Q101 The Alternative
Q101 (formerly on Chicago radio @ 101.1 FM) The Alternative - Chicago's New Rock Alternative - Everything Alternative - Chicago's Alternative - Gen X - Generation X
As the gravity of what just happened sank in, Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White’s sickness became severe.
“I’m really not feeling good, let someone else talk,” White announced to reporters late Friday night following the first-round technical knockout loss and subsequent retirement by heavyweight Brock Lesnar, the organization’s most popular fighter.
Indeed, White has some thinking to do.
PHOTOS: UFC 141
Even though he fought only seven times in the UFC Lesnar was a pay-per-view audience magnet because of his compelling past as a “champion” in the scripted action of World Wrestling Entertainment.
He reigned as heavyweight champion, headlined UFC 100, continued to generate the most Internet traffic of any mixed martial arts fighter and actually has fights left on his contract.
His departure is sobering, perhaps sickening.
Looking around, the UFC’s next most popular champion, Georges St-Pierre, is recovering from a knee injury and likely out of action for nine months. Middleweight champion Anderson Silva has cleaned out his division. And Lesnar’s conqueror, Alistair Overeem, is a lesser-known veteran of other circuits who made his UFC debut Friday.
Overeem’s next fight ikely will be in the summer against UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos, who will be making his first title defense.
White and UFC Chairman Lorenzo Fertitta took the high road with Lesnar Saturday even after the fighter blew off the post-fight news conference of his final fight.
White said, “When a guy decides he wants to retire, you let him do it. This is not, ‘Go hit a ball with a stick for the next two or three years on your way out.’ This is the real deal, guys. We’ll figure it out.”
Fertitta maintained he’d have to “look up” how many UFC fights Lesnar had on his UFC contract, adding, “Doesn’t matter. If he’s done, he’s done.”
What complicates this situation is the depth of the behind-the-scenes plotting about Lesnar’s post-UFC career.
He told the MGM Grand Garden Arena crowd that he was poised to retire if he lost Friday after battling for two years the effects of the intestinal disease diverticulitis. Lesnar said if he won in Las Vegas, he would pursue a chance to recapture the belt he took from Randy Couture in 2008 and lost three title defenses later to Cain Velasquez in October 2010.
“Tonight is the last time you’ll see me in the octagon,” Lesnar said.
Said White: “I had no idea he was going to do that. There were no signs.”
Some wonder if Lesnar, 34, would have bolted from the UFC if he could have beaten Overeem and Dos Santos, exiting with belt in hand.
There have been rumors dating to last year that Lesnar was exploring a return to WWE. He told The Times recently he wouldn’t shy from doing business with Vince McMahon.
The WWE will start a new television network April 1 when it stages its annual Wrestlemania event in Miami, and it is feasible he could be added with a UFC blessing to appear at the event alongside Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, John Cena and special guest Shaquille O’Neal.
READ MORE HERE
Source: http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-spw-brock-lesner-ufc-114-20111231,0,2143070.story
Mir Delights, Bones Rolls in UFC 140
Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (225 pounds)
“Big Nog” looks to gain revenge in this rematch of veteran heavyweights, and comes out with a left jab. Nogueira tries a takedown, but settles for landing a series of right hands on the cage. Mir fires back with a good knee, followed by a takedown. Both men are quickly up, and Nogueira controls the grappling on the cage. Right elbow by Nogueira as both men separate. Quick right/left combination by Nogueira rocks Mir! “Big Nog” drops lefts and rights, trying to finish the fight. Nogueira grabs a guillotine, then tries a gator roll, followed by an arm triangle. Mir somehow slips out. Nogueira gets sloppy, leaving his arm dangling out like a carrot for Mir. Mir quickly grabs side control and a slick kimura. Nogueira tries to slip out by rolling with the hold not once, but twice. But Mir just holds on, and locks the kimura in even deeper. After fighting it for several seconds, Nogueira taps out as Mir breaks his arm! For the first time in his illustrious career, Nogueira has been submitted.
Frank Mir wins by submission at 3:38 of round one.
Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida (205 pounds)
Similar to his last fight, Jones comes out in a spider-like crawl, but is quickly standing. Jones tries a jumping side kick. Machida is backing up, and Jones is missing with every strike he throws. Both men exchange leg kicks. This is followed by a blitz, with both men landing shots (but none solidly). Jones attempts a head kick. Machida dodges a right hand by Jones, and lands a good left. Machida follows this with a big straight left to the head. For the first time in his career, Jones has been solidly struck. Machida is effectively moving in-and-out, and Jones is becoming frustrated by his inability to land with his strikes, as the round ends. It seems Jones has lost the first round of his young career.
Jones, the light-heavyweight champion, misses with a spinning back kick to start round two. The champ follows with a glancing head kick. Machida fires back with a charge, landing several strikes. In a chaotic exchange, Jones lands a good knee. Jones tries a takedown, lands a couple of big straight shots, and finally scores the takedown. Jones connects with his trademark deadly elbows, and opens a cut on Machida’s forehead. After both men are up, referee John McCarthy calls a brief stoppage to check the cut. Though it is a huge gash, the fight continues. Jones regains controls on the cage on the restart. Machida appears to land with a left, but a short left by Jones beats him to the punch. Machida is stunned, but still standing. Jones sinks in a standing guillotine, and it’s deep. Machida fights for a few seconds, before going limp. McCarthy stops the fight, and Machida collapses in a heap. Jon Jones retains the title.
Jon Jones wins by submission at 4:26 of round two.
Source: http://www.insidestl.com/insideSTLcom/STLSports/WrestlingMMA/tabid/256/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/7930/UFC-140-Recap.aspx
UFC 141 To Ring In New Year With Heavies
AT UFC 141 (Ultimate Fighting Championship) scheduled for December 30, 2011, Brock Lesnar will fight against Alistair Overeem. The match holds significance for the two fighters as the winner of this match will meet the UFC heavyweight champion, Junior Dos Santos.
The 34-year old Lesnar began his UFC career in 2008 when he faced Frank Mir at the UFC event called Breaking Point. Mir won the match by a submission move, but Lesnar gave a few punches to make an impactful entry into the mixed martial arts division.
Both Lesnar and Overeem would be motivated to win their match for the chance to fight against the champion for the UFC heavyweight title. The players will not miss this opportunity at any cost, as they are in the hunt to capture the heavyweight title one more time and add another victory under their belt.
If Lesnar wins, he would face Junior Dos Santos, who defeated Cain Velasquez within two minutes to claim his debut title win the UFC heavyweight division. Both Lesnar and Overeem would have to watch out the style with which Santos uses in his fights.
For the time being, the two contenders would be looking forward to gain an edge in their match in December 2011. Looking at their UFC careers at a glance, Lesnar has won 71% of his fights while Overeem has won 70% of his fights.
Both fighters are balanced when it comes to winning their matches. But the difference lies in the way they fight on the mat.
Lesnar could become a dominating opponent as he has a 77% striking accuracy in UFC career. Overeem, on the other hand, would have to work hard in controlling Lesnar, as he only has a 55% striking accuracy.
Source: http://blogs.bettor.com/Brock-Lesnar-to-fight-against-Alistair-Overeem-in-December-MMA-Preview-UFC-141-a112110
We were grumpy about the 8p Central start times, too, Dana!
Man oh man, we get that the East Coast is the center of the universe, but it was such a drag for the UFC start times on its pay-per-views starting so damn early! After a seven-month experiment of holding their pay-per-view events an hour earlier, the UFC have decided to revert to the original pay-per-view start time of 10p.m. ET, starting with the blockbuster UFC 141 card this December.
Starting last April, the UFC responded to East Coast fan demand to start the pay-per-views an hour earlier, though the adjusted start time proved bothersome to many West Coast fans, who have swayed he promotion to move back to their original kick-off time of 10p.m. ET.
The start-time move may also be in response to dwindling pay-per-view buys reported over the last seven months.
UFC 141 is still materializing, but has been confirmed by the promotion to take place this December 30 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The card is expected to feature a main event between heavyweight MMA superstars Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem, competing in a a five-round, non-title main event. In addition to that match-up, welterweight fights between Johny Hendricks and Jon Fitch, as well as Dong Hyun Kim and Sean Pierson and a light heavyweight bout between Alexander Gustafsson and Vladimir Matyushenko have been rumored for the event.
Source: http://www.fightline.com/fl/news/2011/1011/545597/
There are currently no events to display.