The new MMA general news, events and thoughts thread

[Egg Shen]

Is he though? He may be 14-1 but whos he ever beaten? I dont like to be picky Dave but you're talking like Newell is some blue chip prospect who never got his shot when he never really was. He was thrust into the spotlight because of his disability, he took one step up and the results were not good. If Newell had stuck around after the Gaethje loss and won some meaningful fights they might have ended up bringing him, instead he retired for 3 years.

Besides, getting in through the Contender Series isn't a bad way to go about it. Look what it did for Sean O'Malley.

[David]

21 minutes ago, Egg Shen said:

Is he though? He may be 14-1 but whos he ever beaten? I dont like to be picky Dave but you're talking like Newell is some blue chip prospect who never got his shot when he never really was. He was thrust into the spotlight because of his disability, he took one step up and the results were not good. If Newell had stuck around after the Gaethje loss and won some meaningful fights they might have ended up bringing him, instead he retired for 3 years.

Besides, getting in through the Contender Series isn't a bad way to go about it. Look what it did for Sean O'Malley.

I'm not talking like he's a bluechip prospect at all, I've said that I honestly don't know how he'd do, didn't I?

All I know is that he's 14-1 outside the UFC, has won a regional title and has a decent ratio of finishes. That, for me, is the type of criteria that suggests someone should be brought in and given a chance.

Should he be on PPV? Fighting top 5 guys? Absolutely not, but he warrants a decent chance to prove he's got what it takes. More of a chance than one fight with Dana Caesar giving the winners the thumbs up or thumbs down.

As I said, the promotion is going to shit. It's blatantly clear that the new ownership group haven't got a fucking clue what's going on or how to run a fight promotion, and we're seeing now just how much the Fertitta brothers knew their onions.

[Carbomb]

Is there any possibility Newell could be signed by Bellator? I daresay Coker's the sort of guy to give someone like Newell a chance to show what he can do at an elite (or near-elite) level.

He'd probably get a load more in sponsorship, too - a unique profile like his would attract a lot more eyeballs.

[David]

8 minutes ago, Carbomb said:

Is there any possibility Newell could be signed by Bellator? I daresay Coker's the sort of guy to give someone like Newell a chance to show what he can do at an elite (or near-elite) level.

He'd probably get a load more in sponsorship, too - a unique profile like his would attract a lot more eyeballs.

You'd hope so, wouldn't you? If he doesn't get something from the likes of Bellator then there isn't much more he can really accomplish in the sport.

[Carbomb]

1 minute ago, David said:

You'd hope so, wouldn't you? If he doesn't get something from the likes of Bellator then there isn't much more he can really accomplish in the sport.

To be honest, the more I think about it, the more I think a move to Bellator, should Coker offer one, would be way better for him. As he's not UFC championship material, he's never going to be high enough on the card to get the "benefits", such as they are, of the Reebok deal. As a comparative mid-carder and (and I apologise for the use of this word, but can't think of one better) special attraction, his earning potential through sponsorship would be severely hampered by it, and his UFC wages wouldn't make him enough.

And let's face it: prior to this loss, he'd only been wrecked by Gaethje, who has wrecked many people on his road to the UFC - and has even wrecked people when he's lost.

[Egg Shen]

There's other promotions to go too but Newell himself has said the goal is the UFC, that's why he came back to MMA.

My point still stands though, he took a 3 year break, came back, beat a journeyman then was given a decent platform to announce his arrival in the UFC, he was given far more promotion than the regular Contender Series fighter and the fact that he lost that probably means an actual UFC debut wouldnt have gone much better. 

[Carbomb]

I'm not challenging you, Ebb, nor am I challenging David - I honestly don't know the greater detail to say whether or not he should be in the UFC, or that Dana is being a cock or not (though the odds overwhelmingly say he is).

My point still stands I think he'd be better of in Bellator (that sounds like an 80s ad slogan - "Better off in Bellator").

[Egg Shen]

If he isnt gonna make it to the UFC he's definitely better off in Bellator, id love to see him go there and prove himself. Its not the end of the road if you dont make the UFC.

[the_mole]

The Ben Askren thing is a smoke screen, he is NOT a free agent, him wanting to fight UFC or Bellator guys means they would have to co-promote with One and nobody is doing that for Ben Askren, they didn't do it for Fedor and he was much more popular, he retired with One fights on his contract. If your talking about when he left Bellator at first then fair enough but he signed a long contract with One and he obviously had the skill to compete in either UFC or Bellator but he worded his retirement, early this year or late last year, so people thought he was a free agent, when he isn't.

Bellator & the UFC have zero reason to promote One Championship.

