MMA News Thread
- Thread starter Shogun Locc
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Dana didn't give her the UFC belt, the division was absorbed in to the UFC the same way Jose Aldo's and Dominic Cruz's were from the WEC. Rousey was already champion upon entering the UFC, hence the money and the main event fight, that's why she's more special than Holly Holm. Holly Holm has been fighting random girls at Indian casinos while Rousey was champion of the division after finishing Miesha Tate and Sarah Kaufman who were both top 5 in the division, there's a big difference.
Rousey just carried UFC 170 by herself, she had zero undercard to help her carry it and it sold 360k, Canelo Alvarez sold 400k the same month, Ronda is putting up Canelo PPV numbers by herself.
Both Aldo and Pettis were still under their WEC contracts the same as Rousey was still under her Strikeforce contract during her first fight. All 3 of them get paid now after renegotiating. Don't really know what you're trying to say.
Holly Holm literally isn't worth much money right now, not one casual fan knows who she is, look up her fight record, even when she was a champion in boxing she was fighting in places like the Route 66 Casino in Albuquerque lol Holm doesn't deserve the cash until she shows she actually deserves the cash and fighting in front of a couple hundred people at the Indian casino against a random no name girl isn't gonna show anybody anything and the UFC isn't gonna pay somebody who nobody has heard of.
Huh?? Nate Diaz re-negotiated TO 15k per fight, that was his most recent contract. He changed management teams and his dumbass new manager fucked him over, that's why Nate is so unhappy right now. Before his new 15k contract he was making 50k show 50k win. Nate Diaz made more show money than Benson Henderson did during their title fight lol it was after that fight his contract ran out and his new dumbass management fucked him, not the UFC. Go look on sherdog and the ug back during that time, people were dumbfounded as hell as to why Diaz signed that new contract.
Rousey just carried UFC 170 by herself, she had zero undercard to help her carry it and it sold 360k, Canelo Alvarez sold 400k the same month, Ronda is putting up Canelo PPV numbers by herself.
Both Aldo and Pettis were still under their WEC contracts the same as Rousey was still under her Strikeforce contract during her first fight. All 3 of them get paid now after renegotiating. Don't really know what you're trying to say.
Holly Holm literally isn't worth much money right now, not one casual fan knows who she is, look up her fight record, even when she was a champion in boxing she was fighting in places like the Route 66 Casino in Albuquerque lol Holm doesn't deserve the cash until she shows she actually deserves the cash and fighting in front of a couple hundred people at the Indian casino against a random no name girl isn't gonna show anybody anything and the UFC isn't gonna pay somebody who nobody has heard of.
Huh?? Nate Diaz re-negotiated TO 15k per fight, that was his most recent contract. He changed management teams and his dumbass new manager fucked him over, that's why Nate is so unhappy right now. Before his new 15k contract he was making 50k show 50k win. Nate Diaz made more show money than Benson Henderson did during their title fight lol it was after that fight his contract ran out and his new dumbass management fucked him, not the UFC. Go look on sherdog and the ug back during that time, people were dumbfounded as hell as to why Diaz signed that new contract.
yea feel for him too, dude has fought some really tough guys in his career, he's a fighter and most of the time they don't know when to hang em up. Not just finishes like when most people throw in subs too but ko's. And viscous ones at that...call it a career breh, you probably exceeded more than you thought u would
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B-Buzz and B-Buzz
him randomly yelling "NIGHT RIDERRRRRRR" over and over during his interview after choking out Koscheck was my favorite thing ever. But yeah he should've retired after Gaethje almost killed his ass.
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RM211 and RM211
@InfamousICON
i dont know how to do all those quotes like that bro' bruh:
re: Dana didn't give her the UFC belt, the division was absorbed in to the UFC the same way Jose Aldo's and Dominic Cruz's were from the WEC. Rousey was already champion upon entering the UFC, hence the money and the main event fight.
i understand her getting the belt off bat. but she wasnt making as much under Strikeforce, even though Zuffa owned Strikeforce everytime Rousey got in the cage. maybe they re-negotiated her contract when she got the UFC belt, but i wouldnt call her contract "absorbed". Gina Carano is still under Zuffa contract. if she came back, in theory, she would make as much as her contract stated she is suppose to make when she left. thats contract absorption. though i think Zuffa would give her more just to come back and fight Rousey. she did get on Kaufman and Tate, but those are the only fighters that had any juice. her other wins were chicks of the same caliber as Holly Holms competition. "indian casino" type fighters. Rousey had 2 pro fights before Strikeforce. civic center, fold out chair type of audiences. Rouseys first Strikeforce fight/win was a chick who also was fresh in Strikeforce. her second fight was a 2-1 chick. i wouldnt say her pre-UFC fight history trumps Hollys to the extent Dana White likes to think.
