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thesportssoundoff · 7 years ago

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So Who Replaces The Count?

Joey

May 30th 2018

First we can begin with what I figure is a fair yet short talk on "The Count" Michael Bisping. There are a hundred different words to describe Michael Bisping's legacy and they range from as sterling as the label of pioneer to as damning as simply referring to him as an asshole. If I had to find a single word to describe Bisping, I'm pretty sure I'd go with professional. In a sport where everybody from promoters to the fighters seems to be rife with amatuers getting the Peter Principle treatment, Bisping was a rare pro's pro. He never missed weight, he took fights all over the place against anybody offered him, he kept himself in shape to be able to fill in at any time, he always seemed mentally prepared for every fight he was taking and even if Bisping didn't always win, you never had a fight where you felt like he didn't give himself a chance to win. Even if Bisping was all sorts of limited athletically, his cardio, pacing and fight IQ always gave him a shot against any opponent. Put this way; here were the first five TUF season winners at the start of 2018:

Forrest Griffin- Retired Diego Sanchez- Active, on a two fight losing streak, 2-3 in his last five fights Rashad Evans- Active, lost four fights in a row Joe Stevenson- Trying to salvage his career outside of the UFC Michael Bisping- Former MW champ in 2017, two straight losses to guys in the top 10 Kendall Grove- Trying to salvage career outside of the UFC Matt Serra- Retired Travis Lutter- Retired Nate Diaz- Retired?

Most of them are out of the sport, some of them are scrapping to try and stay alive in MMA and some are just trying to hold on for a little bit longer in the UFC. As amazing as it sounds, guys like Rashad Evans and Diego Sanchez have just been trying to hold onto whatever remains of their relevancy. Michael Bisping headlined the biggest PPV of 2017----and then took a fight a few weeks later for the fuck of it. That was also the first time Michael Bisping lost two fights in a row which speaks to his absurd consistency and longevity. Not bad for a dude who I think most of us would consider limited athletically. Also worth pointing out that DJ Mikey B had his career renaissance with just one eye as well after Alan Belcher damaged it with an inadvertent eye poke. Bisping was even a professional asshole; a dude who understood how to promote fights and be the heel that MMA needs sometimes. Bisping's resume is highlighted by his insane win total, the TUF win and his KO over Luke Rockhold---but the one thing I hope he's remembered for is how he embodied professional fighting in so many different ways.

Having said all that, let's chit chat about what you need to remember about Michael Bisping and what the UFC is going to miss going forward. Of Michael Bisping's last 10 fights, 9 of them were main events and only 2 were in the US. Bisping was Mr. International and the sort of fighter the UFC could use to either break into new markets or just guarantee fans a main eventer of consequence. He was a reliable headliner for free TV at the very least and his truest value may have been as a Fight Pass star for international fans. That's a lot of main events to make up, especially internationally. Who can the UFC turn to be the next big UK Star potentially? Well let's look at some dudes (and a lady!) who might be capable of filling up that spot:

1- UFC WW Darren Till

This is the easiest of the choices possible and the one that seems the most likely. In six UFC fights, Darren Till has headlined twice, both overseas. Till is really young, has weight division versatility at WW or MW and he is probably the best fighter out of the UK now that Bisping has retired. Till has the Bisping personality (although his shit talk seems more matter of fact and less humorous) and he's building himself up a crazy fanbase. Darren Till is the best fit for the spot but ironically enough, he might be TOO good. Bisping was always consistently above average (minus his second half career renaissance around Thales Leites) whereas Darren Till already has wins over Donald Cerrone and Wonderboy on his ledger. Dana has already said his next fight is going to be in Las Vegas so clearly Till's going to get his first real test outside of the United States. If Till turns out to be a draw, he's not playing around in the UK. Conor McGregor only headlined one time out in Ireland before it was straight up Vegas and MSG. Darren Till's talent might prevent him from being the next Bisping.

2- UFC WW Leon Edwards

After nine fights in the UFC, almost primarily in Europe, Leon Edwards gets the opportunity to headline for the first time in the UFC against Donald Cerrone in Singapore. Edwards is under 30, he's fought plenty of times in the UK and he's the sort of guy who has earned his reputation by virtue of a tremendous glut of wins against good enough competition. It's taken a long time for Edwards to get his first main event which kind of is the problem; he's really nondescript. He's showcased some good wrestling but not great, he's had some pop in his hands but nothing recently, his fights are prelim memorable but not exactly the sort of fights you'd show to your friends. He's another one of these really good WWs who just doesn't generate any sort of excitement. If it was about results, Edwards would be a lock but unless he wow's vs Cerrone, this feels like a case of "We needed a guy" and not a case of any genuine enthusiasm for his future.

3- Cage Warriors FW Paddy Pimblett

Paddy "The Baddy" Pimblett is one of those fighters who I have a tough time figuring out. I've watched him fight about five times in Cage Warriors and I still don't quite know what he is. Maybe it's the Marc Diakiese effect where a fighter who seems to have serious issues often getting fights where they need to be leave me on edge. Be that as it may or may not be, Paddy is already a big star in Cage Warriors, a Liverpool native who has tremendous character and some absurd grappling chops. He's one of those guys who "gets it" about how to promote and market yourself. He's not perfect but I suppose that's part of the charm. Paddy opted to re-up with Cage Warriors in March so he'd be a ways away I suppose from getting the call. Pimblett has a lot of Michael Bisping in him but again, there's some Diakese here.

4- Bellator WW Michael Page

Currently the attention of Bellator's next big free agent is Michael Chandler which is understandable. Talent at 155 lbs like Mike Chandler, still technically in his prime-ish at 32 years, are wanted on the open market. The reality though is that if I had to choose between two fighters with one fight left on their deals, I'm not entirely sure that Chandler would be the guy I'd want. That would probably have to be Michael Page even with the concern. I know Michael Chandler will be a decent LW in the UFC (maybe a little better, maybe a bit worse) whereas MVP could be the best WW or the worst WW. The pacing of his career suggests he's not going to be there---but if the UFC is looking to replace Michael Bisping, you'd HAVE to want to be in on MVP. He's a "star" in the UK, he's loaded with personality and while we've seen him put up stinkers time and time again; he's the sort of dude who has the ability to be a Vitor Belfort who lives off of the highlight reel. They'd have to sign him away from Bellator obviously but we can't let facts get in the way!

5- UFC FW Arnold Allen

There's something very Ortega-y about Arnold Allen. The late comebacks are obviously a part of it but there's something to be said about a guy who always seems to find a way to win under any circumstances vs opponents who are worlds higher in rank and stature. He's really flawed but I stop assuming guys are lucky and stop figuring they're bound to find a way to lose after their third "How'd he do that shit?" win. I don't know if Allen will ever be a superstar but he's young, he's talented, he has a knack for pulling off miraculous wins and he's cutting his teeth in a ridiculously tough division. It's worth noting that Allen has a checkered legal past (a bar fight where he apparently either hit a woman or was defending his girlfriend depending on who you ask) and we saw Jimi Manuwa struggle to get fights outside of Europe because of that.

6- Women's boxer Nicola Adams

By all accounts Adams is an MMA fan and considered making the move over to MMA at one point. It may be worth checking in and seeing just whether she'd reconsider that. She's obviously not a sure bet to develop into a "star" and at 35 she's a weathered athlete BUT wouldn't you rather take a chance on someone like this knowing what the upside could be? Even if you have her for 3-4 years before she retires, you're still getting arguably one of the greatest women's athletes you've ever had.

#MMA #UFC #Michael Bisping #Daren Till #Arnold allen #MVP

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theanticool · 1 year ago

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Seeing as the PFL/Bellator rumors are being openly talked about by fighters involved with both promotions, guess it’s time to wildly speculate.

I’ve seen some positive sentiment around PFL’s rumored buying of Bellator MMA. A lot of it stemming from how Bellator has been run since the Viacom/Coker takeover. That’s 100% fair. Bellator went from a place that developed its own talent, to a side show, to a place talent the UFC didn’t want anymore went, and is only now enjoying an influx of homegrown talent (at a reduced rate tbh). The hiring of Big John on commentary is baffling, as he’s terrible at it. Viewership fell off the map as they moved off Spike/Paramount TV. Cards are full of slow grind fest or mismatches. So I get the idea of Bellator going away being a potential positive.

What I don’t get is the enthusiasm around PFL being the ones to buy them out. PFL has many of the same problems. Cards laden with mismatches because of their odd seasonal format necessitates highly paid talent advance out the first round. A bizarre desire to be a PPV company without any fighters who appeal to a casual audience. No promotional ability. Like, they can’t sell out the goddamn Hulu theater! I was in the Hulu Theater for Serrano-Cruz and Glory and both times they were packed. That’s how little name recognition PFL has, despite years on ESPN. That’s the other thing, their deal with ESPN is up soon. It wasn’t much but that was a significant amount of the actual revenue PFL generated. Outside of VC and Saudi money, PFL has been a fire pit for cash. They’re trying to expand to all these places: Europe, Africa, South America, the Middle East, etc. They’re paying $10 million+ for a Francis Ngannou fight in 2024. Where is all that money coming from? They don’t have a TV deal. They don’t sell PPVs. They barely move tickets. I doubt they’ve sold 100 PFL t-shirts.

Not to mention, PFL is the same organization who’s former matchmaker had to be quit because he was the ACTING MANAGER for many of the fighters on roster. Lord knows how much influence Ali Abdelaziz still has in the office.

