Dana White Still Deciding On Whether or Not to Release Alistair Overeem


Alistair Overeem will sit out the next nine months after a failed drug test, but his fate with the UFC is still up in the air.

On Tuesday, Overeem appeared before the Nevada State Athletic Commission to answer to the charges of an elevated testosterone test that was return after a drug screening in late March following the UFC 146 pre-fight press conference.

Ultimately, the commission decided to deny Overeem a license and the resulting penalty was 9-months before he could re-apply for a fight license in Nevada, and also agree not to fight in another state or province while under the suspension.

UFC President Dana White was out of the country when the Overeem verdict was handed down, but on Wednesday he appeared on the Jim Rome Show where he found out about the punishment literally on air.

“I wasn’t very optimistic about his chances. I didn’t think things were going to turn out very well for him, as expected. 9 months? 9 months isn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. I thought he’d get a year, easily a year,” said White with some surprise.

Overeem’s claim on Tuesday was that a doctor had administered a shot with anti-inflammatory drugs, but the cocktail also contained testosterone that resulted in the elevated levels during the test.

Regardless of what was injected into Overeem’s body, White says that the UFC heavyweight should have disclosed it to the commission no matter what was inside.

“Whatever medicine you’re on you’re supposed to tell them before you test, not after you test,” said White.

“I’m not a fan, I’m not a fan at all. You’re not going to hear me defending Alistair Overeem, believe me.”

Now with Overeem on the shelf for the next nine months, will he soon also be a free agent?

“I don’t know we’ll see what happens,” White said about possibly releasing Overeem. “He went before the commission, the commission gave him nine months. I’m sure he’s going to have to go in and test again.

“Before he went in there he sat down at a lunch with me and my partner, looked us in the face and said ‘I’m the most tested athlete in all of sports, they can test me whenever they want to’. He flew in for the press conference, they tested him, and now he’s on a 9 month suspension, claiming he was on anti-inflammatories which he should have told them about before they tested.”

The heart of the matter for White comes down to the fact that he believes Overeem lied to him, and that’s something that is not easily forgiven.

“I do, yeah, I know he lied to me,” said White. “I don’t like it.”

http://www.mmaweekly.com/dana-white-still-deciding-on-whether-or-not-to-release-alistair-overeem

Nick Diaz may not be fighting in the Octagon any time soon, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t looking for a fight.

The embattled UFC welterweight is still sitting under a temporary suspension handed down from the Nevada State Athletic Commission after he tested positive for marijuana following his February bout against Carlos Condit at UFC 143.

Since that time, Diaz has been awaiting a full hearing from the Nevada State Athletic Commission to have his chance to prove his case, and finally receive a judgment regarding his potential suspension.

On April 24, Diaz’s lawyer, Ross Goodman, filed a lawsuit against the commission claiming that the constant delays have violated Diaz’s rights in regard to a timely proceeding to hear his arguments for the temporary suspension, and asking for a full dismissal of charges after the lengthy delay.

The lawsuit was first reported by MMAFighting.com on Thursday.

The Diaz camp has long attacked the initial suspension by the commission claiming that marijuana metabolites, which is what Diaz tested positive for following his fight, are not actually on the banned substances list provided by the commission.

They filed a second motion against the commission after the NSAC alleged Diaz lied on a pre-fight questionnaire in which he answered that he was taking no prescription or over the counter drugs. Goodman’s argument was that a medicinal marijuana card, which Diaz legally has in the state of California, is not by definition a prescription nor something that could be purchased over the counter in the state.

Now with this latest shot fired, Goodman is calling for the commission’s delays and lack of setting a date for a hearing to result in the dismissal of the charges against Diaz altogether.

The most recent meeting held by the commission took place on Tuesday, April 24, but Diaz’s hearing was not set as part of the day’s agenda.

That along with the repeated issues Diaz has already claimed in past briefs filed on his behalf by Goodman have now prompted this lawsuit

http://www.mmaweekly.com/nick-diaz-files-lawsuit-against-nevada-commission

UFC Sponsor Anheuser-Busch Warns Promotion To Monitor Fighter Behavior


Blue-chip sponsor Anheuser-Busch has sent a message that it's keeping an eye on the behavior of UFC fighters outside the cage.

