Nate Diaz Vs. Dustin Poirier At The Madison Square Garden In New York City

1. The news that Dustin Poirier will be facing Nate Diaz at the Madison Square Garden in New York City on November 3, 2018 was first reported by Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times. According to Pugmire's report which was published on August 2, 2018, the bout between the two top lightweights will be the co-main event for UFC 230. However, an official announcement hasn't been made by the UFC. The organization was expected to make the announcement at a press conference in Los Angeles on August 3, 2018.

Dustin Poirier's record prior to the bout: 24 wins, 5 losses, 1 no contest
Nate Diaz's record prior to the bout: 19 wins, 11 losses

So far, the announced bouts for UFC 230 are as follows:
Nate Diaz vs. Dustin Poirier
Ronaldo Souza vs. David Branch
Yoel Romero vs. Paulo Costa
Luke Rockhold vs. Chris Weidman
Sultan Aliev vs. Lyman Good

Bangkok Ready Meme: The Origin Of The MMA Internet Meme

The phrase "Bangkok ready" is an internet meme that originated from The Joe Rogan Experience podcast on YouTube. In the January 1, 2017 episode which featured Eddie Bravo, Brendan Schaub, and Joey Diaz as guests, Bravo narrated a story about a mixed martial artist named Gerald Strebendt who confidently believed that he was "Bangkok ready" after only six months of Muay Thai training. The particular segment in the podcast tackled the issue of striking coaches giving grapplers false confidence. Bravo used the case of Strebendt as an example.

Eddie Bravo's Narration of the Story
Back in 2003, Bravo was part of the team who trained Gerald Strebendt when he was preparing for his UFC debut against Josh Thomson. Bravo served as the team's Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach. According to Bravo, Strebendt had a Muay Thai coach who had Strebendt falsely believe that he's "Bangkok ready" after only six months of doing Muay Thai. Strebendt was so confident in his Muay Thai skills that he entered the octagon in full Muay Thai regalia. He wore a mongkol (headband) and a druang rang (arm band) when he made his way into the octagon. Bravo added that Strebendt did some Muay Thai rituals once he made it inside the octagon. Thomson won the bout by knocking out Strebendt in the very first round.

According to Bravo, Thomson told him sometime after the fight that he got very worried about Strebendt's standup after seeing all his Muay Thai rituals and antics during his entrance. In the Joe Rogan podcast, Bravo said that Thomson took Strebendt down to the ground because he was so worried about his Muay Thai.

The Fight
Right off the bat, Strebendt went for the takedown but Thomson stuffed it. Strebendt made another attempt but he ended up with his back on the mat with Thomson attacking him. Strebendt made it interesting on the ground by attempting several submissions but none of them were successful. About halfway through the round, Thomson threw a back-fist which caught the grounded Strebendt flush on the head. Thomson went for the finish with nasty ground and pound. Big John McCartney saw enough and halted the fight.

What happened to Gerald Strebendt after the Josh Thomson fight?
The Thomson bout is Strebendt's first and last fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He went on to fight in various MMA organizations before retiring in 2008. He retired with a record of nine wins and seven losses. Eight of his wins came by submissions. Thomson on the other hand went on to have fairly successful stints in the UFC, Strikeforce, and Bellator. At one point, he became the Strikeforce lightweight champion after defeating Gilbert melendez in 2008.

Where to buy a Bangkok Ready t-shirt?
Your best option is to go online and seek out any of the stores that offer customized t-shirt printing services. Among the most popular of these stores are Zazzle, Redbubble, and Cafepress. These sites allow you to design your own t-shirt. Just upload your design or text and the site will do the rest. Make your order and the t-shirt will be delivered to your doorstep.

Names Of Filipino Athletes In The Philippine Delegation To The 2016 Summer Olympic Games In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The Philippines will be sending ten athletes to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. These athletes will be competing in the following sport disciplines: 400-meter hurdles, boxing, taekwondo, table tennis, weightlifting, marathon, long jump, and golf. This year's Olympic games will happen from August 5 to August 21, 2016. Majority of the events will be held at the Maracana Stadium.

Here are the names of the Filipino athletes comprising the Philippine delegation in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil:

1. Eric Shauwn Brazas Cray - Cray is going to compete in the 400-meter hurdles. He previously represented the Philippines at the 2013 World Championship in Athletics. He was also the recipient of gold medals at the Southeast Asian Games in 2013 and 2015.  

