MMA news

• Bellator 149 delivers record ratings

  22-02-2016 23:49
  
  The chasm between what the public wants to see, and what makes for great fights, may have never been larger as Friday night's Bellator show featuring Royce Gracie, Ken Shamrock and Kimbo Slice drew an average of 1,964,000 viewers over the three hours, beating the company's all-time record by 24 percent.The prior record was set on June 19, by the Shamrock vs. Slice match, which averaged 1,580,000 viewers, peaking with 2.3 million viewers live for the main event.No match-by-match breakdowns are av
  
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• ‘Dada 5000’ Rep Says Fighter ‘Recovering Well,’ Should Be Out of Hospital This Week

  22-02-2016 23:08 via sherdog.com
  
  Dhafir Harris, the Florida heavyweight known as “Dada 5000,” is on his way to recovery after suffering a health scare at Bellator 149, according to a report from TMZSports.com.
  
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• Scott Coker gives Dada 5000 health update: 'He's progressing'

  22-02-2016 23:03
  
  There's finally an update on the health of Dada 5000, the opponent of Kimbo Slice at Bellator 149 who suffered cardiac arrest following their Friday night bout at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
  According to Bellator President Scott Coker on Twitter, the heavyweight fighter's health is moving in a healthy direction:We wanted to thank everyone for their concern. Dada’s update is he’s progressing well and will be headed home soon.
  — Scott Coker (@ScottCoker) February 22, 201
  
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• Bellator champ Will Brooks plans to pursue free agency: 'I want to move on to my next goal'

  22-02-2016 22:36
  
  Will Brooks has spent the better part of four years working towards one goal: becoming the Bellator lightweight champion. In 2014, he succeeded, taking a split decision over Michael Chandler to capture the Bellator interim title, then cementing his reign with a fourth-round knockout of Chandler in the rematch. Back-to-back title defenses over tournament winners Dave Jansen and Marcin Held have since strengthened his standing as one of the top lightweights in the world.
  And now Brooks is ready to
  
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• Bellator 149 Draws Almost 2 Million Viewers On Spike

  22-02-2016 22:30
  
  Bellator 149 on February 21st averaged 1.964M viewers on Spike TV. This surpasses their previous record set by Bellator 138 with 1.58M.Bellator 149 took place at the Toyota Center in Houston, and aired on prime time on Spike TV with prelims on Spike.com. The show was headlined by the rubber match between Ken Shamrock and Royce Gracie, with Kimbo Slice vs. Dada 5000 serving as co-main event.Despite the company having more eyes on it's product than ever, the event was heavily criticized for the qu
  
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• Gegard Mousasi Picks Rockhold Over Weidman in Rematch, ‘Jacare’ to Beat Belfort

  22-02-2016 21:50 via sherdog.com
  
  Gegard Mousasi’s upcoming bout with Thales Leites has not precluded the “Dreamcatcher” from thinking about the future of the UFC middleweight division.
  
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• Joe Rogan: Bellator Is Losing Credibility With Fights Like Kimbo vs. Dada 5000

  22-02-2016 21:24
  
  Longtime UFC commentator Joe Rogan feels that Bellator MMA needs a serious change in direction. On the Fight Companion podcast, Rogan gave his thoughts on last weekend's highly-criticized bout between Kimbo Slice and Dada 5000 in Houston, TX.“I think, eventually, they’ve got to let all that go,” Rogan said. “They can’t keep doing those. They should stop. This is the last one. If they keep doing it they’re going to lose credibility. There’s a lot of thing
  
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• Derek Brunson Impressive; Riding Four-Fight Win Streak

  22-02-2016 20:56
  
  Derek Brunson (15-3) swiftly defeated Roan Carneiro (20-10) on Sunday with a 1st round TKO in Pittsburgh at "UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Cowboy". Brunson's win was his sixth inside the Octagon.Brunson is now on a four-fight win streak win his win on Sunday and his 3rd TKO in a row. The Division II wrestler is at the pinnacle of his career and slowly making his way up in the rankings. The middleweight was ranked 13th heading into Sunday, according to the UFC Fighter Rankings. He wi
  
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• DraftKings Opts Out Of UFC Sponsorship Renewal

