BLACKBOARD » e a number of comments about his new team, many of which

Each week, ESPN.com writer Brett Okamoto provides his take on the hottest topics in the world of mixed martial arts.This week, Okamoto squares off with former UFC middleweight contender and current analyst?Brian Stann to discuss all things MMA. Stann (12-6), a former WEC light heavyweight champion, retired in 2013 after a seven-year career.?1.?Is womens strawweight contender Paige VanZant a future pay-per-view draw for the UFC?Stann:?Yeah, I think she is. It would take her doing more things on network television, though. Its not going to be just from her fights. When she was doing Dancing With the Stars, in my regular day job my employees thought I was really cool because I had met Paige VanZant. Thats how big she got by doing that show. I call fights all the time. I come back on Sunday and on Monday, my employees couldnt care less. But Paige VanZant doing Dancing With the Stars? Theyre like, Do you know Page VanZant? Oh my God, what is she like? She really rose to prominence on that show.Theres something about her. She has that it factor and a win like her last one, in a fight she was not winning, to come out of nowhere and land that kick -- shes an athlete, a gamer and she has got the personality.Okamoto:?I think its too early to tell. Selling pay-per-views isnt easy. At any one time in the sport, there are (maybe) only three or four names that can consistently do so. Does VanZant have a lot of potential? Of course. Id be hard-pressed to find many prospects with more potential than VanZant, but in addition to showing up on other mainstream platforms, winning is a major piece to this. Her knockout over Bec Rawlings was spectacular and an example of what shes capable of athletically, but we still have no idea whether shell be a champion or not.The chips are falling into place for her to be a PPV draw, but so much more has to happen before she gets there. Id say her chances are 50-50 -- which, when you consider how rare PPV stars are, thats pretty high.2.?UFC president Dana White has hinted that?Jon Jones might be back soon in a fight against Anthony Johnson. With light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier also ready for a fight, what is the matchup to make?Stann:?I think its DC vs. Rumble [Johnson], and you do a rematch between Jones and Alexander Gustafsson. People have wanted to see that rematch for a long time and its a fight that would get Alex excited again.Having known Jon, I just think there needs to be something that helps this guy to stop taking things for granted. Regardless of what went wrong or what ends up being proven [with his UFC 200 failed drug test], he ingested something he should have known not to. At this point, people know, If Im going to take something, I need to make sure its clear. Jon continues to cost himself, the sport and the fans -- and I think allowing him to jump right back in and fight for a title -- while its definitely the fight that sells the most -- I think for his longevity, he has got to learn from this. It just seems he always finds a way out. Fighters are calling him Teflon Jon now. When that happens, you can fall back into that groove where you take things for granted and Id really like to see Jon not do that.Okamoto:?I have to agree with Stann. Stylistically, which fight would I want most? Probably Jones-Johnson. We havent seen it yet. I would like to see it, just like thousands of others would like to see it. But thats the problem with Jones in the past two years: We dont get to see him fight.Jones has the right to defend himself regarding the failed drug test -- well see how that all unfolds. But regardless of what happens with that, I have a hard time arguing against a fight between the champion (Cormier) and a deserving contender (Johnson) being next. And while the UFC promotes that matchup, I love Stanns idea of a rematch between Jones and Gustafsson. Even Jones has said he wants that fight again. Win-win.3.?Following Demian Maias submission win against Carlos Condit, who deserves the next 170-pound title shot, Maia or Stephen Thompson?Stann:?I think its Stephen Thompson. He has generated a ton of hype behind him. Blasting Johny Hendricks the way he did and then getting a dominant win over Rory MacDonald?--?maybe not as definitive as the Hendricks win, but Rory has been the next-best guy for some time now and Wonderboy [Thompson] handled him very well. I think he legitimately deserves the next shot.The run Maia has been able to put together is incredible, but I think its actually beneficial for him to wait. I think he matches up better against Wonderboy than he does against [current champion] Tyron Woodley. He should wait and see what the results are of [a Woodley-Thompson] fight; maybe hell end up getting a better stylistic matchup. Maia is a fighter and hes going to try to take out anybody, but with his game, I think it would be much more difficult to do that to Woodley than it would against Thompson. We dont know that for sure, but thats what Ive seen on tape.Okamoto:?What Maia has done during this six-fight win streak is basically unheard of -- fighting this level of competition and consistently taking essentially zero damage. But all these calls for a Maia title shot -- I think its people only remembering what they saw last. Thompson, to me, is the obvious choice for No. 1 contender. And thats nothing against Maia, its just the way it is.In 2016, Thompson has fought the higher-ranked competition and his seven-fight win streak is actually longer than Maias. I see no issue with Maia waiting, if thats what he chooses to do, but as I wrote in a piece earlier this week, I think thats a bit of a gamble. Its always dicey waiting for a title shot, especially in a division that is welcoming back names like Nick Diaz and (potentially) Georges St-Pierre.4.?Will former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis win the featherweight title at some point in his career?Stann: Yes. I think its an excellent move for him and typically, when guys make moves like this and go looking for a second run at another weight, I look at how many miles they have on them. I dont think Anthony has a lot of miles on him. He had some injuries, but