I won’t focus on their bitter sweet relationship…but oh isn’t it entertaining! Verbal diarrhoea, fists flying, Jones and DC have the bond of two immature, spoilt twelve-year-old brothers.

Brock Lesnar. We’ve all heard the name. “Ain’t that the bloody huge geezer in WWE?” Yes, that’s the one. But what sticks in my head about Brock is not his mammoth structure, or abnormally sized trapezius, it is his gigantic PPV buys.

7 years ago, at UFC 100, Brock (with help of other fighters of course) set the current PPV record of 1.6 million, when he brutalised Frank Mir on the ground in their rematch to retain bragging rights, and of course the heavyweight title. Now a hundred UFC’s later, he returns to the octagon; to face the super Samoan with serious KO power, Mark Hunt.

Post UFC 100 - Lesnar: "Talk all the shit you want motherfucker!"

Nah, the build up to the “biggest event in company history” has not been dramatic whatsoever, so buckle yourselves up and prepare for a bore fest!

A rowdy rematch and tantalizing trilogy! My UFC 199 Preview.

Although its main card features several highly anticipated bouts, the pinnacle of UFC 199 is the next chapter of an ongoing feud as newly crowned middleweight champion, Luke Rockhold, aims to insulate his gold against seasoned UFC veteran, Michael Bisping.

"We trained (together) before, and I made mincemeat out of him." The controversial statement boldly made by Michael "The Count" Bisping, prior to his first fight with Luke Rockhold, which caused a contentious issue between the middleweight greats. As the two are unexpectedly set to square off for the second time this weekend, the stakes have certainly been raised as Bisping is finally awarded his long awaited first UFC title shot, and Rockhold is seeking to defend his title for the first time since becoming middleweight champion last December.

Rockhold and Bisping face off ahead of their title fight.
Credit: MMAJunkie

Although both Rockhold and Bisping respect each other’s technical abilities inside the octagon, the pairs strident feelings towards one and other have certainly not shifted in any means. With over five hours of fight-time and the most significant strikes landed in UFC history, Bisping believes it is now his "destiny" to go on and claim his first ever UFC title, whereas Rockhold on the other hand believes it's Bisping's destiny to "be his little bitch." Commonly known for his high punching volume and constant endurance, a two week training camp has made Bisping aware of the fact that if the fight does go five rounds, he will "slow down." A contrast to many of his previous bouts, Bisping has stated he will be looking for the first round finish, something in which he has not achieved since UFC 85 back in 2008.

For Bisping and the world of UFC, this title shot came around in a way which most never expected. Originally, it was former middleweight champion Chris Weidman who was expected to face Rockhold in yet again another rematch, as Weidman looked to recoup his middleweight belt in which he lost to Rockhold at UFC 194. However, a freak neck injury forced Weidman to withdraw from the rematch with the only man who put a loss on his MMA record, and it is now Michael Bisping who is in the crosshairs of Luke Rockhold.

Moving on to a feud which has lasted almost a decade. Two Californian boys with a lengthy history behind them attempt to settle the scores this Saturday night, in what promises to be an epic trilogy to an enraged rivalry, when top tier bantamweights Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber meet again inside the octagon.  

Cruz will be looking to emulate his previous performance, in which he claimed UFC gold after returning from a two-year layoff to beat TJ Dillashaw via split decision in January. With Dillashaw only landing a mere 26% of his significant strikes in that fight, Cruz feels he will make Faber miss even more as his "over hand-rights and guillotine chokes" are predictable to say the least. For Faber, an unconvincing win at UFC 194 over Frankie Saenz has not left him short of confidence coming in to this title fight. "I'm a get the strap" Faber said positively at the UFC 199 media day. 

Standing at one a piece, there are no arguments made to Urijah's submission win over Cruz in the first fight. However, Faber feels the second fight in which Cruz won via unanimous decision at UFC 132, was not as one-sided as the result shows. "Even Dana said I won that fight" Faber protested when talking to Ariel Helwani on Tuesday's 'The MMA Hour.' Previous results aside, both Cruz and Faber will be looking to put on a powerful performance in order to gain bragging rights and put a marker on the feud for once and for all.

