Week in MMA & Boxing #26
MMA & Boxing News From the week of
January 29th - February 6th, 2016
January 29th - February 6th, 2016
Canelo vs Khan
WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) will make his first title defense of 2016 against former two-time world champion and resurgent contender Amir “King” Khan (31-3, 19 KOs) on May 7, Cinco De Mayo weekend, in a match-up of two of the biggest stars in boxing. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View.
The fight will be at a catch-weight of 155lbs, and Canelo’s WBC middleweight title will be on the line for the fight.
WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) will make his first title defense of 2016 against former two-time world champion and resurgent contender Amir “King” Khan (31-3, 19 KOs) on May 7, Cinco De Mayo weekend, in a match-up of two of the biggest stars in boxing. The event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View.
The fight will be at a catch-weight of 155lbs, and Canelo’s WBC middleweight title will be on the line for the fight.
UFC on FOX Recap
The main event was anything but a shocker. Favorite Anthony “Rumble” Johnson started 2016 the same way he started 2015. He fought in the main event on FOX, and quickly blew out his opponent and established himself as the next person in line for a UFC light heavyweight title shot.
The win by Rothwell creates a logjam in the heavyweight division. With Fabricio Werdum out the next several months due to assorted injuries, it’s up in the air who he should face next. He was scheduled to face Cain Velasquez, who is undergoing back surgery, but it expected to be ready about the same time Werdum will be ready. But since Velasquez was given the shot, Stipe Miocic, Alistair Overeem and Rothwell have all scored strong victories over leading contenders. Miocic stopped Andrei Arlovski in the first round. Overeem knocked out Junior Dos Santos, and Rothwell submitted Barnett.
Josh Barnett, who had never lost to a submission hold in his 19-year MMA career, was tapped out by a guillotine by Ben Rothwell, who had only one submission win in the last eight years.
The win by Rothwell creates a logjam in the heavyweight division. With Fabricio Werdum out the next several months due to assorted injuries, it’s up in the air who he should face next. He was scheduled to face Cain Velasquez, who is undergoing back surgery, but it expected to be ready about the same time Werdum will be ready. But since Velasquez was given the shot, Stipe Miocic, Alistair Overeem and Rothwell have all scored strong victories over leading contenders. Miocic stopped Andrei Arlovski in the first round. Overeem knocked out Junior Dos Santos, and Rothwell submitted Barnett.
The main event was anything but a shocker. Favorite Anthony “Rumble” Johnson started 2016 the same way he started 2015. He fought in the main event on FOX, and quickly blew out his opponent and established himself as the next person in line for a UFC light heavyweight title shot.
The win by Rothwell creates a logjam in the heavyweight division. With Fabricio Werdum out the next several months due to assorted injuries, it’s up in the air who he should face next. He was scheduled to face Cain Velasquez, who is undergoing back surgery, but it expected to be ready about the same time Werdum will be ready. But since Velasquez was given the shot, Stipe Miocic, Alistair Overeem and Rothwell have all scored strong victories over leading contenders. Miocic stopped Andrei Arlovski in the first round. Overeem knocked out Junior Dos Santos, and Rothwell submitted Barnett.
Josh Barnett, who had never lost to a submission hold in his 19-year MMA career, was tapped out by a guillotine by Ben Rothwell, who had only one submission win in the last eight years.
The win by Rothwell creates a logjam in the heavyweight division. With Fabricio Werdum out the next several months due to assorted injuries, it’s up in the air who he should face next. He was scheduled to face Cain Velasquez, who is undergoing back surgery, but it expected to be ready about the same time Werdum will be ready. But since Velasquez was given the shot, Stipe Miocic, Alistair Overeem and Rothwell have all scored strong victories over leading contenders. Miocic stopped Andrei Arlovski in the first round. Overeem knocked out Junior Dos Santos, and Rothwell submitted Barnett.
