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'Mighty' Johnson and Eddie Alvarez next ONE fights on 8/3
Demetrious Johnson and Eddie Alvarez will make their second promotional appearances at ONE Championship: Dawn of Heroes on Aug. 2 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines. In the co-main event, “The Underground King” will look to claim his first win under the new banner following a KO loss in his debut vs. Timofey Nastyukhin. This time around, Alvarez fights former ONE lightweight champion Eduard Folayang, who was dethroned in his last outing vs. Shinya Aoki. Johnson fights Tatsumitsu Wada in the flyweight World Grand Prix semifinal. Johnson advanced to the semis after a second-round submission in his promotional debut over Yuya Wakamatsu. Super Series Muay Thai flyweight champion Jonathan Haggerty puts his title on the line vs. Rodtang Jitmuangnon in the main event. h/t MMA Fighting
AZ AC cracking down on unregulated events
The Boxing & MMA Commission has been cracking down on unsanctioned combat sporting events throughout the state. There are still instances where individuals attempt to hold events that do not follow the guidelines set forth by the commission; these unsanctioned events often lead to charges with the possibility of jail time and hefty fines. Director Francisco Meneses reports that from September 2018 to May 2019, three unsanctioned events allegedly hosted by the same two individuals took place, including Mesa. Roland Sierra and Todd Whitmoyer, both of whom were previously licensed with the Boxing & MMA Commission, have been charged with six class-2 misdemeanors for hosting the illegal fights. According to the ADG, class-2 misdemeanors in Arizona can carry a maximum fine of $750 and four months in jail, per charge. Meneses: “They are avoiding some of the costs to make more of a profit. However, they are losing that health and safety standard. It isn’t worth it, it’s not safe for the fighter or the public. We want Arizona to be one of the top states for this sport as a spectator, competitor, and someone associated in this industry.” h/t EVT
Champ champ Amanda Nunes: I'm the WMMA G.O.A.T.
“Yeah, it’s for sure. I am the greatest of all-time. I beat the most dominating woman on the planet. I feel like I deserve it now. A lot of people have been saying [it]. All the things– everybody sends a message for me, a lot of letters at the gym. I have a bunch of letters that I have to send back to the fans. … Every time I sign them, I sit back. Everybody tells me now [I’m the greatest]. I have to say I am, because people tell me, everybody tells me. I believe them and now I say I am. I deserve everything that I have in my life. I proved it. I’m the best – I proved it. I’ve been doing everything people like to see: knock people out, and submissions, and go in there to fight. Don’t run. Put (on) a show. I feel like the fans like that and they respect me for that. And I feel good – I feel happy when they tell me I’m the best. I’m too happy.” Nunes fights Holly Holm at UFC 239 on 7/6 in Las Vegas. h/t MMA Junkie
ROAD FC 55 on 9/8 features FW title defense
ROAD FC 055 will take place on 8 September 2019 in Daegu, South Korea. The main event will be Lee Jeong-Young's first defense of the Featherweight title against challenger Park Hae-Jin. Lee earned his first title in spectacular fashion by defeating two-time champion Choi Mu-Gyeom in a dramatic striking battle. Park put himself first in line for the title shot after defeating Evgeniy Ryazanov by rear naked choke at ROAD FC 049. It was his first submission finish in a three-year undefeated career against consistently more experienced opponents. ROAD FC events are streamed live in the US on DAZN.
The Prelim Primer: UFC Minneapolis
The Prelim Primer is the one and only podcast dedicated to the curtain jerkers. Catch host Daniel "Gumby" Vreeland, who is joined this week by Nick Baldwin, from BloodyElbow, as they break down all of the prelims of UFC Minneapolis.
