Despite Cormier being out this is still a fantastic card, not least Petis Barbosa and Johnson Cejudo.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIOfshb2NFQ[/video]

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwClMZFO4Lc[/video]

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HrtXOM295M[/video]

Yeah it’s a pretty good card and I have a sneaking suspicion that OSP might just upset the Apple Cart!

Can’t see Mighty Mouse losing though.

Kind of hoping Pettis can find some form, just to illustrate that he can get back in the game after that loss to Dos Anjos. That was like watching a man trying to fight a bulldozer.

I have been watching some of the 197 build up stuff via the internet. To be honest, I didn’t know much about OSP till he got called up for this fight. From what I see he has a puncher’s chance, but Jones is looking like even more of a beast. Apparently he took up powerlifting while he was suspended, so is even stronger now 😯

Either way, it should be an interesting fight. Now DC is out, tho, I think I am looking forward to Mighty Mouse’s fight. Just seems a nice guy, and is quietly dominating the division.

In other UFC news….

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sH9PiuXTMHA[/video]

OSP won’t beat Jones!

Can’t wait to see if Connor rumours are true…

All seems true this morning.

Rumour is Conor asked for £10 million for promotional duties and the UFC told him to go forth and multiply

The other rumour is that Conor asked not to take part in this weeks promo having been cage side last weekend when his team mate fought Joao Carvalho (who died three days later).

The other (other) rumour is that GSP vs Lawler will be added to the UFC 200 card and McGregor was disgruntled at being down from headlining the card.

I saw Dan Hardy mention that last rumour. If true, then I guess this is just brinksmanship, and incredible naivety from UFC to think GSP is a bigger draw than Stockton motherfudger.

Yet another rumour is that McGregor has been injured training and is out. Since MCGvsGSP @ MSG is really the big money fight all parties seem to want they have contrived a beef with the UFC so McGregor can excuse himself from 200, then make a comeback for a one off against GSP.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wkl0HEmoets[/video]

McGregor’s statement

I am just trying to do my job and fight here.
I am paid to fight. I am not yet paid to promote.
I have become lost in the game of promotion and forgot about the art of fighting.
There comes a time when you need to stop handing out flyers and get back to the damn shop.
50 world tours, 200 press conferences, 1 million interviews, 2 million photo shoots, and at the end of it all I’m left looking down the barrel of a lens, staring defeat in the face, thinking of nothing but my incorrect fight preparation. And the many distractions that led to this.
Nothing else was going through my mind.
It is time to go back and live the life that got me this life.
Sitting in a car on the way to some dump in Conneticut or somewhere, to speak to Tim and Suzie on the nobody gives a **** morning show did not get me this life.
Talking to some lady that deep down doesn’t give a **** about what I’m doing, but just wants some sound bites so she can maybe get her little tight ass a nice raise, and I’m cool with that too, I’ve been giving you all raises. But I need to focus on me now.
I’m coming for my revenge here.
I flew an entire team to Portugal and to Iceland to make my adjustments in preparation and fix my errors I made with the weight and the cardio prep.
With the right adjustments and the right focus, I will finish what I started in that last fight.
I will not do this if I am back on the road handing out flyers again.
I will always play the game and play it better than anybody, but just for this one, where I am coming off a loss, I asked for some leeway where I can just train and focus. I did not shut down all media requests. I simply wanted a slight adjustment.
But it was denied.
There had been 10 million dollars allocated for the promotion of this event is what they told me.
So as a gesture of good will, I went and not only saved that 10 million dollars in promotion money, I then went and tripled it for them.
And all with one tweet.
Keep that 10 mill to promote the other bums that need it. My shows are good.
I must isolate myself now.
I am facing a taller, longer and heavier man. I need to prepare correctly this time.
I can not dance for you this time.
It is time for the other monkeys to dance. I’ve danced us all the way here.
Nate’s little mush head looks good up on that stage these days. Stuff him in front of the camera for it.
He came in with no shit to do that last one. I’d already done press conferences, interviews and shot the ads before RDA pulled out.
Maybe I’ll hit Cabo this time and skull some shots pre-fight with no obligation.
I’m doing what I need for me now.
It is time to be selfish with my training again. It is the only way.
I feel the $400million I have generated for the company in my last three events, all inside 8 months, is enough to get me this slight leeway.
I am still ready to go for UFC 200.
I will offer, like I already did, to fly to New York for the big press conference that was scheduled, and then I will go back into training. With no distractions.
If this is not enough or they feel I have not deserved to sit this promotion run out this one time, well then I don’t know what to say.
For the record also –
For USADA and for the UFC and my contract stipulations –
I AM NOT RETIRED.

Brinksmanship just went into overdrive…

Although, I am still thinking MMA has gone all WWE, and this is just a planned ‘story arc’ to hype UFC 200. 🙁

I hope Diaz chokes him again into permanent retirement

I just chucked £20 on Bisping.

Oh dear, that’s 20 quid you could needlessly spend on bike stuff down the drain! 🙂

Damn this post confused me.

Well, I was going to start a UFC 199 thread, but figured this one would do.

