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Poirier vs. Ferguson Twitter bicker continues
Philippine gov't joins with Brandon Vera to combat youth drug use via MMA
The Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) is pushing for MMA as a means to improve the lives of poor Filipinos in urban areas and help prevent youth crime and drug use. PCUP chairman Alvin Feliciano and ONE heavyweight champion Brandon Vera signed a Memorandum of Agreement towards this end. "You can take a person who's at the bottom of the barrel, the most drug-laden person, the most broken soul, if you show them martial arts and they can fall in love with the disciplines, the process, and the attributes it takes to become a martial artist," explained Vera. "It will take over their lives and you can take that person who was a negative and turn them into a positive. If you have somebody who finds himself loving that lifestyle and understanding that they can get out of where they are, they will stop using/doing all the bad stuff on their own, kasi may pangarap na sila 9because they now have dreams), they have another avenue. The reason why people use drugs: they have no ambition, no goals, nothing to look forward to." h/t PNA.gov
Eve Torres accidentally puts Rener Gracie to sleep
Tank Abbott discusses liver transplant
There are few sure things in MMA, but Wanderlei Silva getting a broken nose and David 'Tank' Abbott having liver issues are two of them. During a recent appearance on “Hannibal TV” Tank talked about the surgery that nearly killed him and left him 100 pounds lighter: "[My body] finally caught up with all of my wild life. Blew a gasket on my liver, but I got a nice transplant and everything is moving right along. It was not without complications, though. I died five times on the operating table, had over six strokes, but I’m still here. This is the hardest fight I’ve ever had. I spent 107 days in the intensive care unit. I’ve been out of commission for a little bit. I’m getting fired up again and do things that I love to do, which is to kick ass." Abbott reports he has quit drinking. h/t Wrestlezone • Watch
De La Hoya says he plans to do another MMA event
Oscar De La Hoya debuted Golden Boy MMA on 11/24 and did a reported 40,000 PPV buys. That was the good news - the main event was terrible, and DLH was clearly out of his depth, to the point he couldn't pronounce Liddell correctly. However, during a recent appearance on ESPN’s “First Take” DLH vowed to do it again: “I’m gonna sit down with my team. I’m gonna analyze the free agents out there, because I’m not gonna get a hold of no fighters who are under contract with the UFC. I want to see who’s a free agent, who contacts me. And then I’ll build another event, but I’ll build a big event. I’ll build an event where the fighters are not Chuck Liddell’s and Tito Ortiz’s age, but I’ll build an amazing event. And not do it on pay-per-view. I’ll do it on a platform that is not gonna charge you $80, $90. Pay-per-view’s gone. That’s why Canelo Alvarez is gonna make $365 million not fighting on pay-per-view. I’m gonna compete with Dana White. Just the way I started Golden Boy promotions, and now we’re the biggest powerhouse in boxing. That’s exactly what I’m going to do with MMA.” h/t Sherdog • Watch
USADA case dismissed against Grant Dawson, after 14 months of inactivity
In November of 2017 UFC featherweight Grant Dawson had an anti-doping test flagged. After being forced to not fight for 14 months, the case has been dismissed. Official UFC statement: "UFC was informed by USADA that Grant Dawson received a dismissal of his potential anti-doping policy violation that was first reported in November 2017. This dismissal was based on the likelihood that the ingestion of the prohibited substance occurred prior to Grant coming under the UFC Anti-Doping Program. We understand that Grant was cooperative throughout USADA’s investigation. Today’s dismissal of Grant’s case reinforces UFC’s recent decision to resolve potential anti-doping policy violations before making them public. We wish Grant the best in his fighting career, whether that be here with UFC or elsewhere." How Dawson gets back a year of the very short career that is fighting at the elite level is not clear. Does he even get an apology?