  22-02-2016 20:24
  
  According to the Legal Sports Report, daily fantasy sports website DraftKings allowed its exclusive partnership with the UFC to expire at the end of 2015. The recently published report confirms what many observant fans may have noticed, as all product placements and special promotions (such as UFC-themed experiences for participating fans) have ceased for some time now.A DraftKings representative offered the following statement to the Legal Sports Report:“We value our continued relationshi
  
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• Editorial: Pennsylvania Athletic Commission Dropped The Ball At UFC Fight Night 83

  22-02-2016 20:15
  
  To those who have ever fought MMA in the north east of the USA know the headaches involved in the state of Pennsylvania. This was made public by Brian Stann this weekend via twitter. He was appalled enough to tweet some of the issues that UFC fighters had to endure this past weekend in Pittsburgh. The main culprit of the constant fiascos is the commissioner Greg Sirb.https://twitter.com/BrianStann/status/701160376612888576https://twitter.com/BrianStann/status/701174779047501824As a fighter mysel
  
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• Joe Rogan: “It’s Ridiculous For CM Punk To Fight In UFC, I Don’t Understand This Whole Thing”

  22-02-2016 19:51
  
  https://youtu.be/oq2x8SC9RGoAfter what has felt like an eternity of promotion without anything to really promote, UFC was dealt the unfortunate blow of finally pulling the trigger in terms of beginning the process of determining the opponent and event for CM Punk's Octagon debut only for the former WWE Superstar to suffer yet another injury-related setback. For Joe Rogan, it appears to be the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back as it pertains to the whole "CM Punk experiment."The longti
  
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• Fabricio Werdum vs. Stipe Miocic to Headline UFC 198 in Brazil

  22-02-2016 19:21 via sherdog.com
  
  UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum will defend his belt on Brazilian soil against top contender Stipe Miocic in the main event of UFC 198.
  
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• UFC Announces “Unstoppable” Global Launch Event On Eve Of UFC 196 On 3/4

  22-02-2016 18:40
  
  https://youtu.be/Bp6GGSua8LcFollowing last year's successful "Go Big" campaign to kick-off and promote the first few months of a stacked first quarter of fights UFC had lined up, the promotion will be repeating the promotional practice as a way of introducing and hyping up their 2016 second quarter, which is a stacked chunk of time in its' own right.UFC issued a press release this week to announce their "UFC: Unstoppable" global launch, which is officially scheduled to kick off with a major pres
  
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• Ken Shamrock Plans To Protest Bellator Loss To Royce Gracie

  22-02-2016 18:09
  
  After losing for the second time to Royce Gracie this past Friday night at Bellator 149, Ken Shamrock is taking things to the high courts.Shamrock, via his team, posted a lengthy message on his personal website in which they state a formal protest of the defeat has already started.Gracie earned a first round TKO victory in the main event from Houston, but replays of the finish showed what looked to be a possible illegal knee connecting to the groin of Shamrock.
  This was the third meeting all-tim
  
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• Report: Wanderlei Silva In Talks With Both Bellator, Rizin

  22-02-2016 17:35
  
  Wanderlei Silva might not be cleared to compete in the U.S. until 2017, but that does not mean his services are being forgotten."The Axe Murderer" recently told Combate out of Brazil that "the possibility of being able to fight again means a lot to me."During a hearing with the Nevada Athletic Commission earlier this month, Silva was given a three-year ban retroactive to 2014. He eluded a drug test at that time, while he was under contract to the UFC. Originally, the commission banned him for li
  
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• UFC On FOX 83 Fight Highlights Featuring Donald Cerrone, Derek Brunson, Cody Garbrandt

  22-02-2016 17:28
  
  Miss any of the action Sunday night from UFC Fight Night 83? Well, MMANews.com has you covered.For full results, click on over to the site, while you can see plenty of video highlights in the players below courtesy FOX Sports.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmaWWvTdVwA[/embed][embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sk5r57Q00L4[/embed][embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8T1rTcUzbkg[/embed][embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL7owv9J-8w[/embed]
  
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• Cody Garbrandt-John Lineker Expected To Be Rescheduled

  22-02-2016 17:24
  
  Following his eighth victory Sunday night at UFC Fight Night 83, Cody Garbrandt confirmed plans to reschedule his bantamweight bout with John Lineker.Originally, Garbrandt and Lineker were set for the Pittsburgh-based card, but illness knocked Lineker out. In his place, Garbrandt defeated Augusto Mendes via stoppage."We talked with Sean Shelby and (Lorenzo) Ferttita," Garbrandt said during the post-fight press conference. "Lineker is my next bout as soon as he gets healthy."Since debuting in the
  