re: Rousey just carried UFC 170 by herself, she had zero undercard to help her carry it and it sold 360k
i wouldnt say she carried it by herself. the initial co-main event was DC vs Evans. the card woulda been fucked if DC didnt fight (cus of Evans). thats why Dana White got Cummins and pumped the fuck out of it, to get some momentum. it wasnt solely just because DC really really wanted to fight. Danas a biz man. a lot of those buys were mma fans wanting to see the DC fight though damn near everyone knew what the outcome would be. they wanted to see DC stay undefeated, and see Cummins back his shit up. and you honestly dont think Rory MacDonald helped the card, at all? i bet Canada put a lot of buys up just because of Rory.
re: Both Aldo and Pettis were still under their WEC contracts the same as Rousey was still under her Strikeforce contract during her first fight. All 3 of them get paid now after renegotiating. Don't really know what you're trying to say.
goes back to the first quote. Ronda must've got the automatic re-negotiation, or her contract was up. her money sitch changed by her first UFC fight.
re: Holly Holm literally isn't worth much money right now, not one casual fan knows who she is, look up her fight record, even when she was a champion in boxing she was fighting in places like the Route 66 Casino in Albuquerque lol Holm doesn't deserve the cash until she shows she actually deserves the cash and fighting in front of a couple hundred people at the Indian casino against a random no name girl isn't gonna show anybody anything and the UFC isn't gonna pay somebody who nobody has heard of.
i understand what your tryna say, but i wouldnt call Bellator and Legacy "indian casino fights". mma fans know who Holly Holm is, as they knew who Rousey was. you make it sound like UFC is all about rankings, and only deserving fights. if that was the case, Nick Diaz would not have got the title shot against GSP after losing to Carlos Condit, then retiring, then getting suspended for a year after failing a post fight drug test. to add on to that, if UFC was all about rankings and deserving fights, after Nick Diaz lost to GSP and retired again, he wouldnt've still been ranked in the top 5. it took Tyron Woodley's (justified) bitching for UFC to take Diaz out of the rankings. the only reason why Dana White probably wont give Diaz the immediate title shot right now is cus the backlash that he'll get. Holly Holm dont deserve 6 figs, or the immediate title shot. but she deserves more than what im sure UFC is offering her. this is the same promotion that signed the "Happy Warrior". a slow-mo fucking shadow boxer who's only weapon is being very sweet and lovable.
re: Nate Diaz re-negotiated TO 15k per fight, that was his most recent contract.
im'a believe you. i was under the impression, from a recent Dana White interview/press conference, that Nate juuuuust re-negotiated his contract. his words/context made it sound like he hasnt fought under his new contract.
...thats terrible.
F
@Foul Mouth
Rousey's show money went from 20k to 45k in between Strikeforce and UFC, she didn't become some kind of breaded out millionaire until her contract got renegotiated.
I don't get how you don't see being the champion and just recently beating the two top fighters in the division isn't better then fighting cans at the casino.
As far as Holly Holm fighting "indian casino" fighters, 3 of her 6 MMA fights and 36 of her 38 pro boxing fights were in Indian Casinos in New Mexico, it's like she hasn't left the damn state lol 90% of the people she's fought in both sports don't even have a wikipedia page lol
Also to touch on the PPV real quick, you seriously think people paid money to see Rory Macdonald? Ask a casual at the bar if they know who Rory Macdonald is....you'll get blank stares.
Rousey's show money went from 20k to 45k in between Strikeforce and UFC, she didn't become some kind of breaded out millionaire until her contract got renegotiated.
I don't get how you don't see being the champion and just recently beating the two top fighters in the division isn't better then fighting cans at the casino.
