Donald Cerrone, ranked No. 3 in the lightweight division, returns to the UFC's Octagon on Sunday after just 15 days away from the structure.
Cerrone defeated young gun Myles Jury at UFC 182 and then got the call to replace Eddie Alvarez for a fight with No. 5-ranked contender Benson Henderson. It will be the third meeting for the two former WEC standouts.
Their first meeting was an epic encounter for the interim WEC lightweight title. The back-and-forth battle put both lightweights on the map. Henderson got the edge on the scorecards after 25 minutes of fantastic MMA action. Their second fight was a bit shorter as Henderson locked up a tight guillotine and got the tap from Cerrone.
Nearly five years later, here we are.UFC Fight Night 59 will see the two Top Five lightweights go at it again, but this time it will only be a three-round co-main event bout. Will that make a difference? Let's break it all down for this incredible matchup that fell into our laps.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2329435-benson-henderson-vs-donald-cerrone-iii-head-to-toe-breakdown
Thursday, 15 January 2015
Jon Jones Spends Only One Night in Rehab, Will Attend Brothers' Football Game
Jon Jones didn't undergo extensive rehabilitation after testing positive for cocaine in December, according to his mother, Camille Jones.
The reigning UFC light heavyweight champ has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons lately. After Jones defeated Daniel Cormier at UFC 182, it was revealed that Jones had tested positive for benzoylecgonine, the main metabolite for cocaine, in a random drug test before the fight.
Due to the positive test being out of competition, the Nevada State Athletic Commission couldn't hand out a punishment. Jones was permitted to take the fight after passing a subsequent test, per Yahoo Sports' Kevin Iole.
The NSAC also wasn't required to release information regarding the failed drug test to the public, given the time gap and the out-of-competition testing.
Jones released a statement to Yahoo Sports through his attorney in which the 27-year-old champ announced he had entered a drug treatment facility, where he would be taking the treatment program "very seriously."
During an interview with CBS affiliate WBNG-TV in Binghamton, New York, Jones' mother said her son's stay in rehab lasted one night but that he is "continuing to get more educated on the subject."
"I'm glad that this happened to Jon," said Camille. "This stopped him in his tracks. This let him know that he may need to change some friends, because everyone is not for you, for the best."
Jones is expected to attend Sunday's AFC Championship Game to watch his brothers, New England Patriots defensive end Chandler Jones and Indianapolis Colts defensive end Arthur Jones, play against each other in a matchup that will decide which team goes to the Super Bowl.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2328193-jon-jones-only-spends-one-night-in-rehab-will-attend-brothers-football-game
The reigning UFC light heavyweight champ has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons lately. After Jones defeated Daniel Cormier at UFC 182, it was revealed that Jones had tested positive for benzoylecgonine, the main metabolite for cocaine, in a random drug test before the fight.
Due to the positive test being out of competition, the Nevada State Athletic Commission couldn't hand out a punishment. Jones was permitted to take the fight after passing a subsequent test, per Yahoo Sports' Kevin Iole.
The NSAC also wasn't required to release information regarding the failed drug test to the public, given the time gap and the out-of-competition testing.
Jones released a statement to Yahoo Sports through his attorney in which the 27-year-old champ announced he had entered a drug treatment facility, where he would be taking the treatment program "very seriously."
During an interview with CBS affiliate WBNG-TV in Binghamton, New York, Jones' mother said her son's stay in rehab lasted one night but that he is "continuing to get more educated on the subject."
"I'm glad that this happened to Jon," said Camille. "This stopped him in his tracks. This let him know that he may need to change some friends, because everyone is not for you, for the best."
Jones is expected to attend Sunday's AFC Championship Game to watch his brothers, New England Patriots defensive end Chandler Jones and Indianapolis Colts defensive end Arthur Jones, play against each other in a matchup that will decide which team goes to the Super Bowl.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2328193-jon-jones-only-spends-one-night-in-rehab-will-attend-brothers-football-game
Dillashaw vs. Barao 2 and the Return of "Rampage" Jackson Rumored for UFC 186
It looks like the UFC bantamweight title will be on the line in addition to a former champion making his return when the Octagon rolls through Montreal for UFC 186.
While there has yet to be an official announcement on either bout, UFC Tonight's Ariel Helwani reported on Wednesday the event will be headlined with the long-awaited rematch between champion T.J. Dillashaw and former titleholder Renan Barao.