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• Wanderlei Silva negotiating with Bellator and Rizin, eyes Fedor Emelianenko fight in the future

  22-02-2016 17:00
  
  The Nevada Athletic Commission changed Wanderlei Silva’s lifetime ban to a three-year suspension during the re-hearing of his case on Feb. 17, but the Brazilian is planning on returning to action sooner than May 2017.
  "The possibility of being able to fight again means a lot to me," Silva told Combate. "I was upset with everything, having to go to Supreme Court, going to the justice, lawyers, it all took my desire to fight away. I was upset with all that because I’m an idol, I’
  
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• PAC executive director discusses controversial Ashlee Evans-Smith vs. Marion Reneau decision

  22-02-2016 15:00
  
  PITTSBURGH -- UFC Fight Night 83 brought a main card full of action and quick finishes to FOX Sports 1, but the evening did not kick off so smoothly in Pittsburgh.
  Early on the card, during the Fight Pass early prelims, Ashlee Evans-Smith and Marion Reneau fought to a decision, with the vast majority of media members scoring either a draw or a victory for Reneau. In the first round, Reneau rocked Evans-Smith with punches at the outset and then almost finished the bout with a guillotine just as t
  
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• Dana White Rants About Mario Yamasaki Following Late Stoppage In UFC Fight Night 83 Main Event

  22-02-2016 14:43
  
  Following Sunday night's UFC Fight Night 83 event, referee Mario Yamasaki found himself on the receiving end of yet another rant by UFC President Dana White after the way he handled -- or failed to handle -- his responsibilities as the third man in the Octagon for the evening's main event.White, who has a storied history of publicly criticizing the veteran MMA referee, returned with a brand new rant after Yamasaki failed to stop the action in the main event in a timely fashion.The headline bout
  
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• The MMA Hour with Rampage Jackson, Julianna Peña, Will Brooks, Eric Winter, Jimmy Smith, Luke Thomas

  22-02-2016 14:00
  
  The MMA Hour is back in your life. Below is a rundown of Monday's show:
  1:00 p.m. ET -- Our own Luke Thomas will recap a wild and wacky weekend in MMA.
  1:25 p.m. -- Color analyst Jimmy Smith will look back at Bellator 149.
  1:45 p.m. -- Bellator lightweight champion Will Brooks will discuss what's next for him.
  2:05 p.m. -- Eric Winter, SVP and GM of UFC Fight Pass, will talk about Bisping vs. Silva and the growth of the platform.
  2:25 p.m. -- Julianna Peña will discuss her recent legal tr
  
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• Morning Report: Joe Rogan says Bellator 'can't keep doing' fights like Kimbo Slice vs. Dada 5000

  22-02-2016 14:00
  
  You didn't need to watch Joe Rogan's "Fight Companion" podcast Sunday night to figure out his take on the action at Bellator 149.
  The UFC commentator wasn't impressed with the event's co-main event between street fighters Kimbo Slice and Dada 5000/ Dhafir Harris, offering that it may have been "the worst fight he'd ever seen."
  Former UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub suggested Sunday night that the bout set the sport back "seven years," but Rogan thinks it really only hurt Bellator.
  Givin
  
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• Cody Garbrandt Says His Next UFC Fight Will Be Against John Lineker

  22-02-2016 07:53 via sherdog.com
  
  When original foe John Lineker withdrew from their UFC Fight Night Pittsburgh bout after contracting dengue fever, Cody Garbrandt made the best of a challenging situation.
  
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• Donald Cerrone: ‘This Was the First Time I Really Felt Alive Out There’

  22-02-2016 07:38 via sherdog.com
  
  It was a markedly less somber Donald Cerrone on the press conference dais in Pittsburgh than the man who addressed media following his 68-second knockout loss to Rafael dos Anjos some two months ago.
  
