Snips and Snipes with Eric Armit

Difficult decision this week on who to vote for as my favourite man/people. The candidates are UFC President Dana White and the Board of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Difficult choice. White has to be a strong candidate for saying that if the Floyd Mayweather Jr vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov fight does come off it should be a UFC fight and not a boxing match. He is a candidate for making that statement and will do boxing a big favor if he sticks to that. Of course he can’t force it to be a UFC fight but hopefully his resistance to another boxing match will prove enough to end the speculation that this fight could take place. Mayweather is a genius inside the ring but hopefully, whilst no genius out of the ring still mart enough to realise he could be seriously injured in the cage and we will have dodged another farce. Go for it Dana.

The CAS has given Olympic boxing a lifeline by ordering the AIBA to allow Serik Konakbayev to be a candidate in this week’s presidential election. If interim president Gafur Rahimov had been the sole candidate there is every chance that the Olympic Committee would banish boxing from the Olympics. It is ridiculous that without this court action Rahimov, who is on the US  Department of the Treasury’s sanctions list “for providing material support “ to a criminal organisation would have lead such a high profile sports body.  You only have to look at the list of current world champions to see the important part Olympic competition has played. Deontay Wilder, Anthony Joshua, Oleg Usyk, Artur Beterbiev, Demetrius Andrade, Gary Russell, Errol Spence, Vasyl Lomachenko, Isaac Dogboe, Khalid Yafai and Jose Pedraza were all Olympians. Of course there will still be amateur boxing even if the sport is not an Olympic sport but there must be a huge question over government support to boxing where the return in Olympic medals is a big factor in the support and sponsorship money given to the sport. My fear is that having been pig-headed enough to try to push Rahimov through as a sole candidate many AIBA delegates will react badly to having their plan foiled and vote Rahimov in just to thumb their noses at the CAS and the US Department of Treasury.

It is the next round of the WBSS super lights and bantams this weekend. The competition is already producing some great action and the Josh Taylor vs. Ryan Martin and Ryan Burnett vs. Nonito Donaire fights have the potential to be every bit as entertaining. The WBSS really is making a big impact and they are proving that the fights are more important than any title. With the WBSS in control of the various matches it is taking much of the decision making on who fights for what title and against whom out of the control of the sanctioning bodies but they all want to be associated with it so are playing along and basking in whatever glory comes out. All our own work? No none of your work Mr Sanctioning Body.

The next round of the WBSS cruiser tournament takes place in Chicago on 10 November. It will see the tournament favorite Mairis Breidis face Noel Gevor, or Noel Mikaeljin as he now seems to prefer to be known, and Krzys Glowacki against Maksim Vlasov. They are both very good fights between highly rated fighters. Breidis is No 1 with the WBC, and Vlasov No 2, the WBO have Glowacki No 2 and Vlasov No 5 the WBA have Vlasov No 2 and Glowacki No 3. The No 1 spot with the IBF is vacant with Andrew Tabiti who is already through to the semi-finals at No 3 and Glowacki No 7. Gevor’s only rating is No 14 with the WBC but then he is promoted by Sauerland promotions which explains his inclusion. Of course Yuniel Dorticos is also through to the semi-finals.

The elephant in the room is that on the same night in Manchester Oleg Usyk defends all four titles against Tony Bellew. Whoever wins that fight it is likely that all four titles will become vacant during the life of this WBSS tournament but until after the Usyk vs. Bellew and thee 10 November quarter-finals are over it won’t be clear who will be fighting for three of the four titles. It is impossible to know what is happening with the WBA. In their September ratings they showed Usyk as super champion, Beibut Shumenov as their secondary champion, and Arsen Goulamirian as their interim champion and Denis Lebedev as “champion in recess”. Their October ratings do not show Goulamirian at all and show Dorticos at No 1. I am not sure why Goulamirian has disappeared totally and I am also not sure how Lebedev can be “in recess” as he had a fight in September. It seems likely he will be reinstated and his fight with Mike Wilson on 24 November on a show in Monaco will be a title defence-of some title. Leave it to the WBA to screw things up at least in that they are reliable.