I understand that Bellator and PFL needed to make changes. They could not both keep limping along pretending they were viable alternatives to the UFC. But all of a sudden, we’re going from three “big” North American promotions to two. That means fighters are going to lose their jobs. That means you have less options on what to watch. That means fighters’ (little) leverage at the bargaining table is being cut. It means that one of the biggest media companies in the world decided a secondary MMA promotion to the UFC was not a viable investment in a landscape where sports are the things drawing eyeballs to the TV.

Like I always say, I’m hoping for the best. But buying Bellator does not address the #1 issue facing any of these promoters - you have to draw people to the product. No one but us and a handful of other sickos watched Bellator religiously. They won’t care that PFL has Johnny Eblen on roster now. You have to build stars. Maybe instead of spending 8-9 figures to buy a company with like no name value, you buy Kayla Harrison or OAM a publicist?

#pfl #Bellator #rumors #mma

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conanaltatis · 4 years ago

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Stockholm, Sweden's Oliver Enkamp earns 3rd Bellator win in Paris, France

Stockholm, Sweden’s Oliver Enkamp earns 3rd Bellator win in Paris, France

Oliver Enkamp (©Bellator MMA)

Oliver “The Future” Enkamp, 29, of Stockholm, Sweden was one of the winners at “Bellator 248.” It was the Swedish mixed martial artist’s third victory in Bellator MMA.

Featuring 10 MMA matches, “Bellator MMA” took place at the Accor Arena in Paris, France on October 10, 2020 right before “Bellator Europe 10,” also called “Bellator Paris.” In the third bout of the…

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#Emmanuel Dawa #Oliver Enkamp #Paris #Stockholm #Swedish MMA fighters

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thesportssoundoff · 8 years ago

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“So Sup Mexico? We got a show for ya” A UFC Fight Night from Mexico

It's the LAST show for a good long while (unless you consider McGregor/Mayweather to be a show or the DWTCS stuff or the meh Bellator card a few weeks from now) so we might as well belly up to the UFC bar for one more shot before closing time. The UFC's advances into Mexico have been hit or miss (Cain Velasquez falling apart hurts) but they're back in Mexico! This is the usual "card after a major show" where they roll out whatever they have to get by after a big week. This is not a good/great card but it is a vital card towards trying to figure out what's to come for the UFC's tryst in Latin America. It's got a really vital powerful headliner in Brandon Moreno vs Sergio Pettis where the winner is almost destined to get a title shot. The co-main event is a solid enough fight pitting Alexa Grasso coming off her first loss vs a surging Randa Markos who just upset former champ Carla Esparza. Rashad Evans gets a "Yo who thought this was a good idea?" fight vs Sam Alvey in his 2nd bout at middleweight PLUS a collection of Latin American prospects getting fights to measure their progression. Also hidden in there is an AWESOME welterweight clash as Alan Jouban faces Niko Price who has come out of nowhere to become quite a find at 170 lbs. Is it a good card? Not really BUT if you want to see the sport grow, it's one well worth the investment in time.

Fights: 12

Debuts: 3 (Joseph Morales, Humberto Bandenay, Roberto Sanchez)

Fight Changes/Injury Cancellations: 2 (Zhabit Magomedsharipof vs Hacran Dias cancelled/Chris Greutzmacher OUT, Humberto Bandenay IN vs Martin Bravo)

Headliners (fighters who have either main evented or co-main evented shows in the UFC): 3 (Rashad Evans, Alexa Grasso, Alan Jouban)

Fighters On Losing Streaks in the UFC: 3 (Sam Alvey, Rashad Evans, Henry Briones)

Fighters On Winning Streaks in the UFC: 4 (Sergio Pettis, Brandon Moreno, Jose Quinonez, Hector Sandoval)

Stat Monitor for 2017:

Debuting Fighters (Current number: 21-20)- Joseph Morales, Roberto Sanchez, Humberto Bandenay

Short Notice Fighters (Current number: 16-21)- Humberto Bandenay

Second Fight (Current number: 22-23)- Andre Soukhamthath, Martin Bravo

Cage Corrosion (7-4)- Diego Rivas, Jordan Rinaldi

Twelve Precarious Ponderings

1- Brandon Moreno vs Sergio Pettis is a tremendous fight on its own merit; the continued development of the younger Pettis brother clashing against an out of nowhere find from Mexico who has the ability to end a fight in a moment's notice. Whereas Sergio Pettis has had this really slow, really frustrating ride to this spot, Brandon Moreno burst on the scene and has rapidly risen up the ranks. Each fight he shows something new in his game which when combined with his tremendous athletic upside and his personality creates for SOMETHING different at a division begging for different. Can he beat Mighty Mouse? Maybe not BUT of all the challengers at 125 lbs, Moreno is the one who will generate the MOST buzz---outside of Sergio Pettis. Sergio Pettis has been hyped since the day he followed Anthony's steps into MMA, each performance scrutinized heavily. The fun thing is that while Anthony Pettis has taken steps backwards, Sergio has improved with each fight. He's the sort of guy who got pushed into the UTC too quickly and then had to learn on the job against fighters who were more experienced and well rounded than he was. Since then, he's taken massive strides even if it's been against so-so competition. So whether you love the flyweights or hate the flyweights, this is QUITE the main event.

2- Now having said all of that-----has Dana White's hatred of the champ and the potential removal of the 125 lb division dampened your excitement for this fight?

3- How big would it be if Brandon Moreno fought Mighty Mouse for the title in Mexico? Could do that on FS1 and pop a good number.

4- Rashad Evans vs Sam Alvey is a really weird kind of fight. Rashad's seemingly endless losing streak recently is somewhat overstated. Since the Jones fight, he's 2-4 with two of those losses being weird split decisions where he simply didn't pull the trigger. The other two were to fights where you kind of expected him to lose (Ryan Bader after a three year layoff and Glover Teix in a fight where he probably had no chance). Rashad's quick in spurts, aggressive in spurts, wrestles in spurts etc etc etc. Sam Alvey is the sort of guy who can take advantage of how beat up Rashad is---but he's also the sort of dude who can engage in a three round staring contest where Rashad's quick jab could carry him to a decision. It's a scary, scary fight though for a dude who has had health scares in the past.

5- Alexa Grasso's last fight was frustrating for all sorts of reasons. It was a winnable fight, a fair challenge for her as she progressed up her career. The problem was she never got going against Felice Herrig, slept through two rounds and then started to get going way late in the third round. She's got Randa Markos; a hyper aggressive fighter who pushes forward and struggles with her striking. If Grasso is going to sleep walk, she's going to drop to 1-2 in the UFC because Markos is one of those fighters who can win close rounds on aggression and pressure alone.

6- Niko Price was one of a few fighters busted for pot by the Texas state Athletic Commission in his last fight and in turn, it probably cost him a bigger step up in the ranks. Thus far Price has finished both of his UFC fights and looked impressive each time out. He's got high upside in a divvision searching for new names and faces.

7- Brad Scott vs Jack Hermansson is such a weird fight for this card. It pits a Swede vs a Brit in Mexico when it would probably be challenging for a main card spot on a Fight Night from Europe. In truth, it's a pretty gritty fight between two brawler mauler types; Hermansson the bigger more versatile fighter while Brad Scott is a competent middleweight scrapper who tends to alternate between wins and losses.

8- Hector Sandoval was one of those guys who didn't get the call for TUF Flyweights (he had lost the Tachi Palace flyweight title) but has quickly proven his worth in the organization since getting choked out by Wilson Reis on short notice. He gets the stereotypical measuring stick fight in Dustin Ortiz. Worth noting that Ortiz has either lost to guys who have fought for the title (Reis, Benavidez and Moraga) or guys who are continuous #1 contender types (Moraga and Jussier Formiga).

9- One last note on the flyweight discussion; Team Alpha Male prospect and Cynthia Cavillo shout out-ee Joseph Morales makes his UFC debut off a Looking For A Fight set up. Morales faces RFA's Roberto Sanchez in another great flyweight clash, this one on Fight Pass.

10- Should Rashad Evans retire, win or lose?

11- Is Peru about to upset another TUF Latin America by beating prospect and TUF winner Martin Bravo?

12- For all of y'all who don't follow UFC's Latin America projects and don't know who is who:

Martin Bravo- Won TUF LAM 3, talented striker who goes to the body frequently and has solid cardio.

Diego Rivas- Really raw guy who is more athlete than fighter, explosive-y dude coming off a massive finish over Noad Lahat. Had a battle with cancer which has kept him out a long while.

Alejandro Perez- Chinny sort of scrambler/grinder who trains with AKA. Kind of sort of a not good fighter.

Henry Briones- A big cardio kind of guy with power in his hands, coming off two losses to good competition. Kind of limited athletically.

Jose Quinones- Showed serious strides since losing the TUF Latin America finals vs Alejandro Perez. Awkward striker who has a developing ground game and seriously squirrely ground and pound. Probably too reckless to progress up further.

Alvaro Herrera- TUF LAM 2 guy with power in his hands, suspect cardio and not much of a ground game.

Must Wins

1- Brandon Moreno

I don't mean this lightly. Brandon Moreno being a hit could be one of the few ways you keep the flyweight division around. He's a tremendous story and a great fighter, the sort of guy who can make a division special even if it's JUST as a rival for Mighty Mouse. Sergio Pettis is not an impossible out but he's a good tough fighter with a good camp behind him.

2- Rashad Evans

There's simply no way for Rashad Evans to continue his career in the UFC with another loss. Sam Alvey is pretty much the VERY, VERY last top 20 MW or so that Evans could beat. It's the kind of guy Evans in his prime would have no problem stopping. Now we're waiting to determine if Evans can beat a guy he would've swamped in his prime. Life is weird sometimes.