As far as Holly Holm fighting "indian casino" fighters, 3 of her 6 MMA fights and 36 of her 38 pro boxing fights were in Indian Casinos in New Mexico, it's like she hasn't left the damn state lol 90% of the people she's fought in both sports don't even have a wikipedia page lol
Also to touch on the PPV real quick, you seriously think people paid money to see Rory Macdonald? Ask a casual at the bar if they know who Rory Macdonald is....you'll get blank stares.
word g. but the casual mma fan in Canada is different than a casual fan out here. there aint no Canadian factor in the UFC, other than GSP's protege, Rory. dude brought in money. a casual fan out here probably dont know Rory, DC, or McMann. but for 360K buys, the casual audience isnt worth bringing into the convo. Rory and DC mos def helped her with that card. as well as McMann, since UFC pushed this shit as an "Olympic Medalist" show down. that alone shows that Ronda couldnt carry the fight with her name alone. Ronda's a bigger star outside of UFC than she is in, in respect to her landing some movie roles. she couldnt even land the EA Sports UFC cover.
i understand what your saying, but your comparing Ronda (now) to Holly (now). im comparing Ronda (pre-UFC) to Holly (now/pre-UFC), since one's pre-UFC sitch has a direct effect on them coming into the UFC. and thats where Dana Whites mouth seems to be in regards to Holly Holm.
Hollys ex-boxing career is irrelevant, as is Ronda's ex-judo career. the only relevancy boxing/judo has is to their respective fighting styles. but to get on the same page, yes, Ronda is more accomplished, right now, at this point, than Holly.
i understand what your saying, but your comparing Ronda (now) to Holly (now). im comparing Ronda (pre-UFC) to Holly (now/pre-UFC), since one's pre-UFC sitch has a direct effect on them coming into the UFC. and thats where Dana Whites mouth seems to be in regards to Holly Holm.
Hollys ex-boxing career is irrelevant, as is Ronda's ex-judo career. the only relevancy boxing/judo has is to their respective fighting styles. but to get on the same page, yes, Ronda is more accomplished, right now, at this point, than Holly.
Shane Howell ill before Leonard Garcia fight, Legacy FC 29 title bout pulled
always good to see Garcia in a bar fight, kinda succs...
Not long before Friday’s Legacy FC 29 event, the main event was pulled when featherweight title challenger Shane Howell fell ill.
As the broadcast on AXS TV kicked off, play-by-play voice Michael Schiavello confirmed what promoter Mick Maynard had reported to aXS TV earlier – that Howell had the flu, and his shot at Leonard Garcia‘s 145-pound title was on hold.
That shifted the title fight between Paul Buentello and Myron Dennis for the vacant light heavyweight strap up to the lead position.
Legacy FC 29 takes place at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tulsa, Okla. The main card airs on AXS TV.
Garcia recently won the Legacy FC belt with a first-round knockout of Kevin Aguilar at Legacy FC 26 (watch the Garcia vs. Aguilar video highlights). Since a five-fight losing streak that prompted his UFC release this past year, the fan favorite has posted three consecutive stoppage victories, all with Legacy FC.
Howell is a promotional newcomer and onetime Bellator fighter and was looking to continue a run of his own. Since opening his record with a ho-hum 4-6 record, Howell has won nine of his past 10 fights and six straight. Eleven of his 13 career victories have come via stoppage, including seven via submission.
There was no early word on just how soon Garcia vs. Howell would be rescheduled. Legacy’s next event is slated for April 4, headlined by Holly Holm in Albuquerque, N.M. – coincidentally, where Garcia has long trained at the Jackson-Winkeljohn camp.
always good to see Garcia in a bar fight, kinda succs...
Not long before Friday’s Legacy FC 29 event, the main event was pulled when featherweight title challenger Shane Howell fell ill.
As the broadcast on AXS TV kicked off, play-by-play voice Michael Schiavello confirmed what promoter Mick Maynard had reported to aXS TV earlier – that Howell had the flu, and his shot at Leonard Garcia‘s 145-pound title was on hold.
That shifted the title fight between Paul Buentello and Myron Dennis for the vacant light heavyweight strap up to the lead position.
Legacy FC 29 takes place at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tulsa, Okla. The main card airs on AXS TV.
Garcia recently won the Legacy FC belt with a first-round knockout of Kevin Aguilar at Legacy FC 26 (watch the Garcia vs. Aguilar video highlights). Since a five-fight losing streak that prompted his UFC release this past year, the fan favorite has posted three consecutive stoppage victories, all with Legacy FC.
Howell is a promotional newcomer and onetime Bellator fighter and was looking to continue a run of his own. Since opening his record with a ho-hum 4-6 record, Howell has won nine of his past 10 fights and six straight. Eleven of his 13 career victories have come via stoppage, including seven via submission.
