Tag Archives: Dana White

Home Field Advantage: Fan Favorite Sean O’Malley Bulldozes Sterling at UFC 292, Chris Weidman’s Return Sparks Talk of Retirement, Katona vs. Gibson Earns Fight of the Night…and much more from the UFC’s return to Boston last Saturday

By: Rich Bergeron

UFC 292 was the first UFC event I attended in 16 years. As the MMA writer most known for exposing the Xyience scandal (see www.xyiencesucks.com), I dug out my old Xyience hat to commemorate the occasion. Once the UFC’s most prolific sponsor, Xyience is now primarily an energy drink company and does not even associate with any MMA league anymore. Needless to say, I was the only one in the entire arena sporting Xyience merch.

I paid for my own tickets this time, but I couldn’t avoid thinking about what my UFC 292 experience would have been like if my UFC 78 experience, paid for by Xyience, had turned out much differently for me almost 16 years ago.

I will be ruminating more on the personal story of my own Boston homecoming and the changes we’ve seen for the UFC between the last fight I attended and this one in a new piece I plan to write on www.paythefighters.com. Stay tuned for that, but first let’s get to the UFC’s well constructed fight card for Saturday night.

It began with a tale of two flyweight Silvas: Karine Silva and Natalia Silva. Those bouts ended with two Silva wins by two different methods, but each fighter proved dominant in their particular styles. Karine dispatched Maryna Moroz with a last-second guillotine choke just before the end of the first round. It was a fantastic start to a show that had a few peaks and valleys as far as the entertainment value of some of the match-ups. Natalia took her time and picked apart a game Andrea Lee from a distance for the majority of the contest. She cruised to a unanimous decision by being cautious and careful with her striking aim.

Next, a controversial split decision gave the odds-makers’ favorite fighter Andre Petrovski a win over Gerald Meershaert. Petrovski did not appear to have the cardio to hang with the seasoned veteran Meerschaert. All that was lacking in this fight was the concentrated striking power from Meershaert to put Petrovski down and out. Both fighters had their moments, but it seemed obvious to me Gerald was the busier and more effective fighter. He was only one of the robbery victims accosted by the judges Saturday night after clearly winning a primarily technical fight. The touches of slugfest sprinkled in from time to time seemed to always favor the more game and eager Meerschaert. He definitely deserved the win. We’ll talk about another robbery of equal caliber a bit later.

A pair of Ultimate Fighter Finale fights came next with Bantamweights Brad Katona and Cody Gibson kicking it off by earning “Fight of the Night” honors. Their toe-to-toe kickboxing match that rarely hit the ground for very long certainly had the crowd riled up from start to finish. Katona ended up being a second quicker on the draw and sharp enough with his jabs and counters to secure a win in a scrap where he often had to take one good punch to land two of his own. Gibson wore the results of Brad’s accuracy on his battered face at the final bell, but he also earned great respect for his never-quit approach from both the crowd and the organization. The UFC offered both fighters contracts for their efforts instead of only the winner getting the nod.

Kurt Holobaugh had to fight friend and fellow Team Chandler fighter Austin Hubbard in the Lightweight finale. It was a fight that started better for Hubbard than it ended. Eventually after a short feeling out process, Holobaugh took the momentum away and secured a phenomenal Triangle Choke just 2:39 into the second frame. Both fighters had their dominating moments, but it was Holobaugh’s black belt jiu jitsu skills that won the night and the TUF trophy.

Gregory Rodrigues absolutely demolished Russian Dennis Tiuliulin in a middleweight fight that had the Beantown crowd chanting “USA” briefly while rooting for a Brazilian fighter. “Robocop” enjoyed the crowd support and quickly obliged their cheers with his finishing skills in full display. Rodrigues coincidentally looks a bit like the main character in Netflix’s “The Lincoln Lawyer,” if the character bulked up after a few rounds of steroids. Rodrigues certainly laid down the law and pummeled the Russian into unconsciousness with a machine-like precision. He took just one minute and 43 seconds to give the crowd their last stoppage until the main event.

Five straight decisions followed, two of them decided by perfect placement of monstrous leg kicks from the victors. The most painful of those two bouts to watch was Chris Weidman finishing out the preliminaries by facing off with Brad Tavares in a punishing middleweight battle. Weidman, coming back from a vicious rubber chicken leg injury where he tried to plant on a completely broken leg against Uriah Hall, looked rusty as rusty can be. Every takedown he attempted seemed to get stuffed easily by Tavares.

Every punching exchange seemed to be too little, too late for Weidman to come back from the constant leg kicks peppering both the leg with the old injury and Weidman’s other leg for good measure. Even with a torn MCL or ACL (according to Dana White who compelled Weidman to retire after the fight), Weidman stalked Tavares around the cage and tried his best to take the fight to him despite the busted wheel. Tavares won a very strategic and smart fight, disappointing the entire pro-Weidman crowd hoping for that miracle comeback performance that never came.