3- Hector Sandoval

Another flyweight who could shake things up at 125 lbs. Dustin Ortiz is not an easy out, he's a guy who has only lost to the "elites" of the division. As such, a win from Sandoval would go a long way towards stamping his ticket towards the top 10 of 125 lbs.

Five Fights You Shouldn't Miss

1- Brandon Moreno vs Sergio Pettis

I mean it's the main event. Beyond that, there are so many wacky variables and sub plots in this fight that could turn this into a total shitshow in a good way. Both guys are headlining in the UFC for the first time, it's high altitude in Mexico City, Pettis' style of controlled outbursts vs Moreno's wacky as shit scrambling game, potential title shot on the line, a rabid Mexico crowd.

2- Alan Jouban vs Niko Price

Jouban is never in a boring fight and more often than not, he's in the "finish or get finished" discussion. Niko Price has finished both UFC fights and looked good each time out. Both guys are susceptible to getting hurt on the feet and we still haven't seen if Price's cardio can last into the third round.

3- Alexa Grasso vs Randa Markos

Even though there's a very slim chance we'll get a finish here, Grasso is more action than not and Markos is a relentless pressure fighter who pushes a pace.

4- Jack Marshmann vs Brad Scott

This has fifteen minute wacky slopfest all over it unless Marshmann scores an early sub.

5- Jose Quinones vs Diego Rivas

Anytime two TUF LAM guys get in there, you can almost bet you're about to get a wild as fuck squabble.

#MMA #UFC #Brandon Moreno #Sergio Pettis

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torentialtribute · 6 years ago

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Conor McGregor’s team-mate Artem Lobov set to make bare-knuckle debut

Artem Lobov is going to make a lucrative debut in bare boxing occupation

The Russian UFC hunter is one of the veterans Jason Knight in Biloxi, | Former UFC Featherweight Artem Lobov, long-time friend and teammate of Conor McGregor

Nicknamed the & # 39; Russian Hammer & # 39; Lobov told Reuters that he had accepted a big payday from the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship to beat another UFC veteran, Jason Knight, with a pay-per-view card in Biloxi, Mississippi on Saturday

& # 39; If I didn't tell you that money was a big factor in signing Bare Knuckle – we are price fighters, and our success is measured by the size of our bag, he said during a stopover in New York.

Artem Lobov is going to make a lucrative debut in bald boxing on Saturday night "

<img id =" i-4e484db7438e904b "src =" https://i.dailymail.co .uk / 1s / 2019/04/05/12 / 11901246-0-image-m-23_1554465357192.jpg "height =" 497 "width =" 634 "alt =" Artem Lobov is going to make a lucrative debut in bald for a Lucrative debut in bald boxing on Saturday evening "

Artem Lobov is going to make a lucrative debut in bald boxing on Saturday evening

European and Asian promotions attract

European and Asian promotions attract sold-out crowds, and the Bellator organization recently signed a large number of British and Irish prospects to try to find their way in Europe.

They were also on the trail of Lobov when he was released from the UFC in January

& # 39; have made a very nice offer, much more and then I entered the UFC, but it did not match the offer that Bare Knuckle made. With Bare Knuckle, I also accept other offers as long as it doesn't disrupt their schedule, so it's a win-win for me, & said the 32-year-old

& # 39; I have to deal with go inside, fight with bare knuckles, earn a lot of money, hopefully build a better name for myself and then see what else there is. & # 39; The former UFC featherweight is an old friend and teammate of Conor McGregor "

The former UFC featherweight is an old friend and teammate of Conor McGregor" <img id = "i-d1801e71a15eb211 "src =" https://dailym.ai/2ONS9EG "height =" 466 "width =" 634 "alt = "<img id =" i-d1801e71a15eb211 "src =" https://dailym.ai/2ONS9EG "height =" 466 "width =" 634 "alt =" <img id = "i-d1801e71a15eb211" src = "https://dailym.ai/2uOUnKN a-21_1554465340661.jpg "height =" 466 "width =" 634 "alt =" The former UFC featherweight is an old friend and teammate of Conor McGregor

Although he has a professional record loss of 14 wins and 15 losses, Lobov is hugely popular with fans because of his fearless style of fending off his front foot and his toughness,

& # 39; It may seem like that, but being hit by a.

& # 39; It may seem that way, but being hit with a bare knuckle is not as raw as being hit with a bare knee, or being kicked with a shin on your head, which I have been several times d. & # 39; In that sense it is nothing.

& # 39; I really like to fight, so that's no problem for me. It is the same as saying to a swimmer: & # 39; Do you mind getting wet? & # 39; Of course not, he is a swimmer, & he said.

Lobov credits Irishman McGregor, the former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion, bringing sport to the mainstream in the US and enabling him and many others to live as fighters.

& # 39; In many respects it is certainly thanks to Conor, and it is definitely a lot better than before, but the best times are still ahead of us & # 39 ;, Lobov said.

& # 39; Ten years ago, with four days' notice, did I fight for the top 10 European fighters for £ 400, and to get away from where I am now, earn six figures for a fight? Certainly, I see the improvements in sport. & # 39;

Although he is very happy to test his boxing without the threat of kicking or takedowns, Lobov will soon be back in the MMA cage. ] & # 39; I'm always looking for the biggest challenge and MMA is the biggest challenge. I'm still struggling, I'm still struggling and doing everything, "he said.

& # 39; I want to improve and achieve many things in MMA, boxing and boxing stains. & # 39;

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allineednow · 7 years ago

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<p>Week 11 the fight for playoff survival begins</p>

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NHL

Young Leafs lead the pack in TSN Hockey's U-24 Core Four ranking

Leafs' Matthews out again vs. Devils

Must See: Brawl erupts between Flames and Wings

Ice Chips: Price's return date 'undetermined'

McLellan: Cammalleri knows where the net is

Borowiecki thankful for 'personal health' break

Hamonic: Mantha's young, he will learn there is a code

Sens counting on Duchene and Ryan to become dynamic duo

Watch TSN Hockey's Core Four Facebook Live at 1:15pm et/10:15am pt.

Anisimov's hat trick leads 'Hawks over NYR

WHL G Ferguson enjoying the ride with VGK

Ritchie, Manson lead Ducks past slumping Bruins

Matthews returns to Leafs' practice

TSN Original: The Shift

Kings' Carter expected to return in February

Patrick hoping for hometown return from latest injury setback

Ryan pleased with where he's at; excited to build chemistry with Duchene

Leafs shuffle lines as Matthews returns to clinic

Statistically Speaking: McDavid worth extra attention

CFL

Stamps in a sour mood ahead of West Final

Ray fulfilling Trestman's pre-season faith in him

Saskatchewan or Toronto will win if...

Ruffles Crunch Time: Ray eyeing another Grey Cup

Position the four remaining QB's

Argos LB Ball unsure of status for East Final

Ray knows how precious playoff opportunities are

LaPolice to remain with Bombers through 2018

W5 Preview: Ex-CFLer offers forgiveness after acquittal

No clear favorite between league-leading Stamps, surging Eskimos

CFL Wired: WSF - Gable lights up the Bombers

CFL Wired: ESF - Riders roll over Redblacks to progress to East Final

Tough decisions ahead for Redblacks after lopsided loss in East semi

Harris says he'd like to return to Ottawa

Huddle Up: What would be the most intriguing Grey Cup matchup?

Lemon: Argos' D-line planning to attack Glenn on Sunday

Nichols confirms he played with a broken finger

Medlock weighing all his options after Bombers loss

Gable and Glenn power Eskimos and Riders to victory

Reilly, Gable lead Eskimos over Bombers to reach Western Final

NFL

Schultz's Week 11 picks: Chargers pass rush too much for Bills

Streaking Steelers, Titans look to make statement on TSN

Elliott to serve Whole suspension after withdrawing appeal

Packers' Rodgers takes simulated snaps

Dak: Cowboys-Eagles rivalry means more

The fight for playoff survival begins Week 11

Palmer agrees with McDermott's decision to bench Taylor

McAdoo: Players 'brutally honest' during team meeting

Chargers optimistic about Rivers after practice

Lions' Lang practising fully after concussion

Bills to start QB Peterman vs. Chargers

Game of Throws: Rams, Saints turning heads as NFC playoff race heats

Report: QB Gabbert to start for Cardinals

Ravens TE Watson returns from torn Achilles

Statistically Speaking: Crowder, Burkhead among value plays

Report: Rivers (concussion) making progress

Vikings sticking with QB Keenum vs. Rams

Sanders: Giants 'gotta clean house'

Playoff projections for every NFL contender

Papa John's apologizes for criticizing NFL protests

NBA

Raptors' offence stays hot in win over Pelicans

Embiid's career-high 46 leads 76ers past Lakers

Bucks block 16 shots in win over Pistons

Pacers build big lead, hold on to beat Grizzlies

Cavs continue dominance of Hornets

Hawks rout Kings by team-record 46 points

Hardaway scores late to lift Knicks over Jazz

Lillard has 26 points to lead Blazers over Magic

Raps' Wright injures shoulder vs. Pelicans

Westbrook, Thunder top Bulls for 3rd straight win

Towns leads Wolves over Spurs

Wall, Beal help Wizards top Heat

Dedmon, hot-shooting Hawks beat Kings

Towns wants NBA to allow medical marijuana

Rockets' Paul (knee) expected to return vs. Suns

DeRozan, Raptors come up big to snap Rockets' win streak

Irving returns as Celtics win 13th straight

Aldridge leads Spurs to milestone win for Popovich

Kanter to LeBron: You're not the king of New York, Porzingis is

Powell (hip) out against Rockets

MLB

Manfred: Montreal won't see MLB team without new stadium

Finding the right fit for Stanton

M's acquire intl. pool money ahead of Ohtani posting

Girardi thought Yankees clubhouse dynamic was 'good'

Report: MLBPA sets Monday posting deadline

Shohei Ohtani: The next Babe Ruth?

