yahoo-cagewriter-blog

[yahoo-cagewriter-blog]

UFC champ Conor McGregor was a guest of Vladimir Putin at the World Cup final

Ultimate fighting star Conor McGregor says he attended the 2018 World Cup final as a guest of Russian President Vladimir Putin. (AP Photo)

UFC star Conor McGregor hailed Russian president Vladimir Putin as “one of the greatest leaders of our time” in an Instagram post after attending the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final as his guest Sunday in Moscow.

“Today I was invited to the World Cup final as a guest of Russian President Vladimir Putin,” McGregor wrote. “This man is one of the greatest leaders of our time and I was honored to attend such a landmark event alongside him. Today was an honor for me Mr. Putin. Thank you and congratulations on an amazing World Cup.”

Today I was invited to the World Cup final as a guest of Russian President Vladimir Putin. This man is one of the greatest leaders of our time and I was honored to attend such a landmark event alongside him. Today was an honor for me Mr. Putin. Thank you and congratulations on an amazing World Cup. Россия вперёд!

A post shared by Conor McGregor Official (@thenotoriousmma) on Jul 15, 2018 at 11:08am PDT

McGregor is celebrating his 30th birthday in Russia, and had already posted a picture at the final game of the 2018 tournament on Twitter earlier Sunday.

Enjoying the World Cup final in Russia. A truly amazing spectacle! pic.twitter.com/OEeOBmEp9y

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) July 15, 2018

Russian Khabib Nurmagomedov, McGregor’s rival, also posted that he was at the game.

McGregor’s characterization of this showing is as good as anyone’s: it is, indeed, a “spectacle.”

More World Cup on Yahoo Sports: • Here are the top 18 moments of the 2018 World Cup • World Cup: The best 23 players in Russia • President Trump congratulates France … and Putin after World Cup final • England’s Harry Kane wins most unimpressive Golden Boot ever • France storms to second World Cup title in 4-2 victory over Croatia

[yahoo-cagewriter-blog]

A drunk restaurant patron reportedly took a swing at a UFC Hall of Famer and you'll never guess what happened next

Now we know for sure: Matt Serra is a bad person to start a fight with in a restaurant. (AP Photo)

Doing something ill-advised when you’re drunk is a tradition going back to the beginning of civilization, but one man in Las Vegas might have set a new standard on Wednesday.

According to an Instagram post from UFC Hall of Famer Matt Serra, an unidentified restaurant patron became drunk and started threatening waiters at a restaurant in the Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas. Serra apparently intervened, at which point the other man had the very smart idea to take a swing at the former UFC welterweight champion.

Serra’s post showed the aftermath of the confrontation, with Serra sitting on top of the man and holding him down like a parent subduing an outraged toddler.

How do you spend the night before your @ufc HOF induction?!? You subdue some asshole drunk that was threatening waiters then tries to swing on you. #jiujitsu

A post shared by Matt Serra (@mattserrabjj) on Jul 4, 2018 at 11:33pm PDT

Serra held a record of 11-7 as a mixed martial artist and specializes in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He is mostly known for his massive upset of Georges St-Pierre to take the UFC welterwieght belt in 2007, a fight considered one of the upsets of the decade.

Serra was in town for his induction into the UFC Hall of Fame, along with Ronda Rousey and four others. Serra’s induction was mostly thanks to that St-Pierres upset, but Wednesday’s confrontation should only help his case.

More from Yahoo Sports: • Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson reportedly planning $10M golf duel • French player might have one-upped Neymar’s flopping • 49ers WR Marquise Goodwin surprises mom, sister with new home • Maryland subpoenaed in feds’ college basketball investigation

[yahoo-cagewriter-blog]

Max Holloway forced out of UFC 226 featherweight title defense with concussion-like symptoms

Featherweight champion Max Holloway withdrew Wednesday from his title defense against Brian Ortega that was scheduled for UFC 226 on Saturday with concussion-like symptoms. (Getty Images)

LAS VEGAS — Featherweight champion Max Holloway was forced Wednesday to pull out of his planned title defense against unbeaten challenger Brian Ortega on Saturday in the co-main event of UFC 226 at T-Mobile Arena with concussion-like symptoms.

ESPN’s Ariel Helwani broke the news, only hours after Holloway participated in a public workout at the MGM Grand.

According to a statement from Holloway’s management team, he was hospitalized Monday and released Tuesday. When he didn’t seem right on Wednesday after the public workout, he was re-admitted to the hospital and withdrawn from the card.

It is not clear if Ortega will still appear on the card.

“Max’s team and UFC staff noticed Max was not normal since late last week. This became obvious to many watching his interviews and public appearances the past few days. He was showing concussion-like symptoms before he even started his weight cut and was rushed to the ER on Monday where they admitted him over night. Initial scans seemed okay, and he was released Tuesday afternoon but symptoms still continued.

“Max fought with his team to continue with the fight. He showed some improvement over the next day but was still showing obvious symptoms. After open workouts, he crashed and was very hard to wake up, when he did he had flashing vision and slurred speech. He is now back in the ER for further tests.”

This is the fourth time in as many years that a major fighter was forced to pull out of a fight on the UFC’s major “International Fight Week” show. In 2015, Jose Aldo pulled out of a UFC 189 match with Conor McGregor because of a rib injury. Jon Jones was yanked from a UFC 200 bout with Daniel Cormier because of a failed drug test. And last year, women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes pulled out of a match at UFC 213 with Valentina Shevchenko on the morning of the fight.

Holloway also was yanked last-minute from a planned fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 223 in Brooklyn in April. Holloway accepted that fight late, when Tony Ferguson was injured, and was going to compete for the lightweight title. But he had difficulty with his weight cut and was removed for precautionary reasons.