Sage Hype Machine Unplugged
Sage Northcutt became the second half of the “Sage and Paige” connection to fall after extensive hype and promotion, largely based on looks. Northcutt’s loss via an arm triangle executed by Bryan Barbarena, while Northcutt had him in half guard, was heavily questioned when it was over. It’s not a move from that position that is expected to be a submission. He was heavily criticized by fighters for tapping too easily.
At 19, the feeling is, he can improve his skills. But if he’s someone who gives up quickly under duress, he will never be a championship fighter.
Sage Northcutt became the second half of the “Sage and Paige” connection to fall after extensive hype and promotion, largely based on looks. Northcutt’s loss via an arm triangle executed by Bryan Barbarena, while Northcutt had him in half guard, was heavily questioned when it was over. It’s not a move from that position that is expected to be a submission. He was heavily criticized by fighters for tapping too easily.
At 19, the feeling is, he can improve his skills. But if he’s someone who gives up quickly under duress, he will never be a championship fighter.
The Numbers
The FOX show drew 2,685,000 viewers. Last year’s Johnson vs. Gustafsson fight did 3,049,000 viewers, but Gustafsson, coming off his close loss to Jones, was going to be a far bigger draw in the main event spot then Bader.
Even though the January show usually does well because it’s promoted during football season, I didn’t see Johnson vs. Bader as much of a draw. Plus, the quick ending meant the fights ended early, so there was less time to build an audience. It’s slightly below the 2,745,000 to 2,780,000 range that the previous three shows on FOX did, and was the lowest number since the Robbie Lawler vs. Matt Brown show on July 26, 2014, did 2.5 million. It slightly beat the Danny Garcia vs. Robert Guerrero boxing match in the same time slot on FOX the week before, which did 2.5 million viewers.
On the flip side, the prelims, headlined by Jake Ellenberger vs. Tarec Saffiediene, airing from 5-8 p.m. on FS 1, did 702,000 viewers. While some FOX shows have the network airing the prelims, of the shows where FS 1 has aired the prelims, this was the best number in two years.
The live attendance was announced as 10,555, well under capacity, with a gate of $818,000. They ran the same arena on 4/19 with Luke Rockhold vs. Lyoto Machida and drew 13,306 paying $1.2 million, but UFC usually drops when running an arena besides Las Vegas twice in less than a year.
The FOX show drew 2,685,000 viewers. Last year’s Johnson vs. Gustafsson fight did 3,049,000 viewers, but Gustafsson, coming off his close loss to Jones, was going to be a far bigger draw in the main event spot then Bader.
Even though the January show usually does well because it’s promoted during football season, I didn’t see Johnson vs. Bader as much of a draw. Plus, the quick ending meant the fights ended early, so there was less time to build an audience. It’s slightly below the 2,745,000 to 2,780,000 range that the previous three shows on FOX did, and was the lowest number since the Robbie Lawler vs. Matt Brown show on July 26, 2014, did 2.5 million. It slightly beat the Danny Garcia vs. Robert Guerrero boxing match in the same time slot on FOX the week before, which did 2.5 million viewers.
On the flip side, the prelims, headlined by Jake Ellenberger vs. Tarec Saffiediene, airing from 5-8 p.m. on FS 1, did 702,000 viewers. While some FOX shows have the network airing the prelims, of the shows where FS 1 has aired the prelims, this was the best number in two years.
The live attendance was announced as 10,555, well under capacity, with a gate of $818,000. They ran the same arena on 4/19 with Luke Rockhold vs. Lyoto Machida and drew 13,306 paying $1.2 million, but UFC usually drops when running an arena besides Las Vegas twice in less than a year.
Benson signs with Bellator
Former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson announced on 2/1 that he had signed a contract with Bellator MMA and it was announced the next day that he will be challenging for the welterweight title in his debut.
ESPN reported the next day that Henderson’s debut would be challenging welterweight champion Andrey Koreshkov in the main event on 4/22 of a show at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT.
The next person to watch out for would be Alistair Overeem, who Scott Coker has worked with in the past, and would immediately be Bellator’s top heavyweight if he signed. Overeem, coming off his knockout win over Junior Dos Santos, had good timing for when his contract expired and can play both sides against each other. Overeem already had one of the better non-championship contracts in UFC.
