Ronda Rousey returned to the UFC on Friday for the first time in more than a year, but it took about five seconds to realize one of the most dominant athletes in MMA history had met her end in a land far, far away.
Ed Graney
Ed Graney is a sports columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, covering a variety of topics and the Las Vegas sports scene.
egraney@reviewjournal.com … @edgraney on Twitter. 702-383-4618
Few matchups reach the epic stage of combat sports, but that’s exactly where the Conor McGregor-Nate Diaz rivalry now exists after McGregor evened the score with a majority decision Saturday at T-Mobile Arena.
When it comes to last week’s announcement about the formation of the Professional Fighters Association to represent the collective interests of UFC fighters, that old line about a union only being as strong, effective and powerful as its members who participate isn’t necessarily true.
John McCain was for years the despised adversary of those niche mixed martial arts souls who wanted the UFC to grow and prosper. Without such an uncompromising stance from McCain, the Fertitta family would never have realized the historic success created from purchasing the UFC for $2 million in 2001.
I’m not sure what fans at UFC 200 were expecting, but any bitterness that such a historic evening lacked the sort of fireworks those purchasing tickets desired should have been pointed toward Jon Jones and not Daniel Cormier.
Jon Jones’ removal from the main event of UFC 200 on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena for a potential violation of the anti-doping policy will test the company’s resolve.
The more times the UFC bullies and removes and bans journalists, the more others will be fearful of similar actions and choose not to report what could be highly important stories about the health and well-being of fighters or other critical matters.
Bob Bennett isn’t going to comment on the nonsense that is anyone believing a Floyd Mayweather Jr.- Conor McGregor fight has the slightest chance of happening, no matter how rich a payday it might generate for all involved.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship might not be for sale in the sense those who bought and nurtured and grew it to incomparable heights are about to walk away, but the idea they are in talks to grow their global base is more than reasonable.
It can’t be easy, given Conor McGregor’s star power and the significance of a 200th show. It’s a historic moment for the UFC, and what better way to stage your first event in T-Mobile Arena than having your most popular and entertaining fighter headline the evening?
Miesha Tate is the new women’s bantamweight champion of the UFC because she beat the person who beat the person nobody thought could be beat.
It was proposed across Twitter at one point Saturday night that the six-fight win streak of Andrei Arlovski was more smoke and mirrors than any substantial evidence he was good enough to recapture the Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight title he held 10 years ago.
Someone forgot to tell Joe Duffy the part about there’s no sense in being Irish unless you know the world’s going to break your heart. He doesn’t seem all that taken with the doom and gloom and abiding sense of tragedy that history has permanently attached his nation’s heritage.
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