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• Dana White blasts referee Mario Yamasaki for late main event stoppage

  22-02-2016 07:13
  
  Dana White is rarely shy about passing on his opinion about the performances of officials. Sunday night was no exception.
  The UFC president slammed referee Mario Yamasaki on Twitter for a late stoppage during the main event of UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Cowboy in Pittsburgh. Donald Cerrone caught Alex Oliveira in a triangle in the first round and Oliveira tapped quite a few times before Yamasaki stepped in to call the bout off.10 taps before Yamasaki stops it after @Cowboycerrone tells him!!! A
  
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• UFC Fight Night 83 bonuses: Donald Cerrone scores $50,000 for quick finish of Alex Oliveira

  22-02-2016 07:10
  
  Another fight, another bonus check for Donald Cerrone.
  Making the thirtieth walk of his UFC/WEC career, "Cowboy" scored his sixteenth career bonus, taking home ‘Performance of the Night' honors for a masterful first-round submission of Alex Oliveira at UFC Fight Night 83.
  Cerrone overcame another customarily slow start to take Oliveria to the mat, deftly move into mount, then tie up the Brazilian with a triangle from top position in Sunday night's main event, which aired live on FOX Sports
  
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• John McCarthy On Bellator 149: “MMA Is Not Just About Laying On Somebody Because You’re Tired”

  22-02-2016 07:04
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5g_-TSUVFwFriday night's Bellator 149 bout between Kimbo Slice and Dada 5000 was widely mocked on the internet prior to the news of Dada's heart failure after the match. Referee "Big" John McCarthy was recently asked by MMAFighting about why he didn't stop the fight earlier. McCarthy explained that based on was was in front of him, he did not feel it was appropriate to stop the bout.
  "There was never anything that landed that was hard," McCarthy explained. "They
  
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• Short notice not a problem for Rivera in London

  22-02-2016 07:00 via ufc.com
  
  Francisco Rivera fights for the fans.Whether against a former champion or an Octagon debutant, the bantamweight brawler from Buena Park, California is ready, willing and always able to go hunting for the knockout. Tipping the scales at only 135 pounds, Rivera’s hands are downright diabolical for someone his size, with five knockdowns and three knockouts in the UFC. With that being said, when it was announced that Rivera would tangle with John Lineker at UFC 191, fight fans knew they were g
  
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• Jotko prepared to keep his winning streak alive

  22-02-2016 07:00 via ufc.com
  Nearly two years removed from the lone loss of his professional career, Krzysztof Jotko has not forgotten the night he got caught by a guillotine choke at the hands of Magnus Cedenblad, and he has scouted the man he will face this Saturday in London, Bradley Scott, accordingly.“Bradley has really heavy hands and he likes to catch the guillotine,” Jotko said. “I have to be careful. One time I made a mistake and paid for it, and losing like this again, I will not do. Super Saiyan
  
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• Bisping finally gets career-long wish: Silva fight

  22-02-2016 07:00 via ufc.com
  
  LONDONEight years ago, at UFC 83, Michael “The Count” Bisping scored a first round victory over Charles McCarthy in his middleweight debut for the promotion. And his journey toward Anderson Silva was underway.This Saturday, in what is undoubtedly the biggest fight in UFC FIGHT PASS history, Michael Bisping will put his 17-0 unbeaten record on UK soil to the test against “The Spider,” a battle of continents and legends that has been the Brit’s destiny since he first
  
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• UFC Fight Night 83 Results – February 21, 2016

  22-02-2016 06:36
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdtLKmZGAk8UFC Fight Night 83 took place on Sunday, February 21st in Pittsburgh, PA and aired on FOX Sports 1. Here are the results:Main Card (FOX Sports 1)Donald Cerrone def. Alex Oliveira via submission (triangle choke) at 2:33 of Round 1 Derek Brunson def. Roan Carneiro via TKO (punches) at 2:38 of Round 1 Cody Garbrandt def. Augusto Mendes via TKO (punches) at 4:18 of Round 1 Dennis Bermudez def. Tatsuya Kawajiri via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Chr
  
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• Cody Garbrandt vs. Augusto Mendes full fight video highlights

  22-02-2016 06:35
  
  Watch Cody Garbrandt vs. Augusto Mendes full fight video highlights from UFC Fight Night 83's main card above, courtesy of FOX Sports.
  UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Cowboy took place Feb. 21, 2016 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. UFC bantamweight up-and-comer Cody Grabrandt (8-0) took on jiu-jitsu wizard Augusto Mendes (5-1) in a short notice contest on the night's main card, which aired live on FOX Sports 1. Catch the video highlights above.
  For more on Garbrandt vs. Me
  
