MONDAY NEWS UPDATE 8/7: Vitor Belfort responds to Sam Alvey, Aldo on McGregor, TUF cast announced, Hughes

By Cole Henry, MMATorch contributor

Vitor Belfort (photo credit Per Haljestam © USA Today Sports)

Vitor Belfort responds to Sam Alvey

Sam Alvey picked up the biggest win of his career when he defeated Rashad Evans this past weekend and UFC Fight Night 114. It wasn’t the most exciting fight ever, and Evans may just be a shadow of his former self, but still a win over a former world champion is always something to be proud of.

Smilin’ Sam wasted little time in making it clear that he doesn’t intend to stand around for long and celebrate, and in fact it seems as though he wants to add another former champion’s scalp to his resume. At the post-fight press conference, Alvey called for a fight with Vitor Belfort and even went as far as to say that he would fight him in Brazil if he had to. This is a logical fight for both men, and one that could potentially have a knockout finish. It appears as though this isn’t just wishful thinking on Alvey’s part, though, because Belfort was quick to respond. He tweeted that Alvey would be “the first man to get knockdown with a smile on the face,” and urged the UFC to send him a bout agreement.

Henry’s Analysis: This is a fight that I want to see. It’s a chance for Alvey to pick up a win over a big-name opponent, and it also gives Belfort a chance to pick up another win here late in his career. If he is willing to take a step back and fight guys outside of the top 10 he may be able to stick around for a bit longer.

Jose Aldo comments on Conor McGregor

If you thought that Jose Aldo had moved past his 13 second KO loss to Conor McGregor, you thought wrong. Despite what your opinion of McGregor may be, he has been good for the sport. He is the biggest star the sport has ever had, regardless of what some people may want to say about it. Nobody has the social media following, nobody has the PPV buys, and nobody has the main stream popularity that McGregor has. But Jose Aldo does not see it that way. Jose Aldo thinks that Conor McGregor is bad for the sport. He claims that McGregor has no respect for the sport or his opponents, and he also doubts that McGregor will ever fight again after his match with Mayweather.

Henry’s Analysis: First of all, it is clear that Aldo is still bitter towards McGregor, and that is understandable. I agree with him saying that McGregor probably won’t fight in MMA again, and if he does I don’t think Jose Aldo will be his opponent. This is a tough spot for Aldo… one of the best fighters ever, with one of the best legacies, but his loss to McGregor is a black spot that will likely haunt him for the remainder of his days. He will likely never get the chance to avenge the loss, and that must be tough. But still to deny McGregor’s importance to the sport is simply a silly thing to do. Maybe McGregor could be more respectful, but at the end of the day it doesn’t really matter. This is a personal issue for Aldo, and his comments should be taken with that in mind.

TUF 26 cast announced

Details for the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter have slowly trickeled out over the last few weeks, starting with the announcement that Justin Gaethje and Eddie Alvarez will coach the fighters. Yesterday the cast was announced and the list consist of several notable fighters and fan favorites.

Ariel Beck
DeAnna Bennett
Shana Dobson
Sijara Eubanks
Melinda Fabian
Karine Gevorgyan
Barb Honchack
Christiana Marks
Roxanne Modafferri
Nicco Montano
Lauren Murphy
Rachael Ostovich
Gillian Robertson
Maia Stevenson
Montana Stewart
Emily Whitemire

Notable Moments in History

On this day in MMA history, MMA Fall of Famer Matt Hughes submitted Ricardo Almeida and picked up what would turn out to be the final win of his legendary career.

Henry’s Analysis: Hughes is currently in the hospital fighting a totally different type of fight from what he is used to, and I know that everybody is wishing him a successful recovery.


NOW CHECK OUT THE PREVIOUS UPDATE: SATURDAY NEWS DIGEST 8/5: One Championship headlines with 12th straight win for Fernandes, Joanna vs. Rose rumored, Bob Sapp drops

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