Great fight here. NOW this is a prime example of how a ground fight can be exciting.

Wilder's defense is terrible. Almost got starched in Round 3. Came back to floor Molina at the end of Round 4, but he was saved by the bell.

Wilder not displaying much of a killer instinct in the last 30 seconds of Round 5. With his defensive flaws, that's a serious mistake.

Wilder finally lays out Molina, but looks like Union Cane in the process.

This Mexico City crowd has been terrible tonight

Werdum has been training in Mexico City for months. Cain didn't even go to Mexico City till like 10 days ago. That is looking like a very reeruned mistake, Cain is gassed out and done.

This is a classic "tortoise vs the hare" type of situation.

Cain was so overly confident about his vaunted gas tank that he didn't think he needed to bother with going to the super-altitude of Mexico City. Werdum has been confidently saying for a while that Cain has no idea what he's in for wrt how hard it is to adjust to that altitude, and he was right. Cain didn't prepare properly and got his ass beat.

Yep. Pretty stupid for a fighter at this level. Didn't look anything like the same guy that beat JDS. Probably about 70% altitude 30% 2 years off.

Yep, I'm sure inactivity played a part too, but my God he was so gassed out after round 1 it was unbelievable for a guy who was well known for having gas in the 4th and 5th rounds. Until Werdum took over with 2 minutes left in round 2, at the 3 minute mark of round two it looked like Cain might win the first two rounds, but even then everyone knew he was going to lose the fight because he was completely done.

I agree. He didnt look right even in the first. Just inexcusable for a world class camp to make such a dumb mistake. He let down a ton of people to tonight. Pair that with Alvarez blowing his broken nose and you wonder who the hell is training these guys.

Updated:

Werdum looked oddly defensive in round 1, but it makes sense now. Cain may not have realized how bad the altitude would be when he landed, but by the time of the fight Cain and his team had to know they were in trouble and that they would need a huge round 1 or 2 KO. Werdum knew that Cain would realize this by the fight, so his plan was to just defend and let Cain punch himself out and then win.

I had 20 on Werdum, but am still punching myself for not putting down more. Velasquez was extremely rusty and just looked lost, altitude aside. He'll bounce back and be fighting for the title again soon.

It just sucks that the heavyweight division is essentially extinct. Who's next for a title shot? Andrei freakin' Arlovski? The guy who lost to Tim Sylvia twice and has fought 3 times in the UFC during the Obama administration? I'm praying to God that my man Alistair Overeem steps his game up and competes. Same with Dos Santos and his surgery. Hell, maybe Mir has one more title shot left in him.

Miocic. He probably beat JDS in that fight and has gotten better IMO.

Daniel Cormier looks real stupid right about now....

He probably had no idea that Cain was hurting from the altitude, since I doubt he was doing much training with him in Mexico City. Probably flew in for just the fight. I bet only Cain and his trainers knew how much trouble he was in.

DAMN!

Anyone else see that strawweight championship fight on fightpass? Joanna ****ed Penne up pretty bad over 3 rounds. Her face looked like a horror show, nose probably broken, blood everywhere.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="pl" dir="ltr">Unofficial Fight Stats: Total Strikes - Jedrzejczyk (190/275 70%), Penne (28/100 28%). Takedowns - Jedrzejczyk (0/0 0%), Penne (1/9 11%)</p>&mdash; Jason Floyd (@Jason_Floyd) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jason_Floyd/status/612364686756052993">June 20, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Saw this hilarious image on the internet

http://i.imgur.com/c1VtSLa.png

Shamrock v. Kimbo tonight...

A never was versus a has been...

LOL...MMA in slllloooowww motion.

Damn it, I was just starting to relax thinking we made it to 189 unscathed...

... well anyway, Jose Aldo has a broken rib. Its the kind of fracture that can heal quickly, but we're two weeks out.

