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In defeat, Gustafsson does for Jon Jones what Jones couldn’t do for himself

BAD MMA News — Sun, 22 Sep 2013 10:40:00 +0000

TORONTO – Because no one knows how to tempt the fight gods quite like professional fighters, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones entered Toronto’s Air Canada Centre on Saturday night wearing a t-shirt that read “Not Quite Human.”

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In defeat, Gustafsson does for Jon Jones what Jones couldn’t do for himself – MMA Junkie

Jackson’s MMA and Evolve MMA Form Strategic Partnership

BAD MMA News — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 08:06:40 +0000

Evolve Mixed Martial Arts and Jacksons Mixed Martial Arts have formed a strategic partnership that could potentially see the likes of Jon Jones , Georges St-Pierre , Carlos Condit, Donald Cerrone and Clay Guida traveling from Albuquerque, N.M., to Singapore to train. According to the press release released jointly by the two powerhouse camps, the partnership between Evolve MMA and Jackson’s MMA will kick off with the “Elite Fighters Exchange Program.” The professional fighters, world champions and coaches from both camps will be able to train at Evolve MMA and Jackson’s MMA to create a diverse learning environment for everyone. Evolve MMA is headed by Chatri Sityodtong, who works alongside former wrestling Olympian Heath Sims, while 2010 MMA Coach of the Year Greg Jackson is the man behind Jackson’s MMA.

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Jackson’s MMA and Evolve MMA Form Strategic Partnership – MMA Weekly

Chris Weidman’s Knockout of Anderson Silva Wasn’t an Upset to Coach Ray Longo

BAD MMA News — Sat, 20 Jul 2013 15:00:21 +0000

It’s been well documented that many professional fighters were picking Chris Weidman to upset Anderson Silva at UFC 162 on July 6. When Weidman did just that, it sent shockwaves throughout the mixed martial arts industry, but not all were that stunned with the outcome. Weidman’s coach, Ray Longo, didn’t see Weidman’s knockout of Silva as an upset at all. “With Weidman, anybody that’s been in the gym with him, or who has sparred with him or rolled with him, I don’t think one guy thought that was an upset,” Longo told MMAWeekly.com content partner Shameless Radio . “This kid is for real. I think that’s why the pros were picking him. I think that grapevine was all over the place. The pros have a nice grapevine. I think GSP trained with him a little bit. He was at least in the room with him. Once one guy says one thing, it’s that whole telephone line; it starts going down the line. Anybody that’s trained or been in the room with him, this kid is a beast,” added Longo. Weidman’s confidence leading up to the fight was that of a veteran and less like a fighter with nine professional fights taking on the greatest fighter in mixed martial arts history. “Weidman was a four-time All-American. I think he went out for the Olympics. You don’t get to that level without being mentally strong,” Longo pointed out. Experience wasn’t the only thing Weidman had to overcome to defeat Silva. Weidman had been out of action for a year prior to the Silva fight. He underwent shoulder surgery and lost his home in Hurricane Sandy and was in financial ruin. Weidman stayed poised in the face of adversity. He was unfazed by the taunts, the antics and Silva’s mystique

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Chris Weidman’s Knockout of Anderson Silva Wasn’t an Upset to Coach Ray Longo – MMA Weekly

Tim Kennedy Apologizes to UFC for Fighter Pay Comments, Says He Was Taken Out of Context

BAD MMA News — Sat, 29 Jun 2013 01:32:43 +0000

Tim Kennedy earlier this week criticized his employer, the UFC, for how much it pays its fighters, and tried to put into context for fans how difficult it can be to make a living as a professional fighter. On Thursday, however, Kennedy issued a statement on his official Facebook page, retracting his comments and apologizing for them. Kennedy, while a guest on the GrappleTalk podcast, characterized it as “pathetic” that so many fighters had to work a “day job” instead of being able to focus full-time on their fighting careers. Kennedy has various business interests and his military career along with what he makes from fighting, which he said doesn’t amount to much after expenses and taxes. “It would be slim pickings to survive off what I make in fighting,” he told GrappleTalk. “It’s a good thing I have another job because the UFC doesn’t pay very well.” Kennedy said his comments were taken out of context, but accepted responsibility for his statements, apologizing to the UFC, company president Dana White , CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, and matchmaker Joe Silva. Kennedy’s statement: “I recently made comments regarding fighter pay. The intent of these statements was to highlight that professional fighters incur significant expense associated with their preparations to fight and that fighter compensation is still not on par with other major sports.

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Tim Kennedy Apologizes to UFC for Fighter Pay Comments, Says He Was Taken Out of Context – MMA Weekly

Tim Kennedy apologizes for fighter pay comments, says taken out of context

BAD MMA News — Sat, 29 Jun 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Two days after directing pointed criticism at the pay of UFC fighters, Tim Kennedy has apologized to the fight promotion’s executives. “The intent of these statements was to highlight that professional fighters incur significant expense associated with their preparations to fight and that fighter compensation is still not on par with other major sports,” wrote the middleweight on his official Facebook fan page . Kennedy (15-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC), 33, is scheduled to meet Roger Gracie (6-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) next Saturday at UFC 162, but as of late, most of the MMA media’s attention has been focused on a controversial interview he gave this week with the Grapple Talk podcast . It was during the appearance that the decorated soldier said it was “pathetic” that fighters had to take second jobs to support their careers, and mused that he’d be better off collecting trash than accepting low pay for his services.

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Tim Kennedy apologizes for fighter pay comments, says taken out of context – MMA Junkie