Apart from their headaches in the cruisers the WBA are still struggling to sort out the position on their secondary heavyweight title. Manuel Charr was to have defended the title against Fres Oquendo on 29 September but of course Charr tested positive for a banned substance. That ruled out Charr and as Oquendo rightly turned down a $500,000 offer to fight Jarrell Miller the WBA are still on the hook from the court case where they were ordered to give Oquendo a title fight. Oquendo has not fought for four years and the way it is going I can see him fighting for the title against Anthony Joshua’s grandson. That would be more like Super 88 than Super 8. No WBA title fight for Miller Instead he will fight Romanian Bogdan Dinu in Mulvane, Kansas on 17 November.

It is only natural that Daniel Jacobs should be calling out Saul Alvarez but the IBF may put a spoke in that wheel. Before the Serhiy Derevyanchenko fight Jacobs was rated behind Jack Culcay at No 3 so they may insist he fight Culcay before anyone else.

The Jeff Horn vs. Anthony Mundine fight in Brisbane on 30 November will be a huge fight for Australia. I am amazed by Mundine. At 43 he is still a force but what amazes me is that he started out as a super middle, moved up to middle, went down to super welter, fought Danny Green at cruiser and is now going to fight welterweight Jeff Horn at catchweight. He is a very controversial figure in Australia due to his strong stance on racial matters and he has said that he will not stand during the national anthem in Brisbane.

Juan Francisco will have a keep busy fight as he waits for a return shot at Srisaket. Estrada will face former WBC flyweight champion Sonny Boy Jaro. The Filipino scored a major upset when he beat Pongsaklek for the WBC title in 2012 but then lost three fights in a row including dropping the WBC title. He has won 10 of his 11 fights since then but at 36 and past his best he should pose no threat to Estrada.

The planned fight for the secondary WBA super welter title between the champion Brian Castano and former champion Erislandy Lara has been postponed until sometime early next year.

Two of Poland’s leading heavyweights, Artur Szpilka and Mariusz Wach will battle it out in Gliwice on 10 November. I don’t like the term “Crossroads” but the loser will find it hard to stay relevant if he loses here.  At 29 it is not quite so critical for Szpilka but at 38 time is running out for Wach.

There will an IBF eliminator in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 5 January to find a challenger for Errol Spence. The IBF No 1 spot vacant, No 2 Yordenis Ugas is lined up to challenge Shawn Porter for the WBC title in February and No 3 Jesse Vargas declined to fight an eliminator. The outcome is that Kuala Lumpur-based Uzbek Kudratillo Abdukakhorov the No 4 and Japan’s Keita Obara No 6 will fight each other to fill the No 1 spot. It seems that the Porter vs. Ugas fight will be on the same show as Spence vs. Mikey Garcia.

With Zolani Tete tied up in the WBSS bantam tournament the WBO are already looking to crown an interim champion. Ghanaian Duke Micah is rated No 1 by the WBO with Mexican Ricardo Espinoza No 2. Micah is a certainty but as yet it is not clear if Espinoza will accept the opportunity. If Isaac Dogboe retains his WBO super bantam title against Emanuel Navarrete in New York on 8 December, then with Micha’s title fight and Richard Commey now to meet Russian Isa Chaniev for the IBF light title relinquished by Mikey Garcia Ghana could have three world champion in the first half of 2019.

Plenty of good fights to come for the EBU tiles. From the lighter to the heavier a date is awaited for Andrew Selby’s challenge to Vicente Legrand for the flyweight title. Jeremy Parodi and Luca Rigoldi contest the vacant super bantam title on 17 November, on 14 November Samir Ziani and Juli Giner fight for the vacant super feather title, Francesco Patera, fresh from his upset victory over Lewis Ritson, will defend the lightweight title against Marvin Petit with purse bids due 19 November The super light title is vacant and Joe Hughes and Andrea Scarpa will fight for that on 30 November in Italy, Kerman Lejarraga defends the welterweight title against Frankie Gavin in Bilbao on 17 November, at super welter Sergio Garcia will be allowed a voluntary defence and then has to fight Zakaria Attou, negotiations are ongoing for Kamil Szeremeta to defend his title against Martin Murray, Robin Krasniqi has a voluntary defence of his light heavyweight title against Stefan Haertel on 17 November and if he wins he then has to defend against Juergen Brahmer. 

