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Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mailbag: Is Henry Cejudo's career on the line at UFC Seattle?
What's really on the line for Henry Cejudo in Saturday's UFC Seattle main event? How did Jared Cannonier manage to pull out a win at the ripe old age of 40 last weekend? And will the addition of Chael Sonnen and Daniel Cormier be enough to revive viewership for the UFC's long-running reality show? All that and more in this week's mailbag. To ask a question of your own, hit up @benfowlkesMMA or @ Since Cejudo unretired he's lost both times he's fought and neither fight was that exciting. He's not in any title picture. UFC Fans and the UFC itself don't seem to like him that much so what's the deal here - just riding out a contract? — Scott Gray (@shadore66) February 18, 2025 @shadore66: Since Cejudo unretired he's lost both times he's fought and neither fight was that exciting. He's not in any title picture. UFC Fans and the UFC itself don't seem to like him that much so what's the deal here - just riding out a contract? First of all, let's pause the Cejudo bashing to remind ourselves that the two fights he's lost since returning from retirement were against current UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili and former champ Aljamain Sterling. Losing to those guys does not make you a garbage fighter. They are both, in fact, really good. I would also argue that the Dvalishvili fight was pretty fun to watch, mostly because of him picking Cejudo up and carrying him around like an unruly toddler. But still. Cejudo's initial retirement never seemed all that sincere to me. He walked away as double champ and almost immediately started dropping hints that the UFC could entice him back with more money. Trouble is, the UFC never seemed interested in getting him back. UFC CEO Dana White sounded like he'd already moved on by the time he showed up to the post-fight press conference. So of course he was always going to come back. And when he did, he got two very tough bookings right in a row. Now he's 38 years old and a long way from title contention. He's also, for the first time since returning, facing an opponent who doesn't have a super strong wrestling background. That should be an opportunity for him — if he's still got anything left in the tank. Don't get me wrong, Song Yadong is a good all-around fighter and a talented young athlete. But the Cejudo of five years ago would have run through him. If he can't do that now, he should probably consider returning to the rocking chair. Will DC and The Bad Guy be enough to make you watch TUF? — Conor (@NeedXtoseePosts) February 18, 2025 @NeedXtoseePosts: Will DC and The Bad Guy be enough to make you watch TUF? Absolutely not, but I will watch some highlights. That is to say, highlights of Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen coaching and quipping and doing all the other stuff. It's just the show itself I have no interest in, mostly because it's always the same thing we've already seen a million times. I actually really like the decision to have Cormier and Sonnen coach this season of 'The Ultimate Fighter,' though. For one, they both have a real interest in coaching. It's not just something they're being forced to do in order to promote an upcoming fight. They're also both charismatic and fun to watch, so that helps. But also? This way we don't take two top fighters out of the rotation for the sake of some reality series, all to build up to a fight that may or may not even happen. That alone is a win for "TUF." Cannonier put up the fight of his life this weekend. What other fighters have had names meant for fighting? Cannonier, Battle, Gunnar, etc. Also, what are the best old man/woman performances in MMA history? This one had to be up there. — Sabertooth Mummy King (@EyeofMihawk) February 18, 2025 @EyeofMihawk: Cannonier put up the fight of his life this weekend. What other fighters have had names meant for fighting? Cannonier, Battle, Gunnar, etc. Also, what are the best old man/woman performances in MMA history? This one had to be up there. As a gentleman of a certain age, I love seeing fighters turn back the clock with a little of that veteran savvy. If you stay in this sport long enough, you're going to watch some of your physical abilities drain away or at least diminish. That's just the facts. Unless you can replace that with knowledge earned through experience, you won't last. I think of late-career Alistair Overeem as a good example. He couldn't get by just on physical ability anymore. His game had to change, and it did. He became a more well-rounded fighter and a much smarter fighter. He won more fights than a man his age had any right to — even if they weren't quite as exciting as they had been in his younger years. Who of the current belt holders in UFC will maintain their grasp on it the longest? I've got an outsider bet on DDP. — Miles (@RandomHaikuGuy) February 18, 2025 @RandomHaikuGuy: Who of the current belt holders in UFC will maintain their grasp on it the longest? I've got an outsider bet on DDP. If Dricus du Plessis can get through Khamzat Chimaev — and that right there is one big if, not just for him but for anybody in that division — then we will have to start seriously talking about him as the greatest middleweight of the post-Anderson Silva era. And that is so, so wild to me. As for your question, I think both Alexandre Pantoja and Merab Dvalishvili could be settling in for long title reigns. Pantoja is already running short on challengers. Dvalishvili just schooled his biggest threat. So now what? Also, if Ilia Topuria weren't eyeing a weight class jump, I'd say he keeps the featherweight title for as long as he wants it. And if Alex Pereira can knock back the challenge from Magomed Ankalaev, I don't see there being anyone at light heavyweight who can seriously challenge this version of him. I'm feeling positive this week. I love listening to former fighters sitting down and talking. Rampage and Forrest Griffin was one recently I really enjoyed. Which two fighters would you love to have sit down and chop it up? — matthewpizana (@justlikelasagna) February 18, 2025 @justlikelasagna: I'm feeling positive this week. I love listening to former fighters sitting down and talking. Rampage and Forrest Griffin was one recently I really enjoyed. Which two fighters would you love to have sit down and chop it up? Fedor Emelianenko and Mirko 'Cro Cop' Filipovic and it's just an hour of them staring at each other before nodding respectfully and leaving. How many grapes do you think you could eat in one sitting? — José Youngs (@JoseYoungs) February 