Week in MMA & Boxing - 3/10/17
UFC 209 Delivers a DUD
UFC 209, on 3/4 at the T Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, looked to be the biggest show so far this year. Tyron Woodley defending the welterweight title against Stephen Wonderboy Thompson was one of the best fights of 2016, battling to a draw on 11/12 in Madison Square Garden. So many expected that the rematch would be action packed and highly entertaining. Well, the were wrong. For most of the five rounds, neither fighter would engage. It was clear in the first fight that both realized the other could hurt them, and both fought more not to get hurt or lose, and nobody fought to win.
If you were a fan who doesn’t care about action, only seeing two guys compete to see who is the best, this was a close fight with the outcome in doubt the entire time. For everyone else, the fight sucked. this was also the second straight UFC PPV show where the main event didn’t deliver, and had a controversial finish.
If you were a fan who doesn’t care about action, only seeing two guys compete to see who is the best, this was a close fight with the outcome in doubt the entire time. For everyone else, the fight sucked. this was also the second straight UFC PPV show where the main event didn’t deliver, and had a controversial finish.
Thompson was controlling the cage as far as going forward for most of the five rounds. Still, he wasn’t landing much either. Rounds one, two and four had little action. Woodley very clearly won the fifth round, knocked Thompson down twice and was close to finishing him. Still, he only had a 17-13 edge in landed strikes in that round.
There was no dispute that Thompson won one and four and Woodley won three and five. So it came down to round two, which was a close round, and round five, which you could have scored 10-8 for Woodley. Thompson had the fight won, as he was clearly ahead in the fifth round until Woodley finally went for broke and dropped him twice. So Woodley basically pulled the fight out in the last 30 seconds on all three judges’ cards. But even if you had it as a draw, the fight was so bad, Thompson wasn’t going to get another rematch, so he screwed himself by not going out to win a fight that was very much winnable, and essentially he had it won anyway had he not been dropped.
Media scores were 24% for Woodley, 48% a draw and 20% for Thompson. Fan scores were 59% for Thompson, 22% for Woodley and 21% even. In media scores 76% gave Thompson the deciding second round and of fan scores, 83% gave him the second round.
There was no dispute that Thompson won one and four and Woodley won three and five. So it came down to round two, which was a close round, and round five, which you could have scored 10-8 for Woodley. Thompson had the fight won, as he was clearly ahead in the fifth round until Woodley finally went for broke and dropped him twice. So Woodley basically pulled the fight out in the last 30 seconds on all three judges’ cards. But even if you had it as a draw, the fight was so bad, Thompson wasn’t going to get another rematch, so he screwed himself by not going out to win a fight that was very much winnable, and essentially he had it won anyway had he not been dropped.
Media scores were 24% for Woodley, 48% a draw and 20% for Thompson. Fan scores were 59% for Thompson, 22% for Woodley and 21% even. In media scores 76% gave Thompson the deciding second round and of fan scores, 83% gave him the second round.
Khabib Misses Weight
Khabib Nurmagomedov's body shut down while weight cutting when he hit 161 pounds, six pounds off his target. He was taken to the hospital and given an IV. Once he had the IV replenishing fluids, there wasn’t a chance he’d be able to get to 155, so his interim lightweight title fight with Tony Ferguson was off. Nurmagomedov missed out on a guaranteed $500,000 payday by being out of the fight.
With Nurmagomedov, due to religious reasons and Ramadan, he won’t fight after late May. So there’s a time limit to make this fight if they try, and there’s also a matter of his health. There was a lot of interest in Nurmagomedov vs. Ferguson, with a 24-0 fighter against one with a nine fight winning streak. The fight has been seemingly jinxed since it’s the third miss, with Nurmagomedov and Ferguson each pulling out once due to injury.
With Nurmagomedov, due to religious reasons and Ramadan, he won’t fight after late May. So there’s a time limit to make this fight if they try, and there’s also a matter of his health. There was a lot of interest in Nurmagomedov vs. Ferguson, with a 24-0 fighter against one with a nine fight winning streak. The fight has been seemingly jinxed since it’s the third miss, with Nurmagomedov and Ferguson each pulling out once due to injury.
Ferguson Pissed Over Payday
A number of fighters, including Michael Johnson and Eddie Alvarez, said they could make weight and were willing to face Ferguson. Lando Vannata, who had a great fight with Ferguson on late notice with little training, having him hurt badly on more than one occasion, was already on the card and ready. UFC pretty much made the call, by telling Ferguson if he took a different fight, he’d have to fight for less money. Ferguson, because he weighed in, was contracted to get $250,000, and since he weighed in, in theory, should have gotten that.