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Follow host on Twitter @GumbyVreeland
Follow co-host on Twitter @NickBaldwinMMA
Melvin Manhoef names the fighters he wants for final fight(s)
Manhoef, 43, who has been fighting since 1995, and is coming off a win vs. Kent Kauppinen at Bellator 223 in London on Saturday, says he has just one or two fights left: “When I was starting, I was watching Wanderlei Silva, I was watching Fedor. If they can bring me Wanderlei or Fedor, I don’t mind. I just want to take some guy who’s really a legend. I think that was my legend. If that could be done, I would do it. ... If I get that win and the check is good, then maybe I can do one more. ... I don’t know how long it’s going to take [Bellator] to do Amsterdam because I can’t fight when I’m 50, you know what I’m saying? Forty-three years old, but as you can see, age doesn’t count." h/t MMA Junkie
LW Jared Gordon talks recovery from drugs, alcohol, and crazy rehab weight swing
BKB takes a strong heart, strong chin, AND strong hands
Mongolia's Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg earns 6-figure ONE contract after win at ONE Warrior Series 6
Singapore: Rich Franklin's ONE Warrior Series, a subsidiary of ONE Championship™, the largest global sports media property in Asian history, concluded its latest season with an action-packed martial arts event in Singapore on 20 June. The brightest young stars in martial arts came out to participate in action-packed bouts. After a series of compelling contests, Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg of Mongolia earned a six-figure ONE Championship contract after his spectacular knockout of opponent Hyun Jin Lee at ONE Warrior Series 6. Also, Xie Xiao Xiang, Michele Ferreira, Satomi Takano, Ji Yeon Seo, Myeong Gu Kim, and Jerry Olsim, each received a Warrior Bonus for their extraordinary performances. Episodes of Rich Franklin’s ONE Warrior Series can be found on ONE Championship’s official YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/OneFCMMA.
Diego Sanchez leaves Jackson-Wink MMA ahead of UFC 239
“Nothing but respect for Winkeljohn and Greg. I love those guys. I am grateful and I express a huge amount of gratitude right now to both Mike Winkeljohn, to Greg Jackson, to Jackson’s MMA. Everything. All the way up. ... For this time in my career, there was no focus on Diego. There was no real love on Diego Sanchez. Maybe because we’ve got two belt fights [at UFC 239], Jon [Jones] and Holly [Holm], but you know what? I don’t give a $#@. I don’t give a $#!@. I’m Diego Sanchez. I am special. I’m a Hall of Famer. ... For the past three years, Diego Sanchez really being doing the Bruce Lee type of style training: going in early, getting my thousands of reps in and training myself. Obviously everyone knows my grappling credentials – getting some grappling classes in and grappling rolls in. Go get my rounds in with the young bucks and do my thing in the gym. But come fight time, you’d get a couple mitt sessions with Winkeljohn, never really learning anything, just kind of tuning up what I already had. With Greg Jackson, it was maybe one or two privates a camp, but never really any true love – the type of love that a trainer should have for his fighter. ... Well, I’m not only thinking, I’m feeling. That’s a big part of who Diego Sanchez is: I don’t think too much. I don’t think it’s good to think too much. I think you’ve got to feel." Sanchez fights Michael Chiesa at UFC 239 on 7/6 in Las Vegas. h/t MMA Junkie
Jose Aldo postpones retirement, signs new multi-year UFC deal
In January featherweight G.O.A.T. Jose Aldo said he planned to fight out the remainder of his contract this year, and possibly pursue a new career in boxing. However, UFC president Dana White says, and coach Andre Pederneiras confirmed that Aldo signed an eight-fight contract prior to his bout against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 237 in May. h/t ESPN
Jon Jones: Fight vs. Santos is my way of saying thanks to stalwart fans