2. Rogen Ladon (Men's boxing; light flyweight division) - Ladon earned his spot in the Philippine team after winning a silver medal at the 2016 Asia and Oceania Boxing Olympic Qualification Tournament. He also competed in several international tournaments including the Southeast Asian Games, the Asian Amateur Boxing Championships, the Hong Kong International Tournament, and the Taipei City Cup.

3. Charly Suarez (Men's boxing; lightweight division) - Like his compatriot Rogen Ladon, Suarez earned his ticket to the Rio Olympics with a strong finish - a silver medal - at the 2016 Asia and Oceania Boxing Olympic Qualification Tournament. Suarez beat China's Jun Shan in the semi-finals but he fell in the finals against Mongolian boxer Dorjnyambuugiin Otgondalai.

4. Kirstie Elaine Alora (Women's taekwondo) - Alora earned a silver medal at the Asia Olympic Qualifying Tournament. She earned the berth to the Olympics with a win over Akram Khodabandeh of Iran.

5. Ian N. "Yanyan" Lariba (Women’s table tennis; singles) - Lariba has played as a varsity player for De La Salle University. She competed twice in the Southeast Asian Games. She will be the first Filipina athlete to compete in table tennis at the Summer Olympics.

6. Hidilyn Diaz (Women’s weightlifting; 53 kilograms) - Rio will be the third time that Diaz will compete in the Summer Olympics. She previously joined in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. At the 2008 games, she was the youngest athlete in her category (women's 58-kg).

7. Mary Joy Tabal (Women’s marathon) - A native of Cebu City, Tabal is the first ever Filipino athlete to qualify as a marathon runner in the history of the Olympics. She earned her ticket to the Summer Games with a very strong finish at the Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon that was held in Ottawa, Canada. Tabal is also a silver medalist at the 2015 Southeast Asian Games in the women's marathon.

8. Nestor Colonia (Men’s weightlifting; 56 kilograms) - Colonia is an alumnus of the Asian Championships (2015 and 2016) and the World Weightlifting Championships. His coach happens to be his uncle Gregorio Colonia who himself competed at the 1988 Olympics.

9. Marestella Torres-Sunang (Women’s long jump) - Sunang is a two-time Olympic competitor. She competed in the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics. She currently holds the Southeast Asian Games record for the long jump with her personal best of 6.71 meters.

10. Miguel Tabuena (Men’s golf; individual) - Tabuena is one of two Filipino golfers who qualified for the Olympics. However, the other bet, Angelo Que, has to pull out of the event due to concerns regarding the Zika virus. As a professional golfer, Tabuena has won multiple tournaments including the Philippine Open and the ICTSI Manila Masters.

Filipino UFC Fighters List: Names Of Every Filipino Who Fought In The Ultimate Fighting Championship

This is a list of the names of Filipino mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters who had fought or currently fights for the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). In the list below, they are arranged alphabetically with the first letter of their surnames as the basis. Following the names of the fighters are bits of information about their careers and their stints in the UFC. Do take note that this Filipino UFC fighters list includes both active UFC fighters and those who left the organization or were released by it.

Ricky "Pretty Rick" Turcios - Ricky is an American who is half-Filipino and half-Salvadoran. He joined the MMA reality television show The Ultimate Fighter in 2020 as a bantamweight. He made it all the way to the finale where he defeated Brady Hiestand via split decision. With the victory, Turcios earned a contract with the UFC.

Rolando Dy - After stints in several organizations like Nemesis MMA, Pacific Xtreme Combat, Legend FC, and Brave Combat Federation, Dy made his debut in the UFC on June 17, 2017 in Singapore. He faced Alex Caceres and lost by technical knockout in the third round due to an eye injury.

Carls John De Tomas - Like his compatriot Rolando Dy, De Tomas made his debut in the UFC on June 17, 2017 in Singapore. He lost to Naoki Inoue of Japan via unanimous decision. Prior to joining the UFC, De Tomas campaigned in the Universal Reality Combat Championship (URCC) where he accumulated six straight wins. He fought Alex Perez for his second UFC fight on December 9, 2017 but lost via submission in the second round.

Jenel Lausa - A native of Iloilo, Lausa made his debut in the URCC in 2011. He then fought for about four years in the PXC organization. He was signed by the UFC in 2016 and made his debut in the organization in the undercard of Rober Whittaker versus Derek Brunson in Melbourne, Australia. He won his fight against Zhikui Yao via unanimous decision.