There was no early word on just how soon Garcia vs. Howell would be rescheduled. Legacy’s next event is slated for April 4, headlined by Holly Holm in Albuquerque, N.M. – coincidentally, where Garcia has long trained at the Jackson-Winkeljohn camp.
UFC releases vet Melvin Guillard
Following a 2-5 skid and a recent loss to Michael Johnson, veteran lightweight Melvin Guillard is no longer a UFC fighter.
The 30-year-old “Young Assassin” was issued his pink slip following a performance that earned heavy criticism from his boss. MMAFighting.com first reported the release.
Guillard, who originally joined the UFC in 2005 after appearing on the second season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” concludes his UFC career (for now) with an overall 12-9 record.
Earlier this month, Guillard (31-13-2 MMA, 12-9 UFC) met rising contender Johnson (15-8 MMA, 7-4 UFC) in UFC Fight Night 38′s co-headliner. However, following the March 8 event in London, where Guillard suffered a listless unanimous-decision loss, White wouldn’t say if Guillard would be released, but he was critical of the performance.
“There’s no doubt Melvin ran the entire fight and was incredibly passive, the complete opposite of how he used to fight,” White said. “There was a lot of smack talk leading up to that fight, and those are the fights that everybody gets excited about, and nine times out of 10 they end up like tonight. Those drive me crazy.
“I was excited for that fight. I thought (they were) both really explosive athletes who can mix it up really well, and it just didn’t happen tonight.”
Guillard’s nine-year run in the promotion saw a significant amount of inconsistency. However, despite well-documented out-of-the-cage issues, the three-time “Knockout of the Night” winner put on some truly captivating performances with a number of highlight-reel performances.
Guillard’s best run began in 2008, when he won eight of nine fights (including victories over Dennis Siver, Gleison Tibau, Jeremy Stephens and Evan Dunham) that put him in the thick of the UFC lightweight title picture.
However, a 47-second submission loss to Joe Lauzon – followed by a main-event submission defeat to Jim Miller – spoiled his run. The back-to-back losses also commenced his current skid, which includes just two wins (and one no-contest) in his past eight fights.
The fighter now will seek opportunities with other fight promotions.
Guillard leaves his current organization with the third most wins, most knockdowns and most knockouts in UFC lightweight history.
Following a 2-5 skid and a recent loss to Michael Johnson, veteran lightweight Melvin Guillard is no longer a UFC fighter.
The 30-year-old “Young Assassin” was issued his pink slip following a performance that earned heavy criticism from his boss. MMAFighting.com first reported the release.
Guillard, who originally joined the UFC in 2005 after appearing on the second season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” concludes his UFC career (for now) with an overall 12-9 record.
Earlier this month, Guillard (31-13-2 MMA, 12-9 UFC) met rising contender Johnson (15-8 MMA, 7-4 UFC) in UFC Fight Night 38′s co-headliner. However, following the March 8 event in London, where Guillard suffered a listless unanimous-decision loss, White wouldn’t say if Guillard would be released, but he was critical of the performance.
“There’s no doubt Melvin ran the entire fight and was incredibly passive, the complete opposite of how he used to fight,” White said. “There was a lot of smack talk leading up to that fight, and those are the fights that everybody gets excited about, and nine times out of 10 they end up like tonight. Those drive me crazy.
“I was excited for that fight. I thought (they were) both really explosive athletes who can mix it up really well, and it just didn’t happen tonight.”
Guillard’s nine-year run in the promotion saw a significant amount of inconsistency. However, despite well-documented out-of-the-cage issues, the three-time “Knockout of the Night” winner put on some truly captivating performances with a number of highlight-reel performances.
Guillard’s best run began in 2008, when he won eight of nine fights (including victories over Dennis Siver, Gleison Tibau, Jeremy Stephens and Evan Dunham) that put him in the thick of the UFC lightweight title picture.
However, a 47-second submission loss to Joe Lauzon – followed by a main-event submission defeat to Jim Miller – spoiled his run. The back-to-back losses also commenced his current skid, which includes just two wins (and one no-contest) in his past eight fights.
The fighter now will seek opportunities with other fight promotions.
Guillard leaves his current organization with the third most wins, most knockdowns and most knockouts in UFC lightweight history.
UFC broadcaster Jon Anik: Lyoto Machida still wants Jon Jones rematch
Although Lyoto Machida is set to fight for the UFC middleweight title in May, light heavyweight isn’t completely out of his system, according to UFC commentator Jon Anik.