Marlon “Chito” Vera and Pedro Munhoz opened up the main card with a one-sided affair showcasing Vera’s patience, striking acumen, and nearly-flawless technique. Munhoz finished the fight on his feet, but he endured plenty of facial damage getting there. Chito stayed at a safe range for the majority of the bout and took few risks on the way to his unanimous decision win. The reach and speed of Vera seemed to be the most effective advantages he enjoyed against the shorter and stockier Munhoz. Vera, boring as he may be to watch at times, proved he deserves his own bantamweight title shot.

The third-straight decision gave Mario Bautista a very controversial unanimous decision win over Da’Mon Blackshear. Bautista edged out Blackshear in terms of ground control, but Blackshear was more accurate in his striking and landed more significant strikes in the featherweight scrap. I certainly thought he did enough to win, but the judges did not see the fight the same way and gave the contest to Bautista.

Ian Garry and Neil Magny clashed next in a mismatched welterweight contest. Magny showed tremendous heart in getting back up after every knockdown, but he could not overcome the incessant leg kicks thrown by Garry. Referee Keith Peterson came close to stopping the bout a few times, but Magny kept doing just enough to keep it going, hopping around on one leg at times. Garry’s striking was just as on point as his trash talk game, evoking the spirit of Nate Diaz with a few well-timed hand gestures. The crowd celebrated his continued dominance with Garry telling them about his desire to be the best fighter on the face of the earth someday in his post-fight speech. Magny will have to find an answer to his recent struggles if he wants to remain relevant in the UFC.

Weili Zhang and Amanda Lemos squared off in an epic title fight next. Lemos nearly secured a couple miraculous submission attempts, but the strawweight title fight turned into a question of whether or not Lemos could survive until the final bell. Zhang showcased her talents in all her areas of expertise, and Lemos could only hope to win by way of a couple Hail Mary submission attempts Zhang wriggled out of. Zhang’s speed, power and durability overwhelmed Lemos and left her struggling to avoid a stoppage through much of the later rounds. Somehow she managed to do it, taking a tremendous amount of damage on her way. Zhang walked away retaining her title, much to the delight of fans who backed her through the entire fight.

Finally, the main event arrived, well after midnight. Sean O’Malley entered the arena first, and the crowd erupted. Many of them sported green or pink wigs to imitate O’Malley’s signature look. O’Malley honestly looked pretty petrified, as if he didn’t even sleep at all the night before the event. Aljamain Sterling entered the cage to a chorus of boos he attempted to make light of by egging the crowd on to boo him more.

The first round was mostly a showcase of footwork from both fighters. O’Malley’s head games might have worked on Sterling, because he promised in pre-fight interviews he would secure a first round TKO of his own. Rather than rely on his greatest strength, his wrestling, Sterling wanted to beat O’Malley at his own game. That turned out to be the wrong strategy, a fact Sterling eventually realized by the time he ended up on the wrong side of that TKO. There were scant attempts to take O’Malley down, and all of them were completely stuffed. Sterling folded and fell to the canvas after getting hit with an O’Malley counter punch early in the second round. The rest was history as O’Malley closed “the Suga show” with some McGregor-esque ground and pound.

Both fighters gave great post-fight speeches, true to form. Sterling was gracious in defeat and showed his respect for O’Malley striving to reach his dream. Considering Sterling criticized O’Malley before the fight for being Dana White’s pet project and not deserving a title shot, it was a huge mea culpa. Also, if it was indeed all about being favored by Mr. White, O’Malley might have ticked off the Baldfather by indicating he’d like to fight Boxer Gervonta Davis more than any other actual UFC fighter.

As only the second Dana White Contender Series fighter to earn a world title, O’Malley can certainly call his own shots to some extent, but a boxing crossover is a very sensitive subject in the wake of Francis Ngannou recently making waves for backing out of his UFC contract and signing up for a heavyweight boxing match with Tyson Fury that will eclipse his career UFC earnings by a mile. Only Conor McGregor has been able to convince UFC brass to go all in on a crossover fight into boxing so far. Dana White has since completely scrapped tentative plans to create “Zuffa Boxing” to account for his fighters wanting to emulate McGregor’s profile, financial track record and bold bravado that earned him that opportunity to fight Floyd Mayweather in an exhibition bout.

Often, to get Dana White’s attention and respect, fighters simply have to sell themselves enough for that to translate into massive merchandise and ticket sales generated off their buzz. Much like the WWE, big personas and colorful characters often win out on opportunities in the UFC over athletes who just concentrate on their physical skill sets. Strikers are especially favored, because they deliver on the UFC’s implied “put on a show” standard of excellence imposed on every fighter who steps into the cage. It’s a style of management and carrot and stick leadership that fools fighters into thinking it’s better for their careers to constantly come forward with little concern for defense and take tremendous risks to be much more exciting and entertaining than they need to be to win a particular fight.

