The MMA general news, events and thoughts thread

[wandshogun09]

Yeah so much for Cyborg’s retirement 🤣 that was one I don’t think anyone believed would stick. 

[Bruce85]

Just seen Tom Aspinall has vacated the title and is still not cleared to fight. 
 

Sad news for Tom, seems such a nice guy and has had such shit luck with his run. Hopefully he comes back healthy and wins the belt back. 

[Kfogg1991]

I genuinely hate this so much, he was in camp and got pulled because he's still not medically cleared but ciryl is walking around probably about to become the undisputed champion for being a cheating cunt with no reprocutions 

[Bruce85]

None of the last 3 UFC heavyweight champs have lost the belt, all vacated. That can’t have happened before? 

[jimufctna24]

14 minutes ago, Bruce85 said:

None of the last 3 UFC heavyweight champs have lost the belt, all vacated. That can’t have happened before? 

Closest was the late 90s when Couture and then Rutten won the heavyweight belt, but then both vacated without losing the title inside the cage. 

It also kinda happened twice in a row in 2003-2005 too. Sylvia was stripped of the title after popping for PEDs in late 2003. Mir then beat Sylvia for the vacated title in mid 2004, but then vacated himself in 2005 after sustaining injuries in a motorcycle accident. 

I don't think it's happened 3 times in a row though. 

[wandshogun09]

Seeing loads of “Oooh let’s do Gane vs Hokit for the undisputed” now. Heavyweight is fucking SHIT man. If that’s the best we’ve got to look forward to they might as well just bin the whole division. And this comes just days after Dana said again that he’s got no interest in bringing Francis Ngannou back. Chuck it in the bastard bin. 

[Carbomb]

It's a shame Dana White is such an objectionable cunt. I'd love to see Ngannou decapitate Hokit.

[jimufctna24]

From Sherdog:

Quote

 

Scott Coker has officially unveiled the name and format of his new mixed martial arts promotion.

Ki MMA will launch in the first quarter of 2027 under Coker and Peter Y. Levin, with events planned across North America, Europe, Asia and South America. The organization had previously announced plans for a new global league backed by Coker, with a tournament format central to the project.
 

Scott Coker and Peter Y. Levin detail Ki MMA's 2027 launch and World Grand Prix

Coker and Levin shared the details about the new promotion via a press release. The inaugural Ki MMA World Grand Prix will feature 32 featherweights divided into four eight-man continental tournaments. Each regional tournament will use a single-elimination format, with the four continental champions advancing to a one-night World Grand Prix Final.

The final event will feature two semifinals followed by the championship bout, so the inaugural Ki MMA champion will need to win five fights.

“We’re giving fighters across four continents a clear path to becoming our first World Grand Prix champion,” Coker said. “We want to build stars while staying true to the discipline, character and respect that drew us to martial arts in the first place.”

Additionally, Ki MMA will feature “Super Fights” involving established fighters, along with additional bouts across multiple weight classes. All fights will take place inside a ring.

“We’re building Ki MMA for the long term, with the resources, team, and discipline to grow responsibly,” Levin added.

 

I mean, at least Coker has chosen a division that is traditionally rich in talent.  I'm still very cynical that he'll be able to put together a decent field of fighters though. 

Choosing to hold fights in a ring rather than the cage is an interesting choice. It'll certainly play well in Asia, who traditionally aren't keen on the cage. The ring also gives those ringside a better view of the fights. As I, and many others, have argued in the past, it additionally favours fighters who want to trap their opponent (those who want to clinch and takedown their opponent, fight on the inside/clinch, etc), and disadvantages those fighters who would rather evade their opponent (stick and move, etc) The only issue with the ring, and it's a long-standing one, is that it isn't very compatible with ground fighting due to fighters falling through the ropes. This issue cropped up in the recent Rizin main event with McKee and Shaydullaev. You don't get that issue with the cage. 

Anyway, my interest in this project is pretty low, as much as I would like for it to succeed. And dear god, I hope Coker doesn't convince Fedor to fight again. 

[wandshogun09]

3 minutes ago, jimufctna24 said:

And dear god, I hope Coker doesn't convince Fedor to fight again. 

Coker tweeted this yesterday…

Get the fuck away from him! 

[Dai]

I'll keep my negative energy away from this Coker fed, but need just one post to say how hilariously shit his concept it. "You know what's shit and has failed miserably every time in modern times? 8 fighter tourneys. But you know what would be great though...four 8 fighter tourneys" must have been his pitch that somehow worked with the money mark. 

Imagine the continental champion of Europe having a bit of hype about him after his wins, and then he gets injured or fails to make weight for the big night. You know for a fact that at least one of those four guys wont be at the grand final night for one reason or another, its always the way with tornements.

Combined with the fact hes using featherweights, and has called it Ki, as in Low Ki I assume, its all hilariously bad, and reminds me of all those ECW reunion shows from years back for some reason.

[Egg Shen]

I'm optimistic because I trust Coker's ability to put forward a decent product. My worry is him putting something together that people will actually want to tune in for? I think the quality of lighter is out there, but im not sure if there's enough marketable names to make people care.

[wandshogun09]

According to Gable Steveson, Jon Jones wants to come back. Conveniently the day after Tom Aspinall vacated the title. Can’t stand this slime ball. 

[Dai]

Think its actually a good thing for the Jones haters. He has currently completed the UFC and even the heavyweight division aspect. He played the game perfectly, and became champ. Any opportunity for him to mess that up and get chinned is surely better than him retiring having played his strategy perfectly. 

 

Mokaev made the BBC sport app today too, as its been two years since he was released when on a 7 fight winning streak. Pretty interesting that he said hes in a WhatsApp group with the match makers of the UFC, he was offered just 10k to do the UFC BJJ thing, and he even claims the UFC messaged him saying they dont want him wrestling and going to decisions, which is barmy if true.

[Egg Shen]

I'd be happy to see Mokaev wind up im MVP or Ki MMA at this point.

[wandshogun09]

He’s probably likely to do something with MVP because he was supposed to fight on that Rousey vs Carano show on Netflix in May. Wouldn’t be surprised if Coker swoops in either though.

7 hours ago, Dai said:

Think its actually a good thing for the Jones haters. He has currently completed the UFC and even the heavyweight division aspect. He played the game perfectly, and became champ. Any opportunity for him to mess that up and get chinned is surely better than him retiring having played his strategy perfectly. 

If his strategy was to make himself look like a complete joke at the end of his career, have a farce of a cherry pick fight against a shot Stipe and be a total coward running from the Aspinall fight, yeah he played it perfectly. More Jones is never a good thing. If he’s not fighting Aspinall or Ngannou, I’d rather he just fuck off and never come back. And it doesn’t look like either of those fights are ever happening now. Funny how he’s suddenly interested in a return now the guy to beat is Ciryl Gane, who he already subbed in a minute. Just further proves the point that he didn’t really wanna retire at all, he just really didn’t wanna fight Aspinall. Plus, even the ‘maybe he’ll mess up and get chinned’ thing, who of the current shower of shite is even gonna chin him? He’s gonna come back, squash someone like Derrick Lewis or Tai Tuivasa, wins that add not a single thing to his legacy at all, and his fans will go ‘he’s the GOAT! It’s not even up for debate anymore!’ Like wins over guys like that cement that in any way. Pure ‘just go away’ heat with me. He’s awful.