UFC Hall-of-Famer Mark Coleman opened up about being sexually assaulted as a collegiate wrestler. “The Hammer” competed for the NCAA Division I team of Ohio State University in his senior year in 1986 when he said the abuse happened.
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- Coleman accused the school physician Dr. Richard Strauss of assaulting “more than 350 athletes.” Strauss apparently had nicknames like “Dr. Jelly Fingers,” “Dr. Nuts,” and “Dr. Drop-Your-Drawers.”
- As for his personal experience, Coleman said Dr. Strauss “examined” him “pretty good.” He refused to delve into specifics, but he described the encounter as an “eye-opener.”
- As legend around campus had it, Dr. Strauss sat naked in locker rooms and “fondled athletes’ genitals” during physicals “regardless of injury.” Coleman stated that such actions were laughed off and downplayed as a “running joke.” He adds that none of his teammates perceived it as a form of sexual assault.
- Coleman also revealed that he feared the potential backlash if he spoke up. He “felt powerless” because Dr. Strauss “controlled” his future as an elite college wrestler and Olympic competitor at the time.
- Now 55-years-old, Coleman came to realize how this ordeal turned him into an angry individual growing up.
- Dr. Strauss committed suicide in 2005. On the other hand, Coleman went on to be one of the most respected pioneers in mixed martial arts. Known as “the Godfather of Ground-and-Pound,” he became the first UFC heavyweight champion in 1997. He was inducted into the UFC Hall-of-Fame in 2008.
Sports Illustrated
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Adult streaming website CamSoda bid $10K to help out UFC welterweight Mike Perry. In turn, CamSoda offered one of its models to help corner Perry at UFC 255 against Robbie Lawler.
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- It all began with a tweet from Perry, stating he’d welcome anyone who offered the most money to join him and his girlfriend, Latory Gonzalez, on fight night. Middleweight contender Darren Till was the first bidder, offering $5K.
- Manager Malki Kawa later revealed that he “got a few calls” from “NFL clients” showing interest in helping Perry out. He didn’t give out any names.
- Adult film star Kendra Lust also made her bid of $6K. However, that was immediately shut down by Gonzalez.
- In May, Perry decided to get rid of all his coaches and have Gonzalez as the only person in his corner. Their debut as a duo in June turned out to be a success, as Perry handily defeated streaking prospect, Mickey Gall.
- UFC 255 takes place on Nov. 21 at the APEX facility in Las Vegas.
Twitter / @DamonMartin
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Bellator featherweight Tywan Claxton turned down a high-paying job offer to fight full-time. According to the 28-year-old fighter, it was a full-stack developer job that would’ve paid him $250,000 per year.
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- As “Air” Claxton revealed in a tweet, he took the interview on Tuesday “for sh-ts and giggles” and to test his knowledge. Surprisingly, he ended up getting the job.
- That same day, he decided he was a “full-time fighter, part-time developer” until he wins the Bellator 145-pound title when he gives up the job altogether.
- Claxton kicked off his pro career with Bellator in 2017. With eight total fights under his belt, his career disclosed earnings amount to $60,000
Twitter / @tclax149
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Welterweight champion Kamaru Usman will not defend his title against Gilbert Burns at UFC 256 on Dec. 12.
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- A source close to the Usman camp claimed that the fight was postponed because the champion needed more time to recover from “undisclosed injuries.” Other insiders, however, stated that the fight was never confirmed, to begin with.
- This isn’t the first time Usman vs. Burns was called off. The previous one happened in July at UFC 251, when Burns was pulled off from the matchup after testing positive for COVID-19. Replacing him was “BMF” champion Jorge Masvidal, who stepped in on six days’ notice.
- The UFC will likely re-book the said fight for early 2021.
ESPN
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Heavyweight Ben Sosoli was handed a 22-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to “recklessly causing serious injury.” The said conviction was in relation to a Sept. 2019 incident when he punched a man outside a bar in Melbourne, Australia.
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- Sosoli was working as a “responsible service of alcohol officer” at Jacksons Lounge Bar in Toorak at the time. That night, a drunk patron who was previously refused entry, snuck into the bar twice.
- Refusing to let it happen under his watch, Sosoli marched the unnamed customer outside the bar and punched him in the jaw. The man later needed to undergo specialist facial surgery to treat his injuries.
