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Israel Adesanya names the best MMA fighter on Earth
“The best fighter in the world right now? Demetrious ‘Mighty Mouse’ Johnson. Unfortunately, he’s not in the UFC anymore but I don’t think he has anything to prove in the UFC. The guy, the way he operates at that weight class. He’s just so… [snaps fingers]. It’s just different. Some of the shit he did, like when he caught the guy with a suplex flying armbar. That was nuts. Who does that?” h/t Body Lock MMA • Watch Hot 97 interview (24:39)
Shogun promises his wife only two more fights
When Rua got married to Renata 12 years ago, he said he'd retire after two more fights. “My wife and my mom are rough. I have two fights left. It’s true now. I face every fight I have as if it were my last. I don’t know if there’s going to be another one after Paul Craig [at UFC on ESPN+ 22 on 11/16 in Sao Paulo. ... I’ll stop when I want to stop. I’m the only athlete to win the UFC and PRIDE titles. I’m in the UFC Hall of Fame, and I’m financially set, so I’ll stop when I want to stop. I’ll stop when I don’t have the same physical condition and the same reflexes. ... I’m young, I’m 37. Demian [Maia] is 42 and just reached his prime recently, same for Werdum. ‘Jacare’ is 40. There are a lot of fighters around that age still doing well, and I’m younger than them. I know that if I stop now, I might regret in a few years. So I’d rather fight a bit more and then stop for good.” h/t MMA Fighting
PFL's Daniel Pineda responds to flagged anti-doping test
Mick Foley talks MMA's influence on the art of pro wrestling
"People these days know what’s real in a fight, and wrestling is constantly evolving and adapting, and so now you’re seeing more of that. Just look at the way wrestlers throw kicks and elbows now compared to how they used to. There are more similarities between wrestlers and fighters, and the wrestling business and MMA, than you’d think. ... I can take punishment, and MMA fighters can take punishment, too, but they’re world-class athletes. What we do is athletic, too, but I was a performer, and that’s what I was drawn to.” h/t MMA Junkie
Conor McGregorās coach talk potential fight with Donald Cerrone
Owen Roddy: “There’s no official date set yet, but Conor’s been training very hard ... If you’re looking at any of the pictures, he’s in phenomenal shape, he’s ready to go. I’m sure everybody’s excited to see him back. If it is ‘Cowboy,’ it would be an exciting fight. ... Two guys that are exciting strikers – although ‘Cowboy’ is phenomenal on the ground, as well, but I think if it was a fight between them, it would be a striking battle, and I think it would be one for the fans, so if it is that, it’ll be an exciting one. ... I just want to see Conor back in. I think everybody just wants to see Conor back in the UFC, bring back that spectacle that is his fights. Nobody does it like Conor, and for me, I just want to see him back in there. Whatever happens after that, who knows?" h/t MMA Fighting
Giovanni Melillo IN vs. Michael Page with Derek Anderson OUT at Bellator Europe 6
Bellator officials announced Friday that Italy's Giovanni Melillo, 34, will step in for Derek Anderson who forced to withdraw due to injury, to take on Page in the Bellator Europe 6 main event. Bellator Europe 6 takes place Nov. 23 at The SSE Arena, Wembley in London. The event will simulcast on tape delay in the U.S. on Paramount and DAZN. h/t MMA Junkie
Hailey Cowan hospitalized due to weight cut, out of LFA 78 co-main
Inventor of the front kick 'singing' the blues
Royce Gracie: Jiu-Jitsu is the bond in MMA
"Jiu-Jitsu is the bond or styles all between all the other styles. Take Jiu-Jitsu out, a boxer is just a boxer, a kickboxer is just a kickboxer. Take Jiu-Jitsu out of the wrestling – what is he going to do, take the person down and? there’s no finishing holds, there’s no striking. So the Jiu-Jitsu is the one that bonds all the styles together. ... I can’t say those guys [in the pre-Unified Rules era] were tougher than the guys today. The guys today are very tough. But it’s different. Back then there’s no time limit, no weight division, no gloves. Different rules." h/t BE
Karate vs. Boxing in 1976
Fan bets on Diaz, loses, Nate covers it and more
UFC and Combate Americas founder with Pres. Clinton
10 LATEST: UFC Fights, today's in bold
•Isabela de Padua IN on hours’ notice vs. Ariane Lipski at UFC on ESPN+ 22 on 11/16 in Sao Paulo, Brazil
•Frankie Edgar vs. Cory Sandhagen in BW debut at UFC event on 1/25 in Raleigh, NC
•Andrea Lee vs. Lauren Murphy at UFC event on 2/8 in Houston, TX
•Curtis Blaydes vs. Junior Dos Santos headline UFC event on 1/25 in Raleigh, NC
•Maycee Barber vs. Roxanne Modafferi at UFC 246 on 1/18 in Las Vegas, NV
•Ovince Saint Preux vs. Ryan Spann at UFC event on 2/8
•Carlos Condit OUT with detached retina vs. Mickey Gall, replacement sought for UFC on ESPN 7 on 12/7 in Washington, DC
•Ryan Benoit vs. Heili Alateng at UFC on ESPN+ 23 on 12/21 in Busan, South Korea
•Kyung Ho Kang vs. Pingyuan Liu at UFC on ESPN+ 23 on 12/21 in Busan, South Korea
•Makhmud Muradov IN with Alonzo Menifield OUT vs. Trevor Smith at UFC on ESPN 7 on 12/7 in Washington, DC
Tito Ortiz and Alberto El Patron get pushy
Daniel Pineda PED test flagged, $1 million PFL final fight in jeopardy
Daniel Pineda, who reached the featherweight playoff final, has failed a Nevada Athletic Commission-administered drug test. Without being overturned, the test likely will knock him out of his $1 million featherweight final against Lance Palmer on 12/31. The exact substance or reason for Pineda’s test failure is not known. It’s also unclear who would replace Pineda in the tournament final if he’s not allowed to compete. Pineda’s manager plans on appealing the decision. And the fighter tweeted that “no steroids or drugs” were found in his system. h/t MMA Junkie