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IMFC exercise options for 6; Oyongo opts for Europe

Report: Pogba, Zlatan could return vs. Newcastle

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Peru beats New Zealand for final World Cup berth

Giovinco both contrite and defiant over suspension

Azzurri fires Ventura after missing World Cup

Report: Dempsey, Sounders agree to one-year deal

Australia dumps Honduras to reach World Cup

Denmark qualifies for WC with rout of Ireland

McKennie scores in debut as US ties Portugal

England, Brazil close out year with draw in friendly

Germany leaves it late to draw with France

Lukaku gives Belgium win over Japan in friendly

Argentina misses Messi in friendly loss to Nigeria

Aguero faints in dressing room, taken to hospital

Ramos scores twice as Spain draws with Russia

TFC looking to rekindle past success against Crew in East Final

Italy's decline can be traced to Serie A's problems

NCAA

UCLA basketball players suspended indefinitely

Bielema's future in question after Long's firing at Arkansas

Trump exhorts UCLA trio to thank Xi for release

Alabama vulnerable on defence

What could shake up the top four?

USC keeps it spot at No. 11

Georgia falls to No. 7

Alabama new No. 1 in playoff rankings, Clemson No. 2

Allen's career-high 37 leads No. 1 Duke past No. 2 Michigan State

Mykhailiuk leads No. 4 Kansas past No. 7 Kentucky

No. 5 Villanova sets blocks mark in rout of Nicholls

No. 17 Gonzaga pounds Howard

No. 19 Purdue controls paint to beat Marquette

Ball, two other UCLA players return to U.S. from China

Finebaum: Gruden is the 'hot name' for Vols coaching position

Mayfield 'running away' with Heisman race

Vegas responds to Auburn upset

Late TD lifts No. 1 Alabama over No. 18 Mississippi State

No. 7 Miami routs No. 3 Notre Dame

Guice stars as LSU rolls over Arkansas

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UFC's Werdum, Covington have bizarre altercation

Shevchenko doesn't rule out Rousey comeback

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Ex-WWE champion Swagger signs with Bellator

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Is GSP's next opponent McGregor?

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the Essentials of grappling

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Federer beats Cilic again, this time at ATP Finals

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Federer beats Sock at opener of ATP Finals

US defeats Belarus to win Fed Cup

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Murray sure he'll be ready for tour in 2018

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junker-town · 7 years ago

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NFL players turned MMA fighters tell of pioneering a new career path

MMA's doors are open for former football players when their NFL careers are over.

Sixty-seven seconds into the first round, Matt Mitrione and Fedor Emelianenko collided with simultaneous right hands that knocked both fighters to the canvas. Mitrione scrambled to his feet first and seven seconds later landed another right hand that knocked the 40-year-old Russian unconscious, securing Mitrione the biggest victory of his career.

“He’s easily the best person I’ve ever fought,” Mitrione said of Emelianenko after the fight. “He’s not arguably the greatest heavyweight of all time; he is the greatest heavyweight of all time. He’s arguably the greatest fighter of all time.”

The pinnacle of Mitrione’s athletic career was supposed to be on the gridiron — maybe a game-winning sack in the Super Bowl. Instead, it came in front of more than 12,000 fans in Madison Square Garden in June.

Seconds after his knockout victory at Bellator 180, Mitrione put on the jersey he donned during his time with the New York Giants — appealing to the hometown fans he once played in front of at Giants Stadium.

It wasn’t an unexpected result: Mitrione entered the night as the slight betting favorite. But it would have been unfathomable just eight or so years ago, before Mitrione and others blazed a trail for former football players to try their hand at mixed martial arts.

A journey from the football field to the cage

“Who wants to get punched in the face willingly? That’s crazy.” — Matt Mitrione, MMA heavyweight

Mitrione started 35 consecutive games from 1998 to 2000 at defensive tackle for Purdue — a team that had Drew Brees at the time and made the Rose Bowl in 2000. But even with a collegiate career that included 36 tackles for loss, Mitrione wasn’t selected in the NFL draft.

He battled his way on to the Giants’ roster as an undrafted free agent, appearing in nine games with the team in 2002.

But his time with the team was doomed by a foot injury that kept him out for the entire 2003 season. The Giants released Mitrione in 2004 and attempts to keep his NFL career alive with the San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings fizzled.

By the end of 2005, Mitrione was out of the NFL for good.

Mitrione’s post-football career began when he started a sports nutrition company that sold supplements. One of his buyers was childhood friend and then-Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Jayson Werth, who first offered the former NFL defensive lineman a chance to fight.

“Werth became an amateur MMA promoter and asked me to come on one of his shows and help sell some tickets, so I said OK,” Mitrione said. “I just wanted to use the opportunity to make sure that Werth was happy — he wasn’t charging any money to take our product to the Washington Nationals and the Philadelphia Phillies. So I was like ‘Well, this is something that will appease him and will be good for the company as well. It’ll be fun for me to do it.’”

A career in the sport wasn’t close to a reality in his mind, though.

“Who wants to get punched in the face willingly? That’s crazy,” Mitrione said. “I was training for about six months — I got injured — I ended up not fighting on [Werth’s] show. I became friends with a guy he was training with and six months later, I was on The Ultimate Fighter and that was the beginning of my career. I only went on The Ultimate Fighter to promote my company.”

After a win in the first round of The Ultimate Fighter — the UFC’s reality show — Mitrione lost in the quarterfinals. But he did enough to impress the promotion and earn a spot on the UFC’s roster. In December 2009 he made his professional MMA debut with the UFC.

Nearly eight years later, Mitrione’s 17th professional fight was against Emelianenko, a legend in the sport who decimated all challengers for the first decade of his career. Several years removed from his prime, Emelianenko aimed to recapture some of his former glory in New York City.

Mitrione shut the lights out on that dream with a thunderous punch.

Never has he fought on a bigger stage and never has he stood across from a more well-known fighter. It may even be the most significant victory ever for the brief list of former NFL players who have made the transition to MMA.

MMA is a tough road to financial success

“If you’re planning to be a pro MMA fighter, you’re not going to do it to make a big paycheck right away ... you’re doing it for the love of it.” — Austen Lane, MMA heavyweight

Conor McGregor is on track to receive upwards of $100 million when he fights Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a boxing match on Aug. 26. It will be easily the largest payday of the brash Irishman’s career in combat sports, but he’s also made a more than comfortable living in his four years in the UFC.

McGregor’s monumental rise to become the biggest star in the sport has meant multimillion-dollar checks for his most recent MMA fights. In June, he cracked the top 25 of Forbes’ list of the highest-paid athletes.

But his pay is far from the norm. His rough climb to the top, however, is a story many fighters can relate to.

A week before McGregor’s first fight in the UFC in April 2013, he collected a welfare check of €180 (roughly $204). This, despite the fact that he accumulated a 12-2 record as a professional fighter in Europe.

“It takes a lot of time, obviously a lot of effort, and a lot of fights just to get in the position to where you’re making a lot of money,” Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com said. “People think that just because you make it to the UFC that you’ve made it — and it can take you 10 years to get to the UFC — but typically unless you’re some kind of big free agent signing that they’ve signed, you’re going to come in making $10,000 to show and $10,000 if you win. You might get a bonus here and there, but you’re not making big money at all.”

That’s a stark contrast when compared to NFL players who have a minimum salary set at $465,000 for the 2017 season.

Austen Lane, 29, spent three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars before bouncing between the Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears in 2013 and 2014. After five years in the NFL, the 6’6 defensive end retired with 17 career starts and three sacks under his belt, collecting about $2.37 million in earnings along the way.

Now, Lane is an MMA fighter who made his professional debut in April and defeated his first opponent by technical knockout in 14 seconds.

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His second fight was just as quick, with Lane knocking out another opponent in a matter of seconds. But a 2-0 record means he still has a long way to go before he gets any kind of significant pay for fighting.

“If you’re planning to be a pro MMA fighter, you’re not going to do it to make a big paycheck right away,” Lane said. “I think that might turn some guys off. If you’re trying to be a pro MMA fighter, you’re doing it for the love of it.

“You go from [an NFL salary] to fighting on your first pro MMA card and making about $600 a fight. Obviously there’s a definite pay discrepancy, and that’s even in the UFC too. You look at UFC fighters, they’re not making millions of dollars.”

For Lane, the love of the sport is there. He was just 6 years old when the UFC’s inaugural event was held in November 1993, but Lane remembers getting a VHS of UFC 1 and watching it with his stepdad as an elementary school student.

Even during his NFL career, Lane was already looking forward to a career in fighting.

“When I was with my last team, the Bears, I was doing jiu-jitsu tournaments during the offseason, which is probably frowned upon because of risk of injury,” Lane said. “When I won them I couldn’t accept the cash prizes. I’d just sneak out the back door and say ‘Hey, sorry I can’t accept anything like that.’ So when I was with my last team in Chicago, I kind of knew what I was going to do next and that was MMA for sure.”

For Eryk Anders, a love of MMA came much later.

