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Rory MacDonald Has ‘Very Interesting’ News About Robbie Lawler’s UFC 189 Drug Tests

Just a few short days after he officially signed with Bellator MMA as arguably the UFC’s most high-profile free agent defector, top-ranked welterweight Rory MacDonald has come out with some potentially game-breaking news about why part of the reason he left the Octagon. According to MacDonald during an appearance on ‘The MMA Hour’ today (transcribed

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According to MacDonald during an appearance on ‘The MMA Hour’ today (transcribed via MMA Mania), “The Red King” has received some ‘interesting information’ about former welterweight champ Robbie Lawler being involved in some funny business surrounding the drug tests for his all-out classic war with MacDonald in the co-main event of UFC 189:

“To answer your question about leaving UFC without winning a belt, yeah I am. Actually right before this conversation, something very interesting came up to me. We are going to have to see where it goes, but it has something to do with the title fight against Robbie Lawler. Some very interesting information just came about. We’ll see what happens with that.”

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MacDonald added that he wasn’t going to cause a big stir about the scenario just, because he still had more facts to gather and research to do. If it did prove to be valid, however, “The Red King” said it would be big news.

With performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) quite possibly the hottest overall topic in MMA today, MacDonald laid out his career as a clean fighter, and he would be understandably angered if Lawler did indeed beat him him in perhaps the bloodiest UFC war of all-time while he was on steroids:

“I don’t really want to speak too loud about it, but it’s something that really grabbed my attention and I think a lot of people are going to be very interested to hear about this if it actually is true, I have to do my research.”

“But it could be a potentially very big thing and it pisses me off. It pisses me right off to hear about it, to be honest. I feel very robbed. I worked hard for that fight and I fought my heart out. I left everything in there. I left my soul and I really left everything out there. I came in honest, and I always have my entire career. I don’t play with any dirty drugs, any performance enhancers or something I don’t believe in morally. I always believe in myself that if I work hard, work on my techniques, train hard that I can get to the top and be the best.”

With his Bellator debut pushed back to sometime in the summer of 2017 due to the severely broken nose he suffered against Lawler, “The Red King” seemed to get more heated as he kept discussing Lawler’s potential failure. He described a scene where some of “Ruthless’s” test results were at four times that of a normal human, and he also cited American Top Team’s seedy history with PEDs.

Although he would certainly have a right to be furious were that the case, MacDonald recollected himself as he remembered he didn’t yet have the facts of the matter:

“The fact that whatever happened in there, if this is true, it pisses me right off to my core. Some test results came out four times higher than the limit for my fight with him. It could be bullshit. That’s why we have to look into it. I don’t want to start pointing fingers or anything. Look at that team’s history. It makes me very suspicious but I can’t go out and start saying for sure without making my research that all this is true.”

While obviously nothing can be proven against Lawler right now, it would be a significant black eye on the sport of MMA were he to have survived a vicious third round head kick and barrage of follow-up strikes to finish “The Red King” with a gruesome fifth round onslaught thanks to PED use the very weekend that the UFC’s new and increased drug testing partnership with USADA was unveiled.

It would seem that MacDonald would have to be at least somewhat certain in his accusations to unveil such a rumor live on MMA’s most-watched interview show, but it could be him just throwing more shade on the UFC after freeing himself from their grasp. “The Red King” could have just a bit of sour grapes because of his failed title bid that is now affecting his ability to fight.

Either way, it’d be a shame for steroids to mar what many people feel was the greatest MMA bout of all time.

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Steroid Suspension Over, Former Bellator Champ Shlemenko Set To Return

With a court appeal recently shortening his California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) suspension from a jaw-dropping three years to only one, former Bellator middleweight champion Alexander Shlemenko will be returning to the cage soon. News arrived from ESPN’s Brett Okamoto that Shlemenko will face former title contender Kendall Grove at Bellator 162 on October 21

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News arrived from ESPN’s Brett Okamoto that Shlemenko will face former title contender Kendall Grove at Bellator 162 on October 21 from the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee. The former 185-pound champ has been out of action since Bellator 133 in February 2015, where he knocked out Melvin Manhoef with a highlight reel spinning backfist.

After the fight, Shlemenko was found to have testosterone to epitestosterone levels as high as 50:1 that of a normal man, and was issued a suspension by the CSAC. When that suspension ended up being for the aforementioned three years, Shlemenko appealed on a variety of tenants, one being that he did not receive a B-sample test that night. But the one that ultimately got his suspension reduced from three years to one was an appeal to the California Superior Court, who reduced the ban last month on the basis of an original letter from the CSAC stating Shlemenko was only suspended for a year.

That didn’t stop him from fighting in his native Russia in the meantime, however, as Shlemenko fought and beat Vyacheslav Vasilevsky twice this year. Prior to his win over Manhoef in Bellator, Shlemenko had lost two straight by submission to Tito Ortiz and Brandon Halsey, snapping an impressive 13-fight win streak where he defended the Bellator belt three times.