Cruiserweight champion Yves Ngabu is defending against Micki Nielsen no date yet for that one and finally if no agreement is reached purse bids are due 13 November for Agit Kabayel’s defence of the heavyweight title against Otto Wallin. Quite a schedule and some high quality fights.

Marcos Maidana is still scoring victories but in the courts not in the ring. The former WBA super light and welter champion sued his former manager claiming that he had defrauded Maidana of over $600,000. The court ruled that his manager had adulterated contracts, forged Maidana’s signature and collected money in the name of Maidana including a $175,000 signing on fee that Maidana should have received as signing on bonus from Universum Media. Whether Maidana will be able to recover the money is a different matter.

On the South African scene it was good to learn that Gideon Buthelezi was finally paid in full for his IBO title defence against Lucas Fernandez. However there is a lesson there that when you bend the rules even with the best of intentions it can rebound on you. This time not insisting on the promoter having the money instead of a promise from a sponsor for the money has ended happily but that has not always been the case in the past.

There was some controversy over Tommy Oosthuizen’s win over Thabiso Mchunu in September so they will fight each other again on a Rodney Berman show on 6 December. On the same show unbeaten Thulani Mbenge will be defending his IBO welterweight title against experienced former IBF lightweight champion Miguel Vazquez.

The Italian Boxing Hall of Fame was formally opened late last month. Nino Benvenuti, Patricio Oliva, Mauricio Stecca and the late Giovanni Parisi were the first inductees. They are unique in that they are the only Italian boxers to win both an Olympic gold medal and a world title. Parisi tragically died in an automobile accident in 2009 at the age of just 41. There have been so many great Italian boxers and boxers of Italian heritage it will interesting to see who else joins this famous four in the Hall.

Not such good news for Italians was the death last month of Piero Del Papa at the age of 80. Del Papa was Italian light heavyweight champion and twice held the European title. In his twelve year 62 fight career he fought Eddie Cotton, Mauro Mina, Carl Bobo Olsen, Giulio Rinaldi, Chic Calderwood, Tom Bogs, Gregorio Peralta, Rudi Lubbers and so many more. His only shot at a world title came in his 55^th fight when he was knocked out in one round by Vicente Rondon for the WBA light heavy title. RIP Piero.

Piero Del Papa

Last month also saw the death of one of Kenya’s outstanding boxers in Richard Murunga. He put Kenya on the map when he came out of nowhere to win a bronze medal at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich where Kenya also won a silver and another bronze. He turned pro in 1974 and had a few fights in Europe for Mogen Palle. After he retired despite a spinal injury making him a paraplegic he played a big part in boxing in Kenyan as a trainer and later as a manager and founded the Kenyan Boxing Federation. RIP Richard.

Richard Murunga

Former world light heavy and cruiser champion Dariusz Michalczewski is entering the ranks of promoters. His first show will be a co-promotion with Erol Celan in Gdansk on 8 December. Michalczewski was 48-2 in his pro career winning his first 48 fights including 25 consecutive victories in WBO WBA and IBF title fights over two divisions.

Always expect the unexpected in boxing. After suffering his seventh loss in his last eight fights Georgian boxer Levan Shonia went back to his corner leaned over the ropes and punched his trainer. That was more than he had managed in six rounds against Spas Genov.

-Eric Armit

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Nurmagomedov Taps McGregor & Bedlam Ensues

Finally! The Real People’s Red Head has come back to The Weigh-In!

Let me start off by saying my bold prediction of Nurmagomedov vs. McGregor was wrong. I did not account for Nurmagomedov laying on McGregor and zapping the life out of him. Even still, McGregor looked like he could have still done something in round four. However, as we all feared, Nurmagomedov proved too much on the ground.

