TSN looks to be the new home for UFC programming in Canada

While no announcement has been made yet, The Sports Network (TSN) in Canada sent out schedule revisions for January to television listings services on Friday which included extensive UFC coverage.

TSN, the country’s equivalent to ESPN, was the leading candidate to get the UFC contract, which had been held by Sportsnet, a rival sports network run by Rogers Cable, since the sport’s popularity explosion.

UFC officials would not confirm the deal at this time.

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TSN looks to be the new home for UFC programming in Canada

Anthony Pettis eying a spring return, wants three fights in 2015

UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis has fought only three times in the last two years, including his title defense against Gilbert Melendez at UFC 181 on Dec. 6.

Not that Pettis likes taking time off. A series of injuries and circumstances have led to his relative inactivity, a fact that Pettis bemoaned leading up to UFC 181. Pettis has made it know he wants to stay active going forward. In fact, Pettis’s manager Mike Roberts told UFC Tonight’s Ariel Helwani that if the champ has it his way, he’ll fight three times in 2015.

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Anthony Pettis eying a spring return, wants three fights in 2015

Rose Namajunas on title loss to Carla Esparza: "I kind of felt just like a child in there"

LAS VEGAS — It is potential Rose Namajunas got a little bit ahead of herself leading into her historical fight with Carla Esparza on Friday night.

Namajunas fell to Esparza by third-round entry (rear-naked choke) in the UFC’s initiative women’s strawweight title fight in The greatest Combatant 20 Ending here in the Pearl in the Palms. Namajunas was the smart pick to win the fight and end up being the surface of the recent section.

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Rose Namajunas on title loss to Carla Esparza: "I kind of felt just like a child in there"

One year after disaster, Carla Esparza on brink of bringing UFC title back to Team Oyama

LAS VEGAS — UFC heavyweight Shane Del Rosario expired nearly exactly one year ago on Dec. 9, 2013. His existence remains felt perpetually at his precious fitness center, Team Oyama in Irvine, Calif.

The plan’s patriarch, Colin Oyama, only talked with Del Rosario’s dad this week. And Carla Esparza said she thought of her former teammate frequently while she was in The Ultimate Fighter house on summer time, heading into her just-finished training camp.

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One year after disaster, Carla Esparza on brink of bringing UFC title back to Team Oyama

American Top Team creators respond to eventually finding first UFC winner

LAS VEGAS — American Top Team leaders Ricardo Liborio and Conan Silveira discuss Robbie Lawler eventually winning the team’s first UFC title, what is next and more.

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American Top Team creators respond to eventually finding first UFC winner

Tyron Woodley discusses performing career, job in NWA movie "Straight Outta Compton"

Tyron Woodley may just be 32 years old, however he is already preparing for his post-fighting life. The UFC’s No. 3 ranked welterweight, Woodley lately finished filming his part in the coming NWA biopic ‘Straight Outta Compton,’ and he described his encounter working alongside the rap legends as nothing short of “surreal.”

“It was kind of mad,” Woodley said on Monday’s version of The MMA Hour. “I am sitting on set and Ice Cube’s coming up and speaking to me, asking me [questions]. There were a couple scenes where it was only me and the two lead actors, therefore it absolutely was truly just like a superb cozy set.

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Tyron Woodley discusses performing career, job in NWA movie "Straight Outta Compton"

Morning Report: Dana White says Anderson Silva and Conor McGregor could each get title shots by winning their next fight

“These fights lead to bigger fights.”

After an injury-laden 2014 campaign, that message seemed to be UFC president Dana White’s promise to fans for next year’s schedule.

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Morning Report: Dana White says Anderson Silva and Conor McGregor could each get title shots by winning their next fight

Will Brooks on Michael Chandler: "The people around him pump his ego so much"

SAN DIEGO – Since losing a controversial split decision to Will Brooks on May 17, Michael Chandler has told anyone who asks that he had the worst training camp of his career leading up to the fight, as he pushed through an injury that should have caused him to drop out of the bout.

Brooks, who defeated Chandler as a short-notice replacement for Eddie Alvarez in a Bellator interim lightweight title fight that night in suburban Memphis, has heard Chandler’s talk. And he’s not particularly impressed.

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Will Brooks on Michael Chandler: "The people around him pump his ego so much"

Stephan Bonnar responds to Tito Ortiz, promises more surprises before their fight

SAN DIEGO – In the final days leading up to Bellator 131, it’s been Tito Ortiz’s turn to attempt mind games with Stephan Bonnar.

The former UFC light heavyweight champion arrived at the open workouts at a local Dave and Buster’s on Wednesday while Bonnar, his opponent in Saturday night’s main event at the Valley View Casino Center, went through a wrestling workout with Ortiz’s former wrestling coach, Paul Herrera.

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Stephan Bonnar responds to Tito Ortiz, promises more surprises before their fight

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

Tito Ortiz, Stephan Bonnar pass random drug tests prior to Bellator 131

Bellator 131 headliners Tito Ortiz and Stephan Bonnar recently passed random urine drug tests administered by the California State Athletic Commission, CSAC executive director Andy Foster confirmed to MMAFighting.com.

