Abmeldung » Its always disappointing when weather wreaks havoc

Chael Sonnen is coming back to the cage, and hes doing it with Bellator.Sonnen, a former UFC fighter who announced his retirement from mixed martial arts in 2014, signed a multiyear, multi-fight deal with Bellator, the promotion company announced Thursday night.Sonnen, 39, said he hopes to begin in November by taking on fellow UFC alumnus Tito Ortiz, but he says hell begin the next chapter of his career with no other preferences about opponents, fight locations or even weight classes.I want to fight right now, and I dont fight in any weight division, Sonnen told The Associated Press. I fight at gangster weight. Wherever the competition is, I will show up. [Bellator president Scott] Coker has got guys under contract from 185 to 205. Hes signing guys at heavyweight. If hes got guys that want to fight, then lets fight.Sonnen, who serves as an MMA analyst for ESPN, has fought for the UFC middleweight and light heavyweight titles during a tumultuous MMA career, narrowly losing a memorable matchup with then-middleweight champion Anderson Silva. He also honed world-class fight promotion skills that turned him into a pay-per-view draw.Sonnen hasnt fought since a first-round knockout loss to Rashad Evans on Nov. 16, 2013, and received a two-year suspension in 2014 for failing a drug test.He announced his retirement after that positive test, which wasnt the first of his MMA career. He repeatedly denied interest in returning to the sport, instead starting a family and beginning a career in commentary and podcasting over the past two years.When asked Thursday why hed insisted he wouldnt make a comeback, Sonnen said: Im a heel. Heels lie.There might have been a blink of the eye where I thought it was time to transition behind a desk, but for the most part, I never meant it, Sonnen said. I was never prepared for it. I knew I was coming back, and there were more guys to beat up. ... I appreciate that you all read the book, but I can see that I left a few chapters out, so its going to continue.Sonnen had been a devoted UFC fighter, with two stints and 14 fights for the promotion company since 2005. He reentered the USADA testing pool earlier this year, a required precursor to fighting in the UFC, whose anti-doping policy is administered by the USADA. Sonnen remained vocally supportive of the UFC during his suspension, but Bellator apparently made a financial offer he couldnt resist.When asked why he chose Bellator, Sonnen solemnly joked, Zero apostrophe S, referring to a large financial offer.Chael is an incredible athlete that has competed at the very highest levels of the sport, and I know that he is going to continue to do just that here at Bellator, Coker said.He has that entertainer X factor that cant be taught. When we were talking, Chael was adamant that he wants to compete in three divisions here. He already has unfinished business with Wanderlei Silva, but he also wants to fight Tito Ortiz, Fedor Emelianenko and even Rory MacDonald at middleweight. These are all fights that Id be very inclined to watch, so hopefully we can put some, if not all, of these matchups together.Ortiz, Silva and MacDonald are former UFC stalwarts who moved to Bellator in recent years, along with former UFC champion?Benson Henderson?and other well-known names. Emelianenko, 39, is widely considered the best?heavyweight in MMA history, but he has fought only twice since 2012.Sonnen said he wont ask for a specific opponent beyond Ortiz, but he intends to fight early and often with Bellator.I signed with Bellator a matter of minutes ago -- theyve got a card in Austin tomorrow, and Im that Im not on it, Sonnen said in reference to Bellator 161, which pits Cheick Kongo against Tony Johnson in the headlining heavyweight bout.Bellator 161 and most of the promotions fights largely air on Spike TV, although a Sonnen-Ortiz matchup seems to be a possible pay-per-view candidate. While the fight isnt set, Sonnen said he would love to take on Ortiz, the fighter known as the Huntington Beach Bad Boy?who has been with Bellator since 2014.The Bad Boy versus the Bad Guy in November, and thats a quote, Sonnen said.Sonnen said he believes he can jump back into competition quickly. He has sparred aggressively during his time off, even setting mock fight dates to prepare.But as far as dealing with the competition and the adversity and the pain and the things you have to go through to be successful, I havent done that, Sonnen said. My body still feels good, and Im still having some good moments in the practice room. Everything is fine. Ive had some personal bests. But as far as going in there and actually doing it, youve got to have those reps. Im jonesing. November cant get here quick enough.The Associated Press contributed to this report. 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SPRINGFIELD, N.J. -- Jimmy Walkers first major victory at the 98th PGA came with some stiff pressure after Jason Days eagle on the final hole cut Walkers edge to one shot.So which moments will be the lasting memory from 2016s final major? Our extended panel of experts share their take on Sundays finish.1. More impressive, a wire-to-wire win for Walker or sinking that putt on the 72nd hole to seal the victory?SportsCenter anchor Matt Barrie:?You cant have the wire-to-wire victory without making the putt on the 72nd hole. Walker stood in the fairway on 18 and watched Jason Day eagle, only to hit an errant second shot and get up and down. The putt won him his first major. Wire-to-wire was the result.SportsCenter anchor Jonathan Coachman:?A wire-to-wire win. The final putt on 18 was not that difficult. Leading after every round with all of those big names on your heels is hard to fathom, especially when you have never won a major before. I also thought that a bogey-free round was nothing short of remarkable with that kind of pressure and the amount of holes played on Sunday. He was rock solid, which was impressive.ESPN.com senior golf analyst Michael Collins:?The wire-to-wire victory. Making a three foot putt to win is stressful to watch but theres a reason player look surprised when they miss. Cause it doesnt happen often. Winning wire-to-wire while sleeping on a lead every night is so much harder, thats why it doesnt happen often especially in majors.ESPN.com senior golf writer Bob Harig:?Going wire to wire. Walker had been mostly a non-factor this