MMA Junkie Radio hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” will go live Wednesday at noon ET with streaming commentary and analysis on the latest news and developments via SportsCastr, where you can chat with the guys and ask questions.
They’ll talk about the latest MMA news and notes, including fallout from UFC 249 and what’s ahead with both UFC on ESPN+ 29 and UFC on ESPN 8.
A case study in how sports can return during COVID-19, UFC 249 was fascinating overall to say the least.
Welcome to “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts. In this week’s episode, Simon Head fills in to host while John Morgan, “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” recap UFC 249 top to bottom. Let’s go!
SHOW RUNDOWN:
The UFC returned, but it wasn’t without issue as Ronaldo Souza, along with two of his cornermen, tested positive for COVID-19 while at the host hotel in Jacksonville, Fla., forcing him to be removed from UFC 249. The UFC’s handling of the situation was called into question, but the show went on to produce a spectacular night of fights. All things considered, would you call UFC 249 “a success”? Did the UFC really show how to do a sporting event safely during the coronavirus pandemic?
The main event delivered as advertised as [autotag]Tony Feruson[/autotag] and [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] had themselves a barnburner, with the latter man putting on the best performance of his career before winning by fifth-round TKO to claim interim lightweight gold. What was the big difference in this fight? Was Gaethje’s performance a surprise? And where does Ferguson go from here?
In the co-headliner, the self-proclaimed “King of Cringe” [autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag] was anything but cringey as he defeated Dominick Cruz by second-round TKO to retain his bantamweight title. Afterward, though, Cejudo surprised everyone by announcing his retirement, which was met with both praise and skepticism on social media. Are you buying or selling that this is it for Cejudo?
Also on the card, [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] made an absolute statement by dismantling Jairzinho Rozenstruik in 20 seconds to stake his claim for a heavyweight title shot. The problem, of course, is that a trilogy between champ Stipe Miocic and [autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] is planned but stalling to get scheduled. As frustrated as Cormier has been with Miocic’s holdup, does he really want any part of Ngannou at this point in his career? Or is it Miocic or bust for Cormer?
As mentioned, UFC 249 was full of standout performances from top to bottom, from the guys already mentioned, to [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag], [autotag]Bryce Mitchell[/autotag] and more. Who shined brightest on the card?
For answers to all of those questions, watch Episode 27 of “Spinning Back Clique” above.
UFC 249 takes place Saturday night with two title fights atop the bill, and MMA Junkie Radio hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” will host a live streaming watch-along via SportsCastr that kicks off just before the main card at 9:30 p.m. ET.
In the main event, Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje square off for the interim lightweight title. And in the co-headliner, bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo defends his title against the returning Dominick Cruz.
UFC 249 takes place at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. Here’s the five-fight main card:
Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje – for interim lightweight title
Champ Henry Cejudo vs. Dominick Cruz – for bantamweight title
Welcome to “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts. In this week’s episode, John Morgan, “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” look ahead to UFC 249 and more.
SHOW RUNDOWN:
Saturday night’s UFC 249 headliner pits [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] for the interim lightweight title and the right, presumably, to unify against champion [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] later this year. So the question is: Which guy is a bigger threat to Nurmagomedov’s undefeated record?
The reason we use the word “presumably” is because [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] is out there and can probably step into any fight he wants if he just let’s Dana White know what that is. But one thing about McGregor: He’s all about the crowd. And with the current coronavirus pandemic forcing the UFC to continue events in empty venues, what even makes sense for McGregor? Could you see him fighting on “Fight Island” seriously?
[autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] and [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag] couldn’t convince the UFC to make their UFC 249 showdown for an interim heavyweight title. The plan, of course, is for champion Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier to have a trilogy, but nobody is sure when. With that being said, could Ngannou or Rozenstruik jump the line with an impressive win at UFC 249? And if not, what are they supposed to do?
[autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] defending his welterweight title vs. [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] has seemed like a forgone conclusion for months now, BUT White has thrown us a curve ball by teasing something “interesting” could be in the works for “Gamebred.” So, if that really is the case, what would make sense then for both guys?
One of Bellator’s biggest stars, former lightweight champion [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag], is ready to test free agency after the final fight of deal. If he leaves, where should he sign?
For answers to all of those questions, watch Episode 26 of “Spinning Back Clique” above.
Stephan Bonnar wants UFC to add North Star Combat to UFC Fight Pass.
[autotag]Stephan Bonnar[/autotag] might be done fighting in a cage, but he’s still fighting for other things in the MMA world.
The UFC Hall of Famer and runner-up of season one of “The Ultimate Fighter” wants to secure a UFC Fight Pass streaming deal for North Star Combat – a Minnesota-based MMA promotion. Bonnar was appointed president of the promotion earlier this year.
Bonnar hopes the execs at UFC Fight Pass will add North Star Combat to the list of promotions around the globe that use the streaming platform to showcase their live events.
“So far, we got rejected (by the UFC), but they said to just keep working on our product and maybe we’ll reconsider you, and we have we’ve made some improvements, so hopefully they’ll reconsider,” Bonnar told MMA Junkie.
North Star Combat hosts both amateur and professional fights, but Bonnar says the promotion’s goal is to go fully professional in the future.
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Running a regional promotion has its many challenges, but Bonnar says exposure remains at the top of the list – and that’s something Bonnar believes a UFC Fight Pass deal could change.
“Probably the biggest challenge is just getting exposure,” Bonnar said. “So trying to get Forrest (Griffin) to come out and call the fights with me – I had him on The Real MMA show – and he wasn’t going to be able to because he was scheduled to go to China, but plans have changed.
So hopefully we’ll get him on, but we’d like to get on UFC Fight Pass. You think after all the credit of me and his fight, and the impact it had on the company, I think I should be able to get on Fight Pass.
“It’s a good show. We have a great production team, looks top notch, and putting asses in the seats, bottom line. We have merch there, so it’s a good show; I don’t see why not.”
North Star Combat’s next show is currently scheduled for June 27 at the Norther Lights Casino is Walker, Minn. It’s the promotion’s 14th event.
Former UFC champ-champ Daniel Cormier says picking MMA’s equivalent of Michael Jordan is an almost impossible task.
Who’s the GOAT? It’s the sort of discussion topic that has filled countless hours in bars across the world as sports fans debate the greatest athlete of all time in their favorite sport.
It’s no different in MMA, but former two-division UFC champion [autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] says it’s less clear-cut than in some other sports.
Basketball may have Michael Jordan as its GOAT, but when asked who the “MJ” of MMA might be, “DC” admitted it was a tough call.
“Michael Jordan has long been the undisputed greatest of all time in basketball, (but) I don’t think we have that in mixed martial arts,” he suggested. “But I think when you start thinking about a guy who just personified ‘champion,’ a guy that just ran the table and did everything he was supposed to do, the right way, I guess I would say …
“I think we forget that Jordan lost in the playoffs, and he lost multiple times. Before the 90s, he lost in the playoffs about every year. So it’s not like he was undefeated, but if I had to pick a guy that just did everything the right way, I’d probably have to say Demetrious Johnson. (He) defended the belt all those times, always was so well prepared, his performances got better as he went on in his title reign. No hiccups, no mistakes, no nothing, and I think he’s one of those guys.”
But while Cormier held up “Mighty Mouse” as one of the sport’s all-time greats, he said putting one guy over and above the rest is a tricky task, with a number of fighters all holding legitimate credentials to be considered the best to ever do it. And when it comes to compiling a definitive shortlist of the greatest fighters in the sport’s history, “DC” says his name should be on it.
“I think when you start thinking about in MMA, I don’t think it’s just about one guy,” he admitted. “I think you’ve got to look at people as a whole, and there’s going to be about five or six guys that are going to sit at the top of this sport for a long time, and I think I’m one of those guys.”