He’ll square off with Grove, the former UFC mainstay who has won two straight fights after also losing to Halsey at Bellator 137. Former WWE champ Bobby Lashley is also set to face a yet-to-be-named opponent at the Tennessee-based card.

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Bellator MMA Headed All Over The World With New Television Deal

Bellator MMA will be seen in countries around the world starting soon.

The promotion announced a new international television deal with Electus International on Wednesday, bringing it to Australia, Japan, Russia, China, Africa, South Korea, Benelux and Bulgaria.

In North America, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV on most Friday nights. The next card is set for August 26 with Benson Henderson vs. Patricio “Pitbull” Freire.

Below is the complete press release:

Multimedia entertainment studio Electus, an operating business of IAC (NASDAQ: IAC), today announces that Electus International has secured new deals for Viacom’s Bellator MMA™ with broadcasters in Australia (Spike), Japan (AbemaTV), Russia (Match), China (LeEco), Africa (MBC), South Korea (KBSN), Benelux (Spike) and Bulgaria (bTV).

The news follows the previously announced deals in the United Kingdom (Channel 5), Canada (RDS), Australia (Network Ten), France (AB Groupe), Portugal (SIC), Italy (Discovery), Portugal (SIC), Croatia (Fight Channel), South East Asia (Celestial Tiger), Israel (Ananey), Poland (NC+), Latin America (Fox Sports), Brazil (Esporte), Russia (Russia 2), Middle East (OSN) and New Zealand (Sky).

“Bellator continues to enjoy explosive growth overseas where we are now in over 140 countries and have entered into numerous foreign event partnerships,” said Eddie Dalva, Executive Vice President, Content and Program Enterprises, Viacom Music and Entertainment and Bellator MMA.

“Thanks to its premium talent, heart pounding action and global reach, Bellator has experienced tremendous growth and success in each of the markets it has entered,” said John Pollak, President of Electus International. “Bellator has quickly established itself as a leader in the global MMA landscape and we look forward to continuing to work with Viacom to bring the promotion to new audiences all over the world.”

In 2016, Bellator MMA is having a breakout year with its highest ratings in all key demographics, along with record attendance, global expansion and sponsorship. Bellator features many of the best fighters in the world, including Benson Henderson, Phil Davis, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson,” Tito Ortiz, Liam McGeary, Michael “Venom” Page, Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal, Michael Chandler, Matt Mitrione, Eduardo Dantas and more. In July, Bellator MMA staged its biggest overseas event at the O2 Arena in London to an energized and raucous crowd and experienced tremendous ratings in the UK and in the U.S.

Bellator is owned by American global mass media company Viacom and is available in more than 91 million homes on Spike TV as well as over 500 million homes in 150 countries worldwide. Additional exclusive Bellator content, Bellator preview shows, fighter profiles and high-octane fight highlights run on Spike TV and Bellator.com.

Bellator MMA will be seen in countries around the world starting soon.

The promotion announced a new international television deal with Electus International on Wednesday, bringing it to Australia, Japan, Russia, China, Africa, South Korea, Benelux and Bulgaria.

In North America, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV on most Friday nights. The next card is set for August 26 with Benson Henderson vs. Patricio “Pitbull” Freire.

Below is the complete press release:

Multimedia entertainment studio Electus, an operating business of IAC (NASDAQ: IAC), today announces that Electus International has secured new deals for Viacom’s Bellator MMA™ with broadcasters in Australia (Spike), Japan (AbemaTV), Russia (Match), China (LeEco), Africa (MBC), South Korea (KBSN), Benelux (Spike) and Bulgaria (bTV).

The news follows the previously announced deals in the United Kingdom (Channel 5), Canada (RDS), Australia (Network Ten), France (AB Groupe), Portugal (SIC), Italy (Discovery), Portugal (SIC), Croatia (Fight Channel), South East Asia (Celestial Tiger), Israel (Ananey), Poland (NC+), Latin America (Fox Sports), Brazil (Esporte), Russia (Russia 2), Middle East (OSN) and New Zealand (Sky).

“Bellator continues to enjoy explosive growth overseas where we are now in over 140 countries and have entered into numerous foreign event partnerships,” said Eddie Dalva, Executive Vice President, Content and Program Enterprises, Viacom Music and Entertainment and Bellator MMA.

“Thanks to its premium talent, heart pounding action and global reach, Bellator has experienced tremendous growth and success in each of the markets it has entered,” said John Pollak, President of Electus International. “Bellator has quickly established itself as a leader in the global MMA landscape and we look forward to continuing to work with Viacom to bring the promotion to new audiences all over the world.”

In 2016, Bellator MMA is having a breakout year with its highest ratings in all key demographics, along with record attendance, global expansion and sponsorship. Bellator features many of the best fighters in the world, including Benson Henderson, Phil Davis, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson,” Tito Ortiz, Liam McGeary, Michael “Venom” Page, Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal, Michael Chandler, Matt Mitrione, Eduardo Dantas and more. In July, Bellator MMA staged its biggest overseas event at the O2 Arena in London to an energized and raucous crowd and experienced tremendous ratings in the UK and in the U.S.