Unless the state of Nevada medically disqualifies him, I think the fight is still on. Aldo will never have another chance to make this kind of money again, and if he loses, he'll obviously get an instant rematch especially with this built-in excuse. If he wins after breaking a rib two weeks out, then holy shit that would be awesome for his legacy.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Relax everyone</p>&mdash; Dana White (@danawhite) <a href="https://twitter.com/danawhite/status/613456440175398912">June 23, 2015</a></blockquote>
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He can tweet out relax all he wants, but a broken rib a couple of weeks before a huge fight like this puts a big damper on the event.

I don't want to tune in for a totle fight when the champ isn't fight ready.

Shit sucks.

Will wait a bit until Aldo's camp announced if it's significant or not. I don't see them downplaying it publicly, since it's a legitimate excuse if he performs like shit.

With the international fight week built around it, people flying in from Ireland and Brazil, PPV tracking at a million buys, I don't think there's any way this fight gets moved for anything less than a broken limb or torn ligament unless the government steps in. 2 weeks for something that normally heals in 3-4? He can tough it out.

I think you are right, but at least there is a pretty good co main event to fall back upon

Brazilian media reporting that Aldo does not want to put off the fight, he's meeting with his team and doctors to try to figure out a plan to heal and keep training the best he can in the 2.5 weeks he's got.

One thing's for sure, Aldo needs to find out who the hell in his team leaked his injury to the media and cut him loose. He'd still need to tell the UFC about it, but he sure as hell would not have wanted Conor or the NV AC to find out about it.

I read a rumor that a media member was there and witnessed it and leaked it...who the hell knows.

I don't know how he fights if it's a significant rib injury...would the state commission even allow him to fight?

Apparently what he got takes about 3 weeks to fully heal plus another week of rest with anti-inflammatories. So, 4 weeks total. He's got almost 3 weeks, so if there's any way that the doctors can speed that timetable up with some aggressive therapy, (and a legal USADA-approved way to deal with pain) they will try.

Break a rib or two, and then go out for a light jog. Report back and let us know how significant the injury felt. TIA

I've broken plenty, never missed a day of work over it though and I have a pretty strenuous job.

Umm I was saying if that were the case, I don't know how he fights with it so I'm in agreeance....?

The rib injury doesn't sound that bad, I think he could still fight.

I wish I can recall who the fighters were, but I know I've seen a few fights in the past where one of the fighters had broken ribs either leading into the fight, or had them busted up during the fight, and the effects were apparent. Obviously it's going to be worse if it happens during the fight. Regardless though, this news tarnishes the fight for me in a dramatic way.
Yeah. I totally misread your post. My apologies. Hit me hard with the neg rep.

Ha it's all good bro....

Chael Sonnen basically posted on Facebook that the only way this fight doesn't happen is if the NV State Athletic Commission steps in.

Aldo has been cursed with a lack of marketability, his PPV's have never met the minimum thresholds to get a backend bonus, so this whole Conor McGregor thing has been a financial gift from God for him. He's going to make millions on this fight, there's no way he doesn't walk out on July 11th unless the state cancels the fight.

If anything, this broken rib thing makes him more money if he loses, because although he was probably going to get an instant rematch if he lost, this now guarantees it, and people will want to pay to see Conor defend the title against the "real" Aldo.

Yeah...it's all fine and dandy for him. That's cool.

It's a dick up the ass for the fans, though. Pay $54.99 for a fight that you've been looking forward to for half a year, and if a certain fighter wins, the accomplishment will likely be looked at as a sham until the rematch for which you have to shell out another $54.99.

I don't think the fans are going to be robbed at all, except maybe the super-casual crowd who sees one fight every 2 years.

I would have instantly paid for the Lawler fight, this Conor/Aldo thing is now a drama-filled sideshow that might lead to a sequel.

Meh. I kinda see some sense to that argument. Not enough to agree with it, though. The main attraction here is the Aldo-McGregor fight, and it's results have a 50-50 shot of being tainted. That sucks. Also, the instant rematch trend is getting super ****ing old. But I believe you and I have already been through that argument once.