Now this kid O’Malley confesses to want to be like Dana himself, comfortable enough financially to bet $250,000 per poker hand. The most special talent prior to O’Malley used his own rising star persona to build his own name brands and buy his own whiskey company. He has a yacht and a Lamborghini, and he’s still the most talked about and called out fighter in the organization even after losing such a one-sided battle with Dustin Poirier and being sidelined with a broken leg for a few years. The fact that O’Malley can realize and internalize that he’ll probably never get to Conor’s level without a huge crossover fight in boxing speaks volumes about where the UFC is at today.

It is the kind of development I have to chuckle at knowing how hard it’s been to bring all the fighter pay and contract issues to court without an army of lawyers to face the UFC’s formidable legal team. One such legal army recently secured the go ahead to pursue a class action anti-trust lawsuit on behalf of over 1,200 former UFC fighters. The judge in the case appears to be already siding with the plaintiffs. Reaction to UFC class-action lawsuit certification: What happened, and what’s next? (msn.com)

Whenever the organization is confronted by statistics that show the revenue share for fighters is minuscule compared to other major sports with players’ associations, the response is typically something to the effect of: “We’ve made so many millionaires. Our fighters are doing just fine, and they all get plenty of financial opportunities with the fame we’ve helped them achieve.”

As an expert on the UFC’s financial history and an audience member at UFC 292, I couldn’t avoid confronting the reality that so many “UFC Nut-hugger” journalists get all the fringe benefits of press privileges because they play along so well with that “Zuffa Myth” mentality. The folks who put the UFC on the map subliminally seduce their supporters with access and promises of fame and opportunity, and fighters and media members alike get sucked into those kind of management theatrics. In turn, you don’t end up with much investigative reporting in MMA media circles, and fighters who ask a lot of questions and demand better contract conditions don’t get re-signed or set up with prime fight match-ups.

It took the main event result to really clarify the issue for me of how the UFC constantly keeps the focus on their supposed ability to create superstars just by letting a fighter sign any contract with the organization. Some who agree that’s the case would say it was the organization’s ability to see enough talent in O’Malley to put him on Dana White’s Contender Series that led to the spectacular rise to fame the new champ’s riding. Certainly, O’Malley wouldn’t have even been in Boston Saturday night if he never got into the organization. However, there have been plenty of DWCS fighters who didn’t get any more UFC opportunities because they lost that entry-level fight. O’Malley had to win and keep winning to be where he was on Saturday night.

The point is: Sean O’Malley’s cult following and tremendous self-confidence is a result of his own personal crusade to be someone special with unlimited potential and amazing talent. He would never even be in the conversation for a title if he did not put in all the untold hours in the gym striving to be better. The UFC did not create Sean O’Malley, they just gave him a platform to show what kind of fighter he could be. And while he is enjoying the superstardom the UFC will credit themselves for, O’Malley has to know the only way he can maximize his earning potential is to eclipse the organization itself. He has to go above and beyond their restrictive financial borders to a sport where the revenue share is so much better and a guy like Francis Ngannou can make more in one fight than he made in his entire UFC career.

So, If Dana White really did make Sean O’Malley his pet project as Aljamain Sterling suggested, he did a great job. Unfortunately, the monster he created may come back to bite him in the long run. Another UFC co-promoted boxing card will get too many of their employees trying to take the same route and wondering why Dana’s little buddy is getting all the breaks and benefits. Veterans and newcomers will both likely look at any hyped up Davis vs. O’Malley boxing match as an admission by their leadership that the UFC can’t pay their fighters enough to keep them in the cage.

“Kid, you have no idea how much money you’re gonna to make,” Dana White told O’Malley after the win according to a recent O’Malley interview. I imagine in his head, Dana finished that thought with “us.”

RESULTS FROM MURPHYS BOXING’S UFC FIGHT PASS DEBUT IN SPRINGFIELD! ABRAHAM NOVA KOS MARIO LOZANO! FOSTER, GONGORA & MORE PICK UP WINS!


5/10/19 – SPRINGFIELD, MASS. RESULTS


NOVA KOS LOZANO IN MAIN EVENT

FOSTER, GONGORA & MORE PICK UP WINS


‘ICEMAN’ JOHN SCULLY RECEIVES WARRIOR’S CODE AWARD


Photo Credit: Emily Harney/Fightography


Springfield, Massachusetts (May 11th, 2019):


In the first Murphys Boxing event of a multi fight deal with UFC Fight Pass, fans watched NABA Super Featherweight Champion, Abraham Nova (15-0, 11 KOs) stop Argentina’sMario Ezequiel Sayal Lozano (18-3-1, 9 KOs) in the second round of scheduled 10 round fight last night in Springfield, Massachusetts live from MGM Springfield.