A heated exchange between Dustin Poirier and Bobby Green
Credit: MMAJunkie

The Forum in Inglewood hosts a myriad of other magnificent match-ups on the main card of UFC 199 this Saturday night. Cuban knock-out artist Hector Lombard makes his middleweight debut as he takes veteran and future hall of famer Dan Henderson. A heated match-up at lightweight occurs when Bobby Green, who returns from almost two years out, hopes to put an end to Dustin Poirier’s winning streak at 155. All in all, this UFC 199 card has some great match-ups from top to bottom. Could we see two new UFC champions crowned on the night? Or will Cruz and Rockhold begin their triumphs as kings of their divisions?

Stacked, sold out, set to samba! My UFC 198 Preview. 

From the early prelims, all the way to the main card, UFC 198 features a plethora of prosperous Brazilian fighters, each and every one of them hoping to put on a performance to remember in front of a sold out Curitiba crowd.

Maia and Brown square off ahead of their fight tonight.
Credit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMvNU-orFio

Surprisingly, we will start off by focusing on the main event of the Fox Sports 1 preliminary fights, when the judicious Brazilian jiu-jitsu veteran Demian Maia takes on a destructive stand-up warrior in Matt Brown. Assuredly the best grappler in the UFC today, Maia's BJJ credentials are endless and this has been reinforced in his last three fights when he put an end to prosperous welterweights Ryan Laflare, Neil Magny and Gunnar Nelson's winning streaks. Possibly the most impressive of them all dating back to UFC 190 in his native country of Brazil when he submitted the high-flying 170-pound contender Magny via rear-naked choke in the second round.

Standing in his way this Saturday will be the man with a heart of stone, "The Immortal" Matt Brown. For the number 8 ranked welterweight contender, the last decade has been a roller-coaster with many twists and turns to say the least. "Clinically dead for over a minute" after overdosing on heroin, (which gained him his nickname, The Immortal) Brown bounced back exponentially to gain a title shot versus Robbie Lawler, in which he lost via unanimous decision, after acquiring a seven fight win streak. Brown's trump card in this bout is his explosive aggression and never-giving up mentality. How Maia will counter the razor-sharp Muay Thai of ‘The Immortal’ will be puzzle that remains to be solved, which proves why this match-up is the perfect beginning of a wild night of fights.

Cyborg weighed in at 139 pounds, 6 pounds under
her usual weight class.

Up and onwards to the main card, the fights continue to fuel the night's fire. And justifiably so, as finally, to all MMA fans satisfaction, Cristiane "Cyborg" Justino makes her UFC debut at long last when she faces tough competitor Leslie Smith at a catch-weight of 140 pounds. Unbeaten for over a decade, Cyborg’s fights have been ephemeral to say the least. 9 first round finishes are an astonishing figure when you realise she only has 15 wins, however many MMA fans have debated about the lack of competition she has received when fighting in the likes of Invicta and Strikeforce. Undoubtedly, Justino's striking and explosiveness is what marginalises her from all other fighters in her weight class. Now, if she can carry this abnormal power over to the most competitive MMA promotion in the world, it will certainly lay out a strong marker that Cyborg is one of (if not the) greatest female MMA fighter of all time.

Once again, like Maia, Cyborg will have her hands full in Curitiba this Saturday night when she debuts against tenacious Gracie fighter Leslie Smith. Even though a coterie of fans are backing Smith to come out victorious in this bout, that will by no means leave her disheartened. This match-up oozes many similarities to McGregor vs Diaz at UFC 196. A stand-up powerhouse, with relentless knockout power, who eradicates anyone in its way, against a fearless, huge-hearted, diverse fighter who has never been knocked out and is comfortable wherever the fight may go.

The main event of the evening is the culminate of a fantastic fight card. Newly crowned heavyweight champion of the world, Fabricio "Vai Cavalo" Werdum defends his gold for the first time against #2 ranked hard-hitter Stipe Miocic. So what is Werdum's key perk in this title fight to kick-start his reign as heavyweight champ, and what does Miocic have to do to in order to prevent that? Well, as the charismatic, energetic MMA analyst Robin Black said, for Miocic the canvas is "Hotlava! Hot lava! Hot lava!" However, the Cleveland born Miocic views on this contradict Black's as he feels he can be triumph regardless of where the fight ends up. Could Miocic prove his doubters wrong? That he will not fall into the same trap as the likes Velasquez and Fedor. Or, will 'Vai Cavalo' make Miocic yet another fallen victim to Werdum's pedant jiu-jitsu? As, Black said "Do not miss this fight!"