For now, the MMA world is left without fights. But Saturday night, we’ve got something unique for you.
MMA Junkie Radio hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” built a fight card with some intriguing matchups, and they’ll host a watch-along event on SportsCastr with commentary during the simulated fights.
The live stream goes down at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT), when your hosts will break down the simulated fights and discuss the simulated results.
The simulated card includes:
[autotag]Dan Henderson[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag]
[autotag]Rafael dos Anjos[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag]
[autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag]
[autotag]Matt Brown[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Carlos Condit[/autotag]
[autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Anthony Pettis[/autotag]
Good guy Daniel Cormier trying to do some good for the next generation of amateur wrestlers.
Former UFC dual champion [autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] is using his downtime during the coronavirus pandemic to do some good for the next generation of amateur wrestlers.
Cormier (22-2 MMA, 12-2 UFC), a former light heavyweight and heavyweight champion, already does more than his fair share for the wrestling community. He is the head coach at Gilroy High School in California, but that still doesn’t satisfy him in terms of giving back to the sport that played a massive role in his overall athletic success.
In collaboration with the customized celebrity video messaging service Taki, Cormier is donating money to Wrestling Prep, an organization that not only teaches the physical and mental craft of wrestling, but also provides recruiting and SAT preparation for those making the jump from high school to college.
“These online seminars that they are having are now starting to really explode,” Cormier told MMA Junkie Radio. “Last night the seminar had 745 kids – 745 kids online – learning not only technical skills, but also mastering things in the classroom. It’s a massive opportunity for these kids, and it’s great to be part of something positive.
“I’m just really happy that I can provide assistance for kids that aren’t on my team. It’s across the country, and (we) try to guide them in the right direction for all that stuff that’s going to come on really quick.”
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Through the Taki app, Cormier is selling 10 different personalized messages per month at $100 each. Cormier said he’s received requests that range from birthday messages to motivational advice and more. All profits go to Wrestling Prep, and Cormier said slots have been filling up quickly.
“I do these 10 videos up every month, and people have been burning through them,” Cormier said. “It’s great not only in the sense that they’re willing to buy videos in this time where everything is so up in the air, but the fact that people still want to help people. By buying this video, it allows a kid to gain knowledge by Wrestling Prep.”
Cormier reiterated that he takes no personal profit out of the partnership, and he’s grateful to anyone who is willing to participate in a time of uncertainty during the coronavirus pandemic.
“I know it’s hard to part with $100 right now, but know that $100 is going to help someone,” Cormier said. “It’s not money in my pocket. I’m not getting $100. It will go to a kid that’s trying to further his education and just learn.”
PFL analyst Randy Couture doesn’t disagree with the promotion’s decision to pull the plug on the 2020 season.
PFL analyst [autotag]Randy Couture[/autotag] agrees with the promotion’s decision to pull the plug on the 2020 season.
Due to growing concerns over the global coronavirus pandemic, the PFL canceled this season with intentions of paying a monthly stipend to its remaining contracted fighters.
PFL was scheduled to start its regular season in May before moving to its usual tournament playoff format, then rounding things off with the championship finals on New Year’s Eve in New York.
While Couture, a UFC Hall of Famer, admits he’s disappointed with the news of the cancellation, he thinks if the PFL went ahead with a modified version of the season, they’d be doing a disservice to the brand.
“Well, I mean, obviously it’s disappointing,” Couture told MMA Junkie Radio. “Disappointing for the athletes, disappointing for the cast and crew, the folks that are involved. I think the positives are that they didn’t want to do it half way. We were supposed to be rolling here in May. It does look like some places and some things are gonna start opening up here in May, on the current schedule, but we’ll see.