Round one opened with good movement from both fighters. Nurmagomedov grabbed McGregor’s leg and it looked promising that McGregor may escape, but he was not able to. Round one ends with McGregor landing a stiff jab and Nurmagomedov sitting on him for the rest of the round. It was very boring but much anticipated.

Round two had a shocking moment, which was Nurmagomedov landing a punch that sent McGregor stumbling. However, even with minimal success in the stand up game, Nurmagomedov takes McGregor down and sits on him for the majority of the round.

Round three was McGregor’s round, and he showed what would happen if the fight remained on the feet. In round three, McGregor showed why he is one of the best strikers in MMA. McGregor landed multiple shots in round three and he could have even possibly won the round. I would give him the round but I might be biased... I am related to the man after all.

Round four had me crying and questioning everything I knew in life. Nurmagomedov takes McGregor down and though McGregor puts on a good fight, he gives up his back and Nurmagomedov wins by choke. The choke looked more like a neck crank but either way, it made McGregor tap.

Nurmagomedov then won and I was super bummed, due to my love for McGregor. However, as many of you know by now, the fight was not over. Nurmagomedov lost his mind and jumped cage, going after Dillon Danis who is one of McGregor’s training coaches. Danis is known as a ju jitsu specialist and is highly regarded in the world of MMA.

As if Nurmagomedov jumping the cage and starting a riot was not enough, one of Nurmagomedov’s entourage snuck into the cage and hit McGregor with a right hand. How despicable is this shit? This is worse than Steve taking a “plus sized” model out for a nice steak dinner and sneaking out of her place the next morning, only to never call her again.

McGregor remained gracious in defeat. He has even stated he will not press charges, something that Nurmagomedov is most likely not familiar with. I hope they have a rematch, but who knows what will happen due to Nurmagomedov’s actions after the win. Congratulations to Nurmagomedov. Like McGregor, I too am gracious when proven wrong.

Special Thanks To:

McGregor for being a True Champion
Tony Ferguson—Great Co-main
Anthony Pettis—Great Co-main
Dana White—Amazing
Plus size models—Helping Men get Dates and Confidence

-Justin Dohnson, The People's Red Head

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UFC’s Dana White Might be the Greatest Promoter/ Executive Ever

Finally! The People’s Red Head has come back to The Weigh-In!

When we look at the history of combat sports, we often overlook the role of the promoter. Without the promoter, our sweet science and mixed marital arts may not exist today. The role of promoter has truly evolved during the past few decades. The promoter was originally thought to be a silver haired eccentric man who drew the attention of all during Mike Tyson’s reign. I am of course referring to Don King.

It is rumored that Don King was originally asked to play the role of Dos Equis’ most interesting man. He respectfully declined due to concerns that the time commitment would take away from his harem. If you who are reading this do not know what a harem is, follow one of the Ward brothers, because my writing requires deep contemplation. Further, it is important to remember that The People’s Red Head does not fact check, and the aforementioned rumor above is a fact that predates Google.

At the opposite end of the promoter spectrum, we have Bob Arum. Arum has promoted his fair share of fights and has done it in a quieter manner than that of Don King. However, make no mistake, Arum is King Midas incarnate. It is likely Arum is reading this piece right now, while sitting on his gold toilet. We all know Arum is an avid Weigh-In reader. If I could have selected a father in life, it would have been Arum. In fact, Arum should be everyone’s dad. He is an amazing force that has done so much for the sport. The only complaint we have here at The Weigh-In is that Arum never takes us up on offers to join us at after parties. Honestly, I do not blame him. I blame Luis Cortes, the wild party man. One night Luis partied a little too hard and it was rumored he woke up in some rural area casino with glow sticks stuck in places your imagination could not conjure. Again, we do not fact check, always remember that. Furthermore, what happens on road trips should stay on road trips. Anyway, we certainly do not blame Mr. Arum for remaining professional and not engaging the wild party animals at The Weigh-In.