those can be bad luck.I thought he was fighting bigger guys for a long time. Cutting down to 145, hes the same size he was at 155. I watched him warm up and talked to his camp. His coach, Duke Roufus, told me hes hitting just as hard at this weight and hes fast. What hurt him at 155 was that guy who could hold him against the fence and wrestle him, neutralize him. Thats going to be a lot harder to do at this weight. And when you look at the elite guys at 145 -- Conor McGregor, Max Holloway, Jose Aldo -- thats not their game. Thats not what they do. They typically prefer to stand and strike.Okamoto:?Tough one. Ill side with Stann and go, Yes. Pettis is such a skilled fighter, how can you bet against him? His path to a title shot wont be a long one -- nor should it be, really. The UFC will move him through the line quickly, based on his name value, and even though he did hit that 0-3 skid at 155, hed be deserving of a featherweight title shot with perhaps as little as one more win. Holloway shouldnt lose his place in line, but its hard to not get excited about a potential fight between Pettis and Aldo -- or McGregor, if the champ stays in the division.5.?Condit has publicly stated hes considering retirement. Should he do it? What is the most memorable moment of his career to date?Stann: Ive got no issues with Carlos retiring. He has been fighting for a long time. Once a fighter starts to think about it, its typically a good idea to hang it up. I think we have a tendency to try and stretch our careers too far. Carlos is a really bright guy who will have a lot more to do in life than fight. Hell be remembered as one of the very best of the welterweight division and one of the most fun fighters to watch, ever.The moment that sticks out to me was when I called his fight against Thiago Alves [in May 2015]. He was coming off a substantial layoff after he hurt his knee and he was rusty. It was one of those fights where I was saying, Alves looks sharp. Carlos just might not be able to turn the ignition tonight. Then, in typical Condit fashion, he lands a lead elbow that basically sends Alves nose up into his forehead. Carlos ends up winning and you see his face is covered with another mans blood and hes smiling. Hes looking out over the crowd, screaming, blood all over his face.Thats Carlos in the Octagon. Outside of it, hes nice as can be. Inside, hes a savage.Okamoto:?No opinion, really, on whether its time for Condit to hang them up. His ability to take a punch doesnt appear compromised, so hes not in jeopardy of becoming one of those fighters youre actually squeamish to see take a shot. If his fire has gone out, then by all means, thanks for the memories, best of luck in the next chapter. I have a hard time believing Condit will leave the sport off of that fight -- a loss to Maia that was so quick it barely felt like a fight had taken place at all. I could certainly see him being selective when it comes to accepting an opponent, though. It has to be a motivating fight in some way.Best Condit moment? The Dong Hyun Kim flying knee knockout stands out as his best finish. That moment was made for a poster on a kids wall. Cheap Air Max Wholesale . The nimble-footed quarterback got his wish, dashing through the snow and a weary defence all the way into the NCAA record book. Cheap Air Max China .Y. -- Sabres defenceman Tyler Myers had no intention of changing his hard-hitting style before taking part in a disciplinary hearing for his illegal check to New Jersey forward Dainius Zubrus head. http://www.cheapairmaxfromchina.us/ . The Americans, skipped by John Shuster, seized the advantage in the eighth end by scoring five points for a 7-3 lead. The Czechs pulled two back in the ninth, but Shusters team of third Jeff Isaacson, second Jared Zezel and lead John Landsteiner ended with another point to secure the last Olympic berth on offer. Cheap Air Max China Wholesale . Each of Houstons starters scored in double figures as the Rockets improved to 2-0 against the Spurs this season, with both victories coming on the road. They also moved within 3 1/2 games of San Antonio (22-7) for the lead the Southwest Division. Cheap Air Max Free Shipping . By having more great seasons. Manning was the only unanimous choice for the 2013 Associated Press NFL All-Pro team Friday. OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook had a simple response when asked about Kevin Durants recent comments lauding the Golden State Warriors for their selfless environment.Thats cute, Westbrook said. Cute.Durant was asked earlier this week why he chose the Warriors during free agency.I feel really grateful to play for a team like that and play with a bunch of players who are selfless and enjoy the game in its purest form, Durant said. They make it about the players, they make it about the environment, so it was really an easy choice.Westbrook, after being read Durants answer verbatim at shootaround on Thursday, was asked whether he felt like it was a shot at him or the Thunder organization.But my job is to worry about whats going on here, Westbrook said. Were going to worry about all the selfish guys we have over here apparently. So were going to figure that out.During the summer, Durant said he and Westbrook were cool. However, at media day, Westbrook disagreed, saying the two havent spoken since Durants departure.ddddddddddddurant has made a number of comments about his new team, many of which have been perceived to be underhanded shots at the Thunder, including saying the Warriors make basketball even more fun than it was.Durant, though, disagreed last week with the idea that hes slamming his former team.That book is closed. Im looking forward now, Durant said. All Im focused on is how we prepare here and how we have fun here every day. Its not a knock on Oklahoma City. Its not a knock on my past teammates. Im looking forward. Im not looking backward.Westbrook was asked Thursday whether its difficult not to take every comment Durant says as a jab at the Thunder.I dont care, Westbrook said. To me, it doesnt matter. My job is to worry about here. Honestly, Im really tired of talking about it. So, anytime anyone asks me another question, Im just not going to answer.The Thunder and Warriors play Nov. 3. ' ' '