The Team Alpha Male staple upset the Brazilian striker when they initially squared off at UFC 173 back in May, and the Nova Uniao representative was given an immediate rematch that would take place at UFC 177 four months later in Sacramento, California.Yet "The Baron" would be pulled from the card for medical reasons, and his chance to reclaim the 135-pound title would get thrown on the scrap pile. The newly minted champion would go on to defeat promotional newcomer Joe Soto in the main event, and the former pound-for-pound ranked Brazilian would derail surging prospect Mitch Gagnon in his next outing at Fight Night 58 back in December.
While the next title opportunity was set to go to former champion Dominick Cruz, "The Dominator" suffered another knee injury and was once again pushed to the sidelines, where he's been for the better part of the past three years. Cruz's injury opened the door for Barao to get a chance for redemption, and it appears he will get precisely that at UFC 186 in Montreal.
In addition to the main event title tilt, Helwani also broke another rumored bout for the UFC's return to Quebec with Quinton "Rampage" Jackson versus Fabio Maldonado.It was recently announced the former light heavyweight champion had officially re-signed with the UFC, and if Helwani's report comes to fruition, the bout with the scrappy Brazilian will be his first under the organization's banner since he was defeated by Glover Teixeira at UFC on Fox 6 in January 2013. Jackson would go on to sign with Bellator, where the former Pride fighter found victory in all three of his showings for the Los Angeles-based organization.
The 36-year-old knockout artist made headlines around the sport by returning to the UFC, but his existing contract issues with Bellator could very well create some obstacles on his way to the Octagon. According to Marc Raimondi of MMA Fighting, Bellator CEO Scott Coker has publicly stated that Jackson is still under contract with the promotion and they have no plans of letting him out of that agreement to compete in the UFC.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2330506-dillashaw-vs-barao-2-and-the-return-of-rampage-jackson-rumored-for-ufc-186
While there has yet to be an official announcement on either bout, UFC Tonight's Ariel Helwani reported on Wednesday the event will be headlined with the long-awaited rematch between champion T.J. Dillashaw and former titleholder Renan Barao.
The Team Alpha Male staple upset the Brazilian striker when they initially squared off at UFC 173 back in May, and the Nova Uniao representative was given an immediate rematch that would take place at UFC 177 four months later in Sacramento, California.Yet "The Baron" would be pulled from the card for medical reasons, and his chance to reclaim the 135-pound title would get thrown on the scrap pile. The newly minted champion would go on to defeat promotional newcomer Joe Soto in the main event, and the former pound-for-pound ranked Brazilian would derail surging prospect Mitch Gagnon in his next outing at Fight Night 58 back in December.
While the next title opportunity was set to go to former champion Dominick Cruz, "The Dominator" suffered another knee injury and was once again pushed to the sidelines, where he's been for the better part of the past three years. Cruz's injury opened the door for Barao to get a chance for redemption, and it appears he will get precisely that at UFC 186 in Montreal.
In addition to the main event title tilt, Helwani also broke another rumored bout for the UFC's return to Quebec with Quinton "Rampage" Jackson versus Fabio Maldonado.It was recently announced the former light heavyweight champion had officially re-signed with the UFC, and if Helwani's report comes to fruition, the bout with the scrappy Brazilian will be his first under the organization's banner since he was defeated by Glover Teixeira at UFC on Fox 6 in January 2013. Jackson would go on to sign with Bellator, where the former Pride fighter found victory in all three of his showings for the Los Angeles-based organization.
The 36-year-old knockout artist made headlines around the sport by returning to the UFC, but his existing contract issues with Bellator could very well create some obstacles on his way to the Octagon. According to Marc Raimondi of MMA Fighting, Bellator CEO Scott Coker has publicly stated that Jackson is still under contract with the promotion and they have no plans of letting him out of that agreement to compete in the UFC.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2330506-dillashaw-vs-barao-2-and-the-return-of-rampage-jackson-rumored-for-ufc-186
UFC and Reebok: A Detailed Look at the UFC's New Athlete Outfitting Policy
LAS VEGAS — On Wednesday, the Ultimate Fighting Championship outlined its new Athlete Outfitting Policy in a document sent to managers of all fighters currently on the roster.