18, 2025 @JoseYoungs: How many grapes do you think you could eat in one sitting? About 4,000. But they have to come in the form of red wine. Does the GFL go the way of the IFL or does it have staying power? Too early to tell? — Titan Mars 🚀 (@titanmarsXS) February 18, 2025 @titanmarsXS: Does the GFL go the way of the IFL or does it have staying power? Too early to tell? We still don't even know for sure whether or not the GFL will manage to put on a single event. Everything about it at this point remains purely speculative. Let's see if anyone actually puts on GFL gloves and gets into a GFL cage. Then maybe we'll get some sense of where it's going. When did you first discover MMA and how long after did you decide to pursue a career in covering said MMA? — MJ Silverfang (@WorldsWorstHero) February 11, 2025 When did you first discover MMA and how long after did you decide to pursue a career in covering said MMA? I'm so old that I rented the first couple UFC events on VHS from the local Blockbuster Video some time around 1997. I was instantly captivated by the very concept of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and wanted to learn it. I finally got a chance when I went away to college at San Diego State a couple years later, and that proved to be my gateway drug to the world of MMA. I got into a little kickboxing and boxing, but grappling was always my first love. I moved to Montana for grad school in 2004 and started training with a local MMA team. I later wrote a story for the weekly newspaper about our town's first MMA event. That was the first piece of MMA-related writing that I ever got paid for. I think I got about $250, which I was pretty thrilled about. At the time I didn't think it was the start of a career because there really were no careers writing about MMA. The major sports outlets mostly chose to ignore it. I remember I once wrote an email to ESPN asking why they didn't cover MMA and they sent me back the late-night schedule for old kickboxing matches and karate demos. I was very lucky that I was sort of around and already writing about it for my own enjoyment just as media outlets started to wake up to the existence of MMA. I continue to be really lucky to still have a job writing about it. Some days I can hardly believe it.
Associated Press
13-02-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
MMI Announces Strategic Acquisition of MonitorBase, a Borrower Monitoring and Predictive Analytics Platform
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Feb. 13, 2025 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Mobility Market Intelligence (MMI), a leader in data intelligence and market insight tools for the mortgage and real estate industries, has acquired MonitorBase, a borrower monitoring and predictive analytics platform. This acquisition, following MMI's recent addition of Bonzo, a CRM and conversation platform, unites data intelligence, borrower monitoring, and automated engagement into a seamless, end-to-end system for mortgage professionals. By integrating these three platforms, MMI delivers The Ultimate Lead-to-Loan Growth System™, enabling lenders, loan officers, and mortgage professionals to identify high-intent borrowers and agents, engage them at the right time, and streamline client interactions with automation. A FULLY INTEGRATED GROWTH ENGINE FOR MORTGAGE PROFESSIONALS The combination of MMI, MonitorBase, and Bonzo transforms the way mortgage professionals operate by providing: Market Intelligence & Agent Targeting – MMI identifies top-producing real estate agents and key market trends, helping lenders and loan officers connect with the right partners. Real-Time Borrower Monitoring & Predictive Insights – MonitorBase tracks borrower credit behavior and mortgage readiness, giving lenders early signals of refinance and purchase opportunities. Automated Engagement & CRM Functionality – Bonzo simplifies borrower and agent outreach with AI-driven messaging, automated follow-ups including text messaging, and an intuitive CRM, ensuring no opportunity is missed. Together, these platforms turn data into action, allowing professionals to proactively engage prospects, strengthen relationships, and convert more leads with less manual effort. Learn more about the solutions here. TRANSFORMING BORROWER & AGENT ENGAGEMENT 'The acquisition of MonitorBase is another step in MMI's vision to build the most comprehensive, data-driven mortgage solutions available,' said Ben Teerlink, founder and CEO of MMI. 'By combining MonitorBase's borrower insights with MMI's intelligence and Bonzo's communication automations, we're giving mortgage professionals a competitive edge like never before. 'Our combined solutions are now able to notify our lenders what borrowers would benefit from what mortgage product and at what time they would be most likely to want to make that move. We communicate that information to our lender and begin to engage with the borrower for the lender automatically. It's a game changer and we couldn't be more excited!' 'We couldn't be more excited to join forces with MMI,' added Louis Zitting, founder and CEO of MonitorBase. 'We've always focused on helping lenders identify and engage borrowers at the right time,' added Louis Zitting, 'Now, with MMI's market intelligence and Bonzo's automation, that process is even more seamless and effective.' About MMI: Mobility Market Intelligence (MMI) is the industry's leading provider of real estate and mortgage data solutions, offering The Ultimate Lead-to-Loan Growth System™ through its powerful combination of MMI Data Center, MonitorBase, and Bonzo. This integrated platform connects data, automation, and engagement to help professionals maximize borrower and agent opportunities with precision and efficiency. By leveraging MMI Data Center's market intelligence, MonitorBase's predictive analytics, and Bonzo's CRM and marketing automation, users can seamlessly identify high-intent borrowers and top-performing agents, leverage real-time listing alerts, and launch preemptive refinance and equity campaigns—all from one ecosystem. Whether tracking mortgage-ready clients, verifying credit eligibility, or automating outreach, MMI's platform of products ensures lenders and real estate professionals stay ahead of the competition. NEWS SOURCE: Mobility Market Intelligence Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions, MonitorBase, Mobility Market Intelligence MMI, fintech, data intelligence and market insight tools for the mortgage and real estate industries, SALT LAKE CITY, Utah Send2Press® Newswire. Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: S2P124066 AP-R15TBLLI