“I have a lot of supporters who stuck with me, even through my inactivity. This is my way to say thank you to my fans for being there and for their support. I’m just more grateful than ever to be the UFC light heavyweight champion. It’s a special job to have and I just want to do right by it. I just feel like there’s not many things you can do in life to make this kind of income. If my body is going to hold up, why not just ride it until the wheels fall off. I’m here to just continue dominating and collecting for my family’s future. To remain undefeated is a goal of mine. Continue to dominate the toughest guys in the world. Doing that against the Thiago Santos’s, and the Luke Rockhold’s, and the Chris Weidman’s, and Johnny Walker’s of the world. That’s a huge task within itself. If I’m able to do that, it’d be extraordinary. ... I think it’s awesome to become a champ-champ, but I also know I have time to do it. ... When the time is right I’ll try it at heavyweight as well. I think the quickest way for that to happen is for the UFC to reach out to me and say, ‘Hey, Jon, we want to take care of you to take on some bigger guys.’ And I’ll oblige.” h/t MMA Junkie • Watch LA media day scrum
Latest 10 UFC fights, today's in bold
•Colby Covington vs. Robbie Lawler at UFC on ESPN 5 on 8/3 in Newark
•Justin Ledet OUT, replacement sought vs. Dalcha Lungiambula at ESPN 3 on 6/29 in Minneapolis
•Jim Crute vs. Misha Cirkunov at UFC on ESPN+ 16 on 9/14 in Vancouver
•Pannie Kianzad IN with Melissa Gatto OUT vs. Julia Avila at UFC 239 on 7/5 in Las Vegas
•Clay Guida vs. Jim Miller at UFC on ESPN 5 on 8/3 in Newark
•Replacement John Lineker OUT vs. Rob Font, fight canceled, at ESPN+ 12 on 6/22 in Greenville
•Alexey Kunchenko vs. Laureano Staropoli at UFC on ESPN+ 14 on 8/10 in Uruguay
•Roxanne Modafferi vs. Jennifer Maia rematch at UFC on ESPN 4 on 7/20 in San Antonio
•Sara McMann injured OUT Julianna Pena IN vs. Nicco Montano at UFC on ESPN+ 13 on 7/13 in Sacramento
•Valentina Shevchenko vs. Liz Carmouche headlines UFC on ESPN+ 14 on 8/10 in Uruguay
Jon Jones: Thiago Santos has KO power, so does my fiancée
"I’m not worried about him at all. I feel like my fiancée is strong enough to knock me out if I put my hands behind my back and let her punch me right in the chin. A lot of people hit hard. Anyone has the power to knock out anybody. My manager can knock me out if I let him punch me in the face. It’s about being smart enough to be able to land that punch. I am not worried about heavy hitters, everyone hits hard. The fighters that concern me the most are the intelligent fighters. The guys that can set up those punches and set up a solid game plan. So I am not too worried about Thiago. I have fought many guys with big muscles and knockout power. I’ve been doing that since I was one of the youngest guys in the division." Jones defends his title vs. Santos at UFC 239 on 7/6 in Las Vegas. h/t MMA Mania • Watch Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show
John Kavanagh: Artem Lobov beating Paulie Malignaggi was best day of my life
Francis Ngannou: I could definitely transition to boxing
"First of all, boxing is my background. Boxing was my first love for a very long time. For more than 10 years I have been loving boxing without even knowing what MMA was. Then, I get in MMA by opportunity, but still boxing lover. So, I think, at some point, I can end up to cross paths with that dream. ... Sooner or later, it’s going to definitely – it might happen." In the meantime, Ngannou fights Junior dos Santos at UFC on ESPN 3 on Saturday. h/t Low Kick MMA • Watch
Emily Whitmire recounts finding her homeless mom living in a tent
ONE Championship is coming to America, permanently
ONE Championship is opening offices in Manhattan and LA this summer: "We're not doing it as a temporary measure, we're doing this as a permanent entry into America with the idea of throwing events in America. ... I think it's a global market, just like any other product or service. You have Toyota as the largest car manufacturer in the East, and GM out of the West. You have Apple vs. Samsung. The list goes on and on. UFC is obviously No. 1 in the West, and we're No. 1 in the East. But we go about our business very differently, with a different brand and a different strategy and a different product — even the in-stadium experience is very different. ... A guy like Eddie Bravo was on Joe Rogan's podcast last year saying that he's been to hundreds of UFC events and he's been to all the Bellator shows, and he said ONE Championship, by far, is the best show he's ever seen, full stop. ... I think the American fans are in for a big treat and a big surprise when we throw our first event in America." h/t PhillyVoice