The document, obtained by Bleacher Report, details nearly every aspect of the new policy with the exception of what each fighter can expect to be paid from the new UFC partnership with Reebok. But while the monetary details remain a mystery, the document answers many questions posed after the announcement of the deal—first reported by Bleacher Report last February—late last year.
The document opens with a letter from UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta and UFC President Dana White explaining some of the reasoning behind the partnership.
"The iconic look that will be created by the outfitting policy will elevate the message we communicate as the leaders in the sport," White and Fertitta said in the letter. "The apparel is built for MMA training and MMA fighting, bringing the newest technology available to our sport."
The newly created UFC Equipment Department is overseen by Ember Morr, vice president of Consumer Products. Beginning with this weekend's Boston card, the promotion will hold mandatory "informational sessions" with each fighter participating on the card that will detail the program and answer any questions they may have. They'll also begin working with each fighter to develop styles for their individual merchandise. These sessions will be overseen by Tracey Bleczinski, senior vice president of the Consumer Products Department.
The new UFC Equipment Department will have a team stationed at each fight card. The positions are as follows: equipment director, three equipment managers and an equipment coordinator. The responsibilities of these new positions are not specified in the document.
Fighters ranked in the UFC's official rankings will be the first to pick the color of their products. For a bout between two ranked fighters, the higher ranked fighter receives first selection; the lower-ranked fighter is required to pick a contrasting color. Unranked fighters will work with matchmakers to select a color. Upon arriving in the host city and checking in with Zuffa officials, each fighter will be issued Reebok products to wear for open workouts, media day, weigh-ins and press conferences. This product handout will include: a gym bag, a hoodie, a T-shirt, workout shorts, weigh-in shorts, weigh-in walkout sweatpants, a weigh-in T-shirt, weigh-in walkout hoodie, a weigh-in hat, underwear, socks and shoes. Female fighters will also receive sports bras.
Each fighter's corner people are also required to wear Reebok material, and they will receive the gear upon check-in. If a fighter's corner refuses to wear the product, their fighter will be subject to "penalties, fines and may be removed from the fight."
For open workouts, each fighter is required to select clothing from the following list: hoodie, T-shirt, workout shorts, underwear, socks and shoes. Female fighters will wear a sports bra.
For press conferences, fighters are allowed to wear Reebok/UFC apparel, or they may opt to wear business or business casual attire with no visible logos or trademarks.
For weigh-ins, fighters must select from the walkout product given to them upon check-in.Upon arrival at the fight venue, each fighter will receive: fight shorts, walkout shirt, walkout hoodie, walkout hat and walkout sweatpants. Female fighters will receive their fight sports bra and fight tank top. Fight shorts will either be vale-tudo or board-short style, and no bikini-style shorts are allowed.
The document states that "fighters are paid for complying with the policy. Fighters are paid by the UFC within 10 business days of their fight. Fighters are paid based on the UFC fighter pay scale and their official ranking at the time of weigh-in."
Fighters are responsible for replacement costs for lost merchandise. If a fighter does not wear the merchandise, they will be subject to penalties ranging from monetary fines all the way to being removed from the fight. Each penalty will be based on the individual infraction.
The UFC logo may not be covered in any way, and outside logos may not be added to any product. But the UFC does reserve the right to add a sponsor logo to every single product worn by each fighter during the fight week, which leaves space for individual fight card sponsorship from outside sponsors.
If a fighter elects to wear headphones, they must be Octagon by Monster headphones.After each fight, the fighter is required to select one piece of their official walkout gear—the product they physically wore to the Octagon (not including underwear)—and return it to the UFC equipment manager. This could include the hoodie, hat, shorts or anything else worn during the walkout. This portion of the policy leads one to believe the UFC will ramp up its efforts to begin selling "fight-worn" gear from each fighter.
In addition to all fight week-related activities, fighters must also wear Reebok apparel for any UFC-produced show. This includes (but is not limited to): Road to the Octagon, UFC Embedded, UFC Tonight, UFC Countdown, Ultimate Insider and The Ultimate Fighter.
In an FAQ at the end of the document, the promotion gives a quick answer regarding how the money from the Reebok partnership will be divvied up.
"The UFC is distributing the vast majority of the revenue received from this partnership to the athletes," the document says. A percentage of all sales of Reebok gear will be donated to Fight for Peace, a nonprofit organization "which combines boxing & martial arts with education and personal development in communities affected by crime and violence."