However, he went on MMA Junkie radio on 3/7 and said he was paid less than half of that. The UFC’s take is that the $250,000 guarantee was tied into the fact he was fighting a championship fight. In Nevada, a promotion isn’t obligated to pay a fighter if the fight is canceled due to an opponent missing weight. The story is that Ferguson was told he’d get paid more if he fought Michael Johnson, and he first accepted the fight, but then turned it down because he would be making less than $250,000, which he saw as his promised show money.
However, he went on MMA Junkie radio on 3/7 and said he was paid less than half of that. The UFC’s take is that the $250,000 guarantee was tied into the fact he was fighting a championship fight. In Nevada, a promotion isn’t obligated to pay a fighter if the fight is canceled due to an opponent missing weight. The story is that Ferguson was told he’d get paid more if he fought Michael Johnson, and he first accepted the fight, but then turned it down because he would be making less than $250,000, which he saw as his promised show money.
Overeem Looks Dominant Again
Alistair Overeem nearly missed the show as well, as he was throwing up for 24 straight hours and taken to the hospital twice before the fight. He was apparently suffering from food poisoning. However, he kept quiet on it, and said he felt better the day of the show, and Overeem ended up finishing Mark Hunt. Should Junior dos Santos win the title from Stipe Miocic on 5/13 in Dallas, Overeem, who knocked out dos Santos on December 19, 2015, would have a strong claim for a title shot. But if Miocic retains, since Miocic knocked out Overeem in September, that would be more difficult to put together.
In the third round, Overeem used knees to the body, then punches, an elbow to the side of the head and a knee to the face, and another knee and Hunt went down and it was stopped. Overeem got $750,000 for the win and Hunt also got $750,000 for the loss.
In the third round, Overeem used knees to the body, then punches, an elbow to the side of the head and a knee to the face, and another knee and Hunt went down and it was stopped. Overeem got $750,000 for the win and Hunt also got $750,000 for the loss.
Michael Bisping vs. Georges St-Pierre
The UFC announced its first true marquee fight of 2017, the Michael Bisping vs. Georges St-Pierre battle for the middleweight title that both fighters have wanted for months and at one point was talked about for the 12/10 show in Toronto.
Dana White confirmed rumors and our reports that the fight was being worked on, saying it was a done deal on ESPN on 3/1. It would makes sense for this to be the main event for International Fight Week, for the 7/8 show at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The UFC is doing shows on both 7/7 and 7/8 in the building, including the Ultimate Fighter finals on FS 1 the night before. It would also make sense to do the Cody Garbrandt vs. T.J. Dillashaw bantamweight title match that weekend. Dana White said they are targeting 7/8 in Las Vegas.
Dana White confirmed rumors and our reports that the fight was being worked on, saying it was a done deal on ESPN on 3/1. It would makes sense for this to be the main event for International Fight Week, for the 7/8 show at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The UFC is doing shows on both 7/7 and 7/8 in the building, including the Ultimate Fighter finals on FS 1 the night before. It would also make sense to do the Cody Garbrandt vs. T.J. Dillashaw bantamweight title match that weekend. Dana White said they are targeting 7/8 in Las Vegas.
Romero and Jacare get Passed Over
Judged purely as a money fight, it makes sense. While Bisping has a number of viable challenges at middleweight, none come close to St-Pierre’s drawing power. The negatives involves the middleweight division, where both Romero and Souza are way overdue for title shots. Romero, who isn’t getting any younger at 39, earned the title shot with a December 12, 2015, win over Souza, although many believe Souza won that fight (only 12 percent of reporters scored the fight for Romero) that it should have been a draw.
Romero beat Weidman on 11/12 in Madison Square Garden via knockout. Bisping had expressed a lack of interest in fighting Romero, believing him to be a steroid cheat. In January, 2016, it was released that Romero had failed a drug test out of competition. When a supplement he used and had put on his form was tested, the offending agent was found (it was not listed as an ingredient in the supplement). Although Bisping and Romero had gone back-and-forth on television after Romero’s win over Weidman, with Bisping working television that night and a big post-match encounter, and again in social media and on Bisping’s podcast where Romero called in, Bisping was never high on doing that fight for the drug test reasons and also for the money reasons.
Romero beat Weidman on 11/12 in Madison Square Garden via knockout. Bisping had expressed a lack of interest in fighting Romero, believing him to be a steroid cheat. In January, 2016, it was released that Romero had failed a drug test out of competition. When a supplement he used and had put on his form was tested, the offending agent was found (it was not listed as an ingredient in the supplement). Although Bisping and Romero had gone back-and-forth on television after Romero’s win over Weidman, with Bisping working television that night and a big post-match encounter, and again in social media and on Bisping’s podcast where Romero called in, Bisping was never high on doing that fight for the drug test reasons and also for the money reasons.