Smartest man in MMA: Kevin Iole was not incorrect
Award-winning filmmaker Jody Eldred helps shine a light on the Fight for the Forgotten
Justin Wren's Fight for the Forgotten is the best story in combat sports. Deep in a rain forest in Equatorial Africa, the peaceful Batwa Pygmies were once known as ‘the keepers of the forest.’ But for generations, the Batwa fought against their own slavery, rape and now, poverty. After reading about the Pygmies, Wren, who would later be known in MMA as ‘The Big Pygmy,’ headed to the Congo. A wealthy benefactor facilitated a land purchase so one tribe would have an area they could live on and farm. And even more important, low-cost groundwater wells are being drilled. The price of freedom was providing fresh water wells to the Mokala slavers as well, and it’s helping establish a level of goodwill never experienced before. Wren has rallied some in the MMA community to the cause, particularly legendary female fighter Cris Cyborg giving her dollars and time. And now, a documentary to chronicle this powerful story is being brought to life by Jody Eldred, an Emmy award-winning and DGA award nominated TV and Filmmaker, and Royce Gracie purple belt. h/t B+C
Jorge Kanella discusses viral 'Gooch Kick' at Bellator 223
The weekend featured events from Bellator MMA, BKFC, Combate Americas, and the UFC, but one of the most viral moments was Jorge Kanella's Oil Check Kick on Alfie Davis, in an ultimately losing effort. WATCH HERE. Kanella denied it went there: “It was like, the bum, right at the bottom of the balls. If you’re standing up with someone on the floor, you do not go straight line like that. You’re never taught that because it’s a foul. … It slid up. So when I stood up, it was right in the gooch. It’s normally pleasurable for a man, isn’t it? The gooch. We all enjoy the gooch, but not when you’re getting kicked straight in it. I kicked his butt, and that’s normal. That’s not illegal. If you watch the video, I didn’t kick him where he says it was. Watch the video, I kicked his butt. He was faking it to get a point deducted, and it worked. The judges’ decision was unfair, but what can I do? It’s always the same when you’re fighting in enemy territory. They are always biased.” h/t MMA Junkie
Henry Cejudo calls out Vasyl Lomachenko
Daniel Cormier: Brock Lesnar made the right decision
“I was disappointed. I wanted to fight Brock. I’ve known Brock for a long time. I’ve competed with Brock for a long time in wrestling, and I’ve always been a fan of his. And then we had that great moment out in UFC 226, so the build was gonna be fun. But you know, you can only really worry about things that you can control, and I can’t control that he doesn’t want to fight anymore. He’s done. I know the UFC and Brock tried to make this happen. It just didn’t. So I appreciate all parties involved trying to get it done. But it just didn’t work, man. I don’t know exactly [why Brock signed with the WWE not the UFC]. Honestly, I just think the WWE gave him such a great deal. Like, they really always take care of this guy. And ultimately, you get paid that much money to go and wrestle as opposed to fighting me…there’s no predetermined outcome there. I’m gonna try to kick your ass. So I think he made the smart decision.” h/t My MMA News • Watch TMZ interview
Dakota Cochrane: Chris Leben’s head is hardest thing I’ve ever hit
“It feels good. He’s a tough sum bitch. His head is the hardest thing I’ve ever hit. He’s a legend man, I’m a fan. I’ve watched him for a long time, so for me to be able to fight him, that was a dream come true, and no matter who is in there, I’m gonna try to win. I don’t care who you are, I’m gonna try to knock you out. Hopefully the bossman [Bare Knuckle FC promoter David Feldman] brings me back. took a short notice fight for him so… and went up a little bit in weight. I think there was a little bit more tieing up than I would have liked in the Leben fight, but I come to fight no matter who it is so I’m ready.” Leben offered his experience: "Well you drive a car long enough you go to get in a wreck it was a good fun fight thank you BKFC Way to go Dakota Cochrane. I’ve been punched by a lot of people before but I don’t think anybody hit me quite as hard." h/t My MMA News • Instagram • Twitter