The multi-national brewer, which owns the Bud Light and Bud Light Lime brands prominently advertised in the UFC, reprimanded the fight promotion for a series of sexist and homophobic remarks made by fighters in public and over social media.

"If the incidents continue, we will act," Anheuser-Busch said in a statement prepared for Advertising Age.

MMAjunkie.com (http://www.mmajunkie.com) could not reach Anheuser-Busch for additional comment.

"With over 425 athletes on our roster, there have unfortunately been instances where a couple athletes have made insensitive or inappropriate comments," stated the UFC in a release issued to Advertising Age and MMAjunkie.com. "We don't condone this behavior, and in no way is it reflective of the company or its values. As an organization, we are progressive in social media and unlike most other sports leagues, we encourage our athletes to engage online. It is part of our company culture and whenever you are at the forefront of a trend or initiative, it comes with its own pitfalls.

"We will continue to embrace social media while looking for better ways to stay in front of the issues. This includes a mandate for our athletes to attend sensitivity training and a seminar on proper use of social media."

Potential actions against the UFC were not revealed, but would almost certainly affect the brewer's significant investment in the fight promotion as an advertiser.

This past April, Anheuser-Busch renewed its partnership with the UFC with a multi-year deal to make Bud Light an official sponsor of television and pay-per-view events. It guaranteed center-octagon real estate for the beer's logo and prominent placement at press conferences, weigh-ins and other UFC functions.

Bud Light first became an official sponsor of the UFC in 2008.

The promotion has courted controversy in its handling of a spate of crude remarks given by several high-profile fighters. A comment made by former light-heavyweight champ Rashad Evans poking fun at the Penn State sex-abuse scandal drew no official punishment from the UFC, nor did a Tweet issued by former champ Forrest Griffin that made a joke about rape.

Both instances drew harsh criticism from multiple media outlets that questioned the message the UFC was sending by letting the comments pass.

UFC president Dana White later said he'd spoken to both fighters and determined their comments were simply grave lapses in judgment. He rejected the notion of punishing the fighters in response to protests from the media.

Still, those incidents were among several cited by the National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence, which this past January sent a letter to New York state assembly members urging them to uphold the MMA ban that the UFC is currently fighting.

The letter also highlighted separate verbal attacks by White and UFC commentator Joe Rogan against women in MMA media.

Anheuser-Busch has also responded to outcry over UFC-themed advertising for Bud Light Lime. A spot featuring a nearly naked Arianny Celeste prompted a letter of protest from industry watchdog group Alcohol Justice to the company's global parent, Anheuser-Busch InBev.

White has expressed frustration with fighters who've made offensive remarks in public or over social media, and in one prominent case, he briefly fired one fighter for a Tweet joking about sexual assault (that fighter, Miguel Torres, quoted the television show "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and publicly apologized after his release).

But he also took issue with the media that breathlessly reported on the public gaffes.

"The whole thing with me is people are looking to me, and I saw a couple of stupid stories that were written, people who want attention -- you know who those people are," White said in response to controversy stemming from Evans' comments. "What do you want me to do? You want me to have our lawyers draw something up and I'll come out and read it to you guys?

"You know, he said something stupid. It's probably one of the dumbest things you could say. He gets it, and he knows it was a stupid thing to say, and we'll see what happens."

http://mmajunkie.com/news/28437/ufc-sponsor-anheuser-busch-warns-promotion-to-monitor-fighter-behavior.mma

Hector Lombard: ‘I Want To Be UFC Champion, I Want To Fight Anderson Silva To Do It’


The UFC has bolstered their middleweight division with a former Bellator champion who will look to make his impact felt during his first fight this summer.

On Friday, UFC officials confirmed the signing of now former Bellator middleweight champion Hector Lombard who will be joining the ranks of the Octagon’s best at 185lbs.

With an impressive 32-2-1 record, Lombard has put together an incredible 25-fight win streak over the last few years and holds wins over several past UFC competitors including Trevor Prangley, Joe Doerksen, and Niko Vitale.

