Bellator Inks UFC Alum War Machine For Welterweight Division
by Josh Nason on Dec 8, 2011 11:00 PM EST
in Bellator News
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Bellator made an interesting move in their welterweight division, announcing the signing of former UFC fighter, former porn actor and former inmate War Machine Thursday.
The former Jon Koppenhaver (12-4) has been one of the sport's more infamous figures over the past few years, making a splash on the sixth season of The Ultimate Fighter. After a bloody Fight Of The Night win over Jared Rollins at the TUF 6 Finale, Machine was cut after a submission loss to Yoshiyuki Yoshida at UFC 84, mainly due to comments he made about the late Evan Tanner.
It's been a strange few years for the 30-year-old Machine.
- He legally changed his name to War Machine because a professional wrestler was using it as a nickname and the organization threatened legal action if he used it as well, claiming they had the trademark on it.
- He signed a deal with Bellator in 2009, but was released before making his debut after he made some controversial comments about President Barack Obama on MySpace. (Yes, there was a social network before Facebook that people actually used.)
- He announced that he was shooting his first porn scene in the fall of 2009. In December of that year, a warrant was issued for his arrest following an incident at a porn actress' birthday party where he got into an altercation with several party goers.
- He was arrested in both February and March 2010 for two incidents involving physical altercations in California bars. As a result, he was later sentenced for one year in jail for a felony assault conviction and was released this past July.
Something lost completely along the way during this insane stretch is that Machine picked up five straight wins on the regional scene and had finishes in all of them. Before going into jail, Machine had lost two of three but is already on the winning track following a November TKO win over fellow UFC and Bellator alum Roger Huerta.
No date was announced for Machine's debut, nor whether he has a slot in their Season 6 welterweight tournament. Here's hoping his next four years are a lot more kind than his last four.
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I have respect for you WarMachine
We’ve all lived lives other than the one we’re on now, & next time around. War on with bravery
Rome wasn't built in a day, but the backyards of Sodom were destroyed in a night
I have an advanced theological doctorate from the university of Bill O'Reilly technology institute, I can say whatever I want
I know that it is now his name, but it just seems weird to read about him and being referred to as “Machine.” He’s always been a nutcase, but he is a decent fighter. I don’t think that he’s great at any one thing in MMA, but he isn’t terrible at any one thing either.
Check out the C&D Channel on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/user/Gobusiness123 for MMA reviews, predictions, analysis, and other MMA related content.
He has elite level heart.
The dude WILL NOT TAP to chokes, ever.
Learn JiuJitsu.
Semper Fi'
I used to be an MMA blogger like you.....but then I took an arrow to the knee.
Lack of common sense does not equal heart
Unless you’re a planeteer.
"Now you see that evil will always triumph, because good is dumb."
by menckenstein on Dec 9, 2011 8:30 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Lack of common sense?
Why tap to a choke?
Learn JiuJitsu.
Semper Fi'
I used to be an MMA blogger like you.....but then I took an arrow to the knee.
i guess its because hes come from the Shamrock's Lions' Den and...
as i real this particular training camp really does train hard . I have read about people choked unconscious maybe tapping is not a question there ? :)
Besides i just new about him these days I like War Machine. I thought he is a maniac but really not i think he has other problems. It’s fun how people have even realised he is in the TUF 6 he was quite rarely shown, with which he couldnt really build a long lasting experience. But that was a BEAST fight in the TUF 6 i have never ever seen that.ano his other fights too some of which i am just to watch :)
guess who else is joining bellator?
Hint its a bantamweight
It doesn't matter what your name is!! The Rock will take your roody-poo candy ass to the corner of Know your role Boulevard and Jabroni Drive and check you in to the smackdown hotel!! If you smell what The Rock is cookin'!!
I don't know.....
I wouldn’t be surprised they re-sign Torres when they realize Torres’ joke was actually stolen from It’s Always Sunny.
"Last time a Russian hit a brother that hard, Ivan Drago killed Apollo Creed"- Some guy on Sherdog, referencing Fedor vs Rogers
Doubt it.
The Internets: Where there are no girls and men become children.
by Unabomberman on Dec 8, 2011 11:25 PM EST up reply actions
Same here
The UFC seems to have a pretty strict “Say you’re sorry” rule.
"You got Floyd Mayweather making 25 million dollars...he can't stop the double leg." - Nick Diaz
by Chris Groves on Dec 8, 2011 11:34 PM EST up reply actions
Did Hashad or Hogan apologize?
Actually, I don’t even remember what Joe said.
"Last time a Russian hit a brother that hard, Ivan Drago killed Apollo Creed"- Some guy on Sherdog, referencing Fedor vs Rogers
"Sorry"
Learn JiuJitsu.