The next individual is worthy of mention even though he was a little late to the promoter game. This person had a legendary boxing career and has transferred this success into his own promotion empire. I am of course referring to the great Oscar De La Hoya. Oscar falls somewhere in-between King and Arum. He may not be as boisterous as King, but he is also not as quiet as Arum. After all, De Le Hoya did let everyone know he wears dresses and does not give a fuck who knows it. I do not personally have the heart to tell Oscar his legs look too muscular in a dress, but deep down, I think he knows his truth.

We now move to the world of mix martial arts. Some think this sport is very new. Many think this sport has come out of nowhere, and gained tremendous popularity. Mixed martial arts has been around since before the Ward brothers were expelled out of the tip of their father’s… you get the point. What has mixed martial arts gaining such ground on other mainstream sports? We think the answer to this question is rather simple. MMA owes its growth during the last few decades to Mr. Dana White. Say what you will, but White may be one of the greatest promoters of all time.

Dana White is a combination of everything that made the individuals above so successful. Dana White says whatever he wants. I am not sure if he ever wore a dress, but he would not give a fuck if he did. In addition, he is perhaps one of the most entertaining men on the planet. This piece intends to point out the hilarity that is Dana White, and examine whether he is worthy of being in the conversation of top promoters of all time.

Let us examine the brilliance and hilarity of Mr. White.  As we all know, Tony Ferguson against Khabib was just canceled for a fourth time, as Ferguson injured himself while wearing sunglasses indoors. White reacted by stating, everyone who wears sunglasses indoors deserves an injury like that. That line had me pissing myself.

Some of my favorite Dana White quotes are:

“This is the Ultimate Fighter. We don’t vote guys off, we beat them off.”

“Hell, forget about college. I barely finished high school.”

“Look at how huge we are. I don’t need fucking Coke to keep doing what we’re doing, man. “

“Boxing is a road map of what not to do. The greedy promoters basically killed the sport by taking it off free TV.”

“Women isn’t one of them. One of the things we have always said, is we know what this is for – it’s for males 18-34. And if women watch, that's just gravy for us – that’s beautiful.”

“Our female fan base has grown incredibly. But to go out and market toward women would be very expensive and not make much sense.”

“Conor will probably end up a convicted felon.”

Regarding the possibility of Jon Jones receiving a long term suspension, “It would be the biggest waste of talent ever, in all of sports.”

As you read through that list, White pulls no punches and has no filter. Everything White says is news worthy. He never hesitates to speak his mind. Due to this, the UFC continues to celebrate increased popularity. White has taken the UFC to places it never dreamed of being. As the sports popularity increases, so does White’s exposure. This writer is convinced White would literally fight anyone on his roster if they pissed him off.

Say what you will about White. There is no denying that White followed a dream, and is now reaping the benefits of his incredible belief in his passion. White is an example of what can happen when you follow a passion. In addition, he appears to be the same person who bought the UFC, with the exception that he has fuck you money.

Special Thanks To:

Steve Ward for loving men in undies

Matthew Ward for loving friction

Luis Cortes for just being cool

Matthew Walker for comedy

Ryan Gosling for The Notebook, Ward brothers favorite movie

Thank to the following for the quotes above:
fightstate.com
evancamichel.com
bleacherreport.com
azquotes.com

-Dustin Johnson, The People's Red Head

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Honey Dick Defined: You Deserve Your Money Back!

Finally! The People’s Red Head has come back to The Weigh-In!

The title of this piece has inadvertently solicited tremendous response from those in the adult film community. For clarification sake, I am not referring to a dick-covered in honey, such as the subject matter of Matthew Ward’s weekend bedroom activities. Furthermore, I am not referring to Steve Ward’s early adolescence when he was constantly caught training the family pet to obey his commands, utilizing a positive reinforcement system where said pet was encouraged to lick a certain extremity slathered in honey.

