The start of the summer season for the UFC means promoting International Fight Week and the annual big July card — and it looks like a certain former light heavyweight champion could be in the mix for that event. It’s time once again for your Sunday MMA Quick Hits!

Dana White Says Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic “Makes Sense” for Summer

Speaking to TMZ, UFC President Dana White says Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic makes sense for this coming summer.

According to White, there are ongoing discussions with the former light heavyweight champion. Of course, Jones fighting Francis Ngnannou over a year ago also made sense, but that fight never came to fruition. In other words, there are some chickens you just shouldn’t count prior to them hatching, fattening up, and landing in the deep fryer (note to self, don’t compose Quick Hits column while hungry).

“Listen, people have been talking about how awesome this card [UFC 273] is, and I was just telling somebody the other day our lineup for this summer is incredible, so I’m hoping that Jon Jones is gonna be a part of that lineup this summer,” White told TMZ, later adding that in terms of an opponent, “Stipe makes sense.”

Stipe Miocic does make sense, mainly because a) Francis Ngannou still needs a new contract and b) Francis Ngannou is out due to injury.

Miles Johns suspended six months for using prescribed Adderall

UFC bantamweight Miles Johns has been hit with a six month suspension for using Adderall his doctor had prescribed him.

The suspension comes about after the fighter reached an agreement with the Nevada State Athletic Commission, following a failed in-competition drug test for his February 5, 2022 fight against John Castaneda.

In addition to the suspension, which runs out August 5, 2022, Johns was handed a $3,450 fine, per a report by MMA Junkie.

Jorge Masvidal Plans to Buckle Down and Focus on Wrestling

Jorge Masvidal is currently dealing with criminal charges stemming from allegedly assaulting Colby Covington, but before that, there was UFC 272, where Covington wrestled his way past “Gamebred.”

It’s not the first time Masvidal has struggled with a wrestler, and he plans to address that.

“I’ve had a problem with wrestlers. It’s a couple times that I’ve had the problems. Not just a guy who was decent, [but] the more standout wrestlers, I’ve had a problem,” he said on Logan Paul’s IMPAULSIVE podcast recently.

“With wrestlers, when they take me out of my element, and they’re able to keep pressing that hugging game, even when I do bring it to a neutral, I’m like, ‘f*ck, I spent a lot of extra power doing that.’ So knowing these things, I have a slight different plan and formula going forward to address these problems that I’ve had most of my career with the f*cking wrestlers,” he continued.

“The best program in the country currently, for the last 10 years, is Penn State,” Masvidal added — and that’s his next stop. “I’ve got some good friends over there, so I’m gonna go spend some time in Pennsylvania, wrestle in the morning, wrestle at night, wrestle in the morning, wrestle at night, and stay doing that, because I don’t feel like I have to work on my boxing — not to be cocky — or my kicking. It’s there any time. I’ve just got to sharpen it up before fights. So one of my main plans right now is go wrestle day and night and see what comes out of it.”

D.C. Suggests Silva Rather Than Bisping for Jake Paul

Daniel Cormier has reiterated what many MMA fans and pundits have been saying for a while now: Jake Paul should try getting in the ring with Anderson Silva. Rather than, you know, a half-blind, retired Michael Bisping.

Yes, Paul actually called out Bisping recently, and “The Count” has never been one to back down from a fight. But since there’s little chance of him being medically cleared to compete, it’s all just foolishness. Silva, meanwhile, is still active, in boxing, and has a few wins recently. That’s likely the issue right there — Jake Paul really doesn’t want to risk his cash cow, starching retired fighters, in a competitive fight against someone closer to his own size, who isn’t half blind.

Mike Tyson Tenderizes Obnoxious Passenger on Florida-Bound Flight

Mike Tyson is back in the news for engaging in fisticuffs, but not in the ring in this case. Instead, “Iron” Mike unloaded on an obnoxious passenger seated behind him on a flight from San Francisco to Florida.

TMZ has the video.

According to reports, Tyson was friendly with fellow passengers, but as the video shows, the individual seated behind him had no chill. Even when Tyson asked him to do exactly that. That led to Tyson’s temper flaring — and to the man being bloodied and bruised.

Tyson was not arrested following the incident, though the man did speak to police, per TMZ. Let’s be honest: most of us have had an idiot sitting behind us on a flight and wanted to pummel them, but you probably shouldn’t.

David Feldman Saves the Day, And Joey Beltran

BKFC’s main event on Thursday had Joey Beltran facing off against Frank Tate, but it almost didn’t happen. That’s because Beltran came close to choking— literally, after food lodged in his throat during breakfast the same day.

Speaking to TMZ, Beltran explained that someone had showed him a funny video. “An old school Fear Factor video or something and I started laughing,” Beltran said. “Next thing you know, I started choking.”

It was BKFC President David Feldman who jumped into action, performing the heimlich maneuver — potentially saving Beltran’s life, and his main event.

“Of all people, the boss man had to come up and bust a Heimlich,” Beltran added. “Couple of pumps and I spit it out and I was all good.”

Beltran later fell to Tate in the BKFC Fort Lauderdale main event, but at least he made it to the fight.

Dan Hardy vs. Diego Sanchez Boxing Match Booked for July

After nearly a decade out of action (it will be 10 years this September since his last UFC fight), Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy will return to the combat sports world… for a boxing match against Diego Sanchez.

Who, exactly, was asking for this? Sanchez at least acquitted himself well in an Eagle FC match-up with Kevin Lee recently, but in boxing, he doesn’t get to use his full skill set. As for Hardy, well, we’re about to find out how real ring rust is after 10 years.

The fight will be an exhibition contest as part of the Ricky Hatton vs. Marco Antonio Barrera undercard at the AO Arena in Manchester, England on July 2. Per MMA Fighting, who reported the match-up, both fighters will appear at a press conference later today.

Boxing’s Fury vs. Whyte was a home run on Saturday, with heavyweight champ Tyson Fury notching a big win care of a nasty uppercut in the sixth round. The sport is capable of producing some must-see fights, but borrowing MMA stars of years past really needs to stop. Hope the payday is good for Hardy and Sanchez at least.

The post Sunday MMA Quick Hits: Masvidal Focused on Wrestling, Jones vs. Stipe For Summer? appeared first on Cageside Press.

Author: Staff

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