Now the Cuban born Judoka will come to the UFC to see if his brand of damage will translate to the Octagon.

“I’ve wanted to fight in the UFC all my career,” Lombard said. “I want to be UFC middleweight champion and I want to fight Anderson Silva to do it. I have such respect for him as a fighter, it would be an honor and a dream come true to test my skills against his. I wouldn’t be in the UFC if I didn’t think I could win the UFC world title.”

“I’m here in the UFC to prove I am the best in the world. I’m very proud of my heritage and I want to represent all Cubans around the world when I fight in the UFC, just like I did when I went to the Olympics in 2000.”

Lombard had actually signed with the UFC previously in 2007, but visa issues kept him from actually debuting in the Octagon at the time.

Now officially signed to the UFC, Lombard looks to make his impact felt immediately as he tackles the middleweight division in 2012.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/hector-lombard-i-want-to-be-ufc-champion-i-want-to-fight-anderson-silva-to-do-it

Chael Sonnen Moved In And Out Of Brazil Under Heavy Security Detail


UFC president Dana White, middleweight champion Anderson Silva, and middleweight challenger Chael Sonnen were in Brazil earlier this week to hold a press conference announcing the moving of the Silva vs. Sonnen rematch from UFC 147 in Brazil to UFC 148 in Las Vegas.

The reason for the change was, for the most part, was out of the control of the UFC. That doesn’t make it any more popular to the Brazilian fight fans and media that were so looking forward to the fight taking place on Silva’s home turf in Rio de Janeiro.

In fact, it made for a somewhat sketchy situation for Sonnen, already not the most popular foreign fighter to ever set foot on Brazilian soil. So much so that the UFC took appropriate measures to keep him safe when he and White darted in and out of Brazil for Tuesday’s press conference.

“We had proper security with us,” White said in a report in the Orange County Register. “We had like seven guys with us. These are guys that mapped out the whole route. We literally landed at the airport in Rio, a shuttle took us through customs, jumped on helicopters, and the helicopters took us right to the hotel.

“I came through the front door. We put (Sonnen) through a side door. We had him in a holding room. We went down to the press conference and he had a scrum. The reporters were getting really aggressive with him at the scrum. Somebody got him with a shock pen and all kinds of stuff like that. He went out the side door. I went out the front door.

“Helicopters took us back. We got on a plane and got him out of there. I wanted to make sure we got in and out and got him safe.”

Many conspiracy theorists will take White’s comments as more fuel for the fire that Sonnen never intended to fight Silva in Brazil in the first place, primarily because he was worried about his safety there.

The fact of the matter is, however, that the United Nations is holding its Rio+20 conference in Rio de Janeiro the same week as was planned for UFC 147. Rio+20 is expected to bring more than 50,000 to the city, while UFC 147, with Silva vs. Sonnen as the main event, was intended to be held in a soccer stadium holding somewhere between 60,000 to 80,000 fans.

Logistical issues such as adequate hotel space, public transportation, security, and other issues led the UFC to pull the trigger on moving the rematch to its July event, UFC 148 in Las Vegas.

Conspiracy theorists take aim… but then again, there is some validity to the security concerns. White acknowledged as much by his comments about the way they handled security for he and Sonnen just in announcing the change, let alone if Sonnen got to the point of going to Rio to fight Silva there.

“I’m still getting texts, ‘Did you and Sonnen get out of Brazil alive last night? I haven’t heard from you. Give me an update,’” White continued. “I made (Sonnen) ride in a different car than me.”

UFC 147 is still expected to take place in Brazil, likely with UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo defending his belt against Erik Koch in the main event, with a co-main event pitting Ultimate Fighter: Brasil coaches Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort against on another. It will now, however, be moved to a smaller venue and could still possibly receive a date change, although neither of those details has been announced as of yet.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/chael-sonnen-moved-in-and-out-of-brazil-under-heavy-security-detail

UFC Welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre has long been noted for his professional demeanor and squeaky clean image. He's also been known for having the most lucrative sponsorships in MMA.