I am referring to the epidemic of last minute main event cancellations happening too often in the UFC. Obviously this piece is sparked by the fourth cancellation of Ferguson vs. Khabib, which is a dream fight of mine. The People’s Red Head will be the first to admit that he too fell for this fourth and final installment of Ferguson vs. Khabib. It is the one time in my existence that I was duped, and perhaps more so than you, the common reader. We here at The Weigh-In are held to a higher standard for fuck sake! Mind you, I seldom give my responsibility here much thought. Further, I am known to let the expletives and lose facts fly, but I too have feelings. We are tasked with the responsibility of entertainment and information. I take my followers seriously, and I regret to inform you all that I let you down.

UFC 223 promised to bring an end to the question of who is better between Ferguson and Khabib. I for one had my money on Ferguson. Even after his injury, he still tried to fight. Ferguson is an animal with no fear. I prepared to watch this fight in my normal fashion. This included my usual routine that requires the following:  spit bucket, mouth guard, baby oil, European speedo, and Bengay. I just realized that my fight preparation spectator kit is identical to my sex kit. It is not that you all needed to know this but I felt it worthy of mention.

Let us please stay on track people! We must focus on this honey dick! Ferguson suffers an injury and we find out on April 1, 2018. I immediately thought that this cancellation was a terrible April fools joke. How wrong I was. It lead me to ponder what the hell is going on in the UFC. It further led me to proclaim I will no longer be the victim of a honey dick. For those of you who have not read prior pieces, honey dick is regularly addressed on The Weigh-In.

A honey dick is defined as seducing a person for your own personal gain. The UFC keeps honey dicking all of us. How many fights in the last year have had last minute cancellations? The answer is too many to count. I do not even want to delve into how many main events have been cancelled during fight week. The lesson here is that I want some money back. I also want you all to get some money back, but only after I get my money back. In addition, I am no longer going to order pay-per-views in advance.

As former President Bush Jr. said, “fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, you can’t get fooled again.” What a profound quote. The point being, I too refuse to be fooled again. UFC President Dana White has been quoted as saying there is no way in hell he will book Ferguson vs. Khabib a fifth time. I cannot say I blame him. In fact, perhaps we should all thank White. My heart cannot take a fifth attempt at Ferguson vs. Khabib. We all know Ferguson is amazing and he should keep his belt. Khabib should continue on his own path and see where it leads him.

The honey dick epidemic is frustrating to say the least. The Weigh-In has not seen such disappointment since Steve attended his girlfriend’s prom at the age of 27. It is a long story, but a story as old as time. We had two lovers, well; we had one lover and one child. Steve kept her out past curfew, against her parents’ instructions. The young woman’s father found her that night in the back of Steve’s 2016 Volkswagen (proud sponsor of The Weigh-In) and Steve never heard from her again. A temporary restraining order later, he now freelances for The Weigh-in. We are lucky to have him.

Even Steve is done with the UFC honey dick. Moving forward, pay-per-views will not be purchased until an hour before the event. It is my hope that this will cut down on last minute changes to cards. However, nothing is perfect. It is worthy of note that while I am sour, I still have the utmost respect for all UFC fighters, and all fighters in general. It is just difficult to keep dealing with this as a fan. Remember, I am not only a contributor; I am also a fan of the sport. I hope everyone reading avoids future honey dicking.

People’s Red Head Out!

Special Thanks To:

Restraining Orders (protecting ladies)

GloryBee Honey

Sunglasses being worn indoors

Volkswagen (spacious backseats)

-Dustin Johnson, The People's Red Head

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Decoding the UFC Middleweight Division

Finally! The People’s Red Head has come back to The Weigh-In!

I want to open this article in a little different fashion than usual. I want to thank screen name Latino Heat for sending a box full of what appeared to be her previously worn panties to The Weigh-In. While I did not personally get to enjoy them, our own Matt Ward and Luis Cortes are still huffing them at the time of this article is being crafted.