Nova, who is currently ranked #10 in the WBA’s super featherweight world rankings, put on a near perfect performance in front of a packed crowd of ‘Super’ supporters. After a tentative first round from both fighters, Nova found his range midway through the second and exploded on Lozano. Firing off a series of fast and powerful combinations to both the body and head, Nova dropped the only twice beaten, Lozano forcing the referee to call a halt to the contest at 2:26 into the second round.


“I’m ready for anybody. Top 10. Top 2. The Champ. Anybody can get it. I’m the best kept secret in boxing. It’s time to make my national television debut and let the world know who Abraham ‘Super’ Nova is.”, said the outgoing and confident young prospect who sports a bleach blonde beard and has one of the most creative ring walks in all of boxing.


Nova’s promoter, Murphys Boxing founder, Ken Casey was thrilled with Nova’s performance and is anxious to get the 25 year old in a title eliminator with another Top 10 ranked fighter.


“He’s got the whole package. The look. The entrance. The talent. The performance. The fan base. He’s accurate and sharp but he also punches with bad intentions. You can just tell he’s on a different level. He’s a world class fighter.”


As for Nova’s immediate future, Casey confirmed he will be making his national TV debut in his next fight.


“We’re finalizing a nationally televised fight for Abraham this summer against another Top 10 fighter that we will be announcing soon. Then I’d like to see him fight for the mandatory by the end of the year. We think he can win the big one, so it’s time to get him the opportunity. We’re incredibly excited about Nova’s future. He’s ready to be a star.”

The co-main event saw Murphys Boxing’s own William Foster III (10-0, 7 KOs) absolutely dominate and drop Argentina’s Ramon Esperanza (22-16-1, 11 KOs) multiple times before the referee called a stop to the fight at 2:39 into the fourth round of a scheduled 8 round bout. Foster, the current Jr. NABF Super Featherweight Champion and younger brother of NABA Light Heavyweight Champion, Charles Foster, looked sensational, using a relentless body attack to overwhelm his more experienced opponent from the opening bell. The buzz on Foster continues to build in New England and he brought a vocal crowd from his hometown of nearby Hartford, Connecticut.


Recent Murphys Boxing signee, Venezuelan Olympian, Luis Arcon Diaz (7-0, 7 KOs) continued his knockout streak stopping Argentina’s Jose Aubel (8-4, 7 KOs) at 2:36 into the fourth round of a scheduled 6 round junior welterweight bout.


Local Springfield fighter, Derek Whitley Jr. (5-1-1) won a unanimous decision over Philadelphia’s Bryan Goldsby (5-11) in a 4 round welterweight fight. Goldsby had several moments throughout the fight but the MMA veteran didn’t stay busy enough against the counter-punching southpaw who won with decisions of 39-27 and 40-36 twice.


2x Olympian from Ecuador, Carlos Gongora (16-0, 12 KOs) won a hard-fought unanimous decision over a game and rugged veteran, Damien Ezequiel Bonelli (23-6, 20 KOs) in a 10 round middleweight fight with scores of 99-91 and 98-92 twice. Gongora, who is signed with Murphys Boxing, is the current WBC South American Middleweight Champion.


Springfield’s own Anthony Velazquez (6-0, 6 KOs) continued his impressive KO streak against an outgunned Bruno Diaz (0-6) dropping him twice in less than a minute into the first round of a 4 round welterweight bout before the referee waved off the contest at 1:32 for a 1st round TKO.


The hard-hitting Ray Jay Bermudez (7-0, 5 KOs) who hails from nearby Albany, New York unleashed a barrage of hard hooks dropping a helpless Patrick Leal (0-6) three times for a first round TKO at 1:35 seconds into a scheduled 4 round welterweight bout.


Boston based amateur standout, James Perella (3-0, 3 KOs) made easy work of Paulo DeSouza (0-14) dropping him twice in the first round before the referee called a stoppage 16 seconds into the second round of a scheduled 4 round welterweight fight after DeSouza was badly hurt by a straight right. It was Perella’s third fight in his first two months as a professional.


The event also saw the presentation of Murphys Boxing’s Warrior’s Code Award which has been established to honor legendary New England based fighters.


The latest award was presented to light heavyweight title challenger and now successful commentator and trainer, John Scully. Scully who is based out of nearby Hartford, Connecticut fought several times in Springfield throughout his career.


The ‘Iceman’ was presented with a plaque in the ring by Murphys Boxing’s Ken Casey andSean Sullivan and he received a standing ovation from the appreciative crowd after sharing a few poignant words about his career.