Will Ovince break bones? Or will Jon be crowned “And New.”

Freaked out, afraid. The three words Jon Jones used to describe the hit and run ordeal in which he was involved in last year. Interestingly enough, next Wednesday (April 27th) marks a year in which the "worst 16 seconds of my life" occurred for Jones. Nevertheless, the whole situation has felt like a "blessing" for Bones in which he described in detail to Ariel Helwani as they took a long walk through Albuquerque and discussed the accident last November.

However, the bad times are in the past for the pound-for-pound number one, and this Saturday at the MGM, he will be looking to flip the tables as he faces the explosive athlete in Ovince Saint Preux. Of course this was never the original plan heading to UFC 197's main event. As Daniel Cormier withdrew coincidentally on April 1st, to many fans disappointment that this wasn't an April Fools', citing a foot injury. With many 205-pounders already booked to fight in the near future, it was #6 ranked OSP who got the call to face Bones for the interim belt at 205.

P4P #1 Jones has kept in great shape
for this fight camp.

Jones, who has never looked in better shape for a fight, last fought all the way back at UFC 182 in which he handed his biggest adversary Cormier his first MMA loss of his career. With razor sharp Muay Thai, and gritty Greco-Roman wrestling, Bones will be looking to come out this fight clean as he has already mentioned he's "willing" to fight at UFC 200. Although, it is certainly no-easy task to say the least as he will have to get through a powerful stand up fighter with heavy hands in Saint-Preux. Funnily enough, the last time fight plans for UFC 200 were being made in the lead up to a fight did not end the way many expected. That was last month at UFC 196 in which Nate Diaz handed Conor McGregor his first loss in the UFC and proves once again the unpredictability of this great promotion.

You wouldn't think the top two pound-for-pound fighters were fighting this weekend would you? With all the controversy surrounding the recent statements made by the notorious one, it has overshadowed the thrilling card in which UFC 197 sets out to be on paper. That's because the co-main event of the evening features yet another title fight, this time in the flyweight division. Arguably the most dominant champion of UFC history, Demetrious Johnson, takes on Olympic gold medallist, Henry Cejudo, in what promises to be a compelling bout matchup between veteran and newcomer. Mighty Mouse has single-handedly cruised through every challenger that he has faced in the UFC, so enigmas have to be raised whether Cejudo will become the odd one out, or just another fallen victim to DJ's immense technique.

Both Segio & Anthony Pettis have trained
with Jones for this fight camp, all three
fight this Saturday at UFC 197.

Tomorrow's nights intriguing match-ups do not stop there. Prior to the co-main event, taekwondo specialists Anthony Pettis and Edson Barboza will face off in a bout the could go down one of two ways; an amazing fight, or an horrendous fight. Linking back to Pettis' latest defeat against Eddie Alvarez in which many fans were not impressed in the manor Alvarez won the fight as expectations were dampened on by reality. Two middleweights both on four-fight winning streaks will collide as Robert Whittaker looks to put on another impressive performance against BJJ black belt Rafael Natal. Finally, the on to watch is the lightweight bout that kicks starts the main card. Two unorthodox, diverse stand up artists in Yair Rodriquez and Andre Fili clash and look to both provide an impressive performance to set up a strong start to this highly anticipated card.

UFC 196 Review: Matches to make for the victors of Saturdays nights shocks.

Wow. What a night. Repeated by many already, but gob-smacked and a lack of words was the only you could sum up the main, and co-main event of UFC 196. How the world of MMA can be flipped on its head in such little time. Amazing.

Tabloids coming out with "The end of the UFC," "The end of the McGregor era" and "The downfall of UFC 200" are all wrong. Saturday was a fantastic night for the UFC, and one which will certainly go down as a key date in the memory books. It was the perfect example of why we all love the unpredictably of MMA, and what makes it so peculiar compared to other sports.

Diaz drinking shots in Cabo
San Lucas, Mexico. Just a few weeks
before his fight with McGregor.

Let's start with the what I titled as "The Celtic Cross meeting The Stockton Slap.” Now don't worry, I won't ramble on about whole ins and outs of what occurred in that main event on Saturday night, so a brief summary will do. Diaz takes McGregor on eleven days notice, gets bloodied up in the first, chokes him out in the second, and then delivers what may be one of the best post-fight speeches of all time in "I'm not surprised motherfuckers."