Featherweight champion Max Holloway worked out for the public on Wednesday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, hours before being pulled from his UFC 226 fight with Brian Ortega because of concussion-like symptoms. (Getty Images)

[yahoo-cagewriter-blog]

Max Holloway pulls out of UFC 226 featherweight title defense with medical concerns

  UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway won’t defend his belt at Saturday’s UFC 226 after withdrawing with medical concerns. (AP)

Featherweight champion Max Holloway won’t defend his title against top contender Brian Ortega at Saturday’s UFC 226 after pulling out with medical concerns.

Holloway experiencing ‘concussion-like’ symptoms

ESPN’s Ariel Helwani shared a message from Holloway’s management team on Wednesday that Holloway has been suffering from mysterious concussion-like symptoms and convinced him to withdraw out of concern for his health.

ESPN’s Ariel Helwani shared a statement from his management team:

Max’s team and UFC staff noticed Max was not normal since late last week. This became obvious to many watching his interviews and public appearances the past few days.

He was showing concussion-like symptoms before he even started his weight cut and was rushed to the ER on Monday where they admitted him overnight. Initial scans seemed okay, and he was released Tuesday afternoon, but symptoms still continued.

Max fought with his team to continue with the fight. He showed some improvement over the next day but was still showing obvious symptoms. After open workouts, he crashed and was very hard to wake up. When he did, he had flashing vision and slurred speech.

He is now back in the ER for further tests.

Another blow for Holloway

Beyond the obvious health scare, the news continues a bad run for Holloway, who has had to pull out of his prior two scheduled fights in March and April. Holloway withdrew from the UFC 222 main event against Frankie Edgar in March after injuring his leg in training.

He then was slated to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov for the lightweight title in April, but had to withdraw when the New York fighting commission wouldn’t allow him to cut additional weight.

The news is also another blow for UFC, which has seen numerous high-profile fights cancelled or changed this year. USA Today’s Mike Bohn notes that this is the 17th time UFC has lost a big fight in 2018.

Max Holloway's withdrawal from #UFC226 marks the 17th co-main or main event change to the UFC calendar so far in 2018. It's also the 4th consecutive year International Fight Week has lost a championship bout (and third-straight during fight week).

— Mike Bohn (@MikeBohnMMA) July 5, 2018

Holloway still looking to build on to legacy

Holloway, 26, has successfully defended his title twice and is one of the sport’s rising stars. He referred to UFC 226 as the “Super Bowl” of UFC prior to withdrawing and is surely disappointed at another failed fight.

“It just was depressing, man,” Holloway said of his inability to fight in March and April. “That was, look, I was used to fighting two to four times a year. Last year, I had two. The year before that I think I had two. This year is my first one and I’m supposed to have two. The depressing stuff was it got taken away from me.”

“You want to be a part of the big card,” Holloway said. “You want to be part of history. … It means a lot to me to be able to have this spot on this card. This is like the Super Bowl of the UFC, a blockbuster, a big blockbuster hit that comes out in the summer, this is it.”

More from Yahoo Sports: • LaVar Ball guarantees two LA Lakers championships • Paul George says he wanted to come to Lakers before OKC trade • Joey Chestnut sets world record by eating 74 hot dogs • Leonard Fournette helps LSU senior pay for tuition

[yahoo-cagewriter-blog]

Ex-NFL DE Greg Hardy earns UFC developmental contract after 57-second knockout

Former NFL defensive lineman Greg Hardy tore his way through the amateur MMA ranks with three consecutive first-round knockouts. The embattled athlete made his successful pro debut on Dana White’s “Tuesday Night Contender Series” when he demolished fellow former NFL player Austen Lane in just 57 seconds.

Afterward, Hardy was awarded with a developmental contract with the UFC and will continue to fight in other organizations under the watchful eye of the UFC while preparing to make his eventual debut for the MMA promotion.

“You see he has power and he’s a big heavyweight but he needs to work more and get more fights,” UFC president Dana White said afterward. “I have a few ideas on what to do with this guy to let him develop. We’ll try to build him up.”

The former Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers defensive end started training MMA in 2016 and announced in October of that year that he’d pursue a career as a mixed martial artist. This came after Hardy was forced out of the NFL after a 2014 domestic violence incident led to a lengthy suspension. With no NFL team interested in taking on the former second-team All-Pro, Hardy turned his attention to MMA.

A 3-0 amateur record with not a single fight making it out of the first round led to Dana White bringing the troubled athlete in for the “Tuesday Night Contender Series,” where he could vouch for an opportunity to earn a UFC contract. And judging by his performance where he throttled Lane, a bright future is ahead of him.

The two heavyweights charged at each other full force and tossed heavy leather at one another at a frantic pace. But Hardy would be the first to connect with a huge right hand that crumbled Lane to the canvas. The fight was immediately called off before further punishment ensued.

“It’s still not felling real to me. It feels like a movie,” Hardy said of the victory. “I feel awesome. This is one of the better feelings in the world. It feels like sacking 100 quarterbacks.”

There had been some backlash that Hardy would be given a second chance considering his history of domestic violence and that he was shifting from football to a sport where he punches and kicks people for a living. . The domestic violence incident included Hardy threatening to kill his ex-girlfriend, strangling her and throwing her into furniture. He was found guilty in July 2014 of assaulting a female and communicating threats, and was sentenced to 18 months probation, suspending a 60-day jail sentence. Hardy was also arrested for cocaine possession in 2016.

But White said that Hardy deserved a second chance and is aware of what’s at stake.