Chris Cariaso - Born and raised in San Jose, California, Cariaso had an MMA record of 10 wins and 2 losses when he debuted in the UFC in January of 2011. His UFC record currently stands at 7 wins and 4 losses. He has fought some of the best in the flyweight division like Demetrious Johnson, John Moraga and Michael McDonald. He is scheduled to engage Henry Cejudo on March 14, 2015.

Shane Del Rosario - From Newport Beach, California, Del Rosario fought only twice in the UFC. He lost both fights to Stipe Miocic and then Pat Barry. He hasn't fought since December 2012. Before joining the UFC, Del Rosario was undefeated in 11 fights in other MMA organizations. All of these were via knockouts and submissions.

John Dodson - From Albuquerque, New Mexico, Dodson is considered as one of the best flyweights in the world. He had wins over big name fighters like John Moraga and T.J. Dillashaw. His UFC record currently stands at 5 wins and only 1 loss.

Former Filipino UFC fighter Brandon Vera (right) during his impressive victory over Igor Subora in his ONE FC debut. Image credit: One Fighting Championship

Mark Eddiva - Born and raised in the Philippines, Eddiva was a decorated wushu athlete before he turned his attention to mixed martial arts. He racked up five wins in different organizations before he was signed by the UFC in 2014. He fought twice that year, winning his debut in Macau then losing his second fight which was held in Brazil.

Dave Galera - A team mate of Mark Eddiva, Galera was the first homegrown Filipino fighter to enter the octagon. He was undefeated in five fights when he debuted for the UFC in an event held in Singapore in January 2014. He lost the fight via unanimous decision. Galera hasn't fought since the loss.

Robbie Lawler - From San Diego, California, Lawler had two stints in the UFC. He fought for the organization in the early 2000's. After losing two fights in a row in 2004, Lawler set his sight on other organizations. He fought in Superbrawl, KOTC, Pride, IFL, EliteXC, and Strikeforce. He returned to the UFC in 2013 and fought his way to the top. He is now the current UFC welterweight champion.

Mark Munoz - Fighting out of California, Munoz first fought in the UFC in 2009. He has fought some of the biggest names in the middleweight division like Yushin Okami, Demian Maia, Chris Leben, Chris Weidman, Tim Boetsch and Lyoto Machida.

Roldan Sangcha-an - After winning his first four fights either via knockout or submission, Sangcha-an was signed by the UFC in 2014. He made his debut in June of the same year and lost to Richie Vaculik. Sangcha-an is also from Team Lakay and he hails from Mt. Province in the Philippines.

Brandon Vera - From Norfolk, Virginia, Vera joined the UFC in 2005 and racked up four straight wins including a submission victory over Frank Mir. He then lost his next two fights and since then his UFC career has been an up and down affair. Vera joined another organization, the ONE Championship, in 2014 and won his debut under the new promotion against Igor Subora.

Eddie Yagin - Fighting out of Honolulu, Hawaii, Yagin fought only twice in the UFC. He lost his debut against Junior Asuncao. In his second outing, he earned a split decision victory over Mark Hominick. After the Hominick bout, Yagin left the UFC and started fighting for other organizations.

If you think we missed including a particular Filipino UFC fighter in the list, then please inform us by leaving a comment. Simply mention the name of the fighter and add any information that you deem necessary. We will take care of the rest. We will have to confirm the details about the mixed martial artist and if everything looks fine, we will add him or her to the list.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship Is Coming To The Philippines For UFC Fight Night Manila

It's official. The largest and most influential mixed martial arts promotion company in the world is coming to town. In an article posted on its official website, the Ultimate Fighting Championship or UFC announced that it will be staging an event dubbed UFC Fight Night Manila on May 16, 2015 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. This will be the first time that the UFC stages an event in the country. It's also the first UFC event in Asia this year.

In recent years, the company has been flexing its muscles to attract MMA fans in Asia. So far, the company has staged events in three territories - Japan, Singapore, and Macau. The Philippines will be the fourth Asian country to ever host a UFC event.

The UFC is yet to announce who will be fighting in the event but according to the company, it has nearly 40 Asian fighters in its roster. And because UFC Fight Night Manila is an Asian event, it's expected to feature mostly fighters of Asian origins in the fight card. Fighters with Filipino roots like Mark Munoz, Robbie Lawler, John Dodson, and Chris Cariaso come to mind.