Anik, who calls fights inside the octagon and also hosts “UFC Ultimate Insider,” told MMAjunkie Radio that the former light-heavyweight champ would welcome a “superfight” with the man who denied him the chance to win back the belt at 205 pounds.
“I had a pretty revealing conversation with Lyoto in Los Angeles yesterday,” Anik said earlier this week. “It really seems like he wants to fight Jon Jones again. I mean, not that he’s thinking about a return to 205 (pounds); he loves being at 185. But he just kept coming back to the superfight and the megafight, and it seems like he wants to fight Jonny ‘Bones’ again.”
The two met at UFC 140 in what was Jones’ second title defense and Machida’s first attempt at regaining the belt after ceding it to Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 113. Machida won the bout’s first round. But in the second, Jones caught him in a standing guillotine choke and squeezed until he dropped lifelessly to the mat.
In his next fight, Machida rebounded in a big way, knocking out Ryan Bader at UFC on FOX 4 to earn a rematch with Jones. But when he turned down a short-notice opportunity at UFC 152, he fell out of favor as the UFC’s No. 1 contender, and Jones brushed off a second bout.
Machida squeaked by ex-champ Dan Henderson at UFC 157, but when he fell short against Phil Davis at UFC 163 via controversial decision, his diminishing title prospects prompted him to move to middleweight. There, he made an instant impression with a first-round knockout of Mark Munoz.
Machida subsequently outpointed Gegard Mousasi in this past month’s UFC Fight Night 36 headliner, and when No. 1 middleweight contender Vitor Belfort was scratched from a title shot against champ Chris Weidman at UFC 173, he eagerly accepted.
Machida (11-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) and Weidman (21-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) headline the May 24 pay-per-view at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Jones (19-1 MMA, 13-1 UFC), meanwhile, is scheduled to fight Glover Teixeira (22-2 MMA, 5-0 UFC) next month at UFC 172 and is expected to then meet Alexander Gustafsson (16-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) if he’s successful in his seventh title defense.
Jones’s attitude toward a Machida rematch and overtures toward heavyweight make Machida’s request a tall order. But of course, superfights are often more popular in discussion than in reality.
Although Lyoto Machida is set to fight for the UFC middleweight title in May, light heavyweight isn’t completely out of his system, according to UFC commentator Jon Anik.
Anik, who calls fights inside the octagon and also hosts “UFC Ultimate Insider,” told MMAjunkie Radio that the former light-heavyweight champ would welcome a “superfight” with the man who denied him the chance to win back the belt at 205 pounds.
“I had a pretty revealing conversation with Lyoto in Los Angeles yesterday,” Anik said earlier this week. “It really seems like he wants to fight Jon Jones again. I mean, not that he’s thinking about a return to 205 (pounds); he loves being at 185. But he just kept coming back to the superfight and the megafight, and it seems like he wants to fight Jonny ‘Bones’ again.”
The two met at UFC 140 in what was Jones’ second title defense and Machida’s first attempt at regaining the belt after ceding it to Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 113. Machida won the bout’s first round. But in the second, Jones caught him in a standing guillotine choke and squeezed until he dropped lifelessly to the mat.
In his next fight, Machida rebounded in a big way, knocking out Ryan Bader at UFC on FOX 4 to earn a rematch with Jones. But when he turned down a short-notice opportunity at UFC 152, he fell out of favor as the UFC’s No. 1 contender, and Jones brushed off a second bout.
Machida squeaked by ex-champ Dan Henderson at UFC 157, but when he fell short against Phil Davis at UFC 163 via controversial decision, his diminishing title prospects prompted him to move to middleweight. There, he made an instant impression with a first-round knockout of Mark Munoz.
Machida subsequently outpointed Gegard Mousasi in this past month’s UFC Fight Night 36 headliner, and when No. 1 middleweight contender Vitor Belfort was scratched from a title shot against champ Chris Weidman at UFC 173, he eagerly accepted.
Machida (11-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) and Weidman (21-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) headline the May 24 pay-per-view at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Jones (19-1 MMA, 13-1 UFC), meanwhile, is scheduled to fight Glover Teixeira (22-2 MMA, 5-0 UFC) next month at UFC 172 and is expected to then meet Alexander Gustafsson (16-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) if he’s successful in his seventh title defense.