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• Derek Brunson vs. Roan Carneiro full fight video highlights

  22-02-2016 06:30
  
  Watch Derek Brunson vs. Roan Carneiro full fight video highlights from UFC Fight Night 83's co-main event above, courtesy of FOX Sports.
  UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Cowboy took place Feb. 21, 2016 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Ranked UFC middleweights Derek Brunson (15-3) and Roan Carneiro (20-10) collided in the night's co-main event, which aired live on FOX Sports 1. Catch the video highlights above.
  For more on Brunson vs. Carneiro, check out the UFC Fight N
  
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• Donald Cerrone vs. Alex Oliveira full fight video highlights

  22-02-2016 06:28
  
  Watch Donald Cerrone vs. Alex Oliveira full fight video highlights from UFC Fight Night 83's main event above, courtesy of FOX Sports.
  UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Cowboy took place Feb. 21, 2016 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. UFC lightweight contender Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone (29-7, 1 NC) moved up to welterweight to take on Alex "Cowboy" Oliveira (14-3-1, 1 NC) in the night's main event, which aired live on FOX Sports 1. Catch the video highlights above.
  For more on Cerrone vs.
  
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• UFC Fight Night 83 in Tweets: Pros react to Donald Cerrone vs. Alex Oliveira, Derek Brunson vs. Roan Carneiro

  22-02-2016 06:13
  
  It didn't take Donald Cerrone long to get back on track. Making his welterweight debut, "Cowboy" slapped on a gorgeous triangle to choke out his Brazilian counterpart Alex Oliveira in just under three minutes at UFC Fight Night 83.
  The slick submission returned Cerrone to the win column after a disappointing showing against UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos, and as always, the pros were there to highlight all the action.
  Got em! #Cowboy #UFCPittsburgh
  — Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) Fe
  
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• UFC Fight Night Pittsburgh Bonuses: Cerrone, Camozzi, Murphy, Faszholz Earn $50K

  22-02-2016 06:09 via sherdog.com
  
  Not only did Donald Cerrone return to his winning ways, he recaptured his bonus-hunting magic, as well.
  
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• Donald Cerrone Triangle Taps Alex Oliveira in UFC Fight Night Headliner

  22-02-2016 06:00 via sherdog.com
  
  Donald Cerrone triangle choke submits Alex Oliveira in UFC Fight Night “Cerrone vs. Oliveira” main event on Sunday in Pittsburgh.
  
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• UFC Fight Night 83 post-fight press conference

  22-02-2016 05:54
  
  The UFC Fight Night 83 post-fight press conference is the last piece of business to take care of after the action is over in the Octagon, and we have the live video below at MMAFighting.com.UFC officials will announce the winners of the Fight of the Night and the Performance of the Night bonuses, and winning fighters will meet the media after their fights.The UFC Fight Night 83 post-fight press conference takes place about 30 minutes after the main event ends, meaning it will start around 12:30
  
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• UFC Fight Night 83 results: Donald Cerrone shines with slick submission of Alex Oliveira

  22-02-2016 05:50
  
  Donald Cerrone brought his fight-finishing instincts to the welterweight division, y'all.
  Taking on Alex Oliveira in a "Cowboy" vs. "Cowboy" showdown at UFC Fight Night 83 in Pittsburgh, Cerrone scored a quick submission victory Sunday night, and this one stands out on his decorated highlight reel. After getting the short end of the stand-up exchanges early, Cerrone took Oliveira to the mat, and the finish came quickly thereafter.
  Cerrone transitioned from half guard to mount and immediately loc
  
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• New UFC 196 Preview Displays McGregor’s Speed

  22-02-2016 05:49
  
  With UFC 196 just 13 days away, the promotion leading up to the event has been amping up with a new trailer being released. The trailer show's McGregor's speed and quotes like, "I'm calm, cold, and ruthless". Take a look!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrVN0UAWRjs McGregor will be going up a weight class to challenge Rafael Dos Anjos for the Lightweight belt. He has made his intentions clear that he does not plan to relinquish the Featherweight belt to do so. No matter what happens on
  
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• UFC Fight Night Prelims: Sean Strickland Dispatches Alex Garcia, Improves to 17-1

  22-02-2016 04:00 via sherdog.com
  
  If Sean Strickland wants the attention of the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s welterweight power brokers, his latest performance certainly did not hurt his cause.
  
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