Ex-MSU wrestler, UFC champ Evans retires from MMA

Rashad Evans, former UFC light heavyweight champion and “The Ultimate Fighter 2” winner, is now a former mixed martial arts fighter.

Evans, a high school and collegiate wrestler who made his pro MMA debut 14 years ago, revealed his decision to retire from MMA on ESPN’s “Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show” Monday.

Just two weeks ago, the 38-year-old Evans was the victim of a knockout in the first minute of the first round to Anthony Smith at UFC 225 at the United Center in Chicago on June 9. It was his fifth straight loss.

In his pro career which he launched in April 2004, Evans compiled a 19-8-1 record competing primarily for the UFC. He joined the promotion as a top prospect after emerging as the heavyweight winner of TUF 2, though he immediately dropped down to light heavyweight (205 pounds) following the conclusion of that tournament. In his first eight UFC fights, Evans came out the victor over some of the top talent in that weight class at the time, including Michael Bisping, Chuck Liddell, and Forrest Griffin.

In fact, it was that third-round TKO of Griffin at UFC 92 in December 2008 that made Evans the UFC light heavyweight champion. Evans lost that title in his first defense against Lyoto Machida but came back with four big-time wins over opponents such as Quinton Jackson and former Penn State champ — and future Bellator titlewinner — Phil Davis.

Prior to entering the Octagon, Evans crafted an impressive amateur wrestling career. He was a two-time New York state wrestling championships finalist for Niagara-Wheatfield High School. Evans then enrolled at Niagara County Community College, where he was a two-time National Junior College Athletic Association All-American, winning the 165-pound title at the 2000 NJCAA Wrestling Championships. Evans then headed west to Michigan State, where he became a two-time NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships qualifier at 174 pounds. One of Evans’ greatest amateur accomplishments: being one of only four wrestlers to defeat Greg Jones, three-time NCAA champ for West Virginia University.

Vitor Belfort: Floyd Mayweather Would Suck At MMA!

Hey, you know all those videos of Floyd Mayweather running around the cage looking agile and buff?
Vitor Belfort is not impressed.
“The Phenom” knows a thing or two about mixed martial arts (MMA), having been in the fight game for over two decades. And to Belfort, this notion that Mayweather could cross over to cage fighting and not get ground into dust is preposterous.

“I think he doesn’t have a chance even against the young kids, 15, 14-year-olds,” Belfort told MMA Fighting. “He has a lot to learn on the ground, kicks. With his arms, on his weight, he’s a phenom. Now, involving legs and other things, no chance.”
Mayweather has been teasing a debut in UFC in the wake of his technical knockout win over Conor McGregor in last August’s boxing spectacle. That led to some lame tweets from both sides but nothing in the way of substance.
But if Belfort is right, then Mayweather should skip UFC and fight here.

Courtesy of MMA Mania

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MMA Fighter, Conor McGregor, Arrested For Assault!

Courtesty of CBS Sports:

Update: Conor McGregor turned himself in to police late Thursday night following the incident that took place in Brooklyn. According to MMA Fighting, an NYPD spokesperson has confirmed the current lightweight champion has been charged with three counts of assault and one count of criminal mischief.

Conor McGregor may soon be a wanted man in the state of New York. After McGregor caused an incident at the Barclays Center on Thursday afternoon by throwing a guardrail at a bus and injuring at least one person, UFC president Dana White said McGregor now has a warrant out for his arrest, one that prevents him from leaving the state.

“They are looking for him right now. His plane cannot take off; he cannot leave the state of New York,” White said. “I’m assuming, eventually, if they don’t catch him, he’ll turn himself in. You can imagine he’s going to be sued beyond belief, and this was a real bad career move for him.

“After this disgusting, despicable move, I think everyone’s relationship with Conor is going to be not so great,” White continued. “Even the police officer who came to me was like ‘God, I was a fan of his, too. Not anymore.’ This is the type of bad move you make that turns a lot of people off.”

However, contrary to White’s statement, ABC News reports that the NYPD is still investigating the incident involving McGregor with no formal arrest warrant out for the UFC champion at this time.

In addition to McGregor’s legal situation, one of his teammates, Artem Lobov, has been pulled from the UFC 223 card. Lobov was set to fight Alex Caceres.

McGregor and his team showed up after the UFC 223 media day festivities wrapped up at Barclays Center and appeared to be looking for a fighter. When they were unable to get access to the bus, McGregor picked up a guardrail and hurled it at the vehicle, shattering the glass and cutting UFC 223 fighter Michael Chiesa on the face. Chiesa was transported to the hospital to be treated for the cuts, and it is unknown whether he will be able to on Saturday night.

“He’s got some beef with Khabib because of the Artem [Lobov] thing that went down. You don’t come into Barclays Center [and] attack people on a bus who are fighting the next day,” White said. “And the worst part is the women that were on the bus. They’re fighters. Rose [Namajunas] is a fighter. Karolina [Kowalkiewicz] is a fighter. But these goons are throwing bike racks and chairs like that through the windows of the bus and didn’t care who they hit or who they hurt.”

Video quickly surfaced of the fracas, showing McGregor and his team rushing the venue before hurling the guardrail and leaving in a bus that was waiting for them outside.

It is unclear at this time what sparked the seemingly planned attack.

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