Former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson announced on 2/1 that he had signed a contract with Bellator MMA and it was announced the next day that he will be challenging for the welterweight title in his debut.
ESPN reported the next day that Henderson’s debut would be challenging welterweight champion Andrey Koreshkov in the main event on 4/22 of a show at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT.
The next person to watch out for would be Alistair Overeem, who Scott Coker has worked with in the past, and would immediately be Bellator’s top heavyweight if he signed. Overeem, coming off his knockout win over Junior Dos Santos, had good timing for when his contract expired and can play both sides against each other. Overeem already had one of the better non-championship contracts in UFC.
MMA Awards
Holly Holm won four different awards at tonight’s World MMA Awards in Las Vegas. Holm was awarded Female Fighter of the Year, Upset of the Year, Knockout of the Year and Breakthrough Fighter of the Year. The show was taped in Las Vegas for TV on FS 2.
Award winners:
Knockout of the Year: Holly Holm vs. Ronda Rousey
Media Source of the Year: MMAFighting.com
Submission of the Year: Ronda Rousey vs. Cat Zingano
Fight of the Year: Robbie Lawler vs. Rory MacDonald
Coach of the Year: Rafael Cordeiro
Reporter of the Year: Ariel Helwani
Gym of the Year: Jackson/Winkeljohn
Leading Man: Dana White
Comeback of the Year: Eddie Alvarez vs. Gilbert Melendez
Trainer of the Year: Mike Dolce
Lifetime Achievement Award: Bruce Buffer
Promotion of the Year: UFC
Analyst of the Year: Dominick Cruz
Referee of the Year: John McCarthy
Upset of the Year: Holly Holm vs. Ronda Rousey
Best program: UFC Embedded
Breakthrough Fighter of the Year: Holly Holm
Ringcard Girl of the Year: Arianny Celeste (who in her speech said this was the silliest award)
Male Fighter of the Year: Conor McGregor, who cut a taped heel promo
Female Fighter of the Year: Holly Holm
Holly Holm won four different awards at tonight’s World MMA Awards in Las Vegas. Holm was awarded Female Fighter of the Year, Upset of the Year, Knockout of the Year and Breakthrough Fighter of the Year. The show was taped in Las Vegas for TV on FS 2.
Award winners:
Knockout of the Year: Holly Holm vs. Ronda Rousey
Media Source of the Year: MMAFighting.com
Submission of the Year: Ronda Rousey vs. Cat Zingano
Fight of the Year: Robbie Lawler vs. Rory MacDonald
Coach of the Year: Rafael Cordeiro
Reporter of the Year: Ariel Helwani
Gym of the Year: Jackson/Winkeljohn
Leading Man: Dana White
Comeback of the Year: Eddie Alvarez vs. Gilbert Melendez
Trainer of the Year: Mike Dolce
Lifetime Achievement Award: Bruce Buffer
Promotion of the Year: UFC
Analyst of the Year: Dominick Cruz
Referee of the Year: John McCarthy
Upset of the Year: Holly Holm vs. Ronda Rousey
Best program: UFC Embedded
Breakthrough Fighter of the Year: Holly Holm
Ringcard Girl of the Year: Arianny Celeste (who in her speech said this was the silliest award)
Male Fighter of the Year: Conor McGregor, who cut a taped heel promo
Female Fighter of the Year: Holly Holm
New IV Bans in California
The California State Athletic Commission on 2/2 announced a well-meaning but problematic ban on aspects of modern weight cutting in an emergency meeting in Los Angeles.
Andy Foster, who heads the commission and has been outspoken on the belief that weight cutting is the biggest problem facing the sport, announced new rules that could go into effect as soon as 3/1, on a trial basis.
The new rules ban dehydration to make weight, and allow the commission to collect urine samples from fighters to test if they are properly hydrated during the week of the fight when weight s cut. If a fighter fails a test and is deemed dehydrated, they will be given two or three hours to properly hydrate. If they then fail the second test, the fight will be off.