“The reality is if this guy stays clean for the next 10 years, wins a world title and is one of the greatest mixed martial arts of all time, he’s always going to hear about his past,” White said. “It’s going to follow him for the rest of his life. He’s done everything right so far. He’s paid his dues, hit rock bottom, built himself back up and is trying to make a living. “

As for Hardy, he said that although his dark past is behind him, he knows that it will be attached to his name, regardless of what he accomplishes in the UFC and beyond.

“My message to everybody about my past is that I’m willing to go up against it every day in my life and prove myself in every interview that I do,” Hardy said about dealing with his turbulent history. “I’m human and I make mistakes but I’ll do what I have to do [to win everyone over].”

More from Yahoo Sports: • Draymond is trolling LeBron — again — with his parade T-shirt • LaVar Ball ‘knows’ LeBron is heading to the Lakers • NFL player competing on ‘The Bachelorette’ injures wrist and bows out • Antonio Brown vents frustrations in strange interview

[yahoo-cagewriter-blog]

UFC 225: Robert Whittaker survives a pair of knockdowns to win split decision vs. Yoel Romero

Robert Whittaker punches Yoel Romero in their middleweight fight during the UFC 225 event at the United Center on June 9, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Getty Images)

Robert Whittaker survived some frightening moments and a pair of knockdowns in the championship rounds against Yoel Romero to retain the UFC middleweight title by split decision in the main event of UFC 225 that took place at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.

It was a violent continuation of their 2017 clash that saw Whittaker come away as the UFC middleweight champion. Their rematch at UFC 225 was a more violent affair that was filled with drama and a round that will certainly go down as one of the best in 2018.

Unlike their UFC 213 fight that was more of a high-powered chess match, the rematch was packed with fireworks and saw both fighters have their moments. But Whittaker would manage to escape with his title despite a fifth round that could have been scored 10-8, but wasn’t by any of the three judges, and impacted the two scorecards that were 48-47 for Whittaker and the one that was 48-47 for Romero.

After a sluggish start from Romero that was likely compromised by his weight cut — he came in at 185.2 pounds and unable to win the middleweight title — the Cuban exploded in the fourth round with a pair of knockdowns that nearly put the champion away. But Whittaker managed to survive the storm both times and heard the scorecards being read in his favor.

In the opening frame, Whitaker deployed an effective oblique kick and proved to be more active in the striking department as Romero sought to find openings. What has become par for the course with Romero saw the Cuban fight in spurts in an effort to conserve energy. The brutal weight cut forced Romero into a position where he needed to keep a slow pace and pick his spots to explode. Meanwhile, Whittaker kept active and scored with punches and leg kicks while his opponent attempted to cover up.

In the second round, a Whittaker left hand caused some terrible swelling on Romero’s right eye. It didn’t take long for the eye to swell shut and caused Romero to fight with much more urgency. Fortunately for Romero, his corner was able to relieve some of the swelling between rounds. Between the swelling and his lack of conditioning, Romero fought with more urgency in the third round and cut loose a right hand that sent the champion careening to the canvas. Romero swarmed Whittaker in an effort polish his opponent off but Whittaker unleashed a short elbow that nearly cut the lights off on Romero. Romero continued to throw the kitchen sink at Whittaker but was smashed by a head kick from the champion that punctuated a wickedly violent round that will likely be recognized as one of the best of the year.

Whittaker opened the fourth round with a pair of head kicks in an attempt to take advantage of Romero’s impaired vision. The oblique kicks continued from Whittaker while Romero looked for opportunities to explode. Something that Romero may not have picked up was that Whittaker had injured his right hand and avoided using it in the championship rounds. The two plucked away at one another until a stiff counter from Romero stunned Whittaker again right before the bell sounded.

Perhaps knowing that it would be best not to leave the fight to the judges, Romero came out firing with everything he had left in the fifth round. A two punch combination sent Whittaker stumbling back and a hellacious left hook dropped Whittaker like a sack of bricks to the canvas. Romero swarmed the damaged Australian and pummeled him with strikes on the ground. But, somehow, Whittaker survived the assault and got back to his feet. With the gas tank on empty, Romero was unable to capitalize as Whittaker made it to the final bell.

It was a narrow escape from Whittaker but the champion demonstrated that he possessed the mettle to be world champion. As for Romero, if he can get his weight under control, it will be interesting to see where he goes from here.

More from Yahoo Sports: • Durant rejects claims he wrecked NBA’s competitive balance • Tebow dragged into NFL anthem controversy • Dan Wetzel: LeBron makes priorities clear for next decision • No MVP Finals trophy? So what, says Curry

[yahoo-cagewriter-blog]

Colby Covington bullies Rafael dos Anjos to secure interim UFC welterweight title

Colby Covington punches Rafael Dos Anjos of Brazil in their interim welterweight title fight during the UFC 225 event at the United Center on June 9, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Getty Images)

Colby Covington told anybody who would listen that he was going to walk out of Chicago with the interim UFC welterweight title.

Few believed him and wrote the brash American Top Team product off as a man who was simply trying to oversell himself. But in the co-main event of UFC 225 against Rafael dos Anjos, the former All American collegiate wrestler proved his worth by taking a hard fought unanimous decision and having his first taste of UFC gold.

Covington’s strategy was a simple, but deliberate one. He refused to give dos Anjos space to operate and sought to utilize his wrestling to smother his opponent.

For the first three rounds, Covington pressured the former UFC lightweight champion and pressed him against the cage and secured several takedowns. Dos Anjos tried to create distance to deliver strikes, but Covington refused to back off. Dos Anjos had his moments, but they never caused Covington to switch his strategy.

It was a suffocating performance, albeit not visually pleasing, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that Colby Covington has won six fights in a row and is now in position to challenge Tyron Woodley to unify the titles after hearing scores of 49-46, 48-47 and 48-47 in his favor.

Covington pushed the pace from the opening bell and was glued to RDA in the first frame. The Brazilian demonstrated exceptional takedown defense, but he struggled to prevent Covington from initiating the clinch. Things continued in the same manner in Round 2. Covington scored an early takedown but RDA found his way back to his feet. When space permitted, dos Anjos would land the cleaner strikes. But Covington wasn’t laying down and engaged in a striking battle when he felt it was necessary. But as soon as dos Anjos sought to take a breath, Covington was all over him. The third round was Covington’s best as he kept RDA glued to the fence and snuck in some strikes to secure the round.

Rafael Dos Anjos of Brazil reacts after finishing five rounds against Colby Covington in their interim welterweight title fight during the UFC 225 event at the United Center on June 9, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Getty Images)

Dos Anjos had a strong fourth and turned the tide by securing takedowns and being the aggressor. A clean punch that opened the round may have put other welterweights down, but Covington refused to go away easily and closed the round with a takedown and in top position. The final frame saw Covington back to doing what he does best, clinching and smothering. With RDA visibly slowing down, the fight appeared to be close to secured. But a wild exchange to close the fight brought the fans to their feet.

Overall, it wasn’t pretty but it was Covington effectively outworking and bullying Dos Anjos en route to the decision. As always, Covington had some words to say afterward. He promised to take the title to President Donald Trump and then challenged Tyron Woodley to face him for the “real” title.

“This is the real championship belt,” Covington said. “If you have something to say, come see me, [expletive].”

More from Yahoo Sports: • Durant rejects claims he wrecked NBA’s competitive balance • Tebow dragged into NFL anthem controversy • Dan Wetzel: LeBron makes priorities clear for next decision • No MVP Finals trophy? So what, says Curry

[yahoo-cagewriter-blog]

Mike Jackson punishes former pro wrestler CM Punk at UFC 225

Mike Jackson punches CM Punk in their welterweight fight during the UFC 225 event at the United Center on June 9, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Getty Images)

CM Punk’s second try in the UFC went better than his first, but was a reminder that the former pro wrestler has a long way to go before he can be considered worthy of competing in the Octagon. Punk was manhandled by Mike “The Truth” Jackson in the UFC 225 pay-per-view opener and lost via unanimous decision.

Punk’s second foray into mixed martial arts went about as well as you could expect for a former pro wrestler who had no previous combat sports experience before losing to Mickey Gall back in September of 2016. He was stopped in the first round against Gall and decided to take nearly two years off to train in hopes of having better results when he stepped into the Octagon again.

Facing Mike Jackson, who also lost to Gall in his UFC debut, Punk hoped to showcase an improved skill set. But the only thing we saw was that the 39-year-old had tremendous heart as Jackson playfully out-struck him throughout the 15 minute affair.

With CM Punk chants raining down, Jackson got things rolling with a right hand that caused Punk to close the distance and clinch along the cage. Jackson separated and showcased a significant advantage with his striking due to his experience as a professional boxer and kickboxer. Punk failed on several takedown attempts until finally securing one with 30 seconds left in the round. But it was painfully clear that the only chance he would have was by keeping Jackson pinned to the canvas.

The second frame saw Punk get rocked by a Jackson combination and that led to a takedown by “The Truth.” From inside his guard, Jackson landed some ground and pound while showboating and leaving Punk’s face a bloody mess. To make matters worse, Jackson landed multiple strikes without even looking at the former WWE champion. It was evident that Punk was out of his league and he could only hope to make it to the final bell. And with a little help from Jackson, he would.

The third round found a completely gassed Punk still fighting with his heart but his conditioning wasn’t up to par. Jackson toyed with him throughout the final frame and dished out punishment at will. It was a casual beating being served by Jackson and Punk couldn’t do anything about it. Strangely enough, Jackson never cranked up the pressure to secure the knockout and instead chose to cruise to an easy 30-26 score from all three judges.

If there was a silver lining, it was that Punk showcased tremendous heart and made it to the final bell. But it’s obvious that he’s not ready for the big stage.

More from Yahoo Sports: • Durant rejects claims he wrecked NBA’s competitive balance • Tebow dragged into NFL anthem controversy • Dan Wetzel: LeBron makes priorities clear for next decision • No MVP Finals trophy? So what, says Curry

[yahoo-cagewriter-blog]

UFC's Andrea Lee issues second apology over husband's Nazi tattoos

Andrea Lee after her first UFC victory. (Getty)

So, look: you can argue about whether America in 2018 is too touchy, is too quick to take offense at perceived slights. But even in the burn-it-all-down world of today, you can’t get away with calling people who are upset by Nazi tattoos “sensitive-ass mofos.”

The backstory: newly-minted UFC fighter Andrea Lee shared an image of herself and her husband Donny Aaron enjoying themselves on a lake. All was well until someone noticed the Nazi tattoos on Aaron’s arms, including a swastika and an SS logo:

Via Instagram/@andreakgblee

The backlash came fast and furious. Lee fired off an immediate response to critics that, well, didn’t go over so well: “Neither one of us are racists, we have an Asian & a black guy that live with us! Oh my gosh guys it’s a tattoo he got when he was in prison, get over yourelves. He covers them up all the time & we happen to have a lake day and it makes an appearance. Sensitive ass mofos.”

Yeah, the “some of my best friends are [minority]” defense is never a winner, and while you can get away with calling someone a sensitive-ass mofo if they’re upset about, oh, getting the wrong name scrawled on their Starbucks cup, you can’t really play that card when it comes to, you know, Nazi symbols.

Meanwhile, Aaron issued a long apology on Twitter, noting that he got the tattoos while in prison but is a changed man:

Please read. pic.twitter.com/hu7cf5LdJO

— Donny Aaron (@outlawmuaythai) June 3, 2018

“It’s with certainty that I can promise you that she didn’t marry a racist,” Aaron wrote. “When Andrea and I met, I had already began to reinvent my life and if she’d seen any racist behavior or attitude she’d have never given me the time of day. … Please don’t let your hatred over me bleed into hatred toward Andrea. If you have to hate someone then please hate me. She doesn’t deserve it. She is genuinely the best person I know.”

So Lee took a second shot at apologizing for popping off, and this one was a bit more market-tested:

Please read my full apology, this is to everyone who was upset or offended by me and my initial response. I sincerely apologize, it wasn’t thought out when I sent it, I deleted it immediately after I sent it when I was more rational and clear minded. forgive me pic.twitter.com/9td65xNAmo

— Andrea Lee (@AndreaKGBLee) June 3, 2018

“My comments the day before were meant to just defend my husband not his tattoo. I never intended to make light of the situation, the history of the symbol or dismiss anyone that was offended, This mistakes he made in his youth are not a representation of who he is today, which is a man that loves and respects everyone. Donny was my coach long before we got together, when I first met Donny, I question him too about his tattoos and he explained to me about his past and who he was now and how he’d changed. The more I got to know him as a person the less I noticed his skin.

“I’m truly sorry for responding the other day the way I did, if you think I don’t I DO! I’m not racist, I’m not a nazi and I don’t hate people and neither does Donny.

“I’ve always believed in the Golden Rule: do unto others as you would have them do unto you, I personally try to live by that and I tell my daughter that all the time. I Also don’t believe in hating a person for things they have done to you or things have done, Period, If I don’t like someone. I never ever say that I hate people or a person, if anything I just extremely dislike a person, but never hate.

“I’m the type of person to help anyone out no matter the color of their skin or the religion they believe in, I don’t judge people based off a single thing or action or because of what someone else said about them, I choke to get to know them first and then make my own person opinion, that’s how I am that’s who I have always been.

“So I am sorry if I offended anyone, I apologize, please forgive me.” ____ Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter or on Facebook.

More from Yahoo Sports:

[yahoo-cagewriter-blog]

Report: Nick Diaz arrested on domestic violence charges in Las Vegas

Nick Diaz has been arrested on domestic violence charges after an alleged incident at a Las Vegas residence.

MMA fighter Nick Diaz, who just recently became eligible to fight again, was reportedly arrested in Las Vegas on Thursday night on several charges of domestic violence.

According to MMAJunkie, the police were called to a Las Vegas home around 7:20pm. Twelve units were dispatched, and Diaz was reportedly “combative” with officers during his arrest. The victim of the alleged incident was a woman, and she was taken to a local hospital to treat her injuries. TMZ reported the victim was allegedly thrown to the ground and choked. She reportedly told woman  police that Diaz had been using cocaine.

Diaz, 34, has been charged with felony domestic battery by strangulation and misdemeanor domestic battery, MMAJunkie reported. He’s being held on $18,000 bail at the Clark County Detention Center. He’ll stay there until his hearing, which is scheduled for Saturday morning. Once the hearing takes place, Diaz can post bail.

In April, Diaz accepted a 12-month suspension after failing to appear for three drug tests over the span of a year. The suspension was retroactive to April 2017, so Diaz was eligible to fight that same day. He hasn’t officially announced a return to the UFC, but if there were any plans in the works, those are obviously on hold for the time being.

The last time Diaz fought was January 2015. He took on he took on Anderson Silva at UFC 183, and Silva won via unanimous decision. However, that decision was overturned and changed to a no contest when both Silva and Diaz failed drug tests — Silva tested positive for performance enhancing drugs, and Diaz tested positive for marijuana. 

– – – – – –

Liz Roscher is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at lizroscher@yahoo.com or follow her on twitter! Follow @lizroscher

More from Yahoo Sports: • Brazilian soccer legend denies he’ll marry two women at the same time • Kevin Iole: Trump’s pardon of Jack Johnson a welcome surprise • Steve Kerr calls NFL anthem rule ‘idiotic’ — among other things • Report: Milwaukee officer suspended just two days in Sterling Brown incident

[yahoo-cagewriter-blog]

Victims of domestic abuse ask the UFC to reconsider allowing Greg Hardy to compete

Former Dallas Cowboys DE Greg Hardy is 3-0 as an amateur mixed martial artist. (Getty Images)

Former NFL player turned MMA fighter Greg Hardy will make his UFC debut as part of Dana White’s “Tuesday Night Contender Series” when the show returns for its second season on June 12.

Hardy made the transition to mixed martial arts after a much publicized 2014 domestic violence incident where he threatened to kill his ex-girlfriend which led to a lengthy suspension from the NFL. After the rest of the league passed on the services of the embattled former All-Pro defensive end, Hardy decided to try his hand at MMA.

The 29-year-old is 3-0 in the amateur ranks with all three victories coming by way of first round knockout. No opponent has lasted longer than 96 seconds against the former Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers defensive end. All signs point to a very high profile stint with the UFC, but his troubled past raises several red flags for a promotion that has previously cut fighters for domestic violence incidents. Thiago Silva was infamously sent packing after domestic assault charges and Dana White went as far as to say that there is no bouncing back from a fighter putting their hands on a woman.

Which makes this entire Greg Hardy situation dicey. To make matters more complicated, women who are fans of the UFC and were victims of domestic abuse are asking that White reconsider allowing Hardy to compete for the company next month.

Good afternoon, @danawhite, @ufc. On September 10, 2014, you said,"You don't bounce back from putting your hands on a woman."

As an MMA fan and a victim of domestic violence myself, I'm asking you to reconsider having Greg Hardy fight on the Tuesday Night Contender Series. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/HS0DrFtORL

— Suzanne Davis (@SoozieCuzie) May 23, 2018

If you won't reconsider, could you at the very least pass along a couple of useful resources so that other victims of domestic violence know where to go should they need help?

Thank you. 2/2https://t.co/5HVVdmTgx5https://t.co/t8MYg39VQxhttps://t.co/WekzV9ewx4

— Suzanne Davis (@SoozieCuzie) May 23, 2018

I'm a domestic abuse and rape survivor. I agree wholeheartedly with this.

— Amy Kaplan (@PhotoAmy33) May 23, 2018

Others are also questioning the UFC’s stance on the issue.

The news of Greg Hardy getting a shot at a UFC contract is really disappointing. I know this sport is crying out for legitimate draw cards, but blatantly ignoring a man's history in domestic violence in the hope of getting a cross over star or draw card is disappointing.

— Jordan Patu (@Jordan_Patu) April 22, 2018

It really is gross to me that the UFC is getting involved w/ Greg Hardy. Desperation move designed to draw eyes based on controversy. And a domestic abuser benefits. #UFCChile

— Reynolds (@IamReynolds2305) May 20, 2018

It’s unlikely that this will do anything to prevent Hardy from competing considering that he is drawing plenty of attention to the UFC. One has to be concerned, however, about the precedent set by allowing an athlete with Hardy’s checkered history into the promotion and what that says about future domestic incidents with UFC fighters.

More from Yahoo Sports: • Shams Charania: Warriors lose identity in stunning 4th-quarter collapse • Terez Paylor: Cowboys’ Jones vocal in NFL’s protest struggle • MLB star’s HR turns into an awkward family affair • Report: NFL proposes rule change, penalty for kneeling

[yahoo-cagewriter-blog]

Floyd Mayweather edges Conor McGregor in ESPN's World Fame 100

Floyd Mayweather Jr. beat Conor McGregor … again. (AP Photo)

ESPN released its third annual World Fame 100 on Tuesday that ranks the most popular athletes in the world using internet search score, endorsement dollars and social media followers.

With the top 10 made up of three soccer players (Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Neymar), three NBA players (LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry), two golfers (Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson) and two tennis players (Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal), the world of combat sports was left out.

However, two combat sports practitioners who faced each other last August, but haven’t competed since then, are ranked in the top 20.

And just like their record-breaking showdown, Floyd Mayweather has once again come out on top.

Mayweather bested Conor McGregor on the list with an overall search score of 196, $15 million in endorsements and 20.1 million social media followers to clock in at No. 14. McGregor wasn’t too far behind at No. 18 with a search score of 172, $9 million in endorsements and a social media following of 22.6 million.

Obviously, the retired Mayweather has been at this a lot longer than McGregor with a professional boxing career that spanned 21 years. The Irishman turned pro in MMA back in 2008 but his rise to prominence has been a swift one over the past three years. Nevertheless, McGregor fell short but shouldn’t be ashamed of his ranking. No other mixed martial artist cracked the top 100 while boxing had five entries (Anthony Joshua at No. 46, Canelo Alvarez at No. 58, Gennady Golovkin at No. 61, Manny Pacquiao at No. 63 and Wladimir Klitschko at No. 75). Far and away, McGregor remains mixed martial arts’ biggest star despite not having competed in the Octagon since November of 2016.

UFC president Dana White fully expects McGregor to head back to the Octagon before the end of 2018 — barring a suspension for his role in the UFC bus attack at the UFC 223 media day last month.

Meanwhile, Mayweather is retired from boxing but has toyed with the idea of competing in mixed martial arts. It’s something that very few believe will come to fruition, but it’s the perfect way to keep his name in the headlines and possibly ahead of McGregor when next year’s edition of the “World Fame 100” is released.

More from Yahoo Sports:

• Brandi Chastain plaque looks nothing like her • Olympian: USA Swimming covered up sex abuse • Spurs abruptly disband female dance squad • Dan Wetzel: NBA conference finals aren’t close, yet you can’t turn away

[yahoo-cagewriter-blog]

Kamaru Usman stuffs Demian Maia's takedowns, wins eighth straight in UFC by a wide margin

Kamaru Usman may just have put together the most unnoticed eight-fight winning streak in UFC history. The seventh-ranked welterweight ran his UFC record to 8-0, the second-longest winning streak in the division’s history in the UFC behind ex-champion Georges St-Pierre’s 12, when he scored a unanimous decision victory over Demian Maia at Movistar Arena in Santiago, Chile.

Usman was in control throughout and won by scores of 49-46 twice and 50-45.

It was far from a compelling performance, and Usman declined to call anyone out after defeating Maia, his first ranked opponent. He may have had an excuse for the performance, though, as he said in the cage following the bout that he believes he broke both of his hands.

“Nothing but respect for Demian Maia, who is a legend in this game,” Usman said. “It was an honor to come in here and compete with him. I broke the right hand in the second round and then I went out and broke the left one in the third.”

Maia, a jiu-jitsu specialist who has struggled greatly with wrestlers, didn’t cause Usman many problems. Maia’s attack was predictable, as he used a jab and tried a single-leg takedown and not much else. Usman outstruck Maia 97-33 and defended all 15 of Maia’s takedown attempts in the five-round bout.

Maia came into the bout ranked fifth, and Usman dominated him.

“For the longest time, all I heard was I had not fought a top-10 guy,” Usman said. “Demian Maia is a legend, a two-time title challenger, and I just dominated him.”

His problem, though, was that he didn’t do anything spectacular and his wrestling is too strong to make many of the men ranked above him all that interested in fighting him.

But Usman, who dropped Maia with a good right hand in the fourth, did the most important thing that he could have done: He won.