ABOUT MURPHYS BOXING


Murphys Boxing was founded by Dropkick Murphys’ frontman, Ken Casey in 2014. In just 5 short years, Murphys Boxing has become the premier boxing promoter in the New England area and one of the hottest young promotions in the country. 2018 was a breakout year for Murphys Boxing as they took their first fighter to a world title. Along with the promotion’s first champion, several Murphys Boxing fighters secured world title opportunities and nationally televised fights in 2018. Murphys Boxing closed out their banner year by co-promoting the WBO Middleweight Championship bout between Demetrius Andrade and Walter Kautondokwa in front of over 10,000 fans at the TD Garden, the legendary home of the Boston Celtics, which was broadcast internationally on DAZN. Murphys Boxing’s current roster features world ranked contenders like Mark DeLuca, Charles Foster, Greg Vendetti, Gary ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan, Abraham Nova and prospects like Niall Kennedy, Carlos Gongora, William Foster III, Mike Ohan Jr. and more!


For more information visit: www.murphysboxing.com


To speak with any of the fighters on our roster – drop us a line at info@murphysboxing.comand we will hook it up.


Follow Murphys Boxing on Social Media!

UFC FIGHT PASS® AND MURPHYS BOXING REACH MULTI-YEAR LIVE STREAMING AGREEMENT FIRST EVENT STREAMS LIVE AND EXCLUSIVELY THIS FRIDAY, MAY 10 AT 9:30PM E.T. / 6:30PM P.T.


Las Vegas and Boston (May 6, 2019):


UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, today announced a new multi-year partnership with popular Boston based promotion,Murphys Boxing. The promotion will make it’s FIGHT PASS debut this Friday, May 10th, from Springfield, Massachusetts at MGM Springfield at 9:30 p.m. E.T. / 6:30 p.m. P.T. and will feature a 10 round main event, headlined by undefeated NABA Super Featherweight Champion, Abraham Nova vs. Mario Ezequiel Sayal Lozano.


“Murphys Boxing is one of the top promotions in New England, and I am excited to have them on FIGHT PASS,” UFC President, Dana White said. “In just five years, Ken Casey has done incredible things with this promotion. I am looking forward to showcasing these exciting fighters to our subscribers.”


“We’re incredibly excited to join forces with FIGHT PASS,” said Ken Casey, founder of Murphys Boxing. “UFC is providing a platform for us to highlight New England’s thriving boxing scene to combat sports fans. We will introduce the world to our incredible roster that includes future champions, such as Nova.”




Recently entering the WBA’s Top 10 Rankings, undefeated Abraham Nova (14-0, 10 KOs) will make his highly anticipated 2019 debut under the Murphys Boxing banner. Nova’s opponent, Argentinian prospect Mario Ezequiel Sayal Lozano (18-2-1, 9 KOs), will be the 12th fighter in the past two years to try and take the “O” from the current NABA Super Featherweight Champion.


Entering the ring for the second time this year, Jr. NABF Super Featherweight Champion,William Foster III (9-0, 6 KOs) will face off against Ramon Esperanza (22-15-1, 11 KOs) in an 8 round bout. Foster’s rare ability to combine both power and speed has led him to become one of New England’s most talked about prospects.


In an 8 round middleweight bout, power punching prospect Carlos Gongora (15-0, 12 KOs) will take on Argentina’s Damien Ezequiel Bonelli (23-6, 20 KOs). Gongora, a former Olympian from Ecuador, won the WBC South American Middleweight Title in February after defeating Jesus Aviles.


Luis Arcon Diaz (6-0, 6 KOs), an undefeated Olympian from Venezuela, and a recent Murphys Boxing signing, will return to action in a 6 round welterweight bout against Argentina’s Jose Aubel (8-3, 7 KOs).


Representing the Boston area, James Perella (2-0, 2 KOs) will look for his third consecutive knockout in a 4 round welterweight bout against an opponent to be named.


Ray Jay Bermudez (6-0, 4 KOs) who hails from nearby Albany, New York will make a quick return to the ring after a KO victory last month when he takes on an opponent to be named in a 6 round welterweight contest.


Rounding out the card will be two of Springfield’s own – power punching welterweightAnthony Velazquez (5-0, 5 KOs), who will take on an opponent to be named, and welterweight DJ Whitley (4-1-1), who will take on the always dangerous Bryan Goldsby(5-10) in separate 4 round contests. 


The first four undercard fights will stream live at 8:00 p.m. E.T. / 5:00 p.m. P.T. on www.facebook.com/dropkickmurphys before the main card starts live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS at 9:30 p.m. E.T. / 6:30 p.m. P.T. To start your 7-day free trial, please visit: www.ufc.tv/page/fightpass


Tickets are on sale now at: www.murphysboxing.com and 
www.mgmspringfield.com/entertainment


ABOUT MURPHYS BOXING


Murphys Boxing was founded by Dropkick Murphys’ frontman, Ken Casey in 2014. In just 5 short years, Murphys Boxing has become the premier boxing promoter in the New England area and one of the hottest young promotions in the country. 2018 was a breakout year for Murphys Boxing as they took their first fighter to a world title. Along with the promotion’s first champion, several Murphys Boxing fighters secured world title opportunities and nationally televised fights in 2018. Murphys Boxing closed out their banner year by co-promoting the WBO Middleweight Championship bout between Demetrius Andrade and Walter Kautondokwa in front of over 10,000 fans at the TD Garden, the legendary home of the Boston Celtics, which was broadcast internationally on DAZN. Murphys Boxing’s current roster features world ranked contenders like Mark DeLuca, Charles Foster, Abraham Nova, Gary ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan, Greg Vendetti and prospects like Niall Kennedy, Carlos Gongora, William Foster III, Mike Ohan Jr., Luis Arcon Diaz and more.


