Renan Barao feels ‘great’ after UFC 177 weight cut drama

SAO PAULO, Brazil — Renan Barao returns to action for the first time since passing out moments before UFC 177 weigh-ins in August, and he feels “great”. In an interview to MMAFighting.com, Barao discussed his preparation for a UFC Fight Night 58 bout with Mitch Gagnon in Barueri, the current state of the UFC bantamweight division and much more.

(Editor’s note: Hit the CC button on the video player to get the English translation.)

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Renan Barao feels ‘great’ after UFC 177 weight cut drama

Jon Jones on explicit UFC 182 promotion: "A lot of people want me to be the bad guy"

ALBUQUERQUE, NM — By now it’s pretty clear the promotional angles for UFC 182 differ greatly from those of most other major UFC pay-per-views.

The biggest culprit for that is the chain of events that took place in early August, when a scuffle between light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier tumbled off the stage in the MGM Grand, then continued in expletive-laden form as the two bickered across a live (but assumedly off-the-record) television signal for a majority of the afternoon.

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Jon Jones on explicit UFC 182 promotion: "A lot of people want me to be the bad guy"

Gabriel Gonzaga plans to begin another run towards heavyweight title at UFC on FOX 13

Gabriel Gonzaga got a couple of operations to get a busted right hand following his last UFC fight, and he is finally able to return in the Octagon.

The Brazilian heavyweight, who has not fought since a unanimous decision loss to Stipe Miocic in January, is set to meet Matt Mitrione on the primary card of Saturday night’s UFC on FOX 13 in Phoenix, and is feeling “excellent” after an 11-month layoff.

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Gabriel Gonzaga plans to begin another run towards heavyweight title at UFC on FOX 13

Signal to Noise: UFC 181"s finest and worst

UFC 181 offered up a lot to love and loathe. The grade of the primary card was high, the whole event featured a collection of combatant comebacks, along with a fresh winner was crowned. In the flip side, a guy greatly unqualified to be there was declared with great fanfare.

it is time separate the good in the poor, the finest from the worst and the sign in the sound.

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Signal to Noise: UFC 181"s finest and worst

Duke Roufus on Ben Askren in the UFC: "I see it occurring"

NEW YORK — Duke Roufus is in a difficult spot. Duke trains Ben Askren and also offers an excellent relationship with UFC president Dana White. Askren and White do not appear to see eye-to-eye, a fact you can extrapolate only from reading Askren’s Twitter timeline.

“I love both men,” Roufus said Monday at an Anthony Pettis media lunch to encourage UFC 181. “I’ve so much admiration for Dana, Lorenzo and Frank. I have told them so many times Roufusport would not be around without them. I’d not be here without them.”

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Duke Roufus on Ben Askren in the UFC: "I see it occurring"

Rickson Gracie likes Metamoris, but rules out return

Rickson Gracie, one of the greatest names in jiu-jitsu and vale tudo history, is a fan of Metamoris.

The legendary Gracie, who is undefeated in MMA and jiu-jitsu matches, was always critical of what jiu-jitsu has become over the years, with the change of rules and the way BJJ fighters compete today. With submission-only 20-minute matches, Metamoris founder Ralek Gracie got his attention.

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Rickson Gracie likes Metamoris, but rules out return

Jon Jones, Anderson Silva spar at UFC"s headquarters

The most anticipated superfight in mixed martial arts history went down on a cold Monday night in Las Vegas… kinda.

Fresh from appearances at the UFC’s ‘The Time is Now’ press conference, light heavyweight champ Jon Jones and former middleweight great Anderson Silva collided in a two-hour long sparring session at UFC headquarters, and afterwards both men were all smiles as Silva sung the praises of this “f*cking crazy guy.”

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Jon Jones, Anderson Silva spar at UFC"s headquarters

UFC 180 & Bellator 131 in Tweets: Pros react to Fabricio Werdum"s interim heavyweight title win

Hard to believe we’d see Mark Hunt, Tito Ortiz and Stephan Bonnar fighting in main events but it proved to be a pretty great night for MMA. While you remote control catches its breath, see how the pros reacted to Saturday night’s UFC 180 and Bellator 131 events.

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UFC 180 & Bellator 131 in Tweets: Pros react to Fabricio Werdum"s interim heavyweight title win

After "stale" run in UFC, Melvin Guillard relishing WSOF title shot

Fairly or not, there’s sometimes an assumption from fans and the media that life outside of the UFC for fighters isn’t that great. That’s especially true once they are cut from the world’s leader in MMA promoting. Yet, World Series of Fighting’s Melvin Guillard is adamant things are going just fine as he prepares to compete for that organization’s title on Saturday at WSOF 15.

“It’s great, man. Life after the UFC is not so bad right now,” he said on Monday on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani. “I’m with an organization that’s actually giving me a title shot. I was with the UFC nine years and was never given a title shot. I’m a happy camper just for being able to fight for a title.

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After "stale" run in UFC, Melvin Guillard relishing WSOF title shot

UFC Fight Night 56 forecasts

The UFC is back in Brazil and this time with all time great Mauricio Rua in the headlining job. The card has suffered from injuries and last-second withdrawals. The co-main event between Ian McCall and John Lineker was fought after Friday’s weigh-ins. Rua was initially set to confront Jimi Manuwa, but Manuwa was forced out late as a result of harm.