More from Yahoo Sports: • Santa Fe athlete ‘shot in the back of the head’ • Woman furious at fellow Astros fan for interference • Surging Tebow could be up for a major promotion • NFL star offers to pay for funerals of Santa Fe victims

[yahoo-cagewriter-blog]

Raquel Pennington supports corner's decision to keep fighting in UFC 224 beating vs. Amanda Nunes

Raquel Pennington fully supported her corner’s decision to compel her to keep fighting at UFC 224 despite the bloody beating she suffered. (AP)

The decision to send a battered and beaten Raquel Pennington out for the fifth round of Saturday’s UFC 224 headliner against Amanda Nunes has been the subject of much debate.

Nunes, who had dominated the fight from the opening bell, pounced on a weary Pennington in the final round and delivered multiple blows to her face that left a pool of blood on the mat and secured a TKO victory for the champion.

The controversy is centered on the break after the fourth round in which Pennington, apparently having suffered a broken nose, told her corner that she wanted to quit. Her coach, Jason Kutz, implored her to return for the fifth round, where the literal blood bath ensued.

"I'm done. I want to be done." What do you think of this cornering? #UFC224 pic.twitter.com/E5fqq5e2g3

— FloCombat (@FloCombat) May 13, 2018

Raquel Pennington speaks on decision to keep fighting for first time

While many have called Kutz irresponsible for sending her back out, Pennington left little doubt on Monday in an interview with “The MMA Hour” that she agreed with the call, despite the beating that she suffered.

Per “The MMA Hour”:

“I’m actually proud of my coaches. I know a lot of people are going against what they said and thinking all this different stuff, and it’s easy to judge, but you never know what’s happening in that moment. At the end of the day, my coaches know me best. They know my toughness and they know what I can handle, and I trust my coaches with everything that I have, and I know they wouldn’t put me in a situation that I can’t handle. I was going through a moment where I was obviously frustrated because of the facts with my legs. I was scared to step in and actually let my hands go, because the minute I would start to close the distance, Amanda would attack the leg.

Those initial kicks really got me to a point where I started to break for a second, and the minute that I turned around and told my coaches that, and then I actually turned around and looked at my head coach and looked him in the eyes, I knew it still had it within me.”

Amanda Nunes: Pennington’s corner should have thrown in the towel

Nunes, who reached out to Pennington and embraced her in the fight’s aftermath, was critical of Kutz for the decision to send her back out in Saturday’s post-fight news conference.

“I think she really needs to surround herself with people that want the best for her, so she can evolve in her next fights,” Nunes said. “Unfortunately, tonight he failed. … It’s sad. If she didn’t have the right conditioning to fight, then the coach should have thrown in the towel, for sure. I think my coach wouldn’t let me go through that.”

The counter argument of course is that Pennington’s coaches know her better than Nunes, fans and media who have criticized the decision and knew what they were doing when they convinced her to keep fighting.

But in the end, it’s hard to argue with the pool of blood that Pennington left on the mat in Rio de Janeiro.

More from Yahoo Sports: • Dan Wetzel: Supreme Court ruling eases NFL’s Kaepernick problem • Broncos player thankful to be alive after stolen car crashed into his Jeep • Taekwondo master is helping Patriots with pass rushing • Sixers reportedly interested in signing LeBron James, trading for Kawhi Leonard

[yahoo-cagewriter-blog]

UFC 224: Amanda Nunes pummels Raquel Pennington to defend bantamweight title in 5th-round TKO

Amanda Nunes left Raquel Pennington bloodied and battered Saturday for a TKO win to defend her bantamweight title at UFC 224. (Getty)

Amanda Nunes’ last fight before Saturday was a narrow split-decision win over Valentina Shevchenko that went five rounds in a second defense of her bantamweight title.

Saturday didn’t provide nearly the suspense as Nunes continually battered Raquel Pennington at UFC 224 for her seventh straight win and third since taking the belt from Miesha Tate in 2016.

Amanda Nunes takes control early

Nunes tripped Pennington up with a leg kick early in the first round and was the aggressor throughout the fight. She repeatedly followed leg kicks with head blows early on, backing Pennington up to the edge of the Octagon and leaving the outside of her left leg bright purple and red from the repeated strikes.

The champ is in rare form tonight.@Amanda_Leoa #UFC224 pic.twitter.com/mrkFZ5Zpdp

— UFC (@ufc) May 13, 2018

After a pair of failed attempts while backed against the cage, Pennington scored a takedown of Nunes late in the second round to slow the steady onslaught from the champion.

But Nunes was never in trouble and continued to attack a weary Pennington throughout. Nunes delivered several knees to Pennington’s face in the fourth, leaving her faced bloodied.

Raquel Pennington’s corner convinces her to keep going

Pennington wanted to retire after the fourth round with an apparent broken nose, but returned to fight the fifth after her corner talked her into it.

"I'm done. I want to be done." What do you think of this cornering? #UFC224 pic.twitter.com/E5fqq5e2g3

— FloCombat (@FloCombat) May 13, 2018

But Pennington didn’t have anything left in the tank, and Nunes went in for the finish, pinning Pennington on her back around the 3:00 mark. Nunes attacked her face again, and blood poured from Pennington’s nose onto the mat before the fight was called for Nunes via TKO at 2:36 in the fifth round.

Nunes shows respect for Pennington’s toughness

Nunes, a Brazil native, invited Pennington to join her for the post-fight interview in the cage and spoke of her respect for her opponent in front of Rio de Janiero’s Jeunesse Arena.

“It was very hard for me this fight,” Nunes said. “It was the most hard of my career to fight this girl. Because we have the respect.