Part of the reason this card was so insane was because the Lawler fight was also on it. It wasn't just the featherweights.

If the main event is "tainted", then it is merely a pretty good PPV that is worth the money, rather than being a terrific bargain.

I can agree with that.

The issue with the main event still sucks, though.

I think he make more money at 155lb. The casual fans arent familar with the fighters or care as much about 135 and 145 IMO.

Yeah, it does indeed. I've been looking forward to this for a while.

At this point I still want Aldo's barely-active ass dragged out there, and if he gets beat because of his ribs, so be it.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Now our production building is on fire!!!! What&#39;s next? What else can go wrong this week? <a href="http://t.co/sIpyVzxCRa">pic.twitter.com/sIpyVzxCRa</a></p>&mdash; Dana White (@danawhite) <a href="https://twitter.com/danawhite/status/613802061075906560">June 24, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Today's rumor is that Conor still wants to fight someone if Aldo drops out, so the UFC might throw Nate Diaz at him at 155 lb.

It sorta makes sense, the Irish fans flying in still get to see him fight, and Nate Diaz is a guy who the fans know who probably won't be much of a threat to Conor, so the UFC still eventually gets the big fight.

http://www.ufc.com/news/UFC-Statemen...ent=1435196556

In light of recent reports regarding the status of UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo, UFC has received official medical confirmation from several doctors that Aldo did not suffer a broken rib. Following a review of the scans, it has been determined that the champion suffered a bone bruise to his rib and cartilage injury during training.

With this news, Aldo has expressed that he has every intention of facing Conor McGregor at UFC 189.

While Aldo has indicated that he will compete in Las Vegas on July 11, UFC has confirmed a contingency plan. No.1 featherweight contender Chad Mendes will face McGregor for the interim UFC featherweight championship in the event Aldo cannot compete.

UFC remains committed to delivering the featherweight and the welterweight championship fights at UFC 189 during UFC International Fight Week in Las Vegas.

Yep, you beat me to it.

ITS ON! follow-up x-rays were negative, he's got a bone bruise. I'm sure it hurt like a mother and he thought it was broken.

So, is it really a bone bruise, or did Aldo find a doctor willing to say the right things, and everyone is going to play along? Can NV order an x-ray?

The NSAC just told ESPN that they won't take Aldo's word for it. They will examine him to make sure his rib is not broken before signing off on the fight.

I hate to say I agree, but I kinda do. Aldo is an insane fighter. When he came over with the WEC, I was sure he was headed for absolute superstar status. Then he just...wasn't a draw. Adding to that, he fights infrequently. He's been kind of a disappointment for me.

He fights as often as Cain, that's not a good thing. He also bitches about money and treatment of fighters all the damn time. I love his fighting style but not his outside the ring bullshit

Apparently using IV to rehydrate after weigh-in is prohibited under the WADA code. If this sticks, then a lot of guys will have to move up in weight class.

http://i.imgur.com/uV9HSVm.png

They are using the small octagon tonight. Looks like a pretty shallow card, I really only care about the main event

It's official now....Aldo out, Mendes in and will fight McGregor for the BS interim FW Title.

5th title fight Aldo has pulled out of...UFC looks incredibly dumb for sitting on this fight and not putting it on 2 months ago.

not really. This injury was not a random act of God, it was sustained during training camp. You have the fight two months earlier, then Aldo starts camp two months earlier and is just as likely to get hurt.

USADA has just announced a 3-month grace period to adjust to the new IV policy. Fighters will be allowed to rehydrate using IV's until 10/1

I assume the idea here is that fighters who were in the middle of camp and whose weight-cutting strategy depended on using IV's after weigh-in didn't have enough notice, but now everyone should know the rules before they start training for an October fight, and if they can't make weight safely without an IV and a nurse waiting for them off-stage, then maybe they shouldn't be at that weight class.

