Li Jingliang just cannot catch a break.
The whole UFC 279 fiasco has not been kind to him. From canceled press conferences after buying a flash new suit, to becoming the biggest loser in a main card reshuffle that saw six fighters facing new opponents. On top of that, the ‘Leech’ has now forfeited his welterweight ranking after losing a fight that didn’t even take place in his weight division.
Li lost a controversial split-decision to Daniel Rodriguez, who, as he was preparing for a catchweight bout opposite Kevin Holland, weighed in at 180lbs – 10 pounds heavier than Li who had already made weight at 170lbs before the reshuffle. The new bout took place at the catchweight limit that Rodriguez had originally agreed to.
When the updated rankings were released yesterday, Rodriguez had entered the chart at #14, pushing Li out of the list from his previous #15 spot; with Michel Pereira now occupying that spot on the ladder. A cruel end to what was meant to be the biggest week of Li’s career.
The AllStar MMA roundup
- UFC 281: Dan Hooker is happy to show the world that ‘The Kneebar Kid’ is not on his level
- UFC Vegas 60: Chris Daukaus wants to beat Jairzinho Rozenstruik at his own game ‘no takedowns, let’s see what happens’
- DWCS: Jack Jenkins plans for an early night out in ‘validating’ Contender Series debut
The best of the rest
- Jake Paul expects Anderson Silva to make biggest career payday by boxing him – MMAFighting.com
- Dana White’s Contender Series 54 results: All five winners get UFC contracts for fifth time this season – MMAJunkie.com
- Robert Whittaker open to training with Khamzat Chimaev, expects him to do ‘quite well’ against top middleweights- MMAJunkie.com
- ‘I grabbed Khamzat’ – Li Jingliang gives eye witness account of backstage brawl before UFC 279 – BloodyElbow.com
- Wanderlei Silva wants to box veterans, but not interested in knocking out an ‘old man’ like Vitor Belfort did – MMAFighting.com
The soapbox
The aftermath of getting kicks checked:
The aftermath of not checking kicks:
Action Man after the Leech lost his welterweight ranking:
Ode Osbourne was on deck for DWCS:
Dana attacks the wrong guy:
Juicy J resigns with the UFC:
Paddy got a workout in with the marines:
Maryna Moroz throwing shade at her past foe:
Phil Hawes with a light snack:
The morning view
There’s a documentary in the works on Stylbender’s rise:
Dan Hardy breaks down this weekend’s UFC Fight Night main event:
MMA On Point relives all the times the hero became the villain in MMA:
Chael Sonnen weighs in on Khamzat Chimaev’s future, live from the Paul vs Silva presser:
Done deals
Wednesday:
- Jared Cannonier rebooked to fight Sean Strickland at UFC event on December 17th (per Helen Yee)
- Sodiq Yusuff will now fight Don Shainis at UFC Vegas 61 on October 1st (per Marcel Dorff)
- Julio Arce to fight Montel Jackson at UFC 281 on November 12th (per Team Irridium)
Tuesday
- Scrapped: Slim Trabelsi to fight Parker Porter at UFC 280 on October 22nd (Trabelsi contract issues)
Monday
- None to note
On this day in MMA…
On the 14th of September, 2019, Justin Gaethje stopped Donald Cerrone with heavy strikes in the first round of their Fight Night main event at UFC on ESPN+ 16 in Vancouver, Canada.
After a back and forth four minutes to begin the round, mostly consisting of heavy leg kicks for Gaethje, ‘The Highlight’ walked ‘Cowboy’ onto a heavy overhand right that dropped the veteran fighter, before using the same hand to deliver several uppercuts to Cerrone’s face. The referee stepped in, arguably late, to stop the action.
This win put Gaethje in a position to win the vacant UFC lightweight title in his next fight opposite Tony Ferguson.
For Cerrone, It was the second loss in what would become a six-fight losing streak that he’d finished his career on earlier this year.
