Sports
UFC News: Latest on Kamaru Usman, Jorge Masvidal, Daniel Cormier’s Future
Chris Unger/Getty ImagesBig UFC news dropped Friday when company president Dana White told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto that UFC 249, which was scheduled to occur in Tachi Palace Casino Resort on tribal land in California, was cancelled upon request from state, Disney and ESPN higher-ups in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.Per Kevin Draper and Oskar Garcia of…
Chris Unger/Getty Images
Big UFC news dropped Friday when company president Dana White told ESPN's Brett Okamoto that UFC 249, which was scheduled to occur in Tachi Palace Casino Resort on tribal land in California, was cancelled upon request from state, Disney and ESPN higher-ups in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Per Kevin Draper and Oskar Garcia of the New York Times, one of the people requesting a cancellation was California Governor Gavin Newsom.
UFC's return date is undetermined, although Okamoto said on ESPN's Get Up that May 9 is a possibility.
While UFC may be on hiatus, news has still appeared through various media outlets regarding some of MMA's biggest stars.
Here's a look at a few soundbites from the past couple days.
Masvidal Calls Usman a ‘Mere Insect'
The fast-rising Jorge Masvidal is the No. 3 contender to Kamaru Usman's welterweight title, and a matchup between the two for the belt is conceivable.
The two have engaged in a war of words this year, and Masvidal added fuel to the fire in a recent interview with BT Sport when asked whether a bout with Usman would be the biggest of his career (h/t Alexander K. Lee of MMA Fighting):
“Parts of it yes, parts of it no. A fight is just more than the guy you have in front of you. It's also a moment, it'll be fighting for the UFC title, so that's huge. But of the skill set? No.
“This animal hunter has tamed much more ferocious animals and wild beasts than this mere insect in front him. So as far as that goes, skill level goes, no. This individual will be tamed on that night, this matador will tame the wild animal and with ease, as well.“
Usman, who sports a 16-1 professional record, is riding a 15-match win streak. He's beaten Colby Covington and Tyron Woodley, who are respectively ranked at No. 1 and No. 2 on the UFC's welterweight rankings.
Masvidal (35-13) has a stellar resume in his own right. He's notably won his past three fights by knockout or TKO, including a five-second knockout of Ben Askren.
While Usman would likely be the best fighter Masvidal has ever faced, who can blame Masvidal for essentially being fearless after crushing his past three opponents?
Masvidal also dropped word that a deal was “on the table” for a title bout against Usman at UFC 249 but that his “price wasn't met” (h/t Dan Hiergesell of MMA Mania).
However, Masvidal also provided hope for a bout in the future.
“We weren't too far off, either; we can make it work in the future for a fact,“ Masvidal said. “I think in July, I'll be beheading this guy for the whole world to see.“
Daniel Cormier's Post-Fighting Future
Former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier spoke with Damon Martin of MMA Fighting about his future when his time in the Octagon is officially over with.
When asked about the possibility of becoming UFC president someday, Cormier said the following:
“I think anybody in the world in their right might would [take the job]. To be at the head of an organization that does so many great things in terms of entertainment, and not only that, but community help. I think what people don't see is the type of influence that the UFC has in the community. The work that they do with youth programs and programs around the world.“
However, Cormier acknowledged that White, who signed a seven-year contract extension in 2019, should keep the role for a while: “I think if you ever have an opportunity or anyone has an opportunity to do a job like that, they would be insane not to hope to have that opportunity. But Dana's going to be here for a long time. Dana's the man.”
As far as any other position is concerned, Cormier seems open to anything. He's fought in the UFC since 2013 after coming over from Strikeforce and has gone 11-2-1 in the Octagon, winning two titles and defending them a combined total of four times. He said of staying in the company once he retires from competing:
“Absolutely, I would love any job with the UFC. I love this organization. I think since I came over from Strikeforce, I've made some good relationships with the people in the company. I've started to learn. I've just really learned about this company and the one thing that really stands out the most for me is how much time, energy and effort the UFC puts into helping the youths.
“That stands out to me because that's something I do. I know how important it is for Dana and the UFC to support local programs and support athletic clubs, support academic clubs. There's just so many things that they do to try and help people around the world, it really makes me appreciate who I work for.“
Cormier would be a great face for the UFC in some capacity, whether it be community relations or another avenue, so the promotion would be wise to find a role within the organization for him.
Cris Cyborg's Dig at UFC
Tony Ferguson, who was scheduled to fight Justin Gaethje in the UFC 249 co-main event, found out that it was cancelled after Brian Martin of the Orange County Register told him in the middle of an interview.
That fact did not escape ex-UFC champion (and current Bellator champ) Cris Cyborg, who said Ferguson should have been told before the news went public:
Grand Slam Champ Cris Cyborg @criscyborg
I feel the biggest difference working with @BellatorMMA is the change in culture. @TonyFergusonXT deserved to find out before the media.
Cyborg did not leave the UFC on good terms after her contract expired last year, telling reporters the following after a win against Felicia Spencer on July 27:
“A lot of things going on, having a lot of issues, me and UFC. I'm not complaining about anything, but it's not just the fight. Because the people, the media don't see the things inside, but a lot of things have to work on for me to continue to stay.
“Everybody knows that I don't have the best relationship with UFC. I don't have the best relationship with Dana White. He's bullying me around, bullying me on the internet. I suffer bullying everywhere because of this. He never said he's sorry to me about this.“
White told Okamoto after that fight that Cyborg was looking for “easier fights” because he felt she believed she was in the twilight of her career.
Obviously, the two sides do not get along, but Cyborg got off to a great start in Bellator with a fourth-round TKO over Julia Budd to earn the women's featherweight title.
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