Bellator is owned by American global mass media company Viacom and is available in more than 91 million homes on Spike TV as well as over 500 million homes in 150 countries worldwide. Additional exclusive Bellator content, Bellator preview shows, fighter profiles and high-octane fight highlights run on Spike TV and Bellator.com.

One Former UFC Champ Supports Mark Hunt’s Attempt To Unionize Fighters

Since former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar failed both in and out-of competition drug tests in conjunction with his UFC 200 win over Mark Hunt for an estrogen blocker, “The Super Samoan” has been not surprisingly making a ton of noise about the sticky situation. The fan favorite knockout artist first called out for half

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The fan favorite knockout artist first called out for half of Lesnar’s $2.5 million purse, then all of it, declared he would attempt to organize a fighter’s union (an increasingly discussed avenue in today’s MMA universe), and finally, topped it all off with a profanity-laced outburst to Ariel Helwani on this week’s edition of The MMA Hour.

News came that the UFC had apparently contacted Hunt and had a ‘positive’ conversation, but it’s tough to think the hatchet was completely buried. And although it’s a more than difficult prospect to organize a fighter’s union in MMA, one prominent figure is willing to support “The Super Samoan” all the way.

Currently fighting in Bellator, former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson told MMA Fighting that he is all for Hunt’s efforts, as it’s something that should have been implemented a long time ago:

“I 100 percent support Mark Hunt, everything he’s doing and talking about. I think it’s a long time coming, it should have been here a long time ago.”

“Smooth” was at the center of negotiations with the UFC when his contract ran out, and he found he was more valued by Bellator. It was big news when Henderson left the UFC, because he’d been one of their most consistent fighters, often willing to fight anyone on short notice to save an event.

With fighter pay and treatment currently at the forefront of MMA discussion, Henderson also cited his support the current antitrust lawsuit being levied at the UFC by former fighters:

“There are a lot of other guys, Cung Le, Jon Fitch, there have been guys who have talked about it for a long time,” Henderson said. “I show my support and solidarity with those guys. As a mixed martial artist, I definitely support them.”

And while it’s been mostly all talk up to this point, Representative Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma – a former MMA fighter himself – has proposed a bill to Congress to introduce the Muhammad Ali Act to MMA as a segway to fair treatment for MMA competitors everywhere. Henderson sees this as a necessary transition for MMA fighters to get what they’re worth, and believes they should have been more intelligent before only now fighting for their rights:

“Boxers are used to it. They know they are supposed to get this and supposed to get that, and what it’s supposed to be like and how it is supposed to be conducted. Us, as mixed martial artists, we’re finally getting like, ‘oh yeah, we should make this much money.’ NFL, they had a lockout so that they could get 51 percent of the total gross revenue. Us fighters, we get, like, seven percent, maybe seven percent of gross revenues. So, us as athletes, we’re not that smart and it took us awhile to get our act together.”

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Video: Michael Page Knocks Out Cyborg Santos, Celebrates With Pokemon Go

Long billed as one of the most exciting up-and-coming prospects in all of mixed martial arts, Bellator welterweight Michael ‘Venom’ Page lived up to his storied reputation in a big way at today’s (Sat., July 16, 2016) Bellator 158 from the O2 World in London, England. Tasked with the toughest challenge of his wrong career

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Tasked with the toughest challenge of his wrong career in Strikeforce vet Cyborg Santos, ‘Venom’ delivered yet another highlight reel knockout by catching Cyborg right on the chin with a picture-perfect flying knee.

Afterwards, he added a bit of flair that only ‘Venom’ could by taking advantage of the world’s ‘Pokemon Go’ craze and rolling a ‘Poke-Ball’ at his downed opponent. Watch the insane knockout and the shall we say, unique celebration here:

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Bellator MMA Inks Wrestling Standout Joey Davis

Joey Davis found nothing but success while on the wrestling mats competing for Div. II Norte Dame College.

Now, the 21-year-old will attempt to duplicate that in MMA after signing a multi-year, multi-fight deal with Bellator MMA recently.

Davis went 131-0 during his four year career, including capturing four national titles. He is the only Div. II wrestler to accomplish both feats.

“With God you can achieve anything, and I’m gonna do it with high fashion,” Davis said, who will compete in the welterweight division. “Joining Bellator is my latest achievement to date. I don’t remember what it’s like to lose, and I’m not planning on finding out any time soon.”

Davis trains with Antonio McKee’s Body Shop Gym in California alongside featherweight prospect AJ McKee.

Joey Davis found nothing but success while on the wrestling mats competing for Div. II Norte Dame College.

Now, the 21-year-old will attempt to duplicate that in MMA after signing a multi-year, multi-fight deal with Bellator MMA recently.

Davis went 131-0 during his four year career, including capturing four national titles. He is the only Div. II wrestler to accomplish both feats.

Davis trains with Antonio McKee’s Body Shop Gym in California alongside featherweight prospect AJ McKee.