Mainly as there seems to be 3 MMA fans on here 😉

Well there are probably 6 but the other three are afraid to post.

I can’t say I fancy Bisping’s chances. I had a sneaking suspicion he could outpoint Anderson, but Rockhold is a different animal (a younger one anyway).

A few things might compound or confound though. The fight is in California and they have hydration tests and early weigh ins and this is the first time the UFC has been there. This might actually favour Bisping since he’s a smaller man. Rockhold has a lot of weight to cut and he can’t simply dehydrate. Who knows.

I don’t fancy Bisping’s chances. He talks a good talk, but with the best will in the world he’s never been a top top fighter. Mainly as, other than his cardio/chin I guess, he doesn’t have that one thing to win a fight. Submission game is improved but nothing outstanding, and as for his knockout power….

Assuming he doesn’t get knocked out, it’ll go the distance, and maybe he’ll get a decision. The stars does seem to have aligned somewhat to give us a proper Hollywood ending 😉

In relation to Faber/Cruz, I love Cruz’s style, but like Faber as a dude’s dude. I think I will be happy whoever wins, as for Faber it’s one last shot maybe, and for Cruz he’s finally back after all those pretty bad injuries.

bongohoohaa

In relation to Faber/Cruz, I love Cruz’s style, but like Faber as a dude’s dude.

Uriah’s a dude’s dude alright 😉

Took me a while to recognise him with a shirt on.

I don’t fancy Bisping’s chances. He talks a good talk, but with the best will in the world he’s never been a top top fighter. Mainly as, other than his cardio/chin I guess, he doesn’t have that one thing to win a fight. Submission game is improved but nothing outstanding, and as for his knockout power….

Agreed. Really can’t take anything away from Bisping as he’s a super hard worker and one of the only guys I don’t think has touched a PED in his life. Ultimately though, he’s an overachiever who may or may not have benefited from some favourable match ups.

You have to add speed and movement to cardio though when you’re talking about a list of his attributes. He doesn’t lose it under pressure either (although Anderson had him VERY close).

Would love to see him beat Luke but the bottom line is there isn’t one thing he does better unfortunately.

Which makes it even more baffling why I bet £20 on him. Odds were not even that great either.

As an aside, someone made a MMA calculator. Fun way to waste a few minutes.

http://mma-math.com/

One of the most entertaining pressers in a while.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4W-TTZ7bHc[/video]

Can’t wait for the Bisping fight. I can’t stand the guy but hey, he’s British and patriotism and all that. I’m usually disappointed when he fights even if he wins.

Can’t believe how many UFC’s I’ve watched. Started around UFC40 (Obvs watched all of them now).

Despite being a mahoosive coke head, I still love watching the old Liddell fights. What happened to Matt Hamill? Or Telligman (the guy only had one pectoral muscle!). Cung Le?

Anyone listen to the Joe Rogan podcasts?

I listen to Rogan’s podcasts. Although I pick and choose depending on the guests. Last weeks fight companion was a hard listen as Callan and Schaub talk over everyone, and they grate real quick.

Matt Hamill retired a while ago but he’s back fighting sporadically now. Just lost to Sokoudjou in Venator FC (newish Italian promotion).

No idea what Trauma is doing now but Cung Le is also retired pretty much. If he did surface again it’d be for Scott Coker in Bellator though it’s pretty unlikely I think.

PSA Bisping, Faber and Hendo accumulator comes in at 98/1 on William Hill. Just sayin.

I’ve wasted enough money already 😉

I am just debating whether to stay up or not. Figure I might just watch it when I wake up, as looks like it’ll run through to 6am.

6am is a hard slog. Shit that.

According to SkyBet 5am start for main event.

Still…shit that.

Ahahahahahaha!

Heh.

Crazy times. Looks like 2 weeks is the going to be the new training camp length 8)

*checks payouts*

Edit: Wait…Brock Lesnar is back for 200 and Ariel Helwani has been banned from UFC events for life?

Crazy scenes.

Yeah Zuffa are a bunch of cry babies. God forbid a reporter reports on something. Esther Lin also chucked out.

Bisping though eh! Fair play to that guy – Hard work pays off.

He’ll have a very tough job keeping that belt (I think Luke’ll get him in another rematch unfortunately) but what an achievement 10 years in to your UFC career.

Congrats on your win also Bongohoohaa!

If Faber hadn’t of Faber’d, I would have done better. But can’t grumble.

Just been watching the post fight press conferences, and it all kicked off near the end. Luke Outcold Rockhold is not a happy bunny.

Shame to see Cruz, UFC’s Patrick Bateman, still being a dick to Faber, tho.

My favourite bit of the night, after the obvious of course, was Holloway wanting to bang.

Brilliant. https://gfycat.com/HeavyGlaringClumber

Bisping though eh! Fair play to that guy – Hard work pays off

Its one of those with UFC eventually everyone loses and folk get lucky as anyone can win and no one ever ends their career undefeated

He got lucky as his previous defeats show and he will get beat again

Not sure we can go as far as say lucky punch but nonetheless lucky punch

I spar with someone i can beat about 1 in 100 for example… sometime i just get lucky but he is much much better than me.