Semper Fi'
I used to be an MMA blogger like you.....but then I took an arrow to the knee.
by RolloTomasi on Dec 8, 2011 11:48 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
holy cow
i forgot how hilarious that episode was.
sorryyyyyyyyyyyy
I'd like to see Torres fight Makovsky.
KEMvP
"You know Joe, if Keith Jardines last name was Johnson, the nickname 'The Dean of Mean' wouldn't work at all."
Gasp!
If your wife owes money to Jackie Treehorn... that means you owe money to Jackie Treehorn.
by John Danaher's Hair on Dec 8, 2011 11:35 PM EST reply actions
What did War Machine say about Evan Tanner? It’s referenced like everybody knows about it, but we all know anything more than 2-3 years old is ancient history
IIRC, he said something about how he probably killed himself because of how his career was going.
"Last time a Russian hit a brother that hard, Ivan Drago killed Apollo Creed"- Some guy on Sherdog, referencing Fedor vs Rogers
lol
wow
Learn JiuJitsu.
Semper Fi'
I used to be an MMA blogger like you.....but then I took an arrow to the knee.
War Machine said something stupid about Evan Tanner?
Twitter: @ProfessorBLove
MMA Blog: NothingElseMMAtters.wordpress.com
Stop by and say hi lol
by ProfessorBLove on Dec 8, 2011 11:42 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Not at all from what i remember
he wrote some blog or something about how he felt sorry for evan tanner because of the way his life was going. His explanation for how tanner died was that he felt his time was at an end and he wanted to go out in the desert and die peacefully. or something along those lines. as i recall, it was not disrespectful at all, rather insightful. I believe he pointed out how fighters dont make enough money to support themselves and it can have a real impact on their lives.
He signed a deal with Bellator in 2009, but was released before making his debut after he made some controversial comments about President Barack Obama on MySpace.
If anyone wasn’t sure about War Machine being a strange man, there’s your proof.
"The person who takes a dump on you isn't always your enemy, and the person who takes you out of the dump isn't always your friend."
I know right?
He was using Myspace in 2009? What a dork!
Learn JiuJitsu.
Semper Fi'
I used to be an MMA blogger like you.....but then I took an arrow to the knee.
He probably should've done gay porn
I hear it’s more money. He could probably stop fighting all together if he just had sex with dudes.
by Warbreezy on Dec 8, 2011 11:51 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Yeah....
but they’re harder to beat up at the after party.
by Detective Squirts on Dec 8, 2011 11:59 PM EST up reply actions
If you had sex with a guy
and you swore down it was strictly for money and that you were straight, would it really have been strictly for the money? I hear that male porn stars make a LOT more money doing guys than girls, but I just couldn’t fathom doing that even if the money’s good and still believe in myself that I was 100% straight, unless I was delusional or some shit I suppose.
Nothing against gays. I have 2 gay brothers and we’re cool as shit.
Anderson Silva, Edson Barboza, Jose Aldo, Charles Oliveira, Thiago Alves = Muay Thai wrecking machines!
by SentientAndroid on Dec 9, 2011 12:07 PM EST up reply actions
Wow! You just took the old “I’ve got black friends,” to another level. Two gay brothers? Holy shit! Statistically speaking, that’s pretty crazy.
lol I guess. One’s a bit more…out there and the other is more reserved, but you could definitely tell that he was.
Anderson Silva, Edson Barboza, Jose Aldo, Charles Oliveira, Thiago Alves = Muay Thai wrecking machines!
by SentientAndroid on Dec 9, 2011 4:09 PM EST up reply actions
I actually read some of his prison blogs, and they were surprisingly insightful
so good for him.
LeBron James - 0 Charles Barkley - 0 Karl Malone/John Stockton - 0 Sun Yue -1
The blogs were quite enjoyable
They made me see him as less of a character and more of a person. As you said, good for him.
I can’t call him War Machine. Just can’t. He’s Jon Koppenhaver to me.
Writer for Blistered Thumbs
Fabricio Werdum is not my father.
Follow @TheCynicsCorner
His momma named him Jon, Imma call him Jon
"The person who takes a dump on you isn't always your enemy, and the person who takes you out of the dump isn't always your friend."
I wonder what she calls him now
“Mom, don’t call me Jon in front of my friends, its WAR MACHINE now, god!!!” “Ok, sweetie. Finish your pancakes”
If you wanna throw down in fisticuffs, fine! I've got Jack Johnson and Tom O'Leary waitin' for ya...right here!
by ODBasyoucansee on Dec 9, 2011 12:44 PM EST up reply actions
um
He posted on his twitter that he will be in the tournament.
by OneFitchTwoFitchRedFitchBlueFitch on Dec 9, 2011 12:18 AM EST via mobile reply actions
Say what you want about War Machine's tainted past 4 years..