[David]

38 minutes ago, Carbomb said:

To be honest, the more I think about it, the more I think a move to Bellator, should Coker offer one, would be way better for him. As he's not UFC championship material, he's never going to be high enough on the card to get the "benefits", such as they are, of the Reebok deal. As a comparative mid-carder and (and I apologise for the use of this word, but can't think of one better) special attraction, his earning potential through sponsorship would be severely hampered by it, and his UFC wages wouldn't make him enough.

And let's face it: prior to this loss, he'd only been wrecked by Gaethje, who has wrecked many people on his road to the UFC - and has even wrecked people when he's lost.

A move to Bellator is a more financially viable move these days for more than someone like Newell in reality, which is why we're seeing some decent fighters jump ship. Unless you're a "top earner" for the UFC you're essentially earning a fraction of what you could elsewhere.

It depends on how much a fighter places in being a "UFC fighter" I guess.

[Egg Shen]

Does make you wonder how long that sort of stigma will stay attached to it. To the majority its still the only game in town

The PFL is offering good money and a regular schedule for fighters, its not hard to see why a fighter like Rick Story would jump there. A potential €1million dollar prize pot for winning a few fights in a realtively period of time is massive. That's a potential home for Newell.

[Keith Houchen]

6 hours ago, David said:

but he's entitled to a crack, surely?

He isn't entitled to anything.  If UFC, or an individual with the power, don't want a fighter to fight for their promotion then that's it. His rights aren't being abused or anything.  Nobody is entitled to a crack, UFC don't owe any fighters a place on their card because of their record or whatever titles they have won.  They may deserve a chance on the biggest stage but they aren't entitled to Jack Shit.

[David]

1 hour ago, Keith Houchen said:

He isn't entitled to anything.  If UFC, or an individual with the power, don't want a fighter to fight for their promotion then that's it. His rights aren't being abused or anything.  Nobody is entitled to a crack, UFC don't owe any fighters a place on their card because of their record or whatever titles they have won.  They may deserve a chance on the biggest stage but they aren't entitled to Jack Shit.

I didn't mean he's entitled to a crack in the UFC, I meant he's entitled to a crack at taking a step up in competition, be it UFC, Bellator or whatever. 

This idea that a guy can progress so far in his career only to effectively be told "sorry pal, but you've got one arm, and that won't look good if you get punched on live telly" doesn't sit well with me.

As I've said, anyone else with his record is getting the chance to step up in some fashion, but he's basically hit a ceiling because he's lacking a limb.

6 hours ago, the_mole said:

The Ben Askren thing is a smoke screen, he is NOT a free agent, him wanting to fight UFC or Bellator guys means they would have to co-promote with One and nobody is doing that for Ben Askren, they didn't do it for Fedor and he was much more popular, he retired with One fights on his contract. If your talking about when he left Bellator at first then fair enough but he signed a long contract with One and he obviously had the skill to compete in either UFC or Bellator but he worded his retirement, early this year or late last year, so people thought he was a free agent, when he isn't.

Bellator & the UFC have zero reason to promote One Championship.

Of course I meant when he left Bellator. He was one of the top guys in his weight class at the time, and definitely should have been a gimme for a UFC contract.

[Chunk]

Am I missing something here?

Covington beat RDA for the interim WW title because Woodley (the actual champ) was injured.

Woodley is now back but they've given Till a shot against Woodley for the belt whilst Convington still holds the interim belt.

What the fuck was the point in the interim belt?

Edit: Ok, I have missed something. Just spotted Covington is out for a while and therefore stripped of the belt. Guess that can't be helped. What a pointless belt though ... could've avoided it by not giving it to someone in the first place. Has a UFC fighter ever been stripped of an interim belt before? Can't remember it happening in recent years.

[Tamura]

4 minutes ago, David said:

I didn't mean he's entitled to a crack in the UFC, I meant he's entitled to a crack at taking a step up in competition, be it UFC, Bellator or whatever. 

This idea that a guy can progress so far in his career only to effectively be told "sorry pal, but you've got one arm, and that won't look good if you get punched on live telly" doesn't sit well with me.

As I've said, anyone else with his record is getting the chance to step up in some fashion, but he's basically hit a ceiling because he's lacking a limb.

He's fought on live TV, on NBC no less. If anything fighting on some UFC Fight Pass prelims would be a step down from there. His record is largely meaningless when you consider he was retired for over two years. If you take two years off fighting it stands to reason it may harm your career, no matter how many limbs you have. If it was November 2015 and he hadn't retired and was looking to leave WSOF for Bellator or the UFC he'd probably be getting "the chance to step up", but as it is he's fought one fight in three years so the chance he got was on Tuesday Night Contender Series.