Sick of being bashed for his background, Cruz lashes out at Faber?s ?privileged? upbringing
Urijah Faber, challenging Dominick Cruz for his UFC 135-pound belt, is also challenging the champ’s mental game. The battle before the real battle is being waged through media.
“He acts one way on camera and acts like Mr. Nice Guy, and plays me off like the bad guy. He can’t expect to disrespect the things that I’ve done and want me to respect him back,” Cruz told ESPNRadio1100‘s Pauly Howard (2:15 mark). “It comes down to, don’t play the game of Mr. Nice Guy if your going to run your mouth.”
In his exclusive Yahoo! Sports’ UFC 132 blog, Faber has slammed Cruz, calling him a mental train wreck.
“[...] but the guy is an emotional mess. He goes from throwing himself pity-parties to praising himself for all that he brings to MMA,” wrote Faber.
“He likes recounting his deprived upbringing (which doesn’t sound that bad, in my opinion) and pondering how he could reach the heights he has with all that’s wrong in his life.”
“He’s talking about my upbringing. Not all of us had a lot of money growing up. Not all of us had the perfect life growing up and had our mom and dad to buy us a gym in the most beautiful part of California,” Cruz said (3:23 mark). “I’m sorry my life wasn’t as picture perfect as Urijah Faber. I had to work for everything I’ve got. I’m fighting for family as I speak.”
Cruz says he grew up in a rougher part of Tucson, Az. Frankly, can someone else really judge someone’s account of their childhood?
Cruz is right about the promotion. This is definitely “The Golden Child” vs. “The Brooding Outsider.” It may mean better business if Urijah Faber can take the strap, but if Cruz actually has his mental game together, the UFC may not get its wish. So far the bettors and Las Vegas sportsbooks are of the belief that Cruz will retain his title. He’s a minus-140 favorite.
You can watch UFC 132 right here on Yahoo! Sports
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Read MoreUFC 131 Countdown
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Read MorePSAC has not yet ruled on controversial ending to Charles Oliveira vs. Nik Lentz at UFC on Versus 4
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
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The “Fight of the Night” on Sunday’s UFC on Versus 4 card was unfortunately marred by controversy at the end of the bout, and the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission is reviewing whether or not Charles Oliveira’s submission victory over Nik Lentz will stand.
Though Lentz’ coach Greg Nelson at The Academy in Minnesota posted on his Facebook page that the bout had been changed to a “no contest,” MMAJunkie.com reports that the commission has not yet made their ruling, though they should have that taken care of by Tuesday night.
The controversy surrounds a clearly illegal knee delivered by Oliveira to the face of Lentz while Lentz still had a knee on the mat. The blow was clear to the fans in the crowd and everyone watching on television, yet referee Chip Snider failed to halt the fight to give Lentz an opportunity to recover and deliver either a warning or a point deduction to Oliveira. In failing to do so, he allowed Oliveira to continue delivering punishment that was set up by the illegal blow, and the disoriented Lentz was shortly thereafter submitted, bringing the fight to a close.
PSAC officials immediately sprang to action on the incident, with one official questioning Snider in the cage right after the fight ended and Joe Rogan being given word that the official would begin a review on the fight to determine what to do after Snider missed the clearly illegal blow.
The crowd heavily booed as the result was announced, and continued to boo as Oliveira was being interviewed. The distraught Oliveira insisted the knee was unintentional and apologized, and as a result of the commission’s review of the fight Oliveira has also not received his win bonus for the contest. If the commission changes the result to a “no contest” because of the illegal blow, Oliveira will not receive his win bonus.
Both were rewarded for their efforts in what was an excellent fight up until the legal blow, however. The UFC announced after the event that each had received $50,000 bonuses for having the event’s “Fight of the Night,” and while it may wind up as only consolation to both fighters, it was at least a deserved reward for their efforts in the cage.
Link to Original Source Article
Penick’s Analysis: I’m firmly in the camp that believes this should be turned to a “no contest.” The referee missed this one badly, and had he stopped it as he should have immediately after the knee, it’s wholly possible the doctors cageside could have called a stop to the fight, which would have resulted in a DQ loss for Oliveira. There’s no getting around the fact that Oliveira threw an illegal strike. Whether intentional or not, the knee was brutal and it was an illegal blow that clearly hurt Lentz. He followed that up with several strikes to the back of the head, another knee to Lentz’s face and then the rear naked choke for the submission. Whether or not Oliveira was ahead, whether or not Lentz could have been on his way to a loss, the only part of it that is relevant is that the illegal blow went unpunished by the referee, and is grounds for a “no contest.” It’s unfortunate, because it was an excellent and exciting fight up until that blow, but the best outcome here for all parties would be a “no contest” and an immediate rematch to settle things.
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Read MoreFans invited to today’s “UFC 132: Cruz vs. Faber II” open workout session
With this weekend’s historic “UFC 132: Cruz vs. Faber II” event quickly approaching, UFC officials are inviting fans to take part in fight-week activities.
MMA fans in Sin Cityfans are invited to attend Wednesday’s open workout sessions.
The session – which features Dominick Cruz, Urijah Faber, Wanderlei Silva, Chris Leben, Tito Ortiz, Ryan Bader, Carlos Condit, Dong Hyun Kim, Melvin Guillard and Shane Roller – takes place at the MGM Grand Hotel’s Studio Rooms A & B in Las Vegas and is free and open to the public.
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“Yes sir… Gonna get in the ring Aug 13th and make it happen..”
dont kill the messenger
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Read MoreTop 5 Moments Of “UFC On Versus 4″
?UFC on Versus 4? was quite the event. Not only did we see an amazing one-round war between Cheick Kongo and Pat Barry, we also saw the ascension of Charlie Brenneman, the continuing evolution of Matt Mitrione, and many, many free fights on Facebook. But which stars shined brightest, and what moments will fans be [...]
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Read MoreMark Munoz Still Sees Major Holes in Demian Maia’s Striking – UFC 131
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Read MoreDominick Cruz – weight class & Urijah
Host – Jeff Ransome speaks with the UFC Bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz about changing weight classes and his upcoming fight with Urijah Faber.copyright2011vipproductions
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Read MoreGrappling with Issues ? 6/29/11
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Read MoreDid the “Nasty One” get popped?
I havent seen Nasty Nate in awhile. I wonder what happened to him.
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Read MoreMarquardt Explains Failed Medicals
In an interview with Ariel Helwani on the MMA Hour, Nate Marquardt discussed the reason why he failed his medicals just 24 hours before what was supposed to be his main event bout versus Rick Story at UFC on Versus 4. Marquardt, who was joined by his manager Lex McMahon, stated that he began Hormone [...]
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Read MoreFather knows best: Advice from MMA’s dads
Fathers are known to dispense advice, so in honor of Father’s Day, Cagewriter collected some of the best advice given to the MMA world.
Daniel Cormier, Strikeforce heavyweight: "My father died when I was seven, but the man who raised me, Percy Benoit, told me to work hard, you’re a good person and good things will come to you."
Joe Lauzon, UFC lightweight:" My father was huge with ‘Don’t put off tomorrow what you can do today.’ My dad has always hustled… no matter how well he did something, there was always room for improvement and he was going to squeeze out every ounce of improvement in everything he did."
Dan Henderson, Strikeforce light heavyweight champ: "My dad was my wrestling coach for most of my life, and then when I started MMA, he didn’t know too much about it. But he’d watch my fights on TV, and I was fairly new in the sport, and he’d always have some sort of critique, even though he didn’t know what the hell he was talking about. Even if I knocked the guy out, he’d say, ‘It seems like he’s hitting you an awful lot. Maybe you ought to move your head a bit.’"
Scott Coker, Strikeforce CEO: "My dad knew I loved martial arts, and he said find a way to make that your career, as you get older, because then you’ll love it, and you won’t have to feel like you’re going to work. Find something that you love to do."
Sam Stout, UFC lightweight: "My dad’s give me tons of good advice in my life. He’s the one who taught me to work for what I believe in. He’s a very motivated guy. He’s the one who taught me to stick up for myself. He’s the one who put me into sports and encourage me to play."
Aaron Simpson, UFC middleweight: "If you want to continue to be great at something, never be satisfied. He told me this after I won state my freshman year of high school."
A very Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there, especially my father, who gave me the advice to not let idiots get in the way of my dreams. Thanks, Dad.
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Read MorePICS: After UFC on Versus 4 Weigh Ins
I made a stop at the media mixer and then we took off to dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings where Matt Mitrione’s after weigh in dinner was sponsored by the company. We continued on to Joe Rogan’s show in Munhall, PA, then partied down in Station Square at a number of bars and clubs.. click [...]
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Read MoreVideo ? Ronnie Mann knockout of Adam Schindler at Bellator 46
Ronnie “Kid Ninja” Mann advances to the semifinals of the Bellator Featherweight Tournament with a first round knockout of Adam Schindler at Bellator 46. Video – Ronnie Mann knockout of Adam Schindler at Bellator 46 is a post from: MMA Interplay UFC News
Video – Ronnie Mann knockout of Adam Schindler at Bellator 46 is a post from: MMA Interplay UFC News
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Read MorePat Barry talks about loss to Cheick Kongo {video}
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coBJjmYhUbc
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Read MoreMatt Brown relishing ‘second chance’ at UFC on Versus 4
PITTSBURGH — Matt Brown is on a three-fight losing streak, something that rarely happens in the UFC. Fighters with just two losses expect an unpleasant phone call from UFC matchmaker Joe Silva, so Brown was surprised when Silva told him that he wasn’t cut.
After he was submitted by Brian Foster at UFC 123, Brown was convinced that he would be released, and that experience forced him to grow as a fighter.
"It may have helped me because I’ve been there. I know what it feels like to be released. I was 100 percent under the impression that I’ve been released. I’ve gotta figure out something else to do. I feel like I’ve already seen the worst," Brown said.
Now, in preparing for his fight with John Howard at UFC on Versus 4 in Pittsburg Sunday evening, he knows that he is on borrowed time.
"I think having that in the back of my head helps a little. This is like a second chance. I’m looking at this fight like my first fight in the UFC. My first and last fight in the UFC."
Brown has grown to define himself as more than the guy whose chewing tobacco was messed with on "The Ultimate Fighter."
"One of the things I’ve learned in my fight career is that, fighters, all we ever do is fight and train. That becomes all you are. Now I’m a father. I own a home. I’ve grown up a lot, and I’ve come to realize that my self-worth is not based on if I win fights."
That doesn’t mean he isn’t craving a win on Sunday night over Howard. With both fighters’ hard-hitting styles, Howard said the Fight of the Night bonus is "locked down," but Brown’s main concern is a win and getting back on track.
"I think all my fights have potential to be fight of the night. Not to insult my past opponents, but they’ve all backed down when it comes time to do it. I don’t see that in John Howard. I don’t care about Fight of the Night. I’m here to do what I’m trained I’m to do. I’m not here to get bonus checks. Winning is what gets you somewhere. Winning is what makes you money. "
Brown said that he respects his opponent and got to know him at the UFC Fighter’s Summit, but that won’t keep him from "whooping his ass."
"When you’re standing next to him, it humanizes him. It should chill our nerves a bit. Then we’ll be in there and be ready to bang right off the bat, instead of thinking, are you trying to kill me? Do you have a knife in your pocket?"
Dan The Sandman Christison Logan The Pink Pounder Clark Steve The Snake Claveau Rich No Love Clementi Mark The Hammer Coleman
Read MoreDaley vs. Woodley, Smith vs. Saffiedine official for “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson”
A pair of previously reported welterweight contests are now official for “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson.”
Showtime officials recently announced that Paul Daley faces Tyron Woodley and Tarec Saffiedine meets Scott Smith on the evening’s Showtime-broadcast main card.
Featuring a heavyweight headliner between Fedor Emelianenko and Dan Henderson, “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson” takes place July 30 at Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Ill.
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Read MoreKamikaze Overdrive MMA: UFC 132 Predictions
My picks for UFC 132 Cruz vs Faber 2, predictions for the 5 main card fights and the 5 prelim fights. Also included are my rankings for the 7 UFC divisions, the Champion and top 10 Contenders that have fought at least once in either the UFC or WEC…
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Read MoreJessica Aguilar: ?I train with the guys so when I go in there and fight with the girls it?s easy.?
Tomorrow night, ATT’s Jessica Aguilar will make her 2011 debut at Bellator 46 against 5-1 Carla Esparza. However, by this point last year the submission savvy 115-pounder had fought twice before a solid showing in Bellator?s Season 3 women?s tournament and a subsequent November win. Rather than let the sudden break in activity allow frustration [...]
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Read MoreBellator 46′s Palomino confident ahead of Curran, unimpressed with champ Warren
According to the oddsmakers, five-time Bellator Fighting Championships veteran Luis Palomino is facing an uphill battle.
But according to the 30-year-old “Baboon,” it’s his Bellator 46 opponent, Pat Curran, who might be in trouble on Saturday night.
“He’s made quite a name for himself, and he’s a great fighter,” Palomino told MMAjunkie.com Radio. “I just don’t think he’s going to get past me.”
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Read MoreUFC 132 Fight Card: Urijah Faber – ‘I Embrace the Bitterness’
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Read MoreWhat’s Next For The Winners And Losers Of UFC 131 “Dos Santos vs. Carwin”?
UFC 131 is now in the history books, and it was an interesting and mostly-entertaining night of fights. Now once again it?s time to ask: what?s next? What does the future hold after Junior dos Santos dismantled Shane Carwin? What happens now that Kenny Florian has successfully debuted in his fourth weight class? Here?s my [...]
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Read MoreRonnie Mann KO’s Adam Schindler @ Bellator 46 – 6.25.11 {video}
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsLuwM16X2Y
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