Bispijng to assume event commentary role in 2019
Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping announced on his ‘Believe You Me’ podcast that he will assume a UFC event commentary role starting in 2019: ”I’m going to be commentating on UFC events going forward, so that’s interesting and exciting for me. Yeah just going back and forth with the UFC obviously I’m going to be continuing with ESPN in the new year, got the first few dates, Brooklyn, Phoenix, London so that’s exciting and there’ll be some commentary in there as well. Yet to get my first gig booked but we’ve negotiated the deal and everything so that’s good news it’s exciting times. It wasn’t something I was yearning to do but of course, I’m not fighting anymore and I’ve dedicated my life to this sport, I do know a lot about it ... I do want to stay involved with the sport, it keeps me relevant it keeps me current.” h/t FanSided
Emil Meek chopping wood with a flaming axe
Jon Jones CSAC licensing hearing recap
Dominick Cruz injured, fight vs. Lineker at UFC 233 in question
MMAbrasil.com.br reports that due to another injury, Dominick Cruz has been forced out of his fight vs. John Lineker at UFC 233 n January 26. It has been confirmed that Cruz is injured, but at least yet, not that he has withdrawn from the fight.
DC makes ESPN's Most Dominant Athlete list
"Senior writer Peter Keating developed a statistical methodology to determine the list of athletes who redefined the impossible." 1. Simone Biles (Olympic gymnast) • 2.Eliud Kipchoge (Olympic runner) • 3. Daniel Cormier (MMA fighter/former Olympic wrestler) • 4. Ariya Jutanugarn (professional golfer) • 5. Katie Ledecky (Olympic swimmer) • 6. Chloe Kim (Olympic snowboarder) • 7. Breanna Stewart (WNBA/Seattle Storm) • 8. Luka Modric (professional soccer player/Real Madrid) • Simona Halep (professional tennis player) • 9. Novak Djokovic (professional tennis player) • 10. Yuzuru Hanyu (Olympic figure skater) • 11. Lewis Hamilton (professional race car driver) • 12. LeBron James (NBA/Los Angeles Lakers). h/t ESPN
ONE is coming to America
ONE Championship has signed a three-year broadcast deal with Turner Sports; starting on Jan. 1, 24 events will air live on B/R Live, Turner's digital platform. In addition to the live events, Turner will air shoulder programming and taped events on TNT and there is also a reality show in the works, as well, according to sources. The first event is scheduled for Jan. 19 in Jakarta, Indonesia. h/t ESPN
Chatri plans to make ONE bigger in Japan than Pride ever was
ONE will make their first trip to Japan in 2019, holding two shows in Tokyo in March and October. CEO Chatri Sityodtong: “Japan is at an all-time low in terms of martial arts, MMA. Since the Pride days, it’s literally gone south, and it’s because of the whole mafia connection that used to run the martial arts scene here. My goal is to make it bigger than Pride ever was in Japan. We’re already much much bigger than Pride ever was in terms of, if you look at our viewership numbers and stuff like that, we’re far bigger than Pride ever was, but I’m talking about Japan, specifically. I believe we have the chance to be much bigger than Pride ever was. For me it’s an opportunity for a revival, a renaissance if you will, and we ignite Japan. If you look at Japan, every child in Japan is dealing with Karate, Kendo, Aikido, Judo, that’s teaching kids values. I think it’s a huge opportunity, if done in the right, authentic way, to bring back martial arts and make it the most popular sport again." h/t SportsKeeda
UFC 231 Fight Motion
Theodorou's next fight is changing the 'stigma of medical cannabis'
“My next fight isn’t against one man, it’s against the stigma of medical cannabis, and that means working to push through my therapeutic-use exception with USADA to medicate. It’s a competitive disadvantage that I currently find myself in. Anything worth fighting [for] is hard and long, and it’s a fight I’m willing to take.” Theodorou also referenced his win over Eryk Anders at UFC 231 on Sat: “He said he was going to be the first person to finish me. Instead, he lost to the first ring boy ever.” h/t MMAjunkie
Cowboy Oliveira gets a Blair Witch mark courtesy of Gunnar Nelson
Shevchenko has forgotten Montano's name, but will defend vs. Jessica Eye 'no problem'