According to Foster, Bonnar has passed two random urine tests and Oritz one, leading up to their Nov. 15 fight in San Diego.

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Tito Ortiz, Stephan Bonnar pass random drug tests prior to Bellator 131

Morning Report: Dana White downplays talk of a Conor McGregor title shot, tells Cub Swanson and Frankie Edgar to be concerned about each other

Finding Conor McGregor seated cageside at UFC 179 in Brazil could not have been much comfort to fellow featherweight competitors Cub Swanson and Frankie Edgar.

The provocative Irishman stole the show in the lead up to featherweight champ Jose Aldo’s successful title defense to No. 1 competitor Chad Mendes, but Swanson maintained he had been ‘guaranteed’ the next opportunity with a triumph over Edgar Nov. 22 in Austin, Texas.

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Morning Report: Dana White downplays talk of a Conor McGregor title shot, tells Cub Swanson and Frankie Edgar to be concerned about each other

WSOF middleweight champion David Branch: I learned about MMA through "a crackhead"

Some combatants got into mixed martial arts through their foundation in a subject like wrestling or judo. Some just saw an occasion by making use of their buddies as well as got hooked.

World Series of Fighting middleweight champ David Branch, nevertheless, had a unique road to MMA glory. Branch, who defends his title against Yushin Okami on Nov. 15, claims “a crackhead” had an unwitting part in helping to turn his life around and guide him on the path to fit success.

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WSOF middleweight champion David Branch: I learned about MMA through "a crackhead"

Georges St-Pierre"s guidance to present headliners: "You should find out your career as a company"

Few elite mixed martial artists have managed to parlay their brand as successfully as former longtime UFC welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre.

The Montreal native evolved to the sport’s biggest draw and brought mainstream sponsorships from top mainstream sports-related products like Gatorade and Under Armour along the way.

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Georges St-Pierre"s guidance to present headliners: "You should find out your career as a company"

Georges St-Pierre"s guidance to present headliners: "You should find out your career as a company"

Few elite mixed martial artists have managed to parlay their brand as successfully as former longtime UFC welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre.

The Montreal native evolved to the sport’s biggest draw and brought mainstream sponsorships from top mainstream sports-related products like Gatorade and Under Armour along the way.

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Georges St-Pierre"s guidance to present headliners: "You should find out your career as a company"

Former WEC winner Paulo Filho shot in the leg in Rio de Janeiro

Paulo Filho was shot in the leg in a celebration Tuesday night in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The former WEC winner had a conversation using a guy in a party in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and was shot in the leg by a guy when he left the house. Psicoticos por VT first reported the news, and sources near the situation, supported the report to MMAFighting.com.

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Former WEC winner Paulo Filho shot in the leg in Rio de Janeiro

UFC 179 fight card: What Is at stake?

Conor McGregor is apparently getting an outrageous level of glow in the lead-up to the occasion, however this can be actually about featherweight champ Jose Aldo. He could be the last remaining Brazilian winner. I’d never go as far as proposing the market falls because state without him, but I’d underscore it could be more problematic than some understand. Every state enjoys and must find their countrymen do nicely, but Brazil appears to put additional emphasis on it (I do not understand if that is reasonable, but that is my read from afar). Keeping the title may be crucial to UFC’s attempts to nurture what’s among their top three markets.

None of this can be to undercut the realities in the floor. There are enormous swathes of ability across all weight classes there. The TV handle Globo is a godsend. But having winners – main combatants – is very important to a nation that turned around on MMA at a time when numerous Brazilians were enormous stars or belt holders and will lead a fresh upsurge in interest.

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UFC 179 fight card: What Is at stake?

Jason "Mayhem" Miller pleads not guilty to various charges

Less than two weeks after barricading himself inside his house within a weird police standoff, Jason Miller appeared for an arraignment in the Orange County Superior Court and issued a not guilty plea for charges of resisting arrest and obstructing an officer.

ABC’s Julie Stone tweeted out the news on Monday morning.

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Jason "Mayhem" Miller pleads not guilty to various charges

Nick Diaz pleads not guilty to DUI charges

According to a report from ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, UFC welterweight Nick Diaz has plead not guilty to two DUI charges in San Joaquin County Court in California on Thursday.

As previously reported by MMA Fighting, Diaz was detained on both September 6th of 2014 and November 20, 2013, both for driving under the influence. Diaz faces charges of driving under the influence, driving under the influence having an alcohol or drug level above .08, and dangerous speed for prevailing conditions.

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Nick Diaz pleads not guilty to DUI charges

Lee Mein pleads not guilty to sexual battery charge

James Lee Mein, the daddy of UFC welterweight Jordan Mein, pleaded not guilty in a Tulsa, OK court Thursday to a charge of one count sexual battery, according to his attorney Jason Edge.

Mein, who had been detained on Aug. 22 in Tulsa, a day before his son fought Mike Pyle at UFC Fight Night 49, was formally charged on Sept. 10. A preliminary hearing has been set for Oct. 23.

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Lee Mein pleads not guilty to sexual battery charge