The MMA world is now less than one month away from Nate Diaz versus Conor McGregor 2. Mixed martial arts has always been one large melting pot waiting to boil over. With both the UFC’s and to a lesser extent Bellator’s title plans falling by the wayside over the weekend, talks are heating up more than usual during MMA’s summer months.
In a week full of weird beefs and stranger conspiracy theories (!!!!), some new rumors have also been bubbling behind the scenes.
As always these our rumors that have been talked about behind closed doors between MMA higher ups, so take them as rumors.
Pour a fresh glass of organic SMRM milk into your cereal bowl and wake up with this week’s edition of MiddleEasy’s Sunday Morning Rumor Mill.
- Chael P. Sonnen’s suspension from NSAC officially ended at 12:00 AM on July 23rd 2016. Sonnen is now back in the USADA drug-testing program with rumors of a comeback down the road swirling. The UFC also returns to Portland, Oregon on October 1st and by a happy coincidence they announced this event on 7/23/16.
- All signs are pointing to a big UFC strawweight fight. If Rose Namajunas wins her fight this weekend at UFC 201, she will likely be Joanna Jędrzejczyk‘s next challenger later in the year.
- Be on the lookout for Glory heavyweight kickboxer Chi Lewis-Parry. The 6’9 heavyweight who is 6-0 in MMA has caught the eyes of UFC officials. Already at AKA, Lewis-Parry may also start working with the Diaz brothers squad to further his MMA skills
- Dominick Cruz is now interested in a superfight with José Aldo at featherweight, and says he’s willing to step in to fight Conor McGregor for the UFC featherweight title as well should either fighter get injured before their destined rematch. Max Holloway intercepted and said he’d also welcome Cruz to the featherweight division.
- Huge if true because tournaments solve everything. If Dan Henderson beats Michael Bisping then retires, the UFC are in serious talks about holding a four or eight man tournament for the vacant belt held across multiple events
- Tito Ortiz is finally healed from neck surgery and rumors say he wants 2-3 more fights before he retires. Ortiz mentioned Wanderlei Silva, Rampage Jackson Royce Gracie and even Fedor as a short list of last opponents and Madison Square Garden as a venue whenever Bellator debuts in NYC.
If you have heard of any interesting rumors that you’d like to add, feel free to post them in the comments section below, on our Facebook page, tweet us or mail them to us in an unmarked envelope. Just remember they are rumors and not confirmed as fact, so please take them as such.