“So I think rather than do it half way or Mickey Mouse it, trying to put together a partial season, they just decided to sack up the bats and not play with it this season with all the stuff going on. We just don’t know how this thing is going to shake out in the next six months. It’s gonna be interesting. So roll back into 2021 season the right way, the way it should be done.”
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When the PFL does return, it will be with a reloaded roster. The promotion added the likes of former Bellator welterweight champion and ex-UFC fighter Rory MacDonald, Olivier Aubin-Mercier and Justin Willis during the offseason.
Count UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko among those willing to take a trip to “Fight Island.”
Count UFC women’s flyweight champion [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] among those willing to take a trip to “Fight Island.”
Actually, count her among those who may end up insisting her next fight takes place on the mysterious facility UFC president Dana White has repeatedly mentioned the company is currently constructing to house international fights during the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic.
“From the very, very first second when I heard about the island, it was already my favorite idea,” Shevchenko told MMA Junkie Radio. “Yes, I definitely would love to fight there.”
The Kyrgyzstani-born champ currently lives and trains in Las Vegas, but it doesn’t take a long look through her social media to realize she has a passion for traveling, and exotic locales certainly suit her taste, especially those of the tropical variety. Three weeks removed from a surgery to repair a torn MCL, Shevchenko (19-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) said she’s healing up quickly and looking to rebook her planned title defense against Joanne Calderwood (14-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC), which was originally expected to take place at UFC 251 on June 6 in Australia.
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“Now I hope it’s going to happen sometime in the end of August, and why not – why not on the island?” Shevchenko asked. “It can be like a double great thing, and definitely, I love the idea of the island. I love it because on the island is going to be everything that a fighter needs, right? Because it’s going to be built specially for the UFC fights, for the UFC fighters. That’s why we will have all facilities that we need, and it’s going to be very easy to train, very easy to do everything.”
Details of the facility, including its location, remain scarce, with a tight-lipped Dana White refusing to offer up much information. But his initial teases have made it sound like something akin to a resort for UFC athletes. To attend, they’ll just have to be willing to take part in a cagefight rather than sit through a timeshare presentation.
Of course, the UFC’s entire schedule is still a bit uncertain at this time. The promotion hopes to be running live events again beginning May 9, but regulators could very well step in between now and then, much as they did to scrap UFC 249 from this weekend’s docket.
So for now, Shevchenko will just continue training through Nevada’s stay-at-home orders, which currently last until April 30. Shevchenko admits her training hasn’t been too terribly impacted by the quarantine that is in place over most of the U.S. After all, she’s always trained in a small circle that includes her sister, Antonina, and her coach Pavel Fedotov, rather than a massive fight team or super camp.
Still, Shevchenko said keeping this regimen all through a fight camp would have some impact on her ability to rotate through multiple partners in training sessions, which she says keeps her sharp due to the constantly changing styles she faces from different bodies.
“Definitely it’s not affecting me as much as, for example, other fighters, but from the other side, yes, it’s affecting me because I need to use not just one training partner,” Shevchenko said. “I used to use two switching partners in a session because this is what I do, combining the styles, and for me, it’s necessary to have all the styles going around me to be able to switch.
“I have to be able to switch my mind to another work, to another fight strategy. This can affect me because now you will have only one training partner, and the best-case scenario two training partners, but definitely it’s not affecting me that much as other fighters because this is the kind of lifestyle that I had, like training with one team, and it’s all about my internal preparation and all these things. Definitely, for me it’s not difficult because I’m a person that adapts.”
Of course, a lot can happen between now and late August, and most people around the globe hope we’ll be in a different situation by then in terms of coronavirus concerns. In the meantime, Shevchneko said her rehab is going as expected this far and she’s aiming for that late August date – and that ‘Fight Island’ location.
“I would love to have my training camp over there before the fight, to fight there, and actually to stay and recover after the fight on the island because I imagine it’s going to be super beautiful and a super nice place,” Shevchenko said.
To hear the full interview with Shevchenko, check out the video below.
