MMA Thread

Ameraves said:

UFC, ESPN+ reach multiyear deal for live fights

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don't care that it is only $5 per month
won't ever sub to that

Goatface said:

don't care that it is only $5 per month
won't ever sub to that

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I'm guessing it's their bottom tier cards. Up to 15 events per year plus Contender Series. Splitting up their streaming rights should get more eyeballs on the sport which means more money pouring in. Smart business move, good on UFC.

Cheaper than fight pass. I might consider $5. That ain't too bad at all. I guess it depends on the rest of the content that you'll get.

As for GSP vs. Nate Diaz. It has to be a warm up fight for GSP to see if he feels comfortable at that weight. It makes no sense anywhere else outside of money. And I've never really seen why the Diaz brothers are a draw in the first place considering their records. It's kind of like BJ Penn...who gives a fuck? If you can give him a title fight 15 lbs. above his usual weight class, then do it 15 under as well...or at least give him a contender. Not someone that's been sidelined for a couple of years.

Yeah, well they also both lose about a third of their fights. That's not to say some haven't been entertaining. The matchmaking doesn't make a lot of sense on this one considering GSP wants to do stuff for his legacy. I think beating Nick, who has about a 5% better win percentage than his brother, would've solidified that part of his legacy. GSP has got some big ass legs...it'll be a tough opponent for any other guy, but I don't see it being a problem at all for GSP.

I'm surprised GSP is bouncing his weight around so much. Maybe he's super underweight right now with his health?

It's probably the best fight he can make though – who at 170 presents an easy fight while being popular enough in the fans' eyes to maintain a shadow of legitimacy? Dana's happy to oblige because it makes tons of money and it might mean both these guys get back into a regular schedule.

GSP beats Nate, both guys make a lot of money. GSP can then choose to leapfrog versus whoever he wants (Conor? 170 belt? 155 belt?). Dana might have the dude in time out from any fights for the belt, this fight is easy penance to get back in the game.

Only reason I can see for 155 is for the prelude to Conor - GSP. If that isn't the end game of GSP coming down to that weight-- makes very little sense.

Without that end game, I'd almost think about boycotting this fight at that weight. GSP doesn't do 155 he'd be a skeleton but maybe that's what Nate demanded since apparently he's finally getting what he wants after turning down several fights a year.

jayrebb said:

Only reason I can see for 155 is for the prelude to Conor - GSP. If that isn't the end game of GSP coming down to that weight-- makes very little sense.

Without that end game, I'd almost think about boycotting this fight at that weight. GSP doesn't do 155 he'd be a skeleton but maybe that's what Nate demanded since apparently he's finally getting what he wants after turning down several fights a year.

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155 is also where all the money is. Who is going to sell a fight vs GSP at 170?

GSP vs Diaz, Conor, Lee, Khabib (title), Alvarez are all exciting to sell. If he gets the belt, he's not afraid of the step that comes next – the title defense will be against a guy he's confident he can beat and will bring in money.

Given Woodley's history, the fight for the belt is a huge paycut. Then who at 170 is next in line at that point, and how will it sell?

yamikazo said:

155 is also where all the money is. Who is going to sell a fight vs GSP at 170?

GSP vs Diaz, Conor, Lee, Khabib (title), Alvarez are all exciting to sell. If he gets the belt, he's not afraid of the step that comes next – the title defense will be against a guy he's confident he can beat and will bring in money.

Given Woodley's history, the fight for the belt is a huge paycut. Then who at 170 is next in line at that point, and how will it sell?

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He wanted no part of Woodley on a comeback, Khabib is the same situation to me. You're right if its money fights, its 155.

His chance of holding a title one last time seems to be at 170 though despite GSP thinking otherwise. I don't see Khabib being the lesser of the two at all.

jayrebb said:

He wanted no part of Woodley on a comeback, Khabib is the same situation to me. You're right if its money fights, its 155.

His chance of holding a title one last time seems to be at 170 though despite GSP thinking otherwise. I don't see Khabib being the lesser of the two at all.

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Yeah, I don't know what his camp is thinking. If he can fight at 155, he's going to get paid a lot more money as they can line up 3 BIG fights. Given the talent at 155, I'm not sure he faces potential criticism for "ducking 170." Winning three fights at 155 might be better for his legacy. None of the fights against the top five @ 155 are easy wins, though.

We're still waiting on the other shoe to drop on Conor. Can he make a fall comeback? Will he be good? Could he beat Khabib in 2018?

Diaz-Conor-Conor all at 155 is a very real possibility and would be the most lucrative path. Everyone will want buy a GSP vs McGregor rematch especially if it's his last before retiring for good.