Seven years ago, he became a hero in a single play at Alabama — drilling Texas quarterback Garrett Gilbert in the back in the final three minutes of the 2010 BCS National Championship Game. The sack forced a fumble that gave the ball back to the Crimson Tide and essentially put the game on ice.

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Anders’ venture into the NFL was much less fruitful. He signed a contract with the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent, but didn’t stick with the team through training camp. He then had brief stints in the Arena Football League and Canadian Football League.

Still in the middle of his athletic prime, Anders had to face the reality that his football career had run off the rails before it ever left the station.

“I was working the 9-to-5, just doing the desk-job thing, which did not satisfy me at all,” Anders said. “I had the urge to compete in something and there’s just not a whole lot of things for adults to compete in.”

That competitive drive led him to an MMA gym in Alabama. Two months later, he was lined up across from another fighter.

“It wasn’t sanctioned, it was in a boxing ring in a bar in Huntsville, Alabama,” Anders said. “That was my first fight and I don’t recommend anybody doing that because I didn’t know anything. Luckily I came out on the good end of it — I knocked the guy out in 53 seconds and I’ve been at it ever since.

“I thought it would be fun and that happened about five years ago. Now I do this full time. I coach jiu jitsu, boxing, I train people, and I train myself.”

Anders, 30, currently has an 9-0 record as a professional fighter. He earned a first championship belt in June with a unanimous decision victory that made him Legacy Fighting Alliance’s middleweight title holder. Four weeks later, he made his UFC debut against Rafael Natal, a tough veteran with 16 previous UFC fights on his resume.

The big stage didn’t intimidate Anders, though. It took him less than three minutes to knock Natal out and formally announce himself as one of the most promising up-and-coming contenders in the UFC’s middleweight division.

In case you missed it... that left hand tho @ErykAnders | #UFCLongIsland http://pic.twitter.com/l85ov4LpeL

— UFC (@ufc) July 22, 2017

But for both Lane and Anders, the prospect of making money anywhere near the equivalent of McGregor, or even a player on an NFL practice squad, is far on the horizon. Couple that with the danger of stepping into a cage across from another man aiming to injure and MMA is a road that still doesn’t draw many former football players.

The threat of injury may deter more former NFL players

“People are punching you in the face. No matter how tough somebody is, when they have pads on them, the game changes a whole lot.” — Eryk Anders, MMA middleweight

Johnnie Morton racked up 8,719 receiving yards over 12 seasons in the NFL. He’s behind only Calvin Johnson and Herman Moore on the Detroit Lions’ all-time franchise list in the category.

But at age 35, he decided to give MMA a try. After training for only two months, he got in the ring in June 2007 to disastrous results.

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Just 38 seconds into his first fight, Morton was clubbed with a right hand that left him motionless on his back. Adding insult to injury, news that the former receiver tested positive for steroids broke less than two weeks later.

Morton never fought again.

It’s the most obvious and inherent risk that comes with fighting in mixed martial arts. No matter how well someone’s physical skills translate or how well the fight pays that athlete, there’s still a realistic chance of a loss that carries devastating consequences.

“A lot of guys have egos that couldn’t handle getting beat up in front of family, friends, everyone on the block, loved ones, grandma, grandpa,” Mitrione said. “I have a big mouth and I’m pretty obnoxious. So I fought a lot and got beat up a lot, so that concern wasn’t overwhelming for me. Getting my ass kicked in front of five million people wasn’t that much of a concern for me.”

But Mitrione played sparingly in just nine NFL games. Those with more longevity with the sport bring with them much more bumps, bruises and the possibility of a history of concussions.

“When I tell people I used to play in the NFL and now I do MMA, the biggest thing they say is ‘Aren’t you worried about CTE and head injuries?’” Lane said. “[In football], we’re banging heads in practice at least 40 or 50 times a day and this just goes on and on and on. In MMA, I only spar really hard like two or three times a week, and that’s with headgear and 14-ounce gloves. I definitely think concussions are a problem more in the NFL by far than training in MMA.”

Still, both sports bring the risk of head injuries in a way that other sports don’t. That alone can be enough to dissuade other former football players from fighting professionally.

Do similarities between football and MMA allow for easier transitions?

“They’re both leverage sports. They’re both speed sports. And they’re both power sports.” — Tareq Azim, MMA coach

Brock Lesnar is a bona fide freak of nature. He’s on the short list of athletes who have ever had an NFL contract and a professional MMA fight, but his story is much different from the rest.

A 6’3, 265-pound mountain of muscle, Lesnar was the 2000 NCAA Heavyweight Champion in wrestling during his time at the University of Minnesota. He parlayed that into a successful career in pro wrestling, becoming a WWE champion just two years later.

In 2004, Lesnar decided to put aside his wrestling career and attempt to make it in the NFL, despite not playing football since high school. He earned a contract with the Minnesota Vikings and spent the preseason with the team, but didn’t make the final roster.

He returned to wrestling, but two years later, Lesnar again announced a departure. This time, he dove into the world of MMA and in his fourth pro fight, won the UFC heavyweight championship.

The formula for success for Lesnar in all of his ventures has been simple: He’s bigger and stronger than his competition and surprisingly agile given his size.

They are the same advantages that have led to success for Mitrione, Lane, Anders, and other former NFL players who have transitioned into MMA — even if those attributes aren’t as pronounced as they are with Lesnar.

“There’s a lot of correlation [between football and MMA] because it’s extremely physical, right? It’s physical abuse,” said Tareq Azim, founder of Empower Gym. “They’re both combat sports. They’re both leverage sports. They’re both speed sports. And they’re both power sports.”

Azim was a linebacker at Fresno State, but brought with him a lifetime of training in martial arts. He says his understanding of leverage and hand techniques gave him advantages on the field.

Now he’s an MMA coach who works with championship-level fighters like Jake Shields and Gilbert Melendez, as well as NFL players like Marshawn Lynch and Marcus Peters.

“They’re not coming in here fighting. They’re learning the art, they’re learning it as a craft, they’re learning it as a sport, and they’re learning how to apply it to their chosen fields,” Azim said.

Before Lane retired from the NFL to pursue a career in MMA, he found the benefits of training in both sports.

“I wanted to find a boxing gym just to keep my hands fast,” Lane said. “I really liked jiu jitsu too, because it was really good for my hips. It opened them up and made me a lot more loose and more mobile.”

Many of the same physical abilities required to be successful in football translate well to MMA.

“My whole life I’ve been training short-area quickness, speed and explosion,” Anders said. “It all translates into mixed martial arts whether you’re throwing punches on your feet, or kicks, or wrestling. At the same time I was never training kicks or punches so I had to learn how to throw punches properly, and how to kick with proper technique. Now that I’ve got those techniques down, the power and explosion come into play.”

Those skills aren’t useful solely in football and MMA, though. Professional wrestling has also provided a path for the powerful and explosive.

Pro wrestling used to be the avenue of choice for former football players

“I feel like a guy who fizzles out of the NFL or the CFL or college football would be more inclined these days to try MMA, as opposed to pro wrestling like they were 20 or 30 years ago.” — Ariel Helwani, MMAFighting.com

Near the top of the WWE’s list of current stars is Roman Reigns — a 6’3, 265-pound wrestler described in his official bio as an “agile, imposing juggernaut.”

But long before his time as a champion with the company, he was known as Leati Anoa’i — an All-ACC defensive lineman at Georgia Tech who was trying to cut his teeth in the NFL.

His 29.5 career tackles for loss in college and 12 sacks earned him chances with the Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars, but he made neither squad and turned to the Canadian Football League. After a handful of games with the Edmonton Eskimos, Anoa’i turned to pro wrestling.

Unlike MMA, wrestling does not feature legitimate matches. Instead, the scripted and choreographed contests are driven by storylines with characters who rise through the ranks if they can capture the attention of the WWE and fans — whether that’s cheers or boos.

The high-flying acrobatics and physicality of the WWE require wrestlers to bring a blend of size, athleticism and charisma. Roman Reigns has unequivocally captured that.

But that mix of skills and personality isn’t easy to find. For decades, parsing through football players with careers that ended prematurely has been a good place to start the search.

WWE stars like Goldberg, Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Mojo Rawley all had brief stints in the NFL before finding success in pro wrestling. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson played defensive tackle for the Miami Hurricanes and spent time with the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders before beginning his wrestling career.

Johnson, 45, made his way into the world of wrestling in 1996 — three years after the UFC’s first event. Fourteen years later, he said he would have begun a career in mixed martial arts instead of wrestling had the sport been further along.

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“There’s no question about it,” Johnson told Helwani at UFC 119. “I love this sport and I’ve thought about competing in the octagon. It’s something I would’ve loved to have done, but I went another route.”

Even as late as 2007, long after Johnson became a mainstream star in professional wrestling, he says he was still considering MMA.

Yup, I considered @ufc 10yrs ago. My goal was @GregJacksonMMA as my coach & 2 full yrs to train. Smartened up 'cause I prefer my jaw in tact https://t.co/p0Yn9n7MGq

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) July 23, 2017

Has MMA now reached a point where the next Dwayne Johnson would aspire to be a UFC champion instead of a WWE champion?

“I do feel like a guy who fizzles out of the NFL or the CFL or college football would be more inclined these days to try MMA as opposed to pro wrestling like they were 20 or 30 years ago,” Helwani said. “The sport is more popular ... it’s a little more mainstream. I get the sense more athletes are watching it — when there’s a big fight you’ll see a lot of football players tweet about it or basketball players. It’s definitely on their radar more than 10 years ago.”

Still, there are plenty of reasons why the transition from football to MMA isn’t more common. The most significant is money, and that likely won’t change soon.