What: UFC Fight Night 56

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UFC Fight Night 56 forecasts

Warlley Alves learned "new tricks" with Anderson Silva for UFC Fight Night 56

UBERLANDIA, Brazil — Undefeated Warlley Alves returns to his first weight class in a welterweight fight against Alan Jouban at UFC Fight Night 56 in Uberlandia, Brazil, on Nov. 8, but do not call the X Gym gift a prospect.

“I do not view myself as a prospect. Many combatants began as prospects and not become anything, therefore I work to become reality,” Alves told the media in Brazil. “I am focused on fighting and doing what I consider, one step at a time. Everything that occurred (at TUF Brazil) was excellent, but it is before. It is a fresh challenge within my profession now. I am 23 years old, I am still young.”

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Warlley Alves learned "new tricks" with Anderson Silva for UFC Fight Night 56

UFC Fight Night 55 forecasts

The UFC is back in Australia, this time having a Fight Pass card full of countrymen from Down Under and a headlining fight between two top middleweights. Luke Rockhold is seeking to cement his place as a title challenger while Michael Bisping is attempting to do exactly the same before it is too late, given his relative age.

Will Rockhold show he is the division’s next great title challenger or is Bisping prepared to eventually get the title shot he constantly needed?

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UFC Fight Night 55 forecasts

The very best of Michael Bisping

Michael Bisping, who confronts Luke Rockhold Friday night on UFC Fight Pass, talks regarding the craft of trash talking and his amazing power to get under his adversaries’ skin.

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The very best of Michael Bisping

Royce Gracie: Nick and Nate Diaz"s fights "are what this sport should be"

SAN DIEGO – LeBron James is an amazing gift, however he did not devise basketball. Similarly with Tom Brady in football and Sidney Crosby in ice hockey.

Royce Gracie, nevertheless, has a prominence in his sport that few sportsmen will ever experience in their own lives. Not only was Gracie his selected field’s biggest opponent during his prime, but his prime really help create the sport which grown in his wake.

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Royce Gracie: Nick and Nate Diaz"s fights "are what this sport should be"

Diego Sanchez: Conor McGregor will be his own downfall

The growing distaste for Conor McGregor amongst combatants understands no divisional limit it appears, as lightweight Diego Sanchez located himself ranting regarding the loquacious Irish featherweight to get an excellent eight minutes of his own accord during a Tuesday appearance in The MMA Hour.

“The matter is, when he jumped to the area, he began barking up the wrong dog’s street,” Sanchez said of McGregor. “Because I am among the men who put the bricks with this great career he’s having. I was among the ones who created this growth for the sport, I helped build the base with this huge building, as well as the man is simply disrespectful. He do not value it.

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Diego Sanchez: Conor McGregor will be his own downfall

Jose Aldo "believed the fight was over" after contentious post-bell clouts on Chad Mendes

RIO DE JANEIRO — Jose Aldo stays the UFC featherweight champ, but Chad Mendes proved to be an excellent challenge at Saturday night’s UFC 179 in Brazil.

The first and only 145-pound champ, Aldo defended his title for the seventh successive time, the third in Brazil, and he feels even better when performing in the front of his countrymen.

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Jose Aldo "believed the fight was over" after contentious post-bell clouts on Chad Mendes

WSOF ‘confident’ going head-to-head with UFC and Bellator

World Series of Fighting moved its 15th edition from Oct. 24 to Nov. 15, going head-to-head with a pair of stacked cards in UFC 180 and Bellator 131, but WSOF officials aren’t afraid of some competition.

“I think competition is really good between Bellator and UFC and WSOF,” WSOF executive vice president Ali Abdel-Aziz told MMAFighting.com. “I like the UFC and I like Scott Coker, they’re great guys, but I think WSOF always put on exciting fights.”

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WSOF ‘confident’ going head-to-head with UFC and Bellator

Eduardo Dantas to Joe Warren: ‘He got that interim title, took some pictures with it, but it’s time to give it back’

Every time Eduardo Dantas has fought a title fight in Bellator, he has finished his opponent. And the Nova Uniao bantamweight wants to do the same to Joe Warren on Friday night’s Bellator 128.

Dantas, the current Bellator 135-pound champion, meets interim champion Warren in the main event of Friday’s card in Thackerville, Okla., and he sees “The Baddest Man on the Planet” as a great test for his skills.

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Eduardo Dantas to Joe Warren: ‘He got that interim title, took some pictures with it, but it’s time to give it back’

Chris Weidman puzzled why American fans don"t root for American fighters

UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman takes his “All-American” moniker seriously.

He’s draped the stars and stripes over his shoulders after his greatest victories, against the likes of Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida. And he’s not sure why mixed martial arts fans don’t seem as loyal to their country as he is.

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Chris Weidman puzzled why American fans don"t root for American fighters

How to win (or lose) a one-night MMA tournament: Chael Sonnen tells his greatest wrestling story

Chael Sonnen: I don’t have any tournament stories, but let me tell you the greatest story that I have in wrestling. It’s one of just the greatest stories that I have, period, but definitely in wrestling.

Matt Lindland. Matt Lindland has just a number of incredible stories. If you ever get a chance to talk with him, you’ll love it. The guy is so entertaining, but socially, sometimes he misses the mark. And when he does that, it can be extremely hilarious because he’s not trying to be. Anyway, so here’s what happens.

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How to win (or lose) a one-night MMA tournament: Chael Sonnen tells his greatest wrestling story