For more information visit: www.murphysboxing.com


ABOUT UFC FIGHT PASS


UFC FIGHT PASS® is the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. Since launching in 2013, FIGHT PASS is now available in more than 200 countries and territories. FIGHT PASS provides its members with unlimited access to live UFC FIGHT PASS Prelims; live mixed martial arts and combat sports from around the world; original series and historical programming; special features; behind-the-scenes content; in-depth interviews; and up-to-the minute reports on the world of combat sports. FIGHT PASS subscribers also have 24/7 access to the world’s largest fight library, featuring more than 17,000 bouts from dozens of combats sports organizations, as well as every fight in UFC history. Fight fans can access FIGHT PASS on personal computers, iOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Sony TVs with Android TV.


For more information visit: www.ufc.tv/page/fightpass

Fight Talk Unlimited Latest Show

This week on Fight Talk Unlimited we discuss a wide range of topics, beginning with the death of three pro wrestlers in one day. We go on to chat about Cody Garbrandt’s biting comments about fighter pay. We touch on bareknuckle fighting’s resurgence (adding Shawne Merriman to the roster of fighters for one organization), and we recap a wild fight between Eddie Alvarez and Dustin Poirier on last weekends UFC on Fox card. We also preview Garbrandt’s second bite at the TJ Dillashaw apple this weekend at UFC 227. Tony also helps preview one of the biggest fights of the week in Kovalev vs. Alvarez, which he will be attending in Atantic City. We do a boxing roundup of results and previews, and then we end the show with an off-topic talk about nature 🙂

 

Listen live here:

 

FNU Combat Sports Show: July 19, 2018: Manny is Back! Junior Dos Santos Cruises to Win At UFC Fight Night, Event Recaps and Fight Previews

This week on the FNU Combat Sports Show we recap last week’s multiple Bellator cards and the UFC Fight Night card from Boise, Idaho. We start off discussing boxing with an analysis of Manny Pacquiao’s one-sided beating of Lucas Matthysse. We move on to other news this week, including an online spat between Brendan Schaub and Dana White and Dominick Cruz claiming Brock Lesnar will never get through USADA testing to return to the UFC octagon. We also cover upcoming boxing and MMA bouts and discuss the eye poking incidents that occurred during the brief Stipe Micocic vs. Daniel Cormier heavyweight championship bout.

 

Listen to the whole show here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/hx5aj4ls1y63vou/tomtonyrichradioshowjuly182018.mp3?dl=0

 

FNU Combat Sports Show: Death in the Cage; UFC 225 Recap and Huge Boxing Weekend Results

Tom, Tony and Rich discuss the week in combat sports, recap a stacked UFC 225 card (and CM Punk’s failure to launch his MMA career), and go over the results of a wild weekend for boxing. We begin by highlighting two high profile mentions of death in the UFC Octagon. Dana White and Tyron Woodley are both in the news this week for raising the topic. Listen to the full broadcast below:

 

 

FNU Combat Sports Show: Mayweather Taking MMA Seriously, Joshua May Sign with UFC, Fight Recaps and Previews

This week, Tom Tony and Rich get into some discussion about Floyd Mayweather, Jr. jumping into MMA. We also recap a big win by Alexander Volkov over Fabricio Werdum at the latest UFC Fight night and cover the upcoming boxing schedule and last weekend’s results.

 

Listen to the full show HERE

 

Or use our player:

The Case for Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Vs. CM Punk in the UFC Cage

By: Rich Bergeron

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is not done fighting. The money he made with Conor McGregor in a one-sided boxing match will not be very easy to make outside the dangerous world of combat sports. Retirement always seems to eat at Floyd, and sooner or later he comes back for another blockbuster bout that shocks the world.

 

CM Punk needs a draw to get us interested in his career. Even if he beats the ever living crap out of the next guy they feed him in the UFC Octagon, Punk will still have a lot to prove. Put him in against Mayweather in a welcome to MMA bout for the world-class boxer, and make it the dream setup for Floyd that gives him all the perks and sponsorship concessions he wants in the contract.

 

Floyd would be an automatic underdog going in against McGregor immediately in the cage. A challenger like CM Punk gives him more of a fighting chance. It gives CM punk a chance to really launch his career if he can beat Floyd.

 

The fact is, Mayweather can learn the sport of mixed martial arts quickly, and with his speed and athleticism, given more striking options he could actually shock us in his first MMA fight… if he really backs up his talk of fighting in the cage with action.