The Athlete Outfitting Policy also means the end of in-cage sponsor banners.The policy goes into effect on July 6, 2015, during the UFC's next International Fight Week in Las Vegas. Several UFC stars are already signed to Reebok deals , including Jon Jones , Ronda Rousey , Johny Hendricks , Anthony Pettis and Conor McGregor .
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2330479-ufc-and-reebok-a-detailed-look-at-the-ufcs-new-athlete-outfitting-policy
The document, obtained by Bleacher Report, details nearly every aspect of the new policy with the exception of what each fighter can expect to be paid from the new UFC partnership with Reebok. But while the monetary details remain a mystery, the document answers many questions posed after the announcement of the deal—first reported by Bleacher Report last February—late last year.
The document opens with a letter from UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta and UFC President Dana White explaining some of the reasoning behind the partnership.
"The iconic look that will be created by the outfitting policy will elevate the message we communicate as the leaders in the sport," White and Fertitta said in the letter. "The apparel is built for MMA training and MMA fighting, bringing the newest technology available to our sport."
The newly created UFC Equipment Department is overseen by Ember Morr, vice president of Consumer Products. Beginning with this weekend's Boston card, the promotion will hold mandatory "informational sessions" with each fighter participating on the card that will detail the program and answer any questions they may have. They'll also begin working with each fighter to develop styles for their individual merchandise. These sessions will be overseen by Tracey Bleczinski, senior vice president of the Consumer Products Department.
The new UFC Equipment Department will have a team stationed at each fight card. The positions are as follows: equipment director, three equipment managers and an equipment coordinator. The responsibilities of these new positions are not specified in the document.
Fighters ranked in the UFC's official rankings will be the first to pick the color of their products. For a bout between two ranked fighters, the higher ranked fighter receives first selection; the lower-ranked fighter is required to pick a contrasting color. Unranked fighters will work with matchmakers to select a color. Upon arriving in the host city and checking in with Zuffa officials, each fighter will be issued Reebok products to wear for open workouts, media day, weigh-ins and press conferences. This product handout will include: a gym bag, a hoodie, a T-shirt, workout shorts, weigh-in shorts, weigh-in walkout sweatpants, a weigh-in T-shirt, weigh-in walkout hoodie, a weigh-in hat, underwear, socks and shoes. Female fighters will also receive sports bras.
Each fighter's corner people are also required to wear Reebok material, and they will receive the gear upon check-in. If a fighter's corner refuses to wear the product, their fighter will be subject to "penalties, fines and may be removed from the fight."
For open workouts, each fighter is required to select clothing from the following list: hoodie, T-shirt, workout shorts, underwear, socks and shoes. Female fighters will wear a sports bra.
For press conferences, fighters are allowed to wear Reebok/UFC apparel, or they may opt to wear business or business casual attire with no visible logos or trademarks.
For weigh-ins, fighters must select from the walkout product given to them upon check-in.Upon arrival at the fight venue, each fighter will receive: fight shorts, walkout shirt, walkout hoodie, walkout hat and walkout sweatpants. Female fighters will receive their fight sports bra and fight tank top. Fight shorts will either be vale-tudo or board-short style, and no bikini-style shorts are allowed.
The document states that "fighters are paid for complying with the policy. Fighters are paid by the UFC within 10 business days of their fight. Fighters are paid based on the UFC fighter pay scale and their official ranking at the time of weigh-in."
Fighters are responsible for replacement costs for lost merchandise. If a fighter does not wear the merchandise, they will be subject to penalties ranging from monetary fines all the way to being removed from the fight. Each penalty will be based on the individual infraction.
The UFC logo may not be covered in any way, and outside logos may not be added to any product. But the UFC does reserve the right to add a sponsor logo to every single product worn by each fighter during the fight week, which leaves space for individual fight card sponsorship from outside sponsors.
If a fighter elects to wear headphones, they must be Octagon by Monster headphones.After each fight, the fighter is required to select one piece of their official walkout gear—the product they physically wore to the Octagon (not including underwear)—and return it to the UFC equipment manager. This could include the hoodie, hat, shorts or anything else worn during the walkout. This portion of the policy leads one to believe the UFC will ramp up its efforts to begin selling "fight-worn" gear from each fighter.
In addition to all fight week-related activities, fighters must also wear Reebok apparel for any UFC-produced show. This includes (but is not limited to): Road to the Octagon, UFC Embedded, UFC Tonight, UFC Countdown, Ultimate Insider and The Ultimate Fighter.