Unionization efforts could open more doors for elite athletes

“There’s no union, there’s nobody to stand up to them and say ‘Hey look, stop being selfish pricks.’” — Matt Mitrione, MMA heavyweight

There’s a labor fight on the way between the NFL and NFL Players Association. In 2011, the negotiation of a new collective bargaining agreement caused a 132-day lockout, but was resolved in time to avoid the cancellation of any regular season games.

Finding a resolution in 2021 may be even more difficult.

But even the idea of a union fighting for athletes is still a foreign concept in MMA, where fighters receive a disproportionately small percentage of the pie.

“There’s no union, there’s nobody to stand up to them and say ‘Hey look, stop being selfish pricks. Break off this money,’” Mitrione said. “You can’t give us 15 percent of the total revenue and think that’s enough money. Can’t do it. Break off 45 to 55 percent, you guys keep your 45 to 55 percent, and let’s have a real job here.

“There’s so much money that was made in the UFC and that money wasn’t divvied up properly. If it was, all the NFL washouts who are MMA hopefuls would have a viable career in something other than football. Where they could make legitimate money, comparable money, or even more and go forward from there.”

According to documents obtained by Bleacher Report, UFC fighters receive about 15.6 percent of the company’s revenue. Recent efforts to unionize have made very little headway.

“I certainly believe that the fighters need some kind of collective bargaining deal,” Helwani said. “The UFC’s TV deal is up in a year and a half, and there’s been talks of them looking for anywhere from $400 million to what they’re making now, which is a little over $100 million per year — and that’s just from Fox Sports alone. The fighters make zero percent of that.

“If they had more of a unified front they could fight for things like a base pay and revenue sharing. Those would certainly be things that would be on the table and are things that could definitely get done if they were to get together.”

But some major challenges stand in the way of an MMA union.

For one, fighters are reliant on just a few paydays per year and are hesitant to jump into a labor dispute that could keep them out of fights. Also, there are several different MMA organizations and a blanket association to represent all fighters may be unrealistic.

Among the differences between organizations is the ability to sell sponsorships. In 2015, the UFC sold uniform rights to Reebok, disallowing all other sponsors from advertising with the fighters during bouts — a policy no other promotion has.

“That was a hell of a kick in the nuts to lose all that money,” Mitrione said. “There was nothing you could do about it. You find yourself being their bitch and you’re calling them up being like ‘Hey man, I just had a fight and I haven’t had a check in the mail. Am I gonna get one?’ Then you’re begging your boss for money? Like ‘Please sir, can I have some more?’ like you’re Oliver Twist asking for a second helping.”

How far is MMA from a real unionizing effort? And how far is the sport from being a more viable career path for top athletes?

“Twenty or 30 years from now, we’re going to look back on this era and just kind of the deals that fighters were involved in and what they were and weren’t getting, and look and say ‘Wow, I can’t believe that’s the way things were,’” Helwani said. “We’re in like 1920s football. We’re playing with leather helmets right now when you think of how much has changed. The sport is still in its infancy and a lot will change over the next few decades.”

As that change occurs, perhaps MMA will one day draw more athletes away from the NFL. For now, it occasionally gets some of the scraps.

The NFL chews up and spits out athletes in droves. The average length of a career in the league is about three years, leaving many of the nation’s best athletes with no choice but to look for a new career path in their mid-20s.

For a few, MMA has provided that option.

For Mitrione, it offered a road that most recently stopped off at Madison Square Garden — the most famous venue in the history of combat sports, which hosted eight Muhammad Ali fights — and a win over the best heavyweight in MMA history.

It will be a long climb for Lane or Anders or any other former football player to match or surpass Mitrione’s accomplishment. And it may be an even taller task to reach a point where their pay is on par with their NFL counterparts.

But the competitive fire that fuels many on their way to the NFL has fueled the few who have attempted the transition to MMA. And as the still-young sport continues to grow, it stands to pull more former football players in the future.

0 notes

theanticool · 1 year ago

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I wrote a whole thing about my reservations about PFL buying Bellator but just going to go thru them here. Just going to put asid

1) Saudi influence - new one but it’s concerning how much of combat sports a family of rich assholes has basically bought up in the span of a few months.

2) PFL has 0 brand recognizability. At least Bellator was the place that had guys like Eddie Alvarez, Michael Chandler, and Kimbo Slice fought as well as a bunch of well known former UFC stars. PFL’s biggest success was Justin Gaethje, a guy who fought for the promotion when it was WSOF. Seeing their prez say they’re going to reinvigorate the Bellator brand is legit hilarious.

3) why is PFL like 10 different companies? PFL Europe, Africa, women, and now Bellator? How do you build anything when you’ve got all these different organizations fighting amongst themselves for promotional support? It’s dumb.

There’s a lot more (and I’ll get to it) but this is stupid.

It’s official. PFL has bought Bellator MMA.

And in PFL fashion, they waited til the Monday after the last Bellator event to make the announcement.

Here’s the important bit though:

Bellator would continue to operate under its own brand, Davis said, with its own set of fight rules that allowed moves such as elbow strikes, unlike the PFL. However, it would share its roster of fighters with PFL, he said.

No mention of TV deals as both Bellator’s run on Showtime and PFL’s deal with espn seem to be drawing to a close.