 

During the tour for the boxing match, Floyd repeatedly referenced the idea of fighting McGregor in the cage after the boxing match went his way.  He doesn’t say things out loud that he doesn’t really think are true or could be true if he sunk his effort into it.

 

I had the good fortune of standing on the edge of the ring next to Leonard Ellerbe during a Mayweather training session in Las Vegas years ago.

 

Before he threw any punches on the mitts I asked him what he liked most about boxing. I didn’t attempt to get close during the big press rush, so I think he didn’t expect the question.

 

He sat silent, and I didn’t want it to go hanging like a bad fart in the wind. I asked it again, even louder. He didn’t look my way as he shadowboxed with himself. “Everything.” he finally conceded, and then he went to to work on exhibiting his speed and punching prowess for all the media to see.

 

Incorporating elbows, backfists, kicks and wrestling into his fighting routine could create a real monster out of Mayweather. Also, the money from boxing that would follow him to the cage could be tremendous for him and the UFC alike. It will take a ton of work at his age to adapt to the new sport, but CM Punk as a first opponent sets the bar fairly low with both men getting a chance to show they belong. Give them both a serious training camp, make a reality show out of it, and it could happen.

 

 

 

“Money” is already preparing to train in mixed martial arts with UFC Champ Tyron Woodley, and he heaped some praise on both Woodley and McGregor as fighters recently:

 

“So we have to tweak a few things then, take things to that next level. You know I can’t overlook or knock any MMA guy. Tyron is unbelievable. Unbelievable fighter, tough competitor. Conor McGregor, he’s a tough competitor, helluva fighter. There’s a lot of tough, rugged guys out there in MMA and I can’t overlook or disrespect those guys.”

 

 

 

The MMA versus Boxing debate has been going on since long before I decided to do my own take on it with a series of radio shows pitting one expert against another. One of my favorites was “Iceman” John Scully against Ken Shamrock.

 

Not surprisingly, the debate between these two fighter/trainer experts drifted into Mayweather making the crossover to MMA. This is not a new concept to Floyd. He’s been hearing the critics yap about him never making it in MMA for more than a decade now, always thinking about how he could one day prove his haters wrong.

 

 

Anyone who thinks the best MMA fighter in his weight class demolishes Floyd has never watched him train. What could this guy do with a couple of tune-up fights and a title tilt? How about 9 months of hard training in takedown and submission defense?

 

Everybody and their brother who knows anything about MMA decides to use the argument of all the past boxers who failed at MMA. They remind us all of the freakshow fight involving Randy Couture easily defeating James Toney. Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is not only on  a different level than James Toney was when he got the chance to fight in the cage,  he’s on a different planet.

 

 

Floyd can afford the best trainers, the best of everything really in preparing to enter the UFC Octagon. He will spare no expense in finances and sweat equity in cementing his legacy as the best crossover fighter in the history of the boxing and MMA rivalry. Who has the best true athletes? Mayweather is representing boxing’s best, and he doesn’t have much time left to prove that a world class boxer can dominate the MMA scene with the right approach and strategy.

 

 

 

McGregor did prove that he could give Floyd a few fits in the boxing ring,  but on the third fight into a UFC contract that match could happen again in the cage. Floyd just has to show he belongs, but the first step is having the guts to back up his words with actions. He did say on the boxing press tour for the McGregor fight that when he beat McGregor in his own craft, he would go to the UFC and beat Conor in the cage, too.

 

 

 

I anticipate a “Shark Tank” type of negotiation between Mayweather and UFC President Dana White. Floyd will need to get a piece of the promotion itself, access to a wild amount of sponsorship cash, options to collect on media income, and at least $10 million per fight in just base pay. To get the billion dollar contract he envisions, the lawyers will be ironing out the details for as long as Floyd decides he needs to train for his first fight.

 

Floyd could easily rake in $90+ million in sponsorship and media income to make $100 million per fight with Showtime executives in his corner and a familiarity with being in front of the cameras. A five fight deal means there is a 1/2 billion dollar gap unless I am underestimating how much the UFC would give Floyd for base pay. Even if he makes $200 million per fight, the rest would have to come out of the overall corporation itself as equity, which is what Conor McGregor has been asking for.

 

Floyd just has a bigger upside to being an owner/partner and would be a huge asset when it comes to the UFC wanting to promote boxing at some point. He can also bring his fans and everyone who wants to see him get whipped and schooled in the new discipline. He brings eyeballs, extreme attention and money with him wherever he goes. At a $5 billion valuation, the UFC would likely be able to part with a ten percent chunk of the promotion to bring Mayweather officially on board and get him locked in for a long-term deal.