In an FAQ at the end of the document, the promotion gives a quick answer regarding how the money from the Reebok partnership will be divvied up.
"The UFC is distributing the vast majority of the revenue received from this partnership to the athletes," the document says. A percentage of all sales of Reebok gear will be donated to Fight for Peace, a nonprofit organization "which combines boxing & martial arts with education and personal development in communities affected by crime and violence."
The Athlete Outfitting Policy also means the end of in-cage sponsor banners.The policy goes into effect on July 6, 2015, during the UFC's next International Fight Week in Las Vegas. Several UFC stars are already signed to Reebok deals , including Jon Jones , Ronda Rousey , Johny Hendricks , Anthony Pettis and Conor McGregor .
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2330479-ufc-and-reebok-a-detailed-look-at-the-ufcs-new-athlete-outfitting-policy
The Question: Will Conor McGregor Cement His Rise to the Top at Fight Night 59?
On Sunday, the Ultimate Fighting Championship presents a novelty Sunday card, following an extensive day of playoff football, in an effort designed to do one thing and one thing only: to make Conor McGregor a household name.
McGregor is already one of the more notable fighters on the UFC roster, which is remarkable considering he has just four fights in the promotion. He has vaulted far past tenured fighters in terms of both salary and screen time. The advertising campaign for UFC Fight Night 59 in Boston centered solely around McGregor, with opponent Dennis Siver relegated to a tiny speck in the background, barely even mentioned.
But it was all for a purpose. With a win, McGregor will move on to face Jose Aldo for the featherweight championship. It will be the UFC's first big-time fight below 145 pounds, and so the McGregor-centric programming will have been worth it.
But in our second edition of The Question, fellow pundit Jonathan Snowden and I try to figure out if this Sunday is indeed the moment when McGregor takes over the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2329840-the-question-will-conor-mcgregor-cement-his-rise-to-the-top-at-fight-night-59
McGregor is already one of the more notable fighters on the UFC roster, which is remarkable considering he has just four fights in the promotion. He has vaulted far past tenured fighters in terms of both salary and screen time. The advertising campaign for UFC Fight Night 59 in Boston centered solely around McGregor, with opponent Dennis Siver relegated to a tiny speck in the background, barely even mentioned.
But it was all for a purpose. With a win, McGregor will move on to face Jose Aldo for the featherweight championship. It will be the UFC's first big-time fight below 145 pounds, and so the McGregor-centric programming will have been worth it.
But in our second edition of The Question, fellow pundit Jonathan Snowden and I try to figure out if this Sunday is indeed the moment when McGregor takes over the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2329840-the-question-will-conor-mcgregor-cement-his-rise-to-the-top-at-fight-night-59
6 Storylines to Follow in La Liga for Weekend of Jan. 16-18
Another weekend of football action is Spain is quickly rolling around, with the matches taking place between Friday and Sunday marking the halfway stage of the 2014-15 season.
La Liga has already brought us many stories, memories and exciting angles this term and now we'll be keeping an eye on developing themes each week, seeing where the big news might come from and which games or teams bear particular watching.
Here are our six storylines to follow for the next few days in Spain's top flight.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2330185-pros-and-cons-of-liverpool-signing-psgs-ezequiel-lavezzi-in-the-january-window
La Liga has already brought us many stories, memories and exciting angles this term and now we'll be keeping an eye on developing themes each week, seeing where the big news might come from and which games or teams bear particular watching.
Here are our six storylines to follow for the next few days in Spain's top flight.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2330185-pros-and-cons-of-liverpool-signing-psgs-ezequiel-lavezzi-in-the-january-window
Pros and Cons of Liverpool Signing PSG's Ezequiel Lavezzi in the January Window
Ezequiel Lavezzi has well-documented recent problems at Paris Saint-Germain, and according to the Telegraph, Liverpool will get a bargain on the Argentinian forward.
Watch Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe discuss with Ryan Bailey how Liverpool should proceed with a Lavezzi deal.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2330185-pros-and-cons-of-liverpool-signing-psgs-ezequiel-lavezzi-in-the-january-window
Watch Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe discuss with Ryan Bailey how Liverpool should proceed with a Lavezzi deal.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2330185-pros-and-cons-of-liverpool-signing-psgs-ezequiel-lavezzi-in-the-january-window
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