“When it comes to finish this bout, something I’ve dreamed about for so long, I have to do it. But right now. We are friends. We’re going to leave this cage. We’re going to have a beer and celebrate our friendship.”

The two fighters then embraced.

Respect & friendship between two competitors.

@Amanda_Leoa & @RockyPMMA #UFC224 pic.twitter.com/6MMnfTnB6M

— UFC (@ufc) May 13, 2018

More from Yahoo Sports: • Snake causes wild delay at minor league game • New details about old assault case against NFL coach • What is MLB’s beef with custom cleats? • Just like old times: Tiger comes alive at tourney

[yahoo-cagewriter-blog]

UFC 224: Vitor Belfort retires after taking massive KO kick to the head from Lyoto Machida

Vitor Belfort, left, announced his retirement on Saturday after taking a vicious knockout blow from fellow Brazilian Lyoto Machida in Rio de Janiero. (AP)

Vitor Belfort stepped into the Octagon for the last time on Saturday at Rio de Janiero’s Jeunesse Arena.

The former light heavyweight champion, who has fought off and on in the UFC since winning the UFC 12 heavyweight tournament as a 19-year-old in 1997, took on another Brazilian fighting legend in Lyoto Machida at UFC 224.

Lyoto Machida lulls Vitor Belfort to sleep before KO blow

The two fighters fought a mostly cautious first round that saw Machida deliver several kicks toward his opponent. It was foreshadowing of the decisive blow of the match as Machida (16-8, UFC) connected with a swift left kick to the jaw of Belfort (15-11 UFC) that floored the former champion via knockout at one minute in the second round.

THE DRAGON ROARS AGAIN! @LyotoMachidaFW #UFC224 pic.twitter.com/ILXkb9DYvo

— UFC (@ufc) May 13, 2018

Belfort, laid flat, was knocked out on the mat as Machida got down on his knees to honor his defeated opponent.

“I have a lot of respect for Vitor Belfort,” Machida said through a translator after the match. “He’s done a lot for the sport. Everyone needs to respect him.

“I was looking for the right moment. All I need is one strike to end the fight. Tonight I was better than he was. It’s hard to say who’s better than who, but tonight I was better than he was.”

Vitor Belfort says goodbye to MMA

Belfort, 41, recovered from the knockout blow to address the Brazilian crowd. There, he confirmed the fight was indeed his swan song and dropped his gloves on the mat as his hometown crowd chanted his name.

“It’s been a long ride,” Belfort said. “Life is about beginning middle and end. And I think I’ve come to the end. So congratulations to Machida, and I’m leaving my gloves here.”

“I want to thank you all my family. I’m ok. I think everything in life has a beginning middle and end. It’s time for me to think, and take care of my family and endeavors.”

From all of the UFC and all of our fans, thank you @VitorBelfort for a lifetime of memories. #UFC224 pic.twitter.com/vbpdnbOYMF

— UFC (@ufc) May 13, 2018

Belfort retires with a 26-15 MMA record including 18 wins by knockout and three by submission.

Lyoto Machida challenges another UFC veteran

As for Machida’s next step, he called out another UFC veteran, this time speaking English to deliver a challenge.

“Michael Bisping, I’m still waiting for you man. I still want to do this fight. If you want to retire, you’ve got to fight me first.”

More from Yahoo Sports: • Snake causes wild delay at minor league game • New details about old assault case against NFL coach • What is MLB’s beef with custom cleats? • Just like old times: Tiger comes alive at tourney

[yahoo-cagewriter-blog]

UFC 224: Vitor Belfort retires after taking massive KO kick to the head from Lyoto Machida

Vitor Belfort, left, announced his retirement on Saturday after taking a vicious knockout blow from fellow Brazilian Lyoto Machida in Rio de Janiero. (AP)

Vitor Belfort stepped into the Octagon for the last time on Saturday at Rio de Janiero’s Jeunesse Arena at UFC 224.

The  former light heavyweight champion, who has fought off and on in the UFC since winning the UFC 12 heavyweight tournament as a 19-year-old in 1997, took on another Brazilian fighting legend in Lyoto Machida.

The two fighters fought a mostly cautious first round that saw Machida deliver several kicks toward his opponent. It was foreshadowing of decisive blow of the match as Machida (16-8, UFC) connected with a swift left kick to the jaw of Belfort (15-11 UFC) that floored the former champion via knockout at one minute in the second round.

THE DRAGON ROARS AGAIN! @LyotoMachidaFW #UFC224 pic.twitter.com/ILXkb9DYvo

— UFC (@ufc) May 13, 2018

Belfort lay prone, knocked out on the mat as Machida got down on his knees in a sign of respect for his defeated opponent.

“I have a lot of respect for Vitor Belfort,” Machida said through a translator after the match. “He’s done a lot for the sport. Everyone needs to respect him.

“I was looking for the right moment. All I need is one strike to end the fight. Tonight I was better than he was. It’s hard to say who’s better than who, but tonight I was better than he was.”

Belfort, 41, recovered from the knockout blow to address the Brazilian crowd. There, he confirmed the fight was indeed his swan song and dropped his gloves on the mat as his hometown crowd chanted his name.

“It’s been a long ride,” Belfort said. “Life is about beginning middle and end. And I think I’ve come to the end. So congratulations to Machida, and I’m leaving my gloves here.”

“I want to thank you all my family. I’m ok. I think everything in life has a beginning middle and end. It’s time for me to think, and take care of my family and endeavors.”

Belfort retires with a 26-15 MMA record including 18 wins by knockout and three by submission.

As for Machida’s next step, he called out another UFC veteran, this time speaking English to deliver a challenge.

“Michael Bisping, I’m still waiting for you man. I still want to do this fight. If you want to retire, you’ve got to fight me first.”