MMA Megathread - UFC / Strikeforce / Bellator

[Kompressor]

@arielhelwani: UFC saying they didn't tip AO off before the test.

[Kompressor]

@arielhelwani: Overeem's lawyer David Chesnoff is making a final statement. Suggests a shorter sentence, if you will, or a conditional license.

[Kompressor]

@arielhelwani: Lawyer: no reason for AO to take any kind of PED. Even if he did it, why would he document it? He never asked anyone to conceal anything.

[Kompressor]

@arielhelwani: Lawyer: a license with conditions can send a message, an important message. He says Molina has "credentials" to do this kinda thing.

[Kompressor]

@arielhelwani: Lawyer: this isn't AO taking something to do better, it's him trying to heal himself after entertaining thousands of people.

[Kompressor]

@arielhelwani: Lawyer: AO is a special person. He gave up voluntarily a very big fight out of respect for this process.

[Kompressor]

@arielhelwani: BTW, I haven't been able to confirm with the UFC that AO voluntarily pulled out of the fight. That's a big part of their defense here.

[Kompressor]

@arielhelwani: Overeem: I gave up the title fight because my position became not credible after media reports. The title is my dream.

[Kompressor]

@arielhelwani: Overeem: I gave that up to get off the horse, prove myself, do the testing, and when that is up, get back on the horse.

[Kompressor]

@arielhelwani: Commissioner Lundvall says it's going to be hard for her to grant the conditional license.

[Kompressor]

@arielhelwani: Lundvall says AO is smart guy and she is surprised he wouldn't find out what was in that shot.

[Kompressor]

@arielhelwani: They are currently debating a potential 9-month, not year, time frame before AO can reapply for a license.

[Kompressor]

@arielhelwani: They have officially denied Overeem a license today.

[Kompressor]

@arielhelwani: Now they're discussin how long he has to wait before he can reapply. They want AO to know that he can't fight anywhere else during this time

[Kompressor]

@arielhelwani: Official: License denied + Overeem can reapply in 9 months. That means that unless UFC cuts him, he won't fight for at least another 9 mths

[Kompressor]

@arielhelwani: The nine month period starts on March 27, date the drug test was taken.

[Kompressor]

@arielhelwani: NSAC trying to give AO a pep talk here and commending him on coming to the hearing and telling his side of the story.

[Kompressor]

@arielhelwani: Now they are telling him he needs to surround himself with "high-quality and high-caliber" professionals. A shot, no doubt, at Dr. Molina.

[Kompressor]

@arielhelwani: The hearing is officially over. To recap: No license for Overeem and he can reapply in 9 months. Thanks for following here. More to come.

[Kompressor]

@arielhelwani: Unfortunately, Overeem has declined any interviews at this time.

[Kompressor]

@MikeChiappetta: Big news: I have confirmed Hector Lombard to UFC is a done deal. Story to follow...

[Medic]

Good sh*t. Dana was hinting at him making the move in the post presser. Alvarez is a possibility too.

[Kompressor]

A UN meeting scheduled at the same time as UFC 147 would have put such a strain on the hotel capacity that a major sporting event like Silva vs. Sonnen II would have been problematic.

Thus UFC President Dana White announced live from Brazil that the Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen rematch will not be in Brazil, but rather would be at UFC 148 in Las Vegas on july 7. 148 had been headlined by a Bantamweight title fight betweeen Urijah Faber and Dominick Cruz, coaches of the debut season of The Ultimate Fighter Live on FX.

"It took a lot of talking," said White. "I finally convinced Anderson to take this fight in Las Vegas."

"It makes no difference to me," said Silva through a translator. "My first championship was in Japan. A fight is a fight. I am going to be fighting and representing Brazil in the same manner I have always done." Later Silva expanded on the remarks.

"I’m not glad that it’s not in Brazil, but I’m a UFC athlete," Silva said. "I don’t only have fans here, I have fans all over the world. Independently of where I’ll fight, I’ll be representing Brazil and I’ll do my job for my fans. It doesn’t change much."

Chael Sonnen described UFC 148 as the "biggest sporting event in the history of combat."

Dana White cited many things logistically as contributing to UFC 147 falling apart. "It was a huge, global event," White said. "If we couldn't pull it off in a soccer stadium the only choice was Vegas ... This is where we wanted it to happen, Anderson obviously wanted it, Chael was okay with it."

“When I started training martial arts I learned about respect. Sonnen doesn’t know martial arts. He’s a wrestler, he doesn’t know how to respect people. Some say he’s promoting the fight, but he disrespected my country, my family, and fans. Some people say things without really knowing and they think it’s awesome. He did it all, but he didn’t do the most important thing which was defeating me."

Part way through Chael starts loudly snoring.

"Yes I did (disrespect you and your country)," agreed Sonnen. "And you didn't do a damn thing. ... I am going to destroy him. Our skills are not even close. ... I am not going to talk respect like this guy. I'm going to ask what is the date and whose ass am I going to whip tonight?"

"I can't tell if Chael Sonnen is playing the bad guy," said White, who added, "or if he's just nuts. But let me tell you one thing about this guy, he backs it up. ... He's the only guy to challenge Anderson Silva. The things that come out of his mouth are nutty, but he backs it up."

White at the opening of the press conference said that UFC 147 will take place in Brazil, on June 23, venue to be determined, with Wanderlei Silva vs. Vitor Belfort headlining. He hoped to also have Featherweight champion Jose Aldo on the card, presumably as a co-main event. UFC 147 will also have the Middleweight and Featherweight tournament finales from TUF  Brazil, as well as Brazilian heavyweight Fabricio Werdum vs. Mike Russow.

White also said that depending upon how Jon Jones recovers from Saturday’s Rashad Evans fight, he could fight Dan Henderson at UFC 149 on July 21.

“[Jones'] hands are sore, you know, all the things that go along with coming out of a fight like that. We got to give them a few weeks to see how he feels, and we’ll figure out what the main event is in Calgary. But that would be awesome. If we could make that fight, that would be great.”

In short order, Silva and Sonnen squared off, Dana flashed a peace sign, and the press conference closed.

Dana's final tweet:

Las Vegas but first get Chael out of Brazil in 1 piece

[Kompressor]

Calgary’s first UFC is getting an infusion of big name talent

Light-heavyweight champ Jon ‘Bones’ Jones will likely have his next title defence at UFC 149, and the Calgary Sun has also learned that former interim heavyweight champ Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will face Cheick Kongo at the July 21 event

UFC president Dana White said Tuesday that featherweight champ Jose Aldo — who was to headline UFC 149 in Calgary — will instead defend his belt in his native Brazil at UFC 147, which will also feature The Ultimate Fighter Brazil battle June 23 between coaches Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva

The Nogueira fight will be his first fight since Frank Mir snapped his humerus at Toronto’s UFC 140

Sources say that while Nogueira and Kongo have agreed verbally, no paperwork has been signed.

[Medic]

Jones getting them fights in quick.