Even though rumours spread that Diaz was training for a triathlon, judging by his recent Instagram post, this didn't seem to be the case. "I wasn't trainjng for a triathalon before this fight I was on a yacht in cabo gettin my chillax on wit my dudes." Diaz captioned a video showing drinking a shot of liquor on a yahct with his buddies.

Firas Zahabi hints at GSP's return on Twitter.

It almost feels as if Diaz is a champion now after he 'demoted' McGregor at 196. He won the McGregor belt in which Conor commonly referred to. Usually fighting at 155, Diaz faced McGregor at 170-pounds due to the short notice in which he received. Questions are being asked if Diaz's next bout will take place at 170, and potential opponents have already started to pop up. And no, I'm not just speaking about Lawler. Although that fight would be one that appeals to all MMA fans, an opponent with a greater status is coming to mind. Georges "Rush" ST PIERRE! After an interview with Nate Diaz surfaced from bjpenn.com, Firas Zahabi tweeted this. Now don't get me wrong, this isn't the first time GSP has hinted at a comeback to the UFC, and it most likely certainly won't be the last.  However, I will just leave this open for interpretation, with no fights yet announced for UFC 200, this bout would indefinitely be one to kick-start the show!

UFC 196: The Celtic Cross meets The Stockton Slap

What was UFC 197 turned into UFC 196. What was Rafael Dos Anjos then turned into Nate Diaz. What was a lightweight title fight has now turned into a welterweight bout. The hectic world of MMA just never seizes to disappoints. In just four days, Conor McGregor is set to take on Nate Diaz at the main event of UFC 196 in what promises to be a compelling match up.

McGregor and Diaz face off at the UFC 196 Press Conference.

Although it has only been a week since Diaz was announced as McGregor's new opponent, there has (not surprisingly) been much animosity between the pair already. Heated exchanges had already begun just a few days later at the UFC 196 press conference with McGregor referring to Diaz as a "cholo gangster," and Diaz boldly stating that not only McGregor, but everyone in the UFC is "on steroids." However, enough of the hyper, and let's get down to the nitty gritty stuff, the fight. It is the first time in McGregor's MMA career that he takes on someone who is taller than him. Often known for his great height and reach whilst competing in the featherweight division, this is no longer the case when he steps into the cage on March 5th. Diaz will hold a three-inch height, and two-inch reach advantage over McGregor, which could be play a key part in Diaz's long fighting style, and keeping McGregor at bay where Diaz can hit, and not be hit. In his last fight against Michael Johnson, Diaz put on a boxing clinic in which he outclassed Johnson to gain a fight of the night bonus. However, standing and trading in the pocket is not only one of Diaz's best traits, he also has a magnificent ground game and slick Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to match. It will be interesting to see if Diaz does shoot for a takedown and attempt a submission, although very unlikely and uncharacteristic of his game, it is without a doubt a possibility.

Diaz calls out McGregor explicitly after his
win vs Michael Johnson in December.

For Conor, adaptation may be his biggest strength coming into this fight. McGregor has shown whilst being in the UFC that he can fight moving forwards, on the ground and also moving backwards. Just take a look at his fight versus Dustin Poirier, although it only lasted less than two minutes, McGregor maintained octagon control throughout, kept Poirier on the outside, and fought on the offense the whole fight. Then his fight against Max Holloway, the only time McGregor has never finished an opponent, but for a valuable reason, he tore his ACL during the fight. Due to this, McGregor was forced to bring the fight to the ground, as it was hard to pivot from his knee to gain punching power. Once he brought Holloway down (which he did with ease) he was able to pass his guard comfortably. That fight is one which many UFC fans forget about Conor's ground game, they seem to focus on his fight with Chad, and ignore his fight with Holloway in which he overcame versatility tremendously. Finally, I won't even need to talk about McGregor's ability to fight moving backwards, because we all saw what happened when he dropped Aldo, and that speaks for itself.

When Dos Anjos pulled out of this card with a foot injury, it felt like UFC 189 was happening all over again. However, as Nate Diaz steps in to save the show, some have argued their excitement for this card has been even more hyperbolic. How many left hand shots can Diaz absorb from The Notorious one? Will McGregor be lured in by Diaz's flipping of the bird and Stockton slapping? We will all find out on March 5th in what is set up to be another historic date for the UFC.