 

 

The other area that Floyd could have a huge impact on is in attracting more boxers to cross over to MMA. We’ve seen football players like Matt Mitrione and Greg Hardy experience virtually immediate success in MMA, so why not a world class boxer like Floyd? 19-0 Pro Boxer Gervonta Davis is already hinting at following his protege Floyd to MMA and says he’s just waiting for Dana White’s phone call. Then there are the heavyweight boxers to think about bringing into the cage, and Word Champion Anthony Joshua is keen on giving it a shot, too.

 

 

 

So, the odds are high that Mayweather steps into the cage to compete by December of this year if you believe one of his most controversial videos to date on the subject:

 

 

Mayweather could be an incredible MMA fighter if given half the chance. He is not a man who takes a challenge like this lightly. He will have the best approach possible to get into cagefighting shape. He will bring all kinds of interest back to the boxing vs. MMA debate and actually might even inspire a whole new phase of that debate. The combat sports world as a whole will benefit if Floyd and the UFC can make this partnership work.

 

 

As for those who think Floyd will get eaten alive, they are certainly entitled to their opinion, but don’t use McGregor’s failure to adapt to boxing as your bar for Floyd. Mayweather will not take on a world class MMA fighter the first time he steps in the cage. He will not bring in the MMA equivalent of Paulie Malignaggi to get up to speed on the sport. He will spare no expense to get the best preparation possible. He’s already showing that to be true by bringing Tyron Woodley on as his official training partner. He will hand pick his first opponent and likely not get any crack at a title until two or three fights go his way.

 

Critics of people who think they can show up to an MMA gym and come out in six weeks at the UFC level will call me crazy, but Floyd truly is an amazing athlete who can quiet his doubters, and he’s not getting any younger. It’s now or never to solve that question of which sport  is truly better at crafting the ideal fighter.

FNU Combat Sports Show: Tony, Tom and Rich Discuss All Things Combat Sports

Tom, Tony and Rich are back this week with a great show! We feature lots of engaging discussion about mixed martial arts and boxing, from Connor McGregor’s slapping a Bellator official to Deontay Wilder wanting to end Anthony Joshua’s career. We also chat about Dana White getting into boxing and Bellator’s 8 Man Heavyweight tournament. Again we get back to the nagging question of where are the legends in MMA, and we also cross over to where are the legends in boxing?

 

 

 

 

 

UFC STAR’S WIFE IN DOUBLE MMA DEBUT ON NOVEMBER 3RD IN PORTLAND 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Portland, Maine (September 12, 2017) –New England Fights (NEF) will make its long-awaited debut in Portland on Friday, November 3, 2017 at Aura with “NEF 31: The Old Port.”  Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of an amateur mixed-martial-arts bout to the card.  Carol Linn Powell (0-0) is scheduled to take on Francesca Morabito (0-0) in a women’s bantamweight contest.

Carol Linn is the wife of former NEF Lightweight Champion, and current UFC fighter, Devin Powell (8-3).  Devin earned a contract with the UFC after impressing the company’s president, Dana White, on his web series Dana White: Lookin’ for a Fight at an event promoted by NEF in Bangor, Maine last year.  Together, the Powells own and operate Nostos MMA & Conditioning Facility in Somersworth, New Hampshire.  Last month, they were awarded the “Best Martial Arts Gym” at the “2017 Best of the Seacoast” awards.

“Fighting has been something I’ve fantasized about for a few years and now that it is finally happening, I couldn’t be more excited,” said Carol Linn when reached for comment. “I was supposed to have my first fight in June and it ended up falling through, and I think this fight is a much better match up and is in one of my very favorite towns. Francesca and I have trained together a few times and we were really excited to be a part of each other’s camps, but after realizing what a good matchup we are, we decided to put our friendship aside and both get in there for our first fights. We are very similar, and I’m excited to put a great show on for everyone.”

“I am very excited for my wife to make her debut,” noted Devin. “She’s been around the sport for almost half a decade, but is just recently getting into hard training and the competitive aspect of it. I never told her to fight or said I thought she should. She was very independent in this choice and when somebody chooses to do something on their own and they commit all of themselves to it, I think that is a great equation for a successful person in anything they do. She is going to find out a lot about herself on the 3rd. Happy to have a cage-side seat for it.”

Francesca Morabito trains at the Choi Institute in Portland, Maine.  Her true passion lies in her work with non-profit organization Speak About It.  Morabito has toured the world as a theatre artist with the Portland-based group, educating high school and college students on affirmative consent, healthy relationships, and sexual assault prevention.

“It is such an honor to make my debut just a couple blocks from where I’ve been training for the past two years,” said Morabito.  “I’m elated to fight in my hometown – on the same street where I’ve trudged home on countless Maine winter nights, with my gym bag slung over my shoulder and my wet hair freezing solid underneath my Choi hoodie.  My time has come. And I came to win.”

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 31: The Old Port,” will see the company debut in Portland, Maine at the brand new, state-of-the-art venue Aura.  The event is scheduled to take place on Friday, November 3, 2017.  Tickets are on sale now at www.auramaine.com.