Now that the UFC is coming under criticism in the business press for the unprofessional behavior of numerous fighters, announcers and executives, St. Pierre has some very definite ideas about how fighters should behave and feels vindicated in his approach.

Related Stories: UFC Advertising Backlash An Important Lesson For Zuffa | UFC Advertiser Backlash Story Marred

St. Pierre spoke to MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani and explained his approach and the resistance he's faced from other MMA fighters.

"I wore a suit at press conferences when all the other fighters were making fun of me. (They said), 'Oh, look at St-Pierre, he doesn't wear his sponsor.' I'm the one who first started doing this stuff, and I think the image and how you conduct yourself ... because the sponsor, the big companies in corporate America, they're not interested in sponsoring an athlete who is good in his sport but acts like an idiot outside of the Octagon. They want someone who performs well, of course, but acts like a gentleman outside of the Octagon.

"I understood that more than ten years ago. That's why I behave the way I do and I do things that I do. That's why I have a lot of sponsors. I do have a lot of sponsors and a lot of money because of this. It brings money to the table."

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/4/28/2981682/ufcs-georges-st-pierre-tells-other-fighters-that-professional

Chris ‘The Menace’ Clements Represented The Apex Sports Agency Well At UFC 145


Ft. Lauderdale, Florida (USA): Apex Sports Agency (ASA) fighter Chris “The Menace” Clements overcame the dreaded first-time Octagon jitters to come out victorious against Keith Wisniewski at UFC 145 this past Saturday in Atlanta, Georgia. UFC 145 was one of the biggest MMA events of the 2012 campaign, and Clements made a solid impression on fight fans. It was a hard-fought win for the Canada native, but he withstood Wisniewski’s attack, utilized his impressive standup skills, and had his hand raised at the end via split-decision.

“I’m happy with the win, but not satisfied with my performance,” said Clements. “I was too defensive with the wrestling, and I got a bit too wild with my striking.

“Keith is a really tough, durable guy. I knew he was going to be hard to finish,” he added.

ASA CEO Jason Chambers said, “Chris is a tremendous striker, an exceptionally entertaining fighter, and a great new dad to boot! We are proud to have him in the Apex Sports Agency family, and we look forward to his next bout.”

It was only the first decision of Clements’ career, but with his first UFC win under his belt, “The Menace” is excited to move forward.

“As for what’s next, I’m going to take a few weeks off to enjoy being a father, and then get back to the gym to fix some things I’m not happy with. No idea when I will get the call for my next fight, but I want to be ready when I do.”

Now 11-4, “The Menace” is prepared to take the next step towards his ultimate prize: the UFC Welterweight Championship!

For more information on Chris Clements, please visit his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OfficialChrisClements. He can also be found on Twitter @menaceclements.

http://www.themmanews.com/chris-the-menace-clements-represented-the-apex-sports-agency-well-at-ufc-145/

UFC Canada's Tom Wright Wants A Stellar Main-Event In Calgary On July 21


Jon ‘Bones’ Jones hasn’t booked his plane ticket to Calgary just yet. But Tom Wright, director of operations for UFC Canada, confirmed it’s important to have a star-studded card at the July 21 event at the Saddledome.

“I would love to see that fight happen,” Wright said of Jones facing Dan Henderson at UFC 149 for the light-heavyweight crown.

“Having Jon Jones defend his championship in Calgary against Dan Henderson — that would be a monster fight.

“I think it’s really important (to have a marquee bout). It demonstrates we have an understanding and a respect for how knowledgable the fight fans are in Alberta, and how important this market is to our business.”

As reported earlier in the Sun, former interim heavyweight champ Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will face Cheick Kongo at the Dome.

Calgary’s Nick Ring will also face Court McGee in a rematch of their Ultimate Fighter Season 11 bout, won by Ring.

Wright stressed the UFC will do everything in its power to avoid a Garth Brooks-esque ticketing fiasco that saw scalpers snap up a large number of ducats for the sold-out show.

Fight Club members will be given first shot at the tickets when they go on sale May 10, but that alone won’t keep scalpers at bay.

“We’ll try everything we can,” Wright said. “But I’d be lying if I said no scalpers will get any tickets to UFC 149.

