The Mac
12-10-2010, 11:29 PM
While the UFC continues to put on high-quality shows week after week, a number of the promotion's most marketable athletes currently are on sidelines.
UFC president Dana White recently commented on the status of a handful of the UFC's most high-profile fighters, including a pair of current champions.
And while the UFC boss said light-heavyweight champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (19-4 MMA, 3-2 UFC) is recovering quickly from his recent knee surgery, the return dates for featherweight champion Jose Aldo (18-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and former heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar (5-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) currently are a little less certain.
"Rua looks good," White said. "He was there at the [2010 World MMA Awards]. He's in great shape, walking up and down the stairs really well.
"What happened with 'Shogun' was the last couple of times that his knee went, he had surgery down in Brazil, didn't do the proper rehab, started training too early and ruined his knee again. This time, he had the best doctor in the U.S. do his knee, went through an incredible rehab ... took the time to rest and heal, and did everything the right way. This one should work. This one should last."
Rua has been inactive since a May win over former champion Lyoto Machida. The Brazilian currently is slated to face former champ Rashad Evans in early 2011, though White said a formal date had not yet been determined.
"[Rua] looks great," White said. "He's ready to get back into training now. We're shooting for March."
Fellow Brazilian Aldo was set to make his UFC debut on Jan. 1, but a neck injury forced the WEC's final featherweight champion to withdraw from the UFC 125 bout. White said Aldo, who recently traveled from Brazil to Las Vegas – where he was named the Charles "Mask" Lewis Fighter of the Year at the 2010 World MMA Awards – appears to be recovering on schedule, but his next fight will not be booked until he is cleared to return.
"[Aldo] was in town for the MMA awards, and he went and saw a doctor, one of our doctors, while he was there," White said. "I have not heard the results."
Additional sources close to the Brazilian phenom informed MMAjunkie.com that Aldo likely will make his octagon debut in March or April.
Even less certain than Aldo is the status of Lesnar. The reclusive heavyweight has been on vacation since relinquishing his title to Cain Velasquez in October, and White said he has yet to determine when the former champion will return. However, White did say he spoke with Lesnar's representatives on Thursday and hopes to work out something in motion as early as Monday.
"Brock's in the woods somewhere in the middle of somewhere, and I haven't talked to him," White said. "He gets back this week or next week. I actually just talked to his guy when I was pulling in here today. They're going to call me on Monday, and we'll figure out what's next for Brock."
White's not exactly sure what Lensar's next fight will be. The UFC boss had hoped to book Lesnar vs. Frank Mir III, but an overwhelmingly negative public reaction to the idea forced White to reconsider. However, with top contenders Roy Nelson and Shane Carwin each on the sideline (Nelson due to a contract dispute with a former employer and Carwin due to injury), White said the bout still is a possibility.
"We were going to do the Frank Mir fight, and that wasn't very popular," White said. "We'll see what happens. It could be Frank Mir.
"There's a lot of things that I have to work with (such as) injuries. Look at Shane. He's out right now. This thing that's going on with 'Big Country.' There's a lot of different forces at work against you sometimes."
White did completely rule out one thing for Lesnar: professional wrestling.
Rumors had been swirling that Lesnar, a former WWE superstar, could make a one-off return to fake fighting for an upcoming blockbuster WrestleMania event.
White squashed those reports.
"[Lesnar] will not wrestle in WrestleMania – won't happen," White said. "He's under contract with me."
White said his primary motivation is to assure the lines between reality and fiction aren't brought into question by allowing a crossover with UFC athletes.
"I don't want to blur those lines," White said. "[Lesnar] coming over and making the choice to leave the WWE and come here, we gave him that shot, which was a big risk on our part. The guy was 1-0. He's done incredibly well.
"What the guy has been able to accomplish with no experience and in such a short amount of time, I don't want to go back to the WWE and blur the lines of what's real and what's not. I think it happens to us sometimes now."
UFC president Dana White recently commented on the status of a handful of the UFC's most high-profile fighters, including a pair of current champions.
And while the UFC boss said light-heavyweight champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (19-4 MMA, 3-2 UFC) is recovering quickly from his recent knee surgery, the return dates for featherweight champion Jose Aldo (18-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and former heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar (5-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) currently are a little less certain.
"Rua looks good," White said. "He was there at the [2010 World MMA Awards]. He's in great shape, walking up and down the stairs really well.
"What happened with 'Shogun' was the last couple of times that his knee went, he had surgery down in Brazil, didn't do the proper rehab, started training too early and ruined his knee again. This time, he had the best doctor in the U.S. do his knee, went through an incredible rehab ... took the time to rest and heal, and did everything the right way. This one should work. This one should last."
Rua has been inactive since a May win over former champion Lyoto Machida. The Brazilian currently is slated to face former champ Rashad Evans in early 2011, though White said a formal date had not yet been determined.
"[Rua] looks great," White said. "He's ready to get back into training now. We're shooting for March."
Fellow Brazilian Aldo was set to make his UFC debut on Jan. 1, but a neck injury forced the WEC's final featherweight champion to withdraw from the UFC 125 bout. White said Aldo, who recently traveled from Brazil to Las Vegas – where he was named the Charles "Mask" Lewis Fighter of the Year at the 2010 World MMA Awards – appears to be recovering on schedule, but his next fight will not be booked until he is cleared to return.
"[Aldo] was in town for the MMA awards, and he went and saw a doctor, one of our doctors, while he was there," White said. "I have not heard the results."
Additional sources close to the Brazilian phenom informed MMAjunkie.com that Aldo likely will make his octagon debut in March or April.
Even less certain than Aldo is the status of Lesnar. The reclusive heavyweight has been on vacation since relinquishing his title to Cain Velasquez in October, and White said he has yet to determine when the former champion will return. However, White did say he spoke with Lesnar's representatives on Thursday and hopes to work out something in motion as early as Monday.
"Brock's in the woods somewhere in the middle of somewhere, and I haven't talked to him," White said. "He gets back this week or next week. I actually just talked to his guy when I was pulling in here today. They're going to call me on Monday, and we'll figure out what's next for Brock."
White's not exactly sure what Lensar's next fight will be. The UFC boss had hoped to book Lesnar vs. Frank Mir III, but an overwhelmingly negative public reaction to the idea forced White to reconsider. However, with top contenders Roy Nelson and Shane Carwin each on the sideline (Nelson due to a contract dispute with a former employer and Carwin due to injury), White said the bout still is a possibility.
"We were going to do the Frank Mir fight, and that wasn't very popular," White said. "We'll see what happens. It could be Frank Mir.
"There's a lot of things that I have to work with (such as) injuries. Look at Shane. He's out right now. This thing that's going on with 'Big Country.' There's a lot of different forces at work against you sometimes."
White did completely rule out one thing for Lesnar: professional wrestling.
Rumors had been swirling that Lesnar, a former WWE superstar, could make a one-off return to fake fighting for an upcoming blockbuster WrestleMania event.
White squashed those reports.
"[Lesnar] will not wrestle in WrestleMania – won't happen," White said. "He's under contract with me."
White said his primary motivation is to assure the lines between reality and fiction aren't brought into question by allowing a crossover with UFC athletes.
"I don't want to blur those lines," White said. "[Lesnar] coming over and making the choice to leave the WWE and come here, we gave him that shot, which was a big risk on our part. The guy was 1-0. He's done incredibly well.
"What the guy has been able to accomplish with no experience and in such a short amount of time, I don't want to go back to the WWE and blur the lines of what's real and what's not. I think it happens to us sometimes now."