There's also a handful of local fighters who once or twice saw action in the Octagon who might be tapped to fight in the card. There's Mark Eddiva who has one win and one loss in the UFC. And then there's Roldan Sangcha-an and Dave Galera, two local MMA artists who had one fight each under the UFC banner. Although both of them lost their respective bouts, the company might tap them for the event.

Photo from the Ultimate Fighting Championship's Instagram page.

Mark Munoz who goes by the nickname "The Filipino Wrecking Machine" will most likely be in the card as he is one of the most recognizable Filipinos in the UFC. Munoz is currently ranked number 14 in the UFC's middleweight division. He used to be in the top ten but after back to back losses to Lyoto Machida and Gegard Mousasi, his ranking slipped down as well. The division is currently ruled by Chris Weidman, a man Munoz fought and lost to in 2012.

Robbie Lawler, the current UFC welterweight champion is half-Filipino but it's unlikely that the company will bring him to the Philippines. Lawler is one of the UFC's biggest stars and the company isn't foolish enough to waste the fighter's drawing power to a Fight Night event that isn't being held in the United States.

And then there's Mark Eddiva and Roldan Sangcha-an. There's a huge possibility that these two fighters will appear in the card. One, they are homegrown fighters and they've had previous experience appearing in UFC cards. Eddiva fought in the UFC twice last year and went 1-1. He defeated Jumabieke Tuerxun in Macau during his debut. In his second UFC outing, Eddiva flew to Brazil and engaged Edimilson Souza in a fight of the night tussle. He lost the bout via TKO in the second stanza. Eddiva was then tapped to appear in another UFC event in Australia but he had to pull out due to an injury.

Sangcha-an on the other hand entered the Octagon undefeated in June 2014 in the undercard of Te Huna vs. Marquardt. He lost the fight to Richie Vaculik via unanimous decision.

It's also likely that the event will feature fighters from other Asian countries. There's Takeya Mizugaki, a top ten ranked fighter from Japan in the bantamweight division. And then there's Dong Hyun Kim, a fighter from South Korea who has legions of fans in the Philippines.

UFC Fight Night Manila will happen at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on May 16, 2015. According to the company's announcement, tickets for the event will start selling sometime in March.

Chris Algieri Eats A Mouth-Watering Burger After Losing To Manny Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao gave Chris Algieri his first loss as a professional boxer when the two pugilists locked horns at the Cotai Arena within the Venetian in Macao, China Sunday afternoon (Manila time). Although Pacquiao cruised to an easy decision victory and knocked down the American boxer several times during the bout, he was not able to put him away.

When the final bell rang, both fighters showed great sportsmanship, giving each other his due. After the bout, Algieri went on Twitter to thank his supporters. He tweeted, "I am okay, just disappointed. Thank you everyone for your support, it means the world to me. I learned a lot tonight and I promise I'll be back."

An hour later, he tweeted a photo of what he ate after retiring back to the hotel. And it's a magnificent-looking burger. The photo was accompanied by another photo from the fight itself. The caption went, "Well, it's not a victory burger but I still had my signature post fight meal! Pacquiao is a great champion and was an honor to share a ring with him here in Macao. I will take this as a learning experience and come back better than ever. Thank you for all the support and well wishes!!"

Photo by Chris Algieri via Tumblr.

Algieri earned his shot at Pacquiao after a victory over the hard-hitting Ruslan Provodnikov (also trained by Freddie Roach) in June of this year. In said fight, Algieri survived two bad knockdowns in the first round and rallied to outpoint the tough Russian.

Chris Algieri Says He Is Super-Confident Ahead Of His Upcoming Showdown With Manny Pacquiao

On November 22, millions of boxing fans from around the world will be tuning into their television sets as Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines and Chris Algieri of the United States lock horns inside the squared ring at the Cotai Arena in Macao, China. At stake will be the World Boxing Organization's welterweight championship belt.

With the fight just less than two weeks away, HBO Sports is flexing its marketing muscles to hype up the match. Pacquiao-Algieri is a fight that is a bit more difficult to sell mostly because not many people know Algieri. The American boxer burst into fans' consciousness just a few months ago in June when he upset Ruslan "The Siberian Rocky" Provodnikov in a bloody battle of guts at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

In a preview of the upcoming match that recently aired on HBO, Algieri said that he's ready and he's confident that he will secure the victory come November 22. He added that he can beat Pacquiao because of his "competitive advantage".