Another aspect is if GSP wins. Bisping just turned 38 this past week. He’s made his big rep beating the injured Rockhold and older Henderson and Anderson Silva in an incredible series of wins. In his entire career up until 2016, he never beat anyone close to the level of those three fighters. When he won the title, he was viewed as a very beatable champion, someone that every top contender in the division would have been favored over.
If GSP wins, that would make him champion in a division with the likes of Romero, Souza, Rockhold, Bisping, Weidman, Gegard Mousasi, Derek Brunson and Anderson Silva. These are all fighters who are simply too big for GSP. It is possible GSP can beat Bisping, but he has no business fighting the top five guys at middleweight just as a match with Anderson Silva never made sense, as marketable as it was, because it was simply unfair from a size perspective. But a GSP fight in particular with someone like Romero or Rockhold seems ridiculous on the surface. Yes, Romero is long overdue for that title shot and if GSP wins, that would be the person he should face next.
If GSP wins, that would make him champion in a division with the likes of Romero, Souza, Rockhold, Bisping, Weidman, Gegard Mousasi, Derek Brunson and Anderson Silva. These are all fighters who are simply too big for GSP. It is possible GSP can beat Bisping, but he has no business fighting the top five guys at middleweight just as a match with Anderson Silva never made sense, as marketable as it was, because it was simply unfair from a size perspective. But a GSP fight in particular with someone like Romero or Rockhold seems ridiculous on the surface. Yes, Romero is long overdue for that title shot and if GSP wins, that would be the person he should face next.
Is GSP Still a Big Draw?
There’s also the question of what GSP will mean. GSP was formerly the most popular athlete in Canada. He was the biggest drawing card in Canada for UFC, to the point that the entire Canadian UFC business and popularity took a turn downward in 2013 when he left the sport.
Can he come back and have that same level of interest? That’s a hard question to answer. GSP was doing 600,000 to 800,000 buys as welterweight champion. GSP challenging for the title doubles the intrigue. GSP is a far superior fighter to Bisping on a pound-for-pound and skill basis when both were at their primes, and Bisping is older than GSP and has taken real punishment in many of his recent fights. Bisping’s edges are based on being physically bigger and having fought top guys on a regular basis for these last three-and-a-half years, but not being a superior athlete or more skilled fighter. The question is did the GSP fan base either move on or lose interest in him? Usually when a legend returns and the curiosity is big, the drawing power would be up. But all circumstances are different and GSP’s drawing power was always him being a dominant champion who was going to shut the mouth of a big-mouth challenger and make them eat their words. He hasn’t been that dominant champion in years.
Can he come back and have that same level of interest? That’s a hard question to answer. GSP was doing 600,000 to 800,000 buys as welterweight champion. GSP challenging for the title doubles the intrigue. GSP is a far superior fighter to Bisping on a pound-for-pound and skill basis when both were at their primes, and Bisping is older than GSP and has taken real punishment in many of his recent fights. Bisping’s edges are based on being physically bigger and having fought top guys on a regular basis for these last three-and-a-half years, but not being a superior athlete or more skilled fighter. The question is did the GSP fan base either move on or lose interest in him? Usually when a legend returns and the curiosity is big, the drawing power would be up. But all circumstances are different and GSP’s drawing power was always him being a dominant champion who was going to shut the mouth of a big-mouth challenger and make them eat their words. He hasn’t been that dominant champion in years.
UFC on FS1 - 2/19 Review
Derrick Lewis scored his sixth win in a row, the longest such streak in the UFC’s heavyweight division, as he overcame what appeared to be a rib injury to finish Travis Browne in the second round on the 2/19 show in Halifax. Nova Scotia.
Lewis later claimed he wasn’t hurt, had to do a No. 2, and mentioned something about feeling tired due to overtraining and too much sex. He made a reference to wanting Ronda Rousey’s “fine ass” (Rousey is Browne’s girlfriend) and noted he knew he’d win because Browne beats up women so he knew he had more heart than him. Later, when questions were asked about ref Mario Yamasaki stopping the fight late, Lewis said he was happy because he wanted to get more punches in on the guy for beating women.
Lewis may be groomed for Alistair Overeem after his win over Mark Hunt.
Lewis later claimed he wasn’t hurt, had to do a No. 2, and mentioned something about feeling tired due to overtraining and too much sex. He made a reference to wanting Ronda Rousey’s “fine ass” (Rousey is Browne’s girlfriend) and noted he knew he’d win because Browne beats up women so he knew he had more heart than him. Later, when questions were asked about ref Mario Yamasaki stopping the fight late, Lewis said he was happy because he wanted to get more punches in on the guy for beating women.