year. You hardly saw his name. He missed two cuts in majors and he was on nobodys list to win this week. Even after the first-round 65, did anyone figure hed be there at the end? It was a strong week.ESPN.com senior national columnist Ian OConnor:?The wire-to-wire win. For a 37-year-old man who had never finished in the top five of a major to keep his concentration through the stops and starts of a wet week, and across a 36-hole Sunday finish, was a hell of a feat. I mightve felt differently if Walker needed a 1-putt to avoid the playoff.ESPN.com senior writer Kevin Van Valkenburg:?Definitely the wire-to-wire win. Its so hard to win a major when you have to sleep on the lead every night. Walker never blinked after his opening round 65. Usually the PGA Championship is volatile because there are a lot of birdie opportunities out there. Its easy to get run down by a hot putter. Making that 3-footer was nice, but he has made a million of those over his career. That was just the cherry on a long week.2. Fact or fiction: Jimmy Walker wins another major title in his career.Barrie:?Fact. He has had the game since he burst onto the scene in 2014 with his first career win. Winning a major takes the doubt out of his mind and game that seemed to always show up come major time. I dont think we have a Dufner-Keegan-Webb one timer.Coachman:?Fiction. Its so hard to win a major. And for Jimmy Walker, he has not exactly been beating on the door of a major very often. And as he is closer to 40 than 20, it will not get any easier. But he definitely has the talent and in 2016 I dont think anyone would have picked any of the major champions with the exception of Dustin Johnson. So heck, I dont know if I am right. But Jimmy Walker certainly hopes I am.Collins:?Fact. Jimmy will win one more before hes done with his PGA Tour career. Hell win another PGA.Harig:?Fiction, only because its so hard to do, there are so many players who can win them, and nothing is ever guaranteed.OConnor:?Fiction, much as I hate to say it. Jason Day, Dustin Johnson, and even Henrik Stenson are more likely to join the multiple major club in the near future. Walker shouldnt fret about it. Some pretty damn good players (example: Fred Couples) before him ended up with only one major. Golf is hard, as they say. Winning is harder.Van Valkenburg:?Ill say fiction. Its really hard to win majors, and Im not sure I believe Walker is an elite player. He has never been particularly accurate off the tee, and hes a good putter but not a great one. He had a great stretch two years ago when he won four times in 18 months and finished in tthe top 10 of three majors, but since then, his results in majors (until this week) have been pretty dismal.dddddddddddd Maybe this will spark something in him, but I think this might be his one shot at glory.3. Jason Day nearly rallied for the win. What kept him from defending his title at the PGA Championship?Barrie:?His shaky start on Sunday. Day would love to have the first hole back when he started with bogey. Late in his final round it appeared he made some wrong club choices that kept his birdie putts from too long a distance to score routinely, and he still had a shot. Eliminate the front nine mistakes, and he likely repeats.Coachman:?He had two bad nines this weekend and going backward at the start of his final round really hurt. Day is so good about rebounding from early bogeys, but when you are dealing with so many solid players, even one bogey can hurt you. Look at Walker; he did not have one bogey and he won by a stroke. Thats how close these tournaments are and for Day it cost him on Sunday.Collins:?The missed birdie putt at the 17th hole. Baltusrol is known for its greens being very hard to read and Day misread that putt. It also didnt help that his first 18 holes on Sunday, even though Day was bogey free, he managed only one birdie on the back nine.Harig:?The slow start to the fourth round ultimately doomed Day. He bogeyed two of the first three holes and was never able to recover on a day where there werent many birdies to be made. He hung in there, but was unable to ever catch Walker.OConnor:?That missed birdie putt at 17. If Day makes that, and it was ultra-makeable, he forces a playoff and I believe he wins that playoff. Hard to believe Day didnt win a major this year. I could see him winning five or six before hes done.Van Valkenburg:?Jimmy Walker. I dont think there is much Day could have done differently. That 2-iron he hit into the 18th green, had it forced a playoff, would have gone down as a legendary swing. With Rory McIlroy feeling lost on the greens and Jordan Spieth dealing with the added burden of expectations and fame, its clear Day is the most consistent player in the big three. Hopefully he and Dustin Johnson will create some excitement in the FedExCup.4. Ten years from now, what will you remember most about this week at Baltusrol?Barrie:?Walkers birdie out of the trap on 10 and Jason Days two iron from 280-plus on the par-5 18th. Both of those were championship golf shots. And in the end, Walker capped off the 2016 major season as the fourth first-time winner.Coachman:?I will remember how many big names were fighting for this title. And how the rain caused the course to become much easier. And that part is disappointing. When you have lift, clean and place rules in effect, its hard to have mishits and big scores. But the drama was still there. And thats all I care about as a fan and as a viewer.Collins:?The weather bullet we dodged on Sunday. Everyone from players, caddies, and media was planning on being in New Jersey until Tuesday after the weather that hit Saturday and the forecast we all saw. How we got off the hook ?? Well be talking about that for a long time.Harig:?The negativity. The crankiness. The weather. Playing just two weeks after The Open really turned into a tough deal for the PGA, which had a hard time getting its due so soon after. And then the weather issues and a diminished Baltusrol led to a marathon that will be remembered more for getting done than for who won.OConnor:?Rain. Never in my life have I been more shocked that a golf tournament finished on a Sunday night. Still have no idea how Baltusrol and the PGA of America did it. Never mind Monday; I was clearing my schedule for Tuesday.Van Valkenburg:?Mostly the rain. Its always disappointing when weather wreaks havoc with a major, but seball Jerseys[/url] ' ' '