It's to be expected that Algieri will enter the ring against Pacquiao as a heavy underdog. Pacquiao is just coming off two very convincing wins against two big names in the sport - Brandon Rios and Timothy Bradley. This is not to mention the fact that Pacquiao has heavier hands and he is way more experienced. Pacquiao has fought 63 professional bouts compared to Algieri's 20.

Algieri is undefeated as a professional boxer. His biggest win to date was the split-decision victory he earned with his gutsy performance against the wild and powerful Provodnikov. Some people contest Algieri's win over Provodnikov and no one can blame them. It was a very close fight and the decision could have gone either way.

One thing's for sure though, you can question Algieri winning the contest but you can't question the way he fought in that fight. The way he survived two brutal knockdowns in the very first round. The way he rallied to get back into the fight with one of his eyes completely shut and swollen.

Algieri in his family's home in Huntington, New York. Photo: HBOsports via YouTube.

In the preview for the fight aired by HBO, fight fans got to see how Algieri segued into boxing after getting disappointed with the way professional kickboxers are getting paid.

Meet Vittorio Brumotti, One Of The Best Freestyle Cyclists In The Planet

When it comes to freestyle cycling, the Italian Vittorio Brumotti is a huge name. He is a superstar in the sport. He didn't become a World Champion and a 10-time Guinness World Record Holder for nothing. Here he is displaying in full his skills with his bike.

Tennis Stars Wow The Crowd At Roland Garros With An Impromptu Dance-Off

Professional tennis players Gael Monfils and Laurent Lokoki entertained the crowd at the French Open on Roland Garros Kids' Day not with their tennis expertise but with their dancing skills. With the French DJ Bob Sinclair providing the beats and the music, Monfils and Lokoki entered the center of the tennis court and engaged in a back-and-forth dance battle.

Lokoki impressed everyone with his robotic dance moves but Monfils clearly won the exchanges with the diversity of his moves which included a cartwheel, a somersault and a handstand. You can't blame the viewer on YouTube who said that "Monfils is in the wrong profession".

Man From Egypt Who Lost Both Of His Hands Plays Table Tennis With His Mouth

Ibrahim Hamato who is from Egypt lost both of his hands due to an accident when he was just 10 years old. But this didn't stop him from pursuing his love and passion for the sport of table tennis. Three years after the tragic accident, Ibrahim started playing the sport again by holding the paddle with his mouth.

Ibrahim was recently invited by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) as an honor guest at the ZEN-NOH 2014 World Team Table Tennis Championships held in Tokyo, Japan. Ibrahim had the chance to play against the best professional table tennis players in the world like Jun Mizutani, Wang Hao, Vladimir Samsonov, and Ma Long.

The Inspiring Story of a One-Legged Football Player

His name is Nicolai Calabria. He's known among family, friends, and fans as simply Nico. He was born without his right leg and hip but these did not deter him from doing the things that he loves. On his website, he says "I choose to focus on who I am, not what I have."

In a profile written by Meagan Priselac for Coca-Cola, Priselac had the following to say: "Playing for the U.S. National Soccer team and summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro are two accomplishments you likely wouldn’t expect to find on a 19-year-old's resume; especially one who achieved both of those impressive feats with only one leg.

But Nico Calabria, one of five amateur soccer players featured in Powerade’s 2014 FIFA World Cup campaign, is no stranger to exceeding society’s expectations. Born with one leg, Calabria’s perceived “disability” could have easily kept him on the sidelines if it weren’t for the support of his family."

Nico's story is indeed one that can inspire people to go out there and achieve the things they've always dreamed of. To not allow themselves to be imprisoned by things like fear or lack of a limb. Watch Nico's story unfold in the video below and be inspired.

Watch These Two Little Girls Fight In The Most Adorable Judo Fight Ever

This is going to steal your heart, guaranteed. These two adorable girls give it their all in a friendly match of judo. As young as they are, they are fully aware of the rules which include bowing to your opponent before another round begins. Sportsmanship and cuteness? This two-minute video has them both.

Kenyan high jumpers versus the rest of the world

When it comes to the sport of high jump, Kenyan athletes are among the very best in the world. People there can really jump. You can only fathom how good they are if you are to compare the height of their jumps against the rest of the world.

Here are Kenyan high jumpers.

And here's the rest of the world.