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pronomatteo · 8 years ago

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Voici le bilan du mois de mars, tout d'abord vous avez les safes (désolé pour le public j'ai fait des mauvais choix) et ensuite tous les pronos du vip Pour le vip justement pour 10€ par pronos on en est à 488,20€ de gains. Nous faisons mieux qu'en fevrier et c'est le 3me meilleur mois depuis la creation du vip en septembre. Bien sur si vous avez mis 20€vous êtes à977eurs etc.. Pour le bilan je compte 10€ sur tous les pronos 31/03 Nimes DNB 1.34 (vip)✔ 30/03 Rhein-Neckar 1X2 1.55 X 29/03 Bryan B./Bryan M. H/A 1.35 (vip) ✔ 28/03 Uzbekistan 1.70 (vip) ✔ DNB 1.27 (vip)✔ 27/03 Tappara 1.45 ✔ 26/03 Montenegro - Poland Over 2 1.71 ✔ 25/03 Sweden 1.57 ✔ 24/03 Turkey 1.52 ✔dnb 1.15 ✔ 23/03 Colombie 1.17 ✔ Par plus d'un but 1.45 X 22/03 HV 71 AH 0 1.33 (vip) remboursé 21/03 York 1.72 (vip)✔ 20/03 Appoel 1.45 ✔ 19/03 15:15 Tottenham Remboursé si nul 1.40 ✔ 18/03 HV 71ou nul 1.45 (vip) ✔ 17/03 Villarreal ou nul DC X2 1.51 X 16/03 Wright P.1.35 (VIP) ✔ 15/03 Monaco - Manchester City Over 1.5, 2nd Half 1.62 (vip) ✔ Over 0.5, 2nd Half 1.11 (vip) ✔ Over 1.5 1.11 (vip) ✔ Ove 2.5 1.40 (vip) ✔ 14/03 Dortmund 1.16 (vip) ✔ 13/03 Chelsea To qualify OT 1.44 ✔ 12/03 LyonRemboursé si nul 1.18 (vip) ✔ 11/03 Wolves 1.42 ✔ 10/03 Baseball USA gagne 1.18 (vip) ✔ 09/03 Wright P. 1.40 (vip) ✔ 08/03 Barcelona - Paris SG OVER 3.5 2.00 ✔ Over 2.5 1.40 ✔ over 1.5 1.15 (safe) ✔ 07/03 Brighton 1.48 (vip) ✔ Remboursé si nul 1.15 (vip) ✔ 06/03 Frosinone DNB 1.33 Remboursé 05/03 Baskonia H/A, OT 1.51 ✔ Baskonia AH +5.5, OT 1.20 ✔ 04/03 Manchester uniter DNB 1.13 remboursé 03/03 Al Buqaa AH 0 1.69 ✔ 02/03 Sevilla1X2 1.74 ✔ AH 0 1.28 ✔ 01/03 Real Madrid 1X2 1.15 X Pronos vip Tennis» France »Saint Brieuc Challenger Men 1 2 Today 12:30 Kamke T. AH +1.5 Sets 1.49 ✔ Tennis» USA »ATP Miami O U Today 19:00 Nadal R. - Fognini F. OVER 18.5 Games 1.49 ✔ Soccer» France »Ligue 2 1 2 Today 20:00 Nimes ✔ MMA» World »Heavyweight - Bellator Men 1 X 2 Today 03:00 JLawal M. 1X2 Lawal M. win 1.40 ✔ ***BIG TICKET HORS ARJEL*** @ 1.99 ✔ 19:00 Nadal R. - Fognini F. OVER 18.5 Games 1.49 + 20:00 Nimes DNB 1.34 30/03 Badminton» India »Superseries India Open Doubles Women 1 2 Today 13:25 Stoeva G./Stoeva S. AH +6 Points 1.93 remboursé Handball» Europe »Champions League 1 X 2 Today 19:00 Rhein-Neckar 1X2 1.55 X Darts» World »Premier League 1 2 Today 22:15 van Barneveld R. H/A 1.57 ✔ Tennis» USA »WTA Miami 1 2 Tomorr. 03:00 Williams V. 2.20 (martingale 2) X AH +1.5 Sets (gagne au moins un set) 1.47 X ***BIG TICKET*** @ 1.76 X Handball» Europe »Champions League 1 X 2 Today 19:00 Rhein-Neckar 1X2 1.55 X + Darts» World »Premier League 1 2 Today 22:15 van Barneveld R. AH+2.5 frames 1.14 ✔ 29/03 Badminton» India »Superseries India Open Women 1 2 Today 12:20 Das R H/A 1.87 ✔ Tennis» France »Saint Brieuc Challenger Men 1 2 Today 16:00 - Stakhovsky S. H/A 1.67 ✔ Hockey» Belarus »Extraleague 1 2 Today 18:00 Neman Grodno AH 0 1.83 (martingale 2) ✔ Basketball» Europe »FIBA Europe Cup 1 2 Today 19:00 Nanterre H/A, OT 1.44 X Tennis» USA »ATP Miami Doubles 1 2 Today 22:00 Bryan B./Bryan M. H/A 1.35 ✔ ***BIG TICKET*** @ 1.94 X 19:00 Nanterre H/A, OT 1.44 + 22:00 Bryan B./Bryan M. H/A 1.35 28/03 Soccer» World »World Cup 2018 1 X 2 Today 15:00 Uzbekistan 1X2 1.70 ✔ DNB 1.27✔ Volleyball» Europe »CEV Cup Women 1 2 Today 18:00 Dynamo Kazan W 1.57 X Tennis» USA »WTA Miami Doubles 1 2 Today 20:30 Dabrowski G./Xu Y. H/A 1.73 ✔ Soccer» England »Northern Premier League 1 X 2 Today 20:45 Whitby DNB 1.34 REMBOURSE ***BIG TICKET*** @ 1.27✔ ou @ 1.42✔ avec le tennis 20:45 Whitby DNB 1.34 REMBOURSE + 15:00 Uzbekistan DNB 1.27 + Sock gagne au moins 1set 1.12 27/03 ByuL H/A 1.74 ✔ Hockey» Finland »Liiga 1 2 Today 17:30 Tappara AH 0 1.56 ✔ tappara 2.10 (martingale) ✔ Soccer» Europe »Euro U19 O U Today 19:00 Czech Republic U19 - Austria U19 Over 1.5 1.20 ✔ ***BIG TICKET*** @ 1.87 ✔ 17:30 Tappara AH 0 1.56✔ + 19:00 Czech Republic U19 - Austria U19 Over 1.5 1.20 ✔ 26/03 Soccer» Greece »Football League O U Today 14:00 Smyrnis - Aiginiakos Over 2.5 1.50 ✔ Handball» Europe »EHF Cup 1 X 2 Today 16:00 Anaitasuna 1X2 1.67 ✔ Basketball» Switzerland »LNA 1 2 Today 18:00 SAM Massagno H/A, OT 1.55 ✔ Soccer» World »World Cup 2018 O U Today 20:45 Montenegro - Poland Over 2 1.71 ✔ ***BIG TICKET*** @ 2.65 ✔ 20:45 Montenegro - Poland Over 2 1.71 (martingale)✔ + 18:00 SAM Massagno H/A, OT 1.55 ✔ 25/03 Tennis» USA »ATP Miami Doubles 1 2 Today Isner J./Johnson S. H/A 2:0 2.10 ✔ Soccer» World »World Cup 2018 1 X 2 Today 20:45 Portugal 1X2 1.31✔ ah 0 1.08✔ Soccer» World »World Cup 2018 1 X 2 Today 18:00 Sweden 1X2 1.57✔ DNB 1.18 ✔ Basketball» USA »NBA 1 2 Tomorr. 04:00 Portland Trail Blazers H/A, OT 1.40✔ ***big ticket*** @ 1.79 ✔avec @ 2.37 ✔avec suede en sec 20:45 Portugal ah 0 1.08✔ + 18:00 Sweden DNB 1.18✔ + 04:00 Portland Trail Blazers H/A, OT 1.40✔ 24/03 Soccer» World »World Cup 2018 1 X 2 Today 18:00 Turkey 1X2 1.52 ✔ dnb 1.15 ✔ Soccer» World »World Cup 2018 O U Today 20:45 Spain - Israel Over 1.5 1.15 ✔ Soccer» World »World Cup 2018 1 2 Today 20:45 Croatia AH 0 1.18 ✔ *** BIG TICKET*** @ 1.56 ✔et @ 2.11✔ avec turquie en sec 18:00 Turkey dnb 1.15 ✔ + 20:45 Spain - Israel Over 1.5 1.15✔ + 20:45 Croatia - Ukraine AH 0 1.18✔ J’aimeAfficher plus de réactions 23/03 Hockey» Norway »Get-ligaen 1 2 Today 18:30 Nidaros AH 0 (DNB) 1.32 X Darts» World »Premier League 1 2 Today 20:45 Anderson G. H/A ou ah0 1.24 ✔ Basketball» USA »NBA 1 2 Tomorr. 03:00 Portland Trail Blazers H/A, OT 1.19 ✔ ***BIG TICKET*** @ 1.95 X 18:30 Nidaros AH 0 (DNB) 1.32x + 03:00 Portland Trail Blazers H/A, OT 1.19 ✔ + Today 20:45 Anderson G. 1.24 ✔ 22/03 Soccer» World »Viareggio Cup 1 X 2 Today 14:30 Inter U19 1X2 1.36 ✔ DNB 1.13✔ Hockey» Sweden »SHL 1 2 Today 19:00 HV 71 AH 0 1.33 remboursé ou ✔ en H/A ***BIG TICKET*** @ 1.50 ✔ou/ et avec inter en sec @ 1.80✔ 14:30 Inter U19 DNB 1.13✔ + 19:00 HV 71 AH 0 1.33 ✔ 21/03 Hockey» Switzerland »NLB O U Today 20:00 Langenthal - Rapperswil Under 7 1.45 REMBOURSE si vous trouvez des under 8✔ ou 8.5 ✔ Soccer» England »Vanarama National League 1 X 2 Today 20:45 York 1X2 1.72 ✔ Soccer» England »Vanarama National League 1 2 Today 20:45 York DNB 1.31 ✔ ***BIG TICKET***@ 1.90 passe à 1.31 ✔ 20:45 York DNB 1.31 + 20:00 Langenthal - Rapperswil Under 7 1.45 20/03 Soccer» Cyprus »First Division 1 X 2 Today 18:00 APOEL victoire 1.45 ✔ Remboursé si nul 1.13 ✔ Soccer» Germany »2. Bundesliga 1 X 2 Today 20:15 Union Berlin victoire 1.75 ✔ remboursé si nul 1.30 ✔ ***BIG TICKET*** @ 1.46 ✔avec apoel victoire seche@ 1.88 ✔ 18:00 APOEL Remboursé si nul 1.13 ✔ + 20:15 Union Berlin Remboursé si nul 1.30 ✔ 19/03 Badminton» Switzerland »Grand Prix Swiss Open Mixed Doubles 1 2 Today 12:40 Jordan P./Susanto D. victoire 1.60 X Soccer» England »Premier League 1 2 Today 13:00 Middlesbrough AH +1 1.79 (remboursé si 1à0 pour man