Aldo's x-ray images are all over the internet. His rib is very obviously broken. Whichever quack was saying it was a bone bruise should be investigated by his medical licensing board.

No shit...sounds like the UFC were pressuring him hard to stay in and take the fight, crazy.

Gonna be nuts if Mendes beats McGregor...this entire thing falls apart.

I don't think anyone in the world, including Ireland, will be cheering harder for Conor than Aldo.

Aldo does not draw well at all, and has never qualified for a backend PPV bonus. This whole Conor thing was a financial gift from God for him to finally make millions, and its all going to go up in smoke if Mendes wins.

This fight is a lot like the Rumble/DC fight with Mendes playing the DC role. If Mendes wins its a horrible situation for everyone.

Sinead O'Connor will sing live in the octagon during Conor McGregor's walkout.

Nothing Compares To You? Thats the only song of hers I know.

Gilbert Melendez tested positive for exogenous origin testosterone from his UFC 188 post-fight sample. He's suspended for one year.

He is lucky that he wasn't caught under the new program by USADA, or it would have been 4 years.

I think it's moot. With his age and the fact he's already in decline he's pretty much done.

LOL @ him saying he didn't inject anything. And after that crappy performance he had in his last fight, it's merely salt to the wound.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I know a guy!! Always game, Drug and PED free 🐮👦🏽</p>&mdash; Cowboy Cerrone (@Cowboycerrone) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cowboycerrone/status/618141946884657152">July 6, 2015</a></blockquote>
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LOL, Cowboy is still trying to get the UFC to not make him wait

So he's saying he just used a transdermal then? lol

I was giving Alnorth time to update everybody on last night's card, but I guess he hasn't been around. Apparently last nights card was fantastic. I didn't order because I was working until 11pm.

Anybody see it? I hear that Lawler-MacDonald was ****ing nuts. FOTY material. And the main event worked out great. Props to McGregor. He's now taken out a wrestler, and if I recall correctly, the one knock on the guy was that he had avoided top level wrestlers until last night. It didn't seem possible, but now the Aldo-McGregor fight has even MORE hype behind it than it did just a month ago. I hope to heck that both fighters make it to that fight injury free.

I missed the first two fights.

Lawler-MacDonald was the best fight of the year so far. Watch that shit.

And Aldo vs. Macgregor is going to be nuts.

Yeah. I'm seriously regretting not ordering the card. Did Lawler at least beat the shit out of Rory most of the fight? That's what I wanted to see. Rory's face looks awful right now.

I didn't see what the judges have but I thought Lawler was down three to one going into the 5th.

Bermudez vs Stephens was a great fight too.

Maybe I'm crazy but the knockout of Mendez just didn't look right at all to me. He had Connor on the ground pounding him with elbows for most of the round. He tried a guillotine choke that failed and they stood up. To Connor's credit he jumped right on him, but shortly before the knockdown and stoppage Mendez just dropped his hands completely down almost like he was looking for a punch that would take him down and he IMMEDIATELY just covered and it was over. When they got back up Mendez was fresh and hadn't taken any punishment really at all that round. He did take a couple of shots but nothing that would have led him to just drop both hands to his waist and slowly move to the side with his chin up. It just didn't look quite natural...especially after seeing how technically sound Mendez fought against Aldo.

I didnt think Mendez looked like himself from the start. Looked fatigued after a round and wasnt explosive at all

Taking fights on short notice is a bitch.

And many times the wrestlers are slowed by respect of the strike

It showed in this fight but you cant really bring it up or you are labeled a McGregor hater. Chad was classy about but far from the guy ive seen even in the Aldo fights.

It worked out for the best though. I really didnt want another DC situation.

I thought it was tied going into the last round.

Maybe. Could see 1 and 3 for Rory and 2 and 4 Lawler. That head kick kept Rory in it.