“We’re aware of the problem and we’re sensitive to it.

“We’ll only be selling a maximum of four tickets to each person, and we’ll be holding back (an undisclosed number) of tickets as well.”

Wright attended Wednesday’s lunch meeting with the Calgary Chamber of Commerce to talk about the UFC’s highly successful business plan.

The former CFL commissioner outlined how the UFC has grown from a local Las Vegas fight club to a worldwide powerhouse that now reaches one billion homes in 150 countries around the globe.

While a new deal has brought the UFC into China and India, Wright was quick to point out Canada — and especially B.C. and Alberta — has the most-developed MMA fanbase on the planet on a per capita basis.

“I think that’s because we’re a cosmopolitan country and we love our sport in Canada,” Wright said. “And we have a global icon in Georges St-Pierre.

“He may not be the most famous Canadian athlete in the country. But he’s the most famous Canadian athlete in the world. He’ll go to Indonesia and 100,000 people will come out.”

Wright said hopes to see mixed martial arts included in the Olympics one day.

http://www.mmacanada.net/news/news/ufc-canadas-tom-wright-wants-a-stellar-main-event-in-calgary-on-july-21-2704

Erasing A Rough 2011, Ryan McGillivray Eyes Are On Nathan Coy, MFC Title


By his own admission, 2011 wasn’t the best of years for welterweight Ryan McGillivray. A disappointing stint on The Ultimate Fighter 13 and a loss on the show’s finale were compounded by a gruesome broken nose that required surgery, shelving him for six months.

Still, McGillivray persevered and managed to come back with a solid win earlier this year over Diego Bautista at MFC 32, which has his spirits up.

“I only had one real fight last year and I had some injuries, so it wasn’t exactly the year I wanted. So it was a big relief to come out with a win and it was just fantastic to be back in there,” said McGillivray. “We as fighters do this for a reason, and it was it was really nice to have that feeling again.”

McGillivray told MMAWeekly.com that just getting back to fighting after missing half of last year was a welcome prospect.

“It’s really nice knowing that fights are coming up,” he said. “Really, honestly, with my injuries over the summer and everything I never really took any time off. I was always in the routine of training, which was nice, but at the same time it’s different when you have that mindset of having a fight around the corner. It’s nice to have that added motivation for sure.”

The win over Bautista set up McGillivray’s biggest fight to date, as he takes on Nathan Coy for the vacant MFC welterweight title at MFC 33 on May 4 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

“In this fight it’s no secret that he’s got a great wrestling pedigree and he’s very good at taking guys down and handling them,” said McGillivray of Coy. “I see this fight playing out similar to that: Me working off my back for submissions as best I can, as well as making him pay for it on the way in on his takedowns and make him work for them.

“I think it will be a big battle of strategy and who has the better game plan that night.”

Being a title fight, this will be McGillivray’s first opportunity to possibly go five rounds. It’s a prospect he feels he can deal with if need be.

“It’s made for a harder camp, but I feel I’m ready to do it,” he said. “Just like my first fight that went three rounds, you never really know until you’re in there how you’re going to feel, but ’m doing everything in my power to be able to go five rounds as hard as I can. I’ll be as prepared as I possibly can be in case that does happen.”

Taking a title in the MFC could go a long way in establishing McGillivray as someone to watch at 170 pounds again, and so he’s not looking beyond what’s in front of him.

“You never know what’s going to happen in the next fight; whether you’ll win or lose, or injuries. There’s so many variables that can change,” he said. “Earlier this year I was just trying to get past Diego, and now my whole focus and goal is winning this fight on May 4, and we’ll determine the future after that.

“I guarantee I won’t be giving up in this fight. If he’s going to be able to beat me, he’s going to have to work for it. It’s going to be a great fight one way or another. We’re both workhorses, so it should be a very challenging back-and-forth fight for the both of us.”

http://www.mmaweekly.com/erasing-a-rough-2011-ryan-mcgillivray-eyes-are-on-nathan-coy-mfc-title

Former UFC Heavyweight Tim Hague Signs With The Maximum Fighting Championship


Edmonton, Alberta, Canada – The Maximum Fighting Championship is resurrecting a heavyweight division, and there’s bigger way to do it than by signing world-ranked and Canada’s top big man Tim “The Thrashing Machine” Hague.

