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UFC 178 card is stacked with compelling fights

By WTOP Staff

GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer

For any of those mixed martial arts fans who complain the UFC has been watering down its recent pay-per-view cards, UFC 178 is an awfully potent response.

The MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas will host several compelling fights Saturday night in a show stacked with prominent names and interesting stories. A touted UFC newcomer, a grudge match, several charismatic stars, an ex-champion on the rebound, a contender returning from tragedy — it’s all here.

Flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson’s title defense against Chris Cariaso is the main event, but Johnson (20-2-1) hasn’t even been the focus of the promotion.

Instead, Vegas and Southern California are festooned with billboards promoting former Bellator star Eddie Alvarez’s UFC debut against Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, or Irish featherweight sensation Conor McGregor’s much-hyped meeting with Dustin Poirier.

The main card also includes crowd-pleasing middleweights Tim Kennedy and Yoel Romero, along with the return of bantamweight Cat Zingano. Even the deep undercard includes big names to mixed martial arts fans, with Dominick Cruz and Patrick Cote both attempting to kick-start their stalled careers.

UFC 178 is stacked even after losing its main event last month. Jon Jones injured his knee while training to defend his light heavyweight belt against Daniel Cormier in the promotion’s most anticipated upcoming fight, which has been postponed to Jan. 3.

The MMA world has been waiting years for Alvarez (25-3) to extricate himself from Bellator, watching the protracted legal conflict that played a role in limiting him to just one fight — a sensational bout with Michael Chandler — in the last two years.

“I feel like the timing couldn’t be better,” Alvarez said. “I feel like the last 10 years was me building the confidence, learning how to be a champion, losing, winning and just experiencing everything. Now I think I’m primed and ready to be on a big stage.”

The entertaining lightweight from Philadelphia finally got his release last month, and the UFC immediately matched him up with Cerrone (24-6), the beer-drinking, waterskiing good-ol’-boy from Colorado who seemingly never has a boring fight.

Cerrone even said he has never watched Alvarez fight — a claim that would be greeted skeptically from anybody except Cowboy.

“I’m more excited than the fans,” Cerrone said. “He’s been a top lightweight for years now. It’s not like he has to come here to prove himself.”

McGregor (15-2) has become a big name in just 18 months with the UFC, and the trash-talking, egocentric Irishman’s charismatic personality would be a huge help to the UFC’s attempts to promote its lower weight classes — as long as he keeps on winning.

Just nine weeks after he stopped Diego Brandao in Dublin, McGregor returns for his biggest test yet against Poirier (16-3), another title contender on a three-fight winning streak. The fighters have traded acerbic verbal jabs for two months.

“I looked him in the eyes and I saw fear,” McGregor said of his staredown with Poirier. “I saw a broken man. I could look through his soul when I looked into his eyes. … I see a basic fighter with a weak chin and a weak heart.”

“He’s a jerk,” Poirier said of McGregor. “He’s full of himself, and I’m going to beat him up, plain and simple.”

UFC 178 is so stacked that Cruz (19-1), once one of the sport’s biggest lower-weight stars, is featured in the preliminary fights on Fox Sports 1.

Cruz won the WEC bantamweight championship in 2010 and carried it over to the UFC after the promotions merged, but hasn’t fought since beating Johnson in October 2011, sidelined by serious injuries to his knee and groin.

The 29-year-old Cruz missed three years of his prime with injuries, while Zingano is returning to the cage for the first time since she missed a shot at Ronda Rousey for the women’s bantamweight title.

Zingano earned it by upsetting Miesha Tate in April 2013, but she injured her knee and returned slowly from a difficult stretch that also included her husband’s death in January. If Zingano beats Amanda Nunes, UFC President Dana White says she’ll be the No. 1 contender for Rousey’s belt again.

Johnson is a heavy favorite against Cariaso in arguably the biggest mismatch at UFC 178, but Johnson isn’t taking his fifth title defense for granted.

“I’m going to go out there and get a win and come out healthy,” Johnson said.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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