- Sosoli defended himself, stating the patron “threatened to f--k him up.” But according to presiding judge Gavan Meredith, the fighter was in no place to respond to provocation the way he did. Sosoli will need to serve the first 11 months of his sentence before being eligible for parole.
- On Wednesday, Sosoli was released from the UFC roster.
- The 30-year-old Sosoli only had two fights in the UFC. He last saw action in February against Marcos Rogerio de Lima and lost via first-round TKO.
Yahoo! News Australia
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Coach Rogerio Camoes wants “one more superfight” for aging MMA legend Anderson Silva. According to him, the 45-year-old Brazilian fighter “still has plenty of wood to burn.”
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- For Camoes, the ideal situation would be for Silva’s “super-fight” to take place in Rio de Janeiro after the COVID-19 pandemic. He didn’t mention any names, but “The Spider” was previously linked to a fight with retired UFC star Conor McGregor.
- Silva had a dominant seven-year run as the UFC middleweight champion, beginning in 2006. But after his two losses to Chris Weidman in 2013, he was no longer able to get his elite status back.
- The last time Silva tasted victory was in 2017 when he defeated top-ten contender Derek Brunson. He is currently on a two-fight losing streak.
- Silva is slated to face the flashy Uriah Hall on Halloween night, a fight initially declared by the UFC brass to be his last.
Bloody Elbow
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Texas is allowing fans back into local combat sports events. As mandated by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, the reopening process will happen in phases, with new protocols in place.
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- Part of the new deal allows event promoters to include spectators that are limited to 50% of the venue’s total listed occupancy.
- Promoters are also required to submit an operational plan, which includes providing protective equipment, athlete delegation housing, and disinfecting the venue.
- The TLDR is in the process of approving the first fan-attended event for Oct. 31. Applications for eight more events from October to December have already been sent in.
- The last major MMA event that took place in Texas was UFC 247 in February at the Toyota Center in Houston. It was headlined by a light heavyweight title fight between then-champion Jon Jones and Dominick Reyes.
MMA Junkie
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Former UFC title contender Dan Hardy wants his rematch against Carlos Condit. The two men first fought each other in 2010, with Condit winning via an emphatic one-punch knockout in the first round.
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- Hardy’s desire for another go-around came after Condit’s most victory over fellow veteran Court McGee on Saturday, which snapped a five-fight skid. He also wants to avenge the lone KO loss on his record, which was courtesy of Condit.
- The 38-year-old Hardy hasn’t fought since 2012. A year later, he was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a heart disorder. Throughout his hiatus, he’s served as a color commentator for the UFC’s Europe shows.
- For his part, Condit wants his own rematch against fan-favorite Nick Diaz. Their first fight happened in 2012, with Condit winning by unanimous decision.
MMA Fighting
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Fighters are planning to file a lawsuit against the Professional Fighters League. Lightweight champion Kayla Harrison and 2019 featherweight tournament champion Lance Palmer are spearheading the proceedings.
- The D.C.-based organization hasn’t been able to hold any events because of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, fighters under its banner are unable to earn and make a living.
- According to attorney Harley Breite, the suit will ask for “back pay for lost wages and termination of contracts.” He is also questioning why PFL is unable to put up events, while competitors like the UFC and Bellator are.
- In April, PFL announced the suspension of its 2020 season, while promising a monthly stipend of $1,000 to its fighters. A few days later, PFL President Ray Sefo sent separate emails to two groups of competitors: one for those released from the roster, and one for those who will be retained and paid.
Twitter / @marc_raimondi
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Quick Hits
- As confirmed by UFC president Dana White, the winner of the fight between “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung and Brian Ortega will get the next title shot. The two elite featherweights will headline the UFC’s Oct. 18 event in Abu Dhabi.
- Bantamweight fighter Irene Aldana promises to bounce back strong. The 32-year-old Mexican fighter lost to former champion Holly Holm at UFC Fight Island 4 on Saturday, snapping a two-fight win streak.
- Top executives from Netflix, Calm, T-Mobile, and Okta discuss identity access management. Don’t miss the event. Sign up here.*
*This is a sponsored post.
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Miguel Ordoñez is a writer and amateur mixed martial arts competitor based in the Philippines. He is one of the staff writers for SBNation’s Bloody Elbow, covering the latest in combat sports news. Follow him on Twitter @Mr_Ordonez
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Editor
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Sheena Vasani is a journalist and UC Berkeley, Dev Bootcamp, and Thinkful alumna who writes Inside Dev and Inside NoCode.
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