Hague (13-5) has agreed to a multi-fight, exclusive deal with the Maximum Fighting Championship that will launch with a bout in the semi-main event of MFC 34: Brute Force on Friday, August 10 in his home town of Edmonton, Alberta.

“I’m really excited about signing with the MFC,” said Hague. “There’s no question that the MFC is the leader in Canadian mixed martial arts, and it has a great knack for getting big attention for its events and its fighters. That’s one thing in my career that has been lacking wherever I’ve been before.

“And the production values of the MFC shows are second only to the UFC, and I’m very excited to be a part of that.”

Hague has won three of his last four fights, and boasts seven career victories by way of knockout with four wins coming via submission. Of his 13 win, seven have come inside the first round including his most celebrated win to date – a first-round tapout via guillotine choke against Pat Barry. With verdicts over Travis Wiuff, Sherman Pendergarst, and Ruben Villareal on his resume, Hague is a great fit to restart the MFC’s heavyweight ranks.

“This is a great match – we’re eager to bring in new talent with great pedigrees, and Tim wants to fight on the biggest stage possible,” said MFC Owner/President Mark Pavelich.

“It’s true that Tim and I have had our differences in the past, but that has all been pushed aside in order for us to work together. Tim is excited to be a big part of the MFC, and I’m very pleased to have him on board.”

Hague, a former elementary school teacher, plans on making something big happen at this stage in his career, and the 28-year-old is evolving his strategy to move forward.

“I’ve realized that I’m not a kickboxer, but I’m a boxer with decent jiu-jitsu,” he explained. “It doesn’t bother me to fight a kickboxer because I’m going to push forward and connect with my hands.

“I’m not going to look for the takedown. I’d rather stand and let my hands go and make it an exciting fight for the fans.”

Perhaps the most important decision Hague has made of late is to re-unite with highly regarded strength and conditioning coach Shara Vigeant.

“When I’m in great shape, I’m a nightmare for anybody,” touted Hague. “If I’d have been in better shape I’m confident I would have won the fights against Chris Tuchscherer and Joey Beltran. But I’ve learned that I have to be true to myself, listen to myself, and being with Shara is the best thing for that.”

So MFC fans will be the first to get a glimpse at perhaps the best Tim Hague there’s ever been.

“I’m very excited about this opportunity and to fight in Edmonton again in front of new fans in the MFC and all my current fans is really great,” added Hague.

“My suggestion is when they come to catch me fight, don’t blink because the fight could end at any second.”

The Maximum Fighting Championship dropped its heavyweight division in 2009, and had one former champion in Scott “Punk Haole” Junk.

http://www.themmanews.com/former-ufc-heavyweight-tim-hague-signs-with-the-maximum-fighting-championship/

Alexis Davis vs. Kyra Gracie Match Added To World Jiu-Jitsu Expo


The World Jiu-Jitsu Expo taking place in Long Beach, Calif onMay 12 has added several more grappling super fights including one with a top Strikeforce women’s challenger.

Alexis Davis, who last competed in March in a fight against Sarah Kaufman, will get back to her grappling roots as she takes on Kyra Gracie in a no-gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu match up at the expo.

Gracie is one of the most talented women in the world of grappling, and has been teasing a move to MMA for some time. While the grappling super fight won’t be MMA, it will introduce Gracie to one of the top fighters in the sport when she faces Alexis Davis.

Also added to the grappling super fights will be a match-up between Kron Gracie and Victor Estima as well as Kayron Gracie facing Rafael Lovato Jr.

Kron Gracie has actually been in Stockton, Calif. working alongside Nick Diaz as he gets ready for his own super fight against Braulio Estima on the same card.

The World Jiu-Jitsu Expo takes place in Long Beach, California on May 12 and will also feature appearances by Renzo Gracie, Roger Gracie, Robert Drysdale and many others.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/alexis-davis-vs-kyra-gracie-match-added-to-world-jiu-jitsu-expo