Caged In

  1. Eddie Alvarez Discusses His Lawsuit with Viacom-Owned Bellator, UFC Offer

    Last Friday, I wrote an opinion piece detailing my belief that Bellator and Viacom were making a mistake in their litigious efforts to keep lightweight star Eddie Alvarez with the promotion...

    Jeremy Botter Written by Jeremy Botter about 19 days ago 10,325 reads 21 comments

  2. UFC's Summer Schedule: Complete Predictions for 10 Marquee Fights

    The dog days of summer are upon us, or at least they're supposed to be. It was 45 degrees outside when I woke up this morning, and I live in Houston—a city not exactly known for its frigid nature...

    Jeremy Botter Written by Jeremy Botter about 21 days ago 13,313 reads 119 comments

  3. UFC 162: Ricardo Lamas Believes Defeating a "Zombie" Key to Title Shot

    Chasing down a title shot in the UFC is an uncertain and chaotic process. In the past, the formula was simple: If a fighter collected a series of solid results, the opportunity to compete for championship gold presented itself...

    Duane Finley Written by Duane Finley about 21 days ago 4,396 reads 12 comments

  4. Daniel Cormier Staying at Heavyweight for Now, Hopes to Fight in July/August

    The entire MMA world has been wondering since the conclusion of UFC on Fox 7 if Daniel Cormier 's future in the Octagon would remain at heavyweight, or if he would be making the move down to 205 pounds...

    Damon Martin Written by Damon Martin about 21 days ago 10,486 reads 23 comments

  5. Bellator's Business Plan and Why It Won't End Up in the MMA Graveyard

    Free agency in MMA is a much different animal than in most other professional sports. Rarely does a prizefighter reach free agency with the ability to sign with a new promotion ...

    Damon Martin Written by Damon Martin about 22 days ago 3,188 reads 5 comments

  6. Bellator, Bjorn Rebney Making a Huge Mistake in Legal Battle with Eddie Alvarez

    Let's explore a hypothetical situation: You're an employer running a fairly large company where your profits are predicated on the good work of your employees. The happier they are, the more they produce...

    Jeremy Botter Written by Jeremy Botter about 22 days ago 5,349 reads 8 comments

  7. MMA's Great Debate Radio: UFC Middleweight Cung Le and Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney

    With no major fight cards this weekend, MMA 's Great Debate Radio catches up with UFC middleweight Cung Le and Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney , who previews the upcoming summer series on Spike TV...

    Damon Martin Written by Damon Martin about 22 days ago 5,569 reads 5 comments

  8. The Fighting Life: Great Expectations of Anthony Pettis

    The lives of professional fighters are filled with uncertainty; their successes and failures play out in the public eye for all to see. When the cage door closes and the battle of wills begin, it becomes a matter of opportunity...

    Duane Finley Written by Duane Finley about 22 days ago 7,514 reads 43 comments

  9. Chael Sonnen vs. Wanderlei Silva Makes Perfect Sense

    Well, it looks like I was wrong, and I don't mind admitting it. Heading into UFC 159, I was fairly confident that Chael Sonnen would lose to Jon Jones. I was also sure that Sonnen would retire after the fight...

    Jeremy Botter Written by Jeremy Botter about 23 days ago 24,491 reads 126 comments

  10. Roy Nelson: "It Only Takes One Shot to Become a Champion"

    Roy Nelson is hammering his way to the top of the heavyweight division. The former TUF winner has crumpled his past three opponents, leaving each lying dazed on the canvas as the result of his devastating anvil of a right hand...

    Duane Finley Written by Duane Finley about 24 days ago 6,817 reads 20 comments

  11. MMA's Great Debate Radio: Pat Healy and UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen Debate

    MMA 's Great Debate Radio returns for Tuesday's show with plenty of fallout from last weekend's UFC 159 show, and one of the biggest winners from the weekend, Pat Healy , joins us as our guest...

    Damon Martin Written by Damon Martin about 24 days ago 2,220 reads 0 comments

  12. The 5 UFC Fights You Should Watch in May

    April is drawing to a close. It was a mixed month for the UFC, with a few critically acclaimed and exciting events topped off by one of the strangest pay-per-view events in the history of the company...

    Jeremy Botter Written by Jeremy Botter about 24 days ago 15,469 reads 38 comments

  13. Chael Sonnen Catches Lightning in a Bottle for an Incredible 3-Year Run

    Over the last three years, Chael Sonnen went from midcard journeyman to main-event draw, all because he figured out how to catch lightning in a bottle...