But his diaries while being in prison were pretty interesting..
Worth a read.
agreed.
i followed them all out of morbid curiosity and ended up really diggin them, even looking forward to his next entry.
by The Hashishin on Dec 9, 2011 1:40 AM EST up reply actions
links?
Anderson Silva, Edson Barboza, Jose Aldo, Charles Oliveira, Thiago Alves = Muay Thai wrecking machines!
by SentientAndroid on Dec 9, 2011 12:08 PM EST up reply actions
Well if nothing else it'll be interesting.
I’ll be rooting for him. He’s had it tough (some of it his own fault) but hopefully he gets stuck in and does himself justice in the tournament.
K-1 Level Predictions Team
WAR
…um… MACHINE
Tatum: I think he's a good man. I like him. I got nothing against him, but I'm definitely gonna make orphans of his children.
by Dave Strummer on Dec 9, 2011 8:37 AM EST reply actions 2 recs
War "War Machine" Machine, back in the limelight.
Good win over Huerta.
"Hi. I don't know you." - me
"Cigano punch my face...all the time." - Anderson Silva
WAR WAR
Wait, no.
WAR MACHINE
Crap, no, that’s his name.
WAR WHORE
I, er, WHORE WAR
WAR JON MACHINE
Spinning Fishes: WE SPINNIN' SO FAST WE LOOK LIKE REGULAR MOTHERFUCKIN' FISHES.
by Paulo Filho's Psychiatrist on Dec 9, 2011 9:05 AM EST reply actions
I'd give anything
to hear him introduced as War “Jon Koppenhaver” Machine.
by WheelieMonkey on Dec 9, 2011 11:35 AM EST up reply actions 4 recs
This
Except the announcer should be Rich G-man Goins.
War “Jon Koppenhaver” Machine ….
Spinning with the Fishes for the 2011/2012 BE Civil War. IT'S ON!
by wonderfulspam on Dec 9, 2011 12:53 PM EST up reply actions
Machine.
Spinning with the Fishes for the 2011/2012 BE Civil War. IT'S ON!
by wonderfulspam on Dec 9, 2011 12:54 PM EST up reply actions
i dont know this guy only you said he's worth an add on Twitter
So i just came to know of him about 15 minutes ago. This is scary …. is this guy half mexican or so? Because he doesnt seem a Koppenhaver to me… just curious. The guy seems totally BD mentally ill to me as to his actions. Is he? Here can i read his blogs?
I went to the presser for his Huerta fight
He was behind the bar, just standing there with a blank look on his face… I thought maybe he was acting as the bartender? So i tried to order a drink from him.
I'm the best ever, I'm the most brutal and vicious
And most ruthless champion there's ever been
There's no one can stop me, there's never been nobody who could -
I'm Sonny Liston, I'm Jack Dempsey, there's no one like me
I'm from their cloth, there's no one who can match me
Praise be to Allah!
by D Pad Jones on Dec 9, 2011 1:20 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
naw
He was waiting to take a picture with the waitresses or something. He came around and signed a poster and started going on about how he is not really eating red meat anymore…
I'm the best ever, I'm the most brutal and vicious
And most ruthless champion there's ever been
There's no one can stop me, there's never been nobody who could -
I'm Sonny Liston, I'm Jack Dempsey, there's no one like me
I'm from their cloth, there's no one who can match me
Praise be to Allah!
BTW
Phil Baroni was at their weigh in’s cuz he did color commentary at the fight, and he seemed genuinely thrilled when I asked for his autograph. or maybe it was cuz I called him “Mr. Baroni”
I'm the best ever, I'm the most brutal and vicious
And most ruthless champion there's ever been
There's no one can stop me, there's never been nobody who could -
I'm Sonny Liston, I'm Jack Dempsey, there's no one like me
I'm from their cloth, there's no one who can match me
Praise be to Allah!
LOL :D
Lucky you are. Would love to attend these events myself too. One thing i always wanted to know. Does Zuffa own Bellator too on some point?
uh. no.
Theyre separate entities.
I'm the best ever, I'm the most brutal and vicious
And most ruthless champion there's ever been
There's no one can stop me, there's never been nobody who could -
I'm Sonny Liston, I'm Jack Dempsey, there's no one like me
I'm from their cloth, there's no one who can match me
Praise be to Allah!
this guy War Machine seems to me seriously troubled
of course this doesnt mean he is no fun or his fights… wow that he doesnt slap..thats kinda suicidal or i dont know …ill? :D
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