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Dana White estimates UFC value around $10 Billion
In a recent interview with TSN's Aaron Bronsteter, UFC President Dana White discussed a variety of topics and spoke on where he believes the promotion's current market value sits.
“Probably nine or ten [billion],” White said when asked how much the UFC is worth now (h/t BJPenn.com).
“During the pandemic, we were up 30 percent on ESPN,” White said, looking back on some of the successes of 2020. “Then as soon as it starts to average out, we’re up 18 to 20 percent this year."
Demetrious Johnson believes he'd probably "fuck up" Jon Jones
Former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson was recently interviewed by ESPN's Ariel Helwani and was asked about the GOAT conversation. He gave "Bones" the credit as the pound-for-pound GOAT but also said if the two were the same size, "Mighty Mouse" would like his chances.
"Yeah, I would,” Johnson Helwani when asked if he would pick Jones as the GOAT (h/t The Body Lock MMA). “If somebody asked me, ‘why would you vote for Jon?’ Because I believe he can beat everybody at light heavyweight and I truly believe he can beat everybody at heavyweight."
“I mean, don’t get me wrong, if I was Jon Jones’ size, I’d probably fuck him up, because I know mentally, physically and skillfully, I would push him," Johnson continued. "I’ve pushed people before, and I know I would push him.”
Scott Coker will allow Dillon Danis to box Jake Paul
Bellator president is fully behind Dillon Danis if he wants to box YouTube Jake Paul. Coker spoke to reporters after Bellator 254 and said conversations are ongoing for the potential fight between the two rivals.
“Look, if Dillon wants to fight him in boxing, we’re not going to stand in the way. We’ll definitely let it happen and you know, that’s going to be up to him,” Coker said (h/t BJPenn.com). “Those conversations are ongoing and they have been happening.”
Cub Swanson speaks on hope for better health insurance in UFC
MMA legend and UFC featherweight Cub Swanson secured a thrilling knockout win over the weekend at UFC 256 against Daniel Pineda. Before the win, he spoke to the media about his hopes for improved long-term health insurance from the promotion.
“I wonder that,” Swanson said when asked about his injuries at UFC 256 virtual media day on Thursday (h/t MMAFighting). “Especially with having kids, I just hope that I’m able to have health insurance all the way through and get the things I need to get done. I realize that I put my body through a lot, but I’ve always thought at the same time if I was a plumber or any kind of worker in that industry, which a lot of people that I grew up with are, I would imagine that their bodies feel the same, their backs are wrecked."
“I definitely do, but that’s not my call,” Swanson added. “I definitely think that a lot of these fighters should be taken care of long-term. But I feel like we’re in that kind of situation where it’s, like, the early NFL players. We’re the ones that kind of set the standard, and then the next generation are probably going to get all the benefits from us growing the sport."
Dana White wants to see this fight the most in 2021
UFC President Dana White is no stranger to making big fights and super fights specifically. In a recent interview with TSN's Aaron Bronsteter, White talked about the fight he hopes to see the most next year.
“As a fan, it’s impossible for me not to love Jon Jones vs. Israel Adesanya,” White said (h/t BJPenn.com). “I don’t know if that’s going to happen. I know Jon is moving to heavyweight, and Adesanya’s at light heavyweight, so we’ll see what happens.”
Artem Lobov predicts McGregor KO win over Poirier at UFC 257
Former UFC fighter and Conor McGregor training partner Artem Lobov believes McGregor won't have any issues with Dustin Poirier when they rematch at UFC 257 on January 23. Speaking to BJPenn.com's Cole Shelton on Just Scrap Radio, Lobov predicted a similar fate for Poirier in the rematch.
“He is already in camp and is training hard. Conor McGregor is in great shape and in fight shape and still a good bit to go. I think it will be a repeat of the first meeting,” Lobov said. “First-round stoppage. Dustin is a really tough guy, a great fighter, but I just feel like Conor’s style is so effective against someone like Dustin. I find it hard to see it going past the first round. Regardless, if it will be for the belt or not, when Conor McGregor fights, the world watches.”
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane talks about relief of losing Bellator title
Former Bellator women's flyweight champion Ilima Lei-Macfarlane spoke to the media after losing her title and first professional bout of her career at Bellator 254 to Juliana Velasquez, mentioning the relief she felt from the defeat.
“Yeah, no this is cool,” Macfarlane said (h/t BJPenn.com). “Honestly this is, in a really weird way, this is kind of always what I felt like I needed in my career. You can’t always just keep winning and excelling, you know? You have to hit some type of plateau or something. I’m actually really happy that this happened, or I’m like relieved, that ‘okay, this is what it feels like to lose."