    Damon Martin Written by Damon Martin about 25 days ago 20,320 reads 75 comments

  14. Frankie Edgar: 'Pressure Brings out the Very Best in Me'

    In a sport as rigorous as mixed martial arts, where a fighter's physical and mental mettle is tested in constant fashion, the ability to bounce back from adversity can either define or break an athlete's career...

    Duane Finley Written by Duane Finley about 25 days ago 4,966 reads 28 comments

  15. Jon Jones May Never Be the Most Popular Fighter in the UFC, but Does It Matter?

    In the sport of MMA , there are no rules or regulations on what makes a fighter popular or connect with fans in a positive manner. The perfect case example of this phenomenon is UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones...

    Damon Martin Written by Damon Martin about 25 days ago 8,620 reads 78 comments

  16. UFC 159 Notebook: Jones Assumes Top Spot, Bisping Can't Get over the Hump

    After most UFC events, I like to take a few days to reflect on what I've seen before passing any judgments. I watch the fights on my television at home, since up until that point I've only had the live experience of sitting on press row and working...

    Jeremy Botter Written by Jeremy Botter about 25 days ago 98,084 reads 47 comments

  17. UFC 159 Results: Is Jon Jones, Right Here and Now, MMA's Best Fighter?

    There has never been a mixed martial arts fighter like Jon Jones . His combination of intelligence, athleticism and skill set is unmatched in the sport's history. Most fighters do one thing pretty well...

    Jonathan Snowden Written by Jonathan Snowden about 26 days ago 38,634 reads 347 comments

  18. UFC 159: What's Next for Jon Jones After Beating Chael Sonnen?

    NEWARK, N.J. — Jon Jones defeated Chael Sonnen as expected in the main event of UFC 159 . What's next for the light heavyweight champion? That's the question I try to ...

    Jeremy Botter Written by Jeremy Botter about 27 days ago 12,012 reads 65 comments

  19. UFC 159 Results: The Real Winners and Losers from Jones vs. Sonnen

    Critics said Chael Sonnen didn't belong in the same cage with Jon Jones. That, coming off a loss to Anderson Silva , he didn't deserve a shot at the UFC light heavyweight championship...

    Jonathan Snowden Written by Jonathan Snowden about 27 days ago 96,409 reads 144 comments

  20. UFC 159: What We Learned from Jon Jones vs. Chael Sonnen

    NEWARK — Chael Sonnen brought the fight to Jon Jones , just like he promised. But on a weird night here in Newark, Sonnen went down in defeat early to a much more dominant champion...

    Jeremy Botter Written by Jeremy Botter about 27 days ago 3,186 reads 133 comments

  21. Jon Jones: Race, Religion and the UFC's Transcendent Star

    UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones doesn't try to hide his palpable ambition behind a veil of false modesty...

    Jonathan Snowden Written by Jonathan Snowden about 27 days ago 22,950 reads 95 comments

  22. Chael Sonnen's Uncertain Future Dampens UFC 159 Excitement

    Let's get this out of the way before we even start delving into the real meat and potatoes of today's discussion: We don't know what's going to happen after UFC 159 concludes Saturday night...

    Jeremy Botter Written by Jeremy Botter about 28 days ago 26,809 reads 53 comments

  23. UFC 159: Phil Davis Pre-Fight Interview

    NEWARK, N.J.— Phil Davis sat down with Bleacher Report before his UFC 159 grudge match with world jiu-jitsu champion Vinny Magalhaes ...

    Jeremy Botter Written by Jeremy Botter about 28 days ago 26,268 reads 3 comments

  24. UFC 159: Rockhold, Woodley and More Predict Jon Jones vs. Chael Sonnen

    NEW YORK—One of the biggest UFC title fights of 2013 is scheduled for tomorrow night just across the river in New Jersey, and we decided to stop making our own predictions and go to the professionals for real advice...

    Jeremy Botter Written by Jeremy Botter about 28 days ago 12,037 reads 14 comments

  25. Roy Nelson: "If KO's Are Home Runs, I'm the Best Power Hitter in the Division"

    When Roy Nelson steps into the Octagon, the ruckus is coming in short order. The former IFL heavyweight champion has built a reputation for being one of the gamest fighters under the UFC banner as he's tangled with some of the division's best...

    Duane Finley Written by Duane Finley about 29 days ago 483 reads 39 comments