Jones’s attitude toward a Machida rematch and overtures toward heavyweight make Machida’s request a tall order. But of course, superfights are often more popular in discussion than in reality.
anybody see Bellator tonight?? Hella good fights on there, dudes were getting laid out...Pitbull is a beast!
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B-Buzz and B-Buzz
Injury moves Chris Weidman-Lyoto Machida title fight from UFC 173 to UFC 175
The UFC’s Memorial Day weekend pay-per-view was dealt a major blow on Monday with the loss of headlining champion Chris Weidman.
Weidman (11-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC), the middleweight titleholder, is out of his main-event bout against former light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida (21-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) with an knee injury. The UFC announced the news on Monday night.
Weidman, the promotion said, will require minor surgery. Instead of headlining UFC 173, the fight will be moved to UFC 175. The UFC said a new headliner for UFC 173 will be announced in the coming days.
UFC 173 takes place May 24 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. UFC 175 is set for July 5, also in Las Vegas, but at Mandalay Bay Events Center. Both events have main cards on pay-per-view following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.
Weidman was originally supposed to fight Vitor Belfort (24-10 MMA, 13-6 UFC) in the UFC 173 main event. But when the Nevada State Athletic Commission banned testosterone-replacement therapy, Belfort was removed from the card so he could have ample time for his body to adjust to a career with it. Instead, Machida was inserted into the title fight, which will be just his third bout at middleweight.
But now he’ll have to wait about six weeks longer for the coveted title shot.
Machida, a former light heavyweight champ, debuted at middleweight this past October, when he knocked out Mark Munoz. In February, he took a decision from Gegard Mousasi in Brazil, giving him four wins in his past five fights.
Machida won the 205-pound title in 2009 when he knocked out Rashad Evans. He defended the belt just once against Mauricio Rua before losing it at UFC 113 in a rematch with “Shogun.” It was up and down for him at that point, as he dropped three of four starting with the Rua loss – including a title shot against Jon Jones at UFC 140. But since then, he has won four of five with just a controversial loss to Phil Davis separating him from a 5-0 run.
Weidman this past July knocked out longtime middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva to win the title. Then in December, he defended it when Silva broke his leg when Weidman checked a kick – one of the most gruesome injuries in MMA history.
“Machida is a dangerous fighter and he knows what it takes to become champion,” Weidman said in a statement after getting his new opponent. “He’s been on my radar since he dropped to 185, so I’m looking forward to defending my title against him in May
The UFC’s Memorial Day weekend pay-per-view was dealt a major blow on Monday with the loss of headlining champion Chris Weidman.
Weidman (11-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC), the middleweight titleholder, is out of his main-event bout against former light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida (21-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) with an knee injury. The UFC announced the news on Monday night.
Weidman, the promotion said, will require minor surgery. Instead of headlining UFC 173, the fight will be moved to UFC 175. The UFC said a new headliner for UFC 173 will be announced in the coming days.
UFC 173 takes place May 24 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. UFC 175 is set for July 5, also in Las Vegas, but at Mandalay Bay Events Center. Both events have main cards on pay-per-view following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.
Weidman was originally supposed to fight Vitor Belfort (24-10 MMA, 13-6 UFC) in the UFC 173 main event. But when the Nevada State Athletic Commission banned testosterone-replacement therapy, Belfort was removed from the card so he could have ample time for his body to adjust to a career with it. Instead, Machida was inserted into the title fight, which will be just his third bout at middleweight.
But now he’ll have to wait about six weeks longer for the coveted title shot.
Machida, a former light heavyweight champ, debuted at middleweight this past October, when he knocked out Mark Munoz. In February, he took a decision from Gegard Mousasi in Brazil, giving him four wins in his past five fights.
Machida won the 205-pound title in 2009 when he knocked out Rashad Evans. He defended the belt just once against Mauricio Rua before losing it at UFC 113 in a rematch with “Shogun.” It was up and down for him at that point, as he dropped three of four starting with the Rua loss – including a title shot against Jon Jones at UFC 140. But since then, he has won four of five with just a controversial loss to Phil Davis separating him from a 5-0 run.
Weidman this past July knocked out longtime middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva to win the title. Then in December, he defended it when Silva broke his leg when Weidman checked a kick – one of the most gruesome injuries in MMA history.
“Machida is a dangerous fighter and he knows what it takes to become champion,” Weidman said in a statement after getting his new opponent. “He’s been on my radar since he dropped to 185, so I’m looking forward to defending my title against him in May