U) X Soccer» England »Premier League 1 2 Today 15:15 Tottenham Remboursé si nul 1.40 ✔ Soccer» Spain »LaLiga 1 X 2 Today 20:45 Barcelona victoire 1.16 ✔ ***BIG TICKET*** @ 2.06 X Middle man u Under 3.5 1.27 + 20:45 Barcelona victoire 1.16 + 15:15 Tottenham remboursé si nul 1.40 18/03 Soccer» Azerbaijan »Premier League 1 2 Today 13:00 Kapaz AH 0 1.47 ✔ Badminton» Switzerland »Grand Prix Swiss Open Women 1 2 Today 14:20 Chen X. H/A 1.50 ✔ Hockey» Sweden »SHL 1 2 Today 15:15 HV 71 AH 0 1.45 ✔ Soccer» Switzerland »Challenge League 1 2 Today 17:45 Chiasso DNB 1.53 ✔ Soccer» Italy »Serie A 1 2 Today 20:45 AC Milan AH 0 1.28 ✔ ***BIG TICKET*** @1.85 ✔ 15:15 HV 71 AH 0 1.45 ✔ + 20:45 AC Milan AH 0 1.28 ✔ 17/03 Hockey» Finland »Mestis 1 2 Today 17:30 TUTO AH 0 1.43 Rembousé Handball» World »Friendly International Women 1 X 2 Today 17:45 Spain W 1X2 1.42 ✔ Soccer» Netherlands »Eerste Divisie 1 2 Today 20:00 FC Emmen AH 0 1.21 ✔ Soccer» Spain »LaLiga X2 Today 20:45 Villarreal ou nul DC X2 1.51 X ***BIG TICKET*** @ 1.83 X Soccer» Netherlands »Eerste Divisie 1 2 Today 20:00 FC Emmen AH 0 1.21 + Soccer» Spain »LaLiga X2 Today 20:45 Villarreal ou nul DC X2 1.51 16/03 T Ginting A. S. H/A 1.57 ✔ Volleyball» Europe »CEV Cup Women 1 2 Today 18:00 Budowlani Lodz W AH +1.5 Sets d'avance 1.65 X Darts» World »Premier League 1 2 Today 20:45 Wright P. H/A 1.35 ✔ Basketball» USA »NBA 1 2 Tomorr. 02:00 Denver Nuggets H/A, OT 2.00 ✔ 15/03 Bandy» Russia »Super League 1 2 Today 17:00 Uralskiy Trubnik AH +3.5 1.32 ✔ Handball» Romania »Liga Nationala 1 X 2 Today 17:30 Calarasi 1X2 1.60 X Soccer» Germany »3. Liga 1 2 Today 19:00 Regensburg DNB 1.36 X Soccer» Europe »Champions League O U Today 20:45 Monaco - Manchester City Over 1.5, 1st Half 2.20 (martingale) ✔ Over 1.5, 2nd Half 1.62 ✔ Over 0.5, 2nd Half 1.11 ✔ Over 1.5 1.11 ✔ Ove 2.5 1.40 ✔ ***BIG TICKET*** @ 2.00 X 17:00 Uralskiy Trubnik AH +3.5 1.32 + 19:00 Regensburg DNB 1.36 + Over 0.5, 2nd Half 1.11 14/03 Baykal Energy AH -1 1.38 ✔ Besiktas AH +1.5 Sets 1.71 ✔ Basketball» Turkey »TB2L 1 2 Today 16:00 Mersin Buyuksehir H/A, OT 1.80 ✔ Soccer» Germany »DFB Pokal 1 X 2 Today 18:30 Dortmund 1.16 ✔ Handball» Europe »SEHA Liga 1 2 Today 19:00 Presov (Svk) H/A, OT 1.21 ✔ Soccer» Europe »Champions League 1 2 Today 20:45 Leicester 20:45 Leicester 3.32 fun ✔ DNB 2.38 (martingale 2) ✔ ***BIG TICKET*** @ 1.75✔ et ou 1.94 ✔avec dortmund en sec 12:30 Baykal Energy AH -1 1.38✔ + 19:00 Presov (Svk) H/A, OT 1.21✔ + dortmund dnb 1.05 13/03 Neftochimic Burgas DNB 1.54 ✔ Anwil WloclawekH/A, OT 1.15 ✔ Anwil Wloclawek AH -10, OT 1.72 ✔ Lens 1X2 2.00 ✔ Lens DNB 1.36 ✔ Benfica 1X2 1.22 ✔ AH-1 1.27 ✔ Chelsea To qualify OT 1.44 ✔ ***BIG TICKET*** @ 2.25 ✔ Basketball» Poland »Tauron Basket Liga 1 2 Today 18:00 Anwil Wloclawek H/A, OT 1.15 ✔ + Soccer» France »Ligue 2 1 2 Today 20:45 Lens DNB 1.36 ✔ + Soccer» England »FA Cup 1 2 Today 20:45 Chelsea To qualify OT 1.44✔ 12/03 Kerkyra - Xanthi FC Under 3.5 1.14 ✔ Trump J.avec +3.5 Frames d'avance 1.15 ✔ Trump J. avec +2.5 Framesd'avance 1.24 ✔ Servette Geneve FC gagne 1.40 ✔ Servette Geneve FC Remboursé si nul 1.12 ✔ Dukla Trencin AH 0 1.48 Remboursé ou ✔ enH/A Stabaek par plus d'un point 1.54 ✔ Lyon Reboursé si nul 1.18 ✔ Cloud9 1.40 X ***BIG TICKET*** @ 1.83 ✔ ou/et @ 2.00✔ avec real en sec 14:00 Kerkyra - Xanthi FC Under 3.5 1.14 ✔ + 14:00 Trump J. AH +3.5 Frames 1.15 ✔ + 15:00 Servette Geneve FC DNB 1.12 ✔ + 17:00 Lyon DNB 1.18 ✔ + 20:45 Real Madrid DNB 1.06 ✔ 11/03 Snake 2.02 ✔ Hertha Berlin Remboursé si nul 3.87✔ Gagne ou nul 1.99 ✔ Wolves 1.42 ✔ Remboursé si nul 1.14 ✔ Newcastle Utd Remboursé si nul 1.36 X Monaco 1.50 ✔ Monaco DNB 1.18 ✔ ***BIG TICKET*** @ 1.83 X 16:00 Wolves DNB 1.14 + 16:45 Monaco DNB 1.18 + 16:00 Newcastle Utd DNB 1.36 10/03 Vodnik 2,5 points d'avance 1.47 ✔ Poprad 1.42 apres prolongation ✔ Baseball USA gagne 1.18 ✔ ***BIG TICKET*** hors arjel @ 2.34 ✔ VodnikAH -2.5 1.4 ✔ + 17:30 Poprad 1.42 + 00:00 USA H/A, OT 1.18 ✔ 09/03 Robertson N. AH +2.5 Frames 1.13 ✔ Temp Sumz Revda H/A, OT 1.44 ✔ Nidaros - KongsvingerOver 4.5 1.25 ✔ Wright P.1X2 1.80 ✔ Wright P. H/A 1.40 ✔ ***BIG TICKET*** @ 1.98✔ OU/et avec le basket à la place d u hockey @2.27 ✔ 14:00 Robertson N. AH +2.5 Frames 1.13 ✔ + Wright P. H/A 1.40 ✔ + 18:30 Nidaros - Kongsvinger Over 4.5 1.25 ✔ 08/03 ROX Tigers 1.37 ✔ Carter A. 2.70 ✔ +3.5 Frames d'avance 1.21 ✔ Dukla TrencinDNB1.48 ✔ Dep. La Coruna DNB 1.53 REMBOURSE Koszalin 6.5 pints d'avance 1.90 ✔ Barcelona - Paris SG OVER 3.5 2.00 (martingale 2) ✔ Over 2.5 1.40 ✔ over 1.5 1.15 (safe) ✔ ***BIG TICKET*** @ 2.22 ✔ 14:00 Carter A. AH +3.5 Frames 1.21 ✔ + 18:00 Dukla Trencin DNB (si vous avez pas faites HA OT) 1.48 ✔ + 18:45 Dep. La Coruna AH + 1.5 1.08 ✔ + Barcelona - Paris SG over 1.5 1.15 ✔ 07/03 Tartu Ulikool avec 8.5 points d'avance 1.47 ✔ avec 11.5 points d'avance 1.15 ✔ Fos sur mer avec 7,5 points d'avance 1.32 (safe) ✔ Brighton 1.48 ✔ Remboursé si nul 1.15 ✔ ***BIG TICKET*** @ 1.75 ✔ 17:00 Tartu Ulikool AH+11.5 OT 1.15 ✔ + 20:00 Fos-sur-Mer AH +7.5, OT 1.32 (safe) ✔ + 20:45 - Brighton DNB 1.15 ✔ 06/03 Wenbo L. 4.5 Frames d'avance 1.08 ✔ 3,5 Frames d'ava,ce 1.33 X Venlo Remboursé si nul 1.15 Remboursé DNB 1.31 (safe) Remboursé ***BIG TICKET***@ 2.00 X 20:00 Wenbo L. AH +3.5 Frames 1.33 X + 20:00 Venlo AH0 ou DNB 1.15 Annulé + Frosinone 1.31 Annulé 05/03 Afreeca Freecs 1.38 ✔ Baskonia 1.51 ✔ Baskonia avec 5 points d'avance 1.20 ✔ Monaco 1.40 ✔ Monaco remboursé si nul 1.14 ✔ ***BIG TICKET*** @ 1.89 ✔ 12:00 Afreeca Freecs H/A 1.38 ✔ + 18:30 Baskonia AH +5.5, OT 1.20 ✔ + 21:00 Monaco DNB 1.14 ✔ 04/03 ROX Tigers 1.62 ✔ Manchester United 1.30 X Remboursé si nul 1.13 Remboursé Wright P. 1.5 points d'avance 1.29 ✔ Leicester 1.87 ✔ Mladenovic K. 1.78 X Mladenovic K. Gagne au moins un set 1.34 X ***BIG TICKET*** @ 1.95 X avec man U en sec @ 2.24 X United DNB 1.13 Annulé + 15:45 Wright P. AH +1.5 Legs 1.29 ✔ + 01:00 T Mladenovic K. AH +1.5 Sets 1.34 J’aimeAfficher plus de réactionsComme 03/03 Al Buqaa AH 0 1.69 ✔ Darussafaka Dogus AH +6.5, OT 1.20 ✔ Darussafaka Dogus AH +5.5, OT 1.30 ✔ Volendam - 1X2 1.32 X AH0 1.08 REMBOURSE ***BIG TICKET*** @ 2,028 14:00 Al Buqaa AH 0 1.69 ✔ + 18:15 Darussafaka Dogus AH +6.5, OT 1.20 ✔ + 20:00 Volendam - AH0 1.08 Annulé 02/03 Pouille L.H/A 1.36 ✔ gagne 1 set 1.12 ✔ Cuevas P.AH +1.5 Sets 1.17 ✔ Sevilla1X2 1.74 ✔ AH 0 1.28 ✔ AH-1 2.20 REMBOURSE Thiem D. H/A 1.40 X AH +1.5 Sets 1.17X ***BIG TICKET*** @ 1.96 X et/ou avec seville gagne @ 2.67 X 17:30 Pouille L. gagne 1 set 1.12 ✔ + 20:00 Cuevas P. AH +1.5 Sets 1.17 ✔ + 21:30 Sevilla AH 0 1.28 ✔ + 02:00 Thiem D. AH +1.5 Sets 1.17 X 01/03 Paris SG1X2 1.21 ✔ To qualify 1.06 ✔ Lech PoznanDNB 1.26 ✔ Real Madrid 1X2 1.15 (safe) X AH -1.5 1.42 X McHale C.AH +1.5 Sets 1.24 ✔ ***BIG TICKET*** @ 1.74 X et /ou avec real AH-1,5 @ 2.15 X Paris 1.20 ✔ + 20:00 Lech Poznan DNB 1.26 ✔ + 21:30 Real Madrid 1.15 X http://ift.tt/2nVvefd

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