Let us now discuss and decode the UFC’s Middleweight Division. We all know that Rockhold lost to Romero at UFC 221. Before we go any further, I will not listen or read fan mail talking shit about Rockhold. Let us not forget that Rockhold was supposed to fight Robert Whittaker for his belt at UFC 221, but Whittaker had to drop out due to injury. However, once Whittaker was forced off the card due to injury, Rockhold decided he would not sit around and wait for his title shot. Instead, Rockhold decided to allow a very dangerous Yoel Romero to step in for Whittaker. It is this attitude that has propelled Rockhold to the top of the sport, so The Weigh-In will not entertain shit talk about someone who never shies away from a fight.

All that being said, the Rockhold loss has further muddied our UFC Middleweight waters. Romero was able to K.O. Rockhold in the third round. However, due to Romero missing weight, he was not eligible to win the interim middleweight belt. Following Romero’s victory, UFC’s Dana White came out stating that Romero will fight Whittaker for the title next.

That leaves us all to wonder what the hell will Luke Rockhold do? The middleweight division is a mess. Everyone will remember that Bisping took over a year to defend the title and then lost it to St-Pierre, only to have St-Pierre retire immediately after obtaining the middleweight belt.

If Romero and Whittaker are to square off for the belt, there is no shortage of opponents for Rockhold. Rockhold declined an earlier offer to fight Derek Brunson, as he felt Brunson is not on his level. This statement from Rockhold may be true, but perhaps he will decide to show everyone. Another viable option is a matchup against Kelvin Gastelum, who is coming off a big 2017. Gastelum defeated Bisping by knockout and is set to fight Ronaldo Souza at UFC 224. A win over Souza would arguably put Gastelum in middleweight title contention. It may be that Gastelum and Rockhold fight for a chance at a title shot.

Another option may be that Rockhold and Weidman have a rematch. This is a fight that Weidman has wanted since suffering a stoppage loss to Rockhold. While I think Weidman would need another win or two before challenging Rockhold, stranger things have happened in the UFC. I am not sure how many fans would get excited over a Rockhold vs. Weidman rematch. Give us a shout out at The Weigh-In and let us know who you think Rockhold should fight next!

People’s Red Head Out!

-Dustin Johnson, The People's Red Head

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Dustin's Corner: Luke Rockhold Victorious at UFC Fight Night 116

Finally, The People’s Red Head has come back to the Weigh-In!

While Canelo and GGG were going at it Saturday night, Luke Rockhold was also in action. Rockhold reaffirmed his dominance in the 185 pound division by defeating David Branch with ground and pound strikes.

It has been almost two years since Rockhold lost his belt in shocking fashion to Mike
Bisping. Rockhold took the first step toward reclaiming the waist hardware Saturday night.

Round one opened with Rockhold showing octagon rust. David Branch put on a smothering attack, similar to the style Bisping utilized to pull off the upset. Branch smothered Rockhold against the octagon and continued to connect. Branch wisely left no room for Rockhold to release his devastating leg kicks. While being smothered, Rockhold gestured for his corner to calm down. Round one ended with Rockhold taking Branch down.

The take down in round one was the catalyst for a dominating round two performance from Rockhold. Rockhold owned round two. He eventually took Branch down to the canvas and submitted him with strikes.

In true Rockhold fashion, he had a lot to say during his post fight interview. Rockhold advised Georges St-Pierre to get out while he can. We all know how Rockhold feels about the pending bout between Bisping and GSP.

Saturday’s win will put Rockhold back in contention. One would think he gets to face the winner of the Bisping fight. However, the UFC goes off script all the time. The 185 pound division remains murky. There is a lot of talent at the top.

Does Rockhold have a legitimate complaint? It is so hard to say. McGregor gets his belt taken away in under six months time. It is rumored Dana White stripped McGregor of one of his belts after McGregor was caught leaving an upper decker in the executive restroom... We do not fact check people, just report what is what! (LOL)

In all seriousness, interim titles are ruining UFC bouts. Most of them have little to no significant meaning. Rockhold is at the top of the division and deserves a shot to take his title back. However, he will have to take a number.

It was a great weekend of fights, and congratulations to Mr. Rockhold!

- Dustin Johnson, The People's Red Head

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