The issue is for fighters in major organizations like UFC and Bellator, they fight in specific weight classes and the methods they use to make weight involves cutting water weight. While this sounds good, and it is, the only way this can work is if most fighters when fighting in California move up a weight class from the one they routinely fight in. That makes things completely screwed up for the big organizations, and in particular, championship fights.
The rules have to be adopted universally, and hopefully that is what ends up happening because a significant percentage of fighters couldn’t make their current weight class without heavily cutting water weight.
California has also banned IV usage for fighters to rehydrate. That will affect fighters with Bellator and other organizations. It won’t affect UFC, which has already banned IV use based on USADA regulations.
Foster called for the ban saying that any fighter who needs an IV to rehydrate is competing in the wrong weight class.
The California State Athletic Commission on 2/2 announced a well-meaning but problematic ban on aspects of modern weight cutting in an emergency meeting in Los Angeles.
Andy Foster, who heads the commission and has been outspoken on the belief that weight cutting is the biggest problem facing the sport, announced new rules that could go into effect as soon as 3/1, on a trial basis.
The new rules ban dehydration to make weight, and allow the commission to collect urine samples from fighters to test if they are properly hydrated during the week of the fight when weight s cut. If a fighter fails a test and is deemed dehydrated, they will be given two or three hours to properly hydrate. If they then fail the second test, the fight will be off.
The issue is for fighters in major organizations like UFC and Bellator, they fight in specific weight classes and the methods they use to make weight involves cutting water weight. While this sounds good, and it is, the only way this can work is if most fighters when fighting in California move up a weight class from the one they routinely fight in. That makes things completely screwed up for the big organizations, and in particular, championship fights.
The rules have to be adopted universally, and hopefully that is what ends up happening because a significant percentage of fighters couldn’t make their current weight class without heavily cutting water weight.
California has also banned IV usage for fighters to rehydrate. That will affect fighters with Bellator and other organizations. It won’t affect UFC, which has already banned IV use based on USADA regulations.
Foster called for the ban saying that any fighter who needs an IV to rehydrate is competing in the wrong weight class.
Boxing ratings
HBO boxing on 1/30 for the show headlined by Sergey Kovalev vs. Jean Pascal ranged from 702,000 viewers early in the show and the main event did 1,179,000 viewers. HBO breaks up its coverage by matches so you don’t have an overall average, only the average for each match and segment.
HBO boxing on 1/30 for the show headlined by Sergey Kovalev vs. Jean Pascal ranged from 702,000 viewers early in the show and the main event did 1,179,000 viewers. HBO breaks up its coverage by matches so you don’t have an overall average, only the average for each match and segment.
Cain Update
Cain Velasquez underwent arthroscopic surgery on 2/1 to remove bone spurs that were pinching his sciatic nerve. The surgery was said to be a complete success. He was told he could start light training in two weeks and hard training in four to five weeks. So in theory, he should be ready at about the same time as Fabricio Werdum. They probably could get the two to headline by May or June if that’s the decision
Cain Velasquez underwent arthroscopic surgery on 2/1 to remove bone spurs that were pinching his sciatic nerve. The surgery was said to be a complete success. He was told he could start light training in two weeks and hard training in four to five weeks. So in theory, he should be ready at about the same time as Fabricio Werdum. They probably could get the two to headline by May or June if that’s the decision
UFC 199
While still not announced, the belief is that Luke Rockhold vs. Chris Weidman in a rematch will headline the June PPV show, which would be UFC 199, and C.M. Punk’s debut would be on that show.
While still not announced, the belief is that Luke Rockhold vs. Chris Weidman in a rematch will headline the June PPV show, which would be UFC 199, and C.M. Punk’s debut would be on that show.
4/16 FOX Show
Lyoto Machida vs. Dan Henderson and Bethe Correia vs. Raquel Pennington have been added to the 4/16 FOX show (no location has been announced) which also features Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson.
Lyoto Machida vs. Dan Henderson and Bethe Correia vs. Raquel Pennington have been added to the 4/16 FOX show (no location has been announced) which also features Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson.