UFC 2018: A New Era

[jbutton169]

On July 9, 2016, it was officially announced that the UFC would be sold to a group led by WME–IMG, its owner Silver Lake Partners, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, and MSD Capital, for $4.2 billion. At the time, it marked the largest-ever acquisition in sport. Lorenzo Fertitta stated that the new ownership, "with whom we've built a strong relationship over the last several years, is committed to accelerating UFC's global growth", and that they "share the same vision and passion for this organization and its athletes." Flash Entertainment (owned by the government of Abu Dhabi) will retain its 10% minority stake in the company. White, who owned 9% of the UFC, stayed, having been given a stake in the new business. Shortly after the sale, it was announced that White would remain president. As a result of the sale, Fertitta stepped down as chairman and CEO.

 

After a lackluster full year in charge, things were not as WME had hoped. With poor PPV showings and the fox TV deal expiring with a seemingly poor new deal on the table. WME have taken the drastic decision to shake things up... Dana White has been fired and replaced with an unknown representative of WME.

 

With the new head of operations, Ari Emmanuel has given the new president free reign to make the necessary changes to bring the UFC back up to the immense popularity it had once seen before their takeover.

 

Champions

 

Heavyweight

Stipe Miocic

3 Title Defences

 

Light Heavyweight

Daniel Cormier

3 Title Defences

 

Middleweight

Robert Whittaker

0 Title Defences

 

Welterweight

Tyron Woodley

3 Title Defences

1 Title Retainment

def. Colby Covington (UFC 221)

 

Lightweight

Conor McGregor

1 Title Defences

def. Tony Ferguson (UFC 221)

 

Featherweight

Max Holloway

1 Title Defence

 

Bantamweight

TJ Dillashaw

0 Title Defences

 

Flyweight

Demetrious Johnson

11 Title Defences

 

Womens Featherweight

Cris Cyborg

1 Title Defence

 

Womens Bantamweight

Amanda Nunes

2 Title Defences

 

Womens Flyweight

Nicco Montano

0 Title Defences

 

Womens Strawweight

Rose Namajunas

0 Title Defences

 

Note: Feel free to be as interactive as possible. Post predictions/Opinions/Potential matchups etc

[jbutton169]

<p><strong>Breaking News:</strong></p><p> </p><p>

The UFC have announced the following signings to their roster in order to bolster the woman divisions;</p><p> </p><p>

Flyweights: Claudia Rey (6-0), Barb Honchak (10-3) DeAnna Bennett (8-3-1) Invicta Champion Jennifer Maia (15-4-1)</p><p> </p><p>

Strawweights: Amy Cadwell Montenegro (8-2) Atomweight Champion Ayaka Hamasaki (14-2) Mackenzie Dern (4-0) Mizuki Inoue (12-4)</p><p> </p><p>

Feathweights: Daria Ibragimova (9-2) Latoya Walker (5-1) Yana Kunitskaya (10-2)</p><p> </p><p>

Bantamweight: Ediane Gomes (11-4)</p>

[jbutton169]

UFC 221: McGregor vs Ferguson

 

Main Card

 

© Conor McGregor vs (IC) Tony Ferguson

© Tyron Woodley vs Colby Covington

John Lineker vs Marlon Moraes

Darren Till vs Mike Perry

Ovince St. Preux vs Misha Cirkunov

Alexey Oleynik vs Ruslan Magomedov

 

Prelims

 

Albert Morales vs Tom Duquesnoy

Karine Gevorgyan vs Claudia Rey

Ashley Yoder vs Xiaonan Yan

Brian Camozzi vs Oliver Enkamp

Tom Breese vs Keith Berish

Justin Ledet vs Daniel Spitz

[Dublin Sky]

<p><strong>Conor McGregor</strong> vs (IC) Tony Ferguson</p><p>

(<strong>C) Tyron Woodley</strong> vs Colby Covington</p><p>

<strong>John Lineker</strong> vs Marlon Moraes</p><p>

<strong>Darren Till</strong> vs Mike Perry</p><p>

<strong>Ovince St. Preux</strong> vs Misha Cirkunov</p><p>

Alexey Oleynik vs<strong> Ruslan Magomedov</strong></p><p><strong>

</strong></p><p>

Prelims</p><p> </p><p>

<strong>Albert Morales</strong> vs Tom Duquesnoy</p><p>

Karine Gevorgyan vs<strong> Claudia Rey</strong></p><p>

<strong>Ashley Yoder</strong> vs Xiaonan Yan</p><p>

<strong>Brian Camozzi</strong> vs Oliver Enkamp</p><p>

<strong>Tom Breese</strong> vs Keith Berish</p><p>

Justin Ledet vs <strong>Daniel Spitz</strong></p>

[jbutton169]

<p><strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Breaking News</span></strong></p><p> </p><p>

Claudia Rey has weighed in 1lbs overweight. All other fighters have made weight.</p>

[jbutton169]

<p></p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><strong>UFC 221: McGregor vs Ferguson</strong></p><p> </p><p>

<strong>Main Card</strong></p><p> </p><p>

© Conor McGregor def. (IC) Tony Ferguson via KO Rd 4, 4:57</p><p>

© Tyron Woodley def. Colby Covington via Split Decision ( 48-47, 46-49, 48-47)</p><p>

John Lineker def. Marlon Moraes via TKO Rd 2, 1:12</p><p>

Mike Perry def. Darren Till via TKO Rd 1, 1:00</p><p>

Misha Cirkunov def. Ovince St. Prux via Submission (Guillotine) Rd 1, 2:30</p><p>

Ruslan Magomedov def. Alexey Oleynik via Unanimous Decision (29-28x3)</p><p> </p><p>

<strong>Prelims</strong></p><p>

Tom Duquesnoy def. Albert Morales via KO, Rd 2, 2:39</p><p>

Claudia Rey def. Karine Gevorgyan via KO Rd 1, 2:42</p><p>

Xiaonan Yan def. Ashley Yoder via KO Rd 1, 0:45 </p><p>

Brian Camozzi def. Oliver Enkamp via UD (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)</p><p>

Keith Berish def Tom Breese via UD (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)</p><p>

Justin Ledet def. Daniel Spitz via KO Rd 1, 1:07</p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p>

Significant outcomes/reactions:</p><p> </p><p>

- Conor McGregor makes his first Lightweight title defence, unifying the Lightweight titles.</p><p>

- Tyron Woodley makes his third Welterweight title defence.</p><p>

- 90% of Media outlet's scored the Welterweight title fight in favour of Colby Covington (49-46 being the most popular score)</p><p>

- Claudia Rey paid 20% of her purse to Karine Gevorgyan</p><p>

- Brian Camozzi was the biggest underdog on card and won.</p><p>

- McGregor was awarded with KO of the Night</p><p>

- McGregor vs Ferguson was awarded Fight of the Night honours.</p><p>

- Misha Cirkunov was awarded Submission of the Night.</p><p>

- Mike Perry was awarded with a Performance of the Night bonus.</p>

[jbutton169]

<p></p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;">UFC Announces up coming events</span></p><p> </p><p>

<strong>UFC on FOX: Cejudo vs Moraga</strong></p><p> </p><p>

Henry Cejudo vs John Moraga</p><p>

Paulo Henrique Costa vs Uriah Hall</p><p>

Francimar Barroso vs Eryk Anders</p><p>

Jessica Aguilar vs Jessica Andrade</p><p> </p><p>

<strong>Prelims</strong></p><p> </p><p>

Naoki Inoue vs Geane Herrera</p><p>

Gina Mazany vs Lina Lansberg</p><p>

Daniel Hooker vs Jeremy Kennedy</p><p>

George Sullivan vs Daichi Abe</p><p> </p><p>

<strong>UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs Arlovski</strong></p><p> </p><p>

Alexander Volkov vs Andrei Arlovski</p><p>

Mackenzie Dern vs Amanda Bobby Cooper</p><p>

<em>Joe Soto vs Louis Smolka</em> Cancelled.</p><p>

Aiemann Zahabi vs Marco Beltran</p><p>

Mark Godbeer vs Jarjis Danho*</p><p> </p><p>

<strong>Prelims</strong></p><p> </p><p>

Chris Camozzi vs Oskar Piechota</p><p>

Taylor Lapilus vs Enrique Briones</p><p>

Darrell Horcher vs Jason Saggo</p><p>

Tiago dos Santos vs Daniel Teymur</p><p> </p><p>

<strong>UFC 222: Whittaker vs Romero II</strong></p><p> </p><p>

(<em>C) Robert Whittaker vs Luke Rockhold (Injured)</em></p><p><em>

Yoel Romero vs Kelvin Gastelum </em> Cancelled.</p><p> </p><p>

© Robert Whittaker vs Yoel Romero</p><p>

Derek Brunson vs Kelvin Gastelum</p><p>

Jorge Masvidal vs Santiago Ponzinibbio</p><p>

Muricio Shogun Rua vs Gokhan Saki</p><p>

Brett Johns vs Eddie Wineland</p><p>

Joe Soto vs Ricardo Ramos</p><p> </p><p>

<strong>Prelims</strong></p><p> </p><p>

Tonya Evinger vs Megan Anderson</p><p>

Mara Romero Borella vs Jennifer Maia</p><p>

James Vick vs Joe Lauzon</p><p>

Drakker Klose vs Francisco Trinaldo</p><p>

James Mulheron vs Marcelo Golm</p><p>

Josh Stansbury vs Khalil Roundtree</p><p>

Joby Sanchez vs Magomed Bibulatov</p><p>

Danielle Taylor vs Kailin Curran</p><p>

Gavin Tucker vs Damian Stasiak</p><p>

Marvin Vettori vs Karl Roberson</p><p>

</p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p>

*Promoted to main card</p>

[jbutton169]

<p></p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><strong>UFC @UFC</strong></p><p> </p><p>

Former WSOF Bantamweight champion Marlon Moraes has announced that he is taking a step back from MMA following his KO loss to John Lineker at UFC 221.</p></div><p></p><p></p>

[jbutton169]

<p><strong>Breaking News!</strong></p><p> </p><p>

Luke Rockhold has been forced out of his title fight against Robert Whittaker. Instead Robert Whittaker will now face Yoel Romero in his first title defence. Derek Brunson will step in to fight Kelvin Gastelum in the Co-main event.</p><p> </p><p>

Louis Smolka has pulled out of his fight vs Joe Soto on the UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs Arvolski after suffering an injury in camp. Joe Soto has been moved to the UFC 222 card and will now face Ricardo Ramos.</p>

[bfrvictor]

<p>Oh, absolutely lovely that Colby not only lost, but got robbed, screw him.</p><p>

Great wins for Perry and Lineker too.</p>

[bfrvictor]

<p><strong>Henry Cejudo</strong> vs John Moraga</p><p>

<strong>Paulo Henrique Costa</strong> vs Uriah Hall</p><p>

Jessica Aguilar vs <strong>Jessica Andrade</strong></p><p>

<strong>Alexander Volkov</strong> vs Andrei Arlovski</p><p>

<strong>Mackenzie Dern</strong> vs Amanda Bobby Cooper</p><p>

<strong>© Robert Whittaker</strong> vs Yoel Romero</p><p>

Derek Brunson vs <strong>Kelvin Gastelum</strong></p><p>

Jorge Masvidal vs <strong>Santiago Ponzinibbio</strong></p><p>

<strong>Muricio Shogun Rua</strong> vs Gokhan Saki</p><p>

<strong>Brett Johns</strong> vs Eddie Wineland</p><p>

Tonya Evinger vs <strong>Megan Anderson</strong></p><p>

<strong>James Vick</strong> vs Joe Lauzon</p><p>

Drakker Klose vs <strong>Francisco Trinaldo</strong></p><p> </p><p>

Some of the picks I made for the most interesting fights in the upcoming events, based them mostly on who I think would win IRL since I've yet to buy the game, so IDK who's good in the mod.</p><p>

Masvidal vs. Ponzi is a great matchup.</p>