All class from @ilimanator after #Bellator254 --
— Drake Riggs (@DrakeRiggs_) December 11, 2020
The pressures of being not only a champ but an undefeated champ are real. pic.twitter.com/4JsrOsynKQ
Clay Collard would love to fight Jake Paul
Boxer and PFL lightweight Clay Collard threw his name into contention to fight YouTuber Jake Paul next. Before his unanimous decision loss to Quincy LaVallais in their rematch at this past weekend's boxing ESPN+ from The Bubble at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Collard talked to MMAFighting's Damon Martin about potentially fighting Paul.
“If they’re going to pay me, I’d love to smash that guy’s face,” Collard said. “Just because I think he’s a joke. I don’t think he belongs in the ring. It’s just my opinion. He beat up an NBA guy and neither of them have a year’s boxing experience, if that. He’s a joke. The fact that he’s using his YouTube stardom or whatever to weasel his way into the sport when people have been working their whole life to make the money and be in the big show. It’s just embarrassing to me. It’s taking away from the realness of the sport. I think he’s a joke and if somebody wants me to beat him up, I’d do it for free honestly cause I don’t like that sh*t. Go back to making YouTube videos. Cause if you get in there with a real fighter, I promise you, you won’t be knocking out anybody.”
Dana White on five-round co-main events
UFC President sat down with TSN's Aaron Bronsteter and discussed the possibility of five-round co-main events in the future.
“I mean, we’re sitting here, we’re in the matchmaking room right now. I’d be lying if I didn’t say we’ve talked about it. You know there’s fights — listen, me, Sean (Shelby), Mick (Maynard), and Hunter (Campbell) are fight geeks, too. We love it as much as the fans do. Um, it’s just tough. It’s tough to pull off a co-main event with five rounds. But we have definitely talked about it,” White said (h/t BJPenn.com).
When I spoke to Dana White yesterday, I mentioned the idea of scheduling non-title co-main events on pay-per-view cards (like Ferguson vs. Oliveira) for five rounds.
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) December 11, 2020
White said that the idea had been discussed with the matchmakers in in the past. pic.twitter.com/hh0OPTwf8k
Tony Ferguson critical of media before UFC 256
Top UFC lightweight contender did an interview TSN's Aaron Bronsteter before his unanimous decision loss to Charles Oliveira in the co-main event of UFC 256. "El Cucuy" had some choice words for the media and spoke on how he feels towards them.
“You guys got that fucking facade over your face," Ferguson said (h/t The Body Lock MMA). "You guys don’t want to speak up for me and be like, ‘yo, give Tony the fucking title shot.’ You guys got umpteen amount of time to talk to Dana [White] but you guys aren’t speaking up for me. You guys are watching me get fucked over left and right by my old management companies. Nobody’s saying shit right but yet here I am saving the fucking day [at UFC 249] and making sure everyone’s got entertainment in the world and then taking heat afterwards saying, ‘why didn’t you win?'”
Real recognize real #misterglasses pic.twitter.com/BSvV0KGUGV
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) December 9, 2020
Artem Lobov would fight both Paul brothers if the money is good
BKFC fighter Artem Lobov spoke with BJPenn.com's Cole Shelton on Just Scrap Radio about how he is more than open to fighting Logan and Jake Paul, just as long as he's compensated correctly.
“I mean he is doing his thing, I guess people are watching and interested. I heard the numbers were pretty good and 50 percent were brought in by the main event and the other 40-50 percent by Jake Paul,” Lobov said. “So, it is the entertainment business and you need people watching. If it wasn’t good people wouldn’t be watching, if people are watching that means they are interested. Why not? It is all about being paid. If they pay me well, I would box him. I would fight him, his brother, whoever. I’m ready to fight anybody. It would have to be good money. I have nothing to gain from getting into that fight and winning it. It would need to be finically interesting."
Stevie Ray announces return to competition
Former UFC lightweight Stevie Ray's retirement was a short-lived one, announcing his return to competition with multiple posting to his social media accounts. Ray went 7-4 during his UFC run and fought the likes of Paul Felder, Joe Lauzon, Michael Johnson, Ross Pearson, and Leonardo Santos.
BKFC President David Feldman feels vindicated
BKFC President David Feldman spoke with MMAFighting's Damon Martin after results of a recent study presented by Dr. Don Muzzi showed that bare-knuckle fighter who displayed concussion-like symptoms when examined by ringside physicians was 1.5 percent compared to boxing which had an estimated rate of 6-12 percent and MMA's rate of 14.7 percent. Feldman talked about feeling vindication after learning of the results.
“I’m happy that those studies came out," said Feldman. "It’s spreading like wildfire in the athletic commissions across the United States, so that’s awesome for us there. All combat sports are dangerous. Anything can happen in boxing, MMA or Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships. We’re just happy that it’s no more dangerous than those other sports and we can hopefully push this through with all the other states. That’s what we think this study is going to do for us.”
Josh Burns Makes a Statement! #BKFC15 pic.twitter.com/971eaReBlq
— Bare Knuckle FC (@bareknucklefc) December 12, 2020
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