Lewis may be groomed for Alistair Overeem after his win over Mark Hunt.
Ben Rothwell USADA violation
The UFC announced that Ben Rothwell had a USADA violation stemming from a test on 2/6 and is on a provisional suspension. Rothwell was to face Fabricio Werdum on the 5/13 show in Dallas. Rothwell claimed he was under the care of a physician and was trying to overcome an illness, and that he had not cheated. Rothwell was one of the fighters with an exemption for testosterone before UFC banned such a thing.
In 2013, Rothwell was put on a nine month suspension because his testosterone levels were too high, an indication of abusing that exemption.
In 2013, Rothwell was put on a nine month suspension because his testosterone levels were too high, an indication of abusing that exemption.
Other News
- Two bouts were added to the FOX show on 4/15 from Kansas City. The main event will be Demetrious Johnson vs. Wilson Reis for the flyweight title. The story here is that Johnson will be attempting to tie Anderson Silva’s UFC record of ten straight title defenses.
- It was an interesting decision to put Reis in the match instead of Joseph Benavidez. It appeared Benavidez, who has won six straight, would get the shot after beating Henry Cejudo in what was the top two contenders against each other. Johnson has twice beaten Benavidez, a knockout win in 2013 and a decision win in 2012.
- Ronaldo Jacare Souza vs. Robert Whittaker was also added which is a big match because Whittaker can take Souza’s place as far as deserving a title shot with the win.
- Michelle Waterson vs. Rose Namajunas was already announced for FOX.
- Demian Maia said that the reason he took the fight with Jorge Masvidal on 5/13 in Dallas, after saying he was sitting out and waiting for the winner of the 3/4 main event, is because he was told that if he didn’t take the fight, he wouldn’t get the next title fight.
- Another strong fight UFC is working on for the show is Eddie Alvarez vs. Dustin Poirier, which out understanding was is not completely finalized.
- Myles Jury vs. Mike De La Torre has been added to the 4/8 show in Buffalo.
- The UFC reached a deal to be a prime tenant at the T Mobile Arena for the next seven years. Essentially that means they are promising to run a minimum four shows in the building in Las Vegas each year, that it will be their home base and the arena will have photos and UFC memorabilia.
- Sergio Pettis vs. Henry Cejudo and former WSOF middleweight and light heavyweight champion David Branch’s return to UFC will be no that show against Krzysztof Jotko, who is 19-1, recently beat Thales Leites and is on a five-fight winning streak.
This Weekend's Show
This week’s show is an FS 1 show on 3/11 from Fortaleza, Brazil.
The show starts at 7 p.m. Eastern time on Fight Pass with Paulo Borrachinha (5-0) vs. Garreth McLellan (13-5), and Rony Jason (14-6) vs. Jeremy Kennedy (9-0).
The FS 1 fights start at 8 p.m. with Josh Burkman (28-14) vs. Michel Prazeres (21-2), Joe Soto (16-5) vs. Rani Yahya (23-8), Sergio Moraes (11-2-1) vs. Davi Ramos (6-1), Kevin Lee (12-2) vs. Francisco Trinaldo (21-4), Tim Means (26-7-1) vs. Alex Oliveira (15-4-1), Bethe Correia (10-2) vs. Marion Reneau (7-3), Ray Borg (10-2) vs. Jussier Formiga (19-4), Edson Barboza (18-4) vs. Beneil Dariush (14-2), Mauricio Shogun Rua (24-10) vs. Gian Villante (15-7) and a main event of Vitor Belfort (25-13) vs. Kelvin Gastelum (13-2)
The show starts at 7 p.m. Eastern time on Fight Pass with Paulo Borrachinha (5-0) vs. Garreth McLellan (13-5), and Rony Jason (14-6) vs. Jeremy Kennedy (9-0).
The FS 1 fights start at 8 p.m. with Josh Burkman (28-14) vs. Michel Prazeres (21-2), Joe Soto (16-5) vs. Rani Yahya (23-8), Sergio Moraes (11-2-1) vs. Davi Ramos (6-1), Kevin Lee (12-2) vs. Francisco Trinaldo (21-4), Tim Means (26-7-1) vs. Alex Oliveira (15-4-1), Bethe Correia (10-2) vs. Marion Reneau (7-3), Ray Borg (10-2) vs. Jussier Formiga (19-4), Edson Barboza (18-4) vs. Beneil Dariush (14-2), Mauricio Shogun Rua (24-10) vs. Gian Villante (15-7) and a main event of Vitor Belfort (25-13) vs. Kelvin Gastelum (13-2)