Lanx said:

conor is pretty much lucky khabib and tony tiramasu/sun glass tripped into retardedness, to delay this as much as possible.

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We'll see. I want to believe Conor has been smart and has been working on breaking down Khabib for the last two years. I think the three-pronged strategy of delay, delay, delay, prepping for Khabib, and praying the Russian lost might have been the most effective thing in that situation.

Conor has a lot of questions for me, even if he's in 110% shape physically for Khabib. Khabib has already won the mental warfare game and Conor might be in the middle of a psychological breakdown, so who knows if he will execute to his physical potential.

was reading Conor goes to court on June 14
NYSAC said he would have to re-apply for a license to fight in NY again

Attorney: McGregor not likely to do time
(speculation, Attorney not connected to Case/Conor)

highlights
......with no prior record, McGregor likely won’t get any time ......
A plea will be worked out almost certainly, .......
he’ll probably be sentenced to some form of community service or something of that nature, and the case will go away.
“The way that criminal convictions impact immigration status, there are no black and white rules. Generally speaking, if you’re convicted of a misdemeanor, which is a low-level offense, the lowest level offense in New York in terms of crime, typically that one misdemeanor – again, typically – will fall under the petty offense exception which basically allows the person to travel in and out.”

would NY License even matter?
Dana is saying Conor/Khabib would be in Vegas
and would think vs Gsp would be Ontario

seeing him do community service would be great though

The whole thing is GSP never fought at 185 before and went up and took the belt. Even though it was against Bisping, it shouldn't matter. If you are going to give him that kind of free reign, let him fight top flight competition. Everyone knows Bisping would've lost his next fight and probably got lucky in the Rockhold fight. Nate Diaz is just BJ Penn with a better record and longer reach advantage. Pisses me off as a fan because that's the way they are going about booking the greatest welterweight of all time. Nate Diaz, or his brother, doesn't deserve a match with GSP. I'm not even a GSP fan. Neither of them deserve a fight with him though. Just make him wait a couple more months and give him Conor or Khabib.

I think GSP is the lucky one in all of this. If he wins a fight at 155 he can challenge Khabib in November or whenever they wanna do it around that time. I don't see Nate hurting him at all. Khabib has been exposed and no matter how hard you work on that stand up you aren't going to be ready for Conor or GSP. Khabib's best bet is Conor but my money is on a fight with GSP in November, early December. It will not go well for Khabib and we will have our first 3 weight class champ.

Conor will then knock out over GSP in the first round and regain his legitimacy until Ferguson gets healthy. Once Tony is healthy Conor will retire for a brief wile. He don't want no part of that.

calhoonjugganaut said:

Conor will then knock out over GSP in the first round and regain his legitimacy until Ferguson gets healthy. Once Tony is healthy Conor will retire for a brief wile. He don't want no part of that.

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Tony is cooked. I don't think Tony works himself back up to #1 contender, there are too many sharks at 155 and if he isn't back to 100% he will lose to someone. He doesn't have the negotiating power to get a title shot without two wins against the top 5 post-surgery and he will not string them together.

calhoonjugganaut said:

I think GSP is the lucky one in all of this. If he wins a fight at 155 he can challenge Khabib in November or whenever they wanna do it around that time. I don't see Nate hurting him at all. Khabib has been exposed and no matter how hard you work on that stand up you aren't going to be ready for Conor or GSP. Khabib's best bet is Conor but my money is on a fight with GSP in November, early December. It will not go well for Khabib and we will have our first 3 weight class champ.

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Diaz-Khabib (belt)-Conor (defense) would be a fantastic end to his career. I don't care who GSP fights after Diaz, we're all in for a treat.

Diaz is clearly the stepping stone. Get back in the cage, get his health in order, and see how the weight goes while collecting a win, fat stacks, and getting in the limelight with one of the sport's fan favorites. It's a warm-up fight for GSP and if he retires after because health concerns, his legacy is not tarnished; I don't think his camp is eager to rush into a tough fight while experimenting with his new stomach at a weight he's never competed in since last time didn't go well for him.

I think Conor gets rights of first refusal vs Khabib though. Conor can accept the fight vs Khabib before it's ever offered to GSP. If Conor is going to return this Fall (assuming his legal issues are handled and he makes up with Dana), he's gotta fight Khabib. The alternative is vs. Lee and that's not what his team wants. He fights this Fall vs Khabib or waits until Spring.

UFC obviously wants Conor to beat Kabob, Lay & Pray champ to beat Young Smokey and then they can set up the money fight of the century at 155 where Dana will pray to God that St. George pulls of a win and the Irish Gorilla loses some negotiating power.