Author: Adam Hill

Teixeira Is More Than Hype; Should Get ‘Shogun’ with Win over Te Huna

If Glover Teixeira’s hype were a publicly traded stock, then Jim Cramer would be screaming like a madman to buy it bullishly. Since making the jump to the bright lights of the UFC, Teixeira has slowly built up a head of steam in the light heavywe…

If Glover Teixeira’s hype were a publicly traded stock, then Jim Cramer would be screaming like a madman to buy it bullishly.

Since making the jump to the bright lights of the UFC, Teixeira has slowly built up a head of steam in the light heavyweight division. And in that time, the Brazilian has gone from a relatively unknown entity to a budding star on the world’s biggest MMA stage.

After Teixeira destroyed Fabio Maldonado in his second bout at UFC 153, it appeared that he was set for a collision course with a potential contender.

In the post-fight press conference, UFC President Dana White  told MMA Weekly where Teixeira stood in the division, stating that, “He’s going to have to fight one of the top guys before we start talking about title shots.”

In January, Teixeira chalked up a decisive unanimous-decision victory over former light heavyweight champ Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. The fight gave him a win over an opponent with marquee name value, but it would be disingenuous to say that “Rampage” was in top form.

Regardless of this concession, Teixeira’s performance alone should have earned him the opportunity to be paired against a legit top-10 opponent in his next fight.

Originally, Teixeira was supposed to take on Ryan Bader at UFC 160, but Bader pulled out of the fight with an unspecified injury. Now he is scheduled to fight James Te Huna in the third fight of the pay-per-view card.

Te Huna is currently riding a four-fight win streak in the UFC. Most recently, he thumped Ryan Jimmo in a pretty lopsided bout, but that certainly doesn’t put him in the upper echelon of the division.

Okay, so riddle me this, Batman.

If Glover Teixeira is the No. 4 light heavyweight in the UFC’s official standings, then why on God’s green Earth is he fighting the unranked Te Huna?

Even if one believes that Teixeira’s placement is over-inflated, this fight still makes absolutely no sense for him. What does he achieve if he beats Te Huna? Nothing.

At best, it is a lateral move for Teixeira. A victory puts him no closer to getting a crack at the belt. On the other hand, a loss would be devastating to his title hopes, especially given the fact that he’s already 33. This is a no-win situation.

Right now, Teixeira exists in the nebulous world of hype. People are buying into the promise. The Brazilian has shown glimmers of greatness, but it’s impossible to know if it is for real without him actually fighting a top-level guy. Until that happens, everything else is purely conjecture.

The UFC needs to stop messing around and give Teixeira an opponent that will put his skills to the test. Then fans will finally see if he has what it takes to be a serious contender in the light heavyweight division.

A matchup with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua would be perfect follow-up for Teixeira after he runs through Te Huna on Saturday.

“Shogun” is already set to take on Antônio Rogério Nogueira at UFC 161 in June. This fight is a rematch of their battle in the 2005 Pride Middleweight Grand Prix quarterfinal.

Teixeira and Rua also already have a “history.” This stems from Rua supposedly stating—according to Dana White in a postfight UFC on FX interview—that he would prefer to be cut from the UFC than fight Teixeira at UFC on FOX 4. Rua disputed that in an interview with Tatame that was reposted on SB Nation.

According to White, the reason “Shogun” and his managers didn’t accept the fight was because:

[Teixeira’s] not top 10. But then we offered him Brandon Vera and he took it in two seconds – and Vera isn’t top 10 either.

Rua ended up defeating Vera via TKO in the fourth round. 

Now nearly a year later, the two fighters find themselves in similar positions. Teixeira is riding an 18-fight win streak and “Shogun” is sporting a record of 3-4 in his last seven bouts; however, they are in the mix at 205.

The fighters would bring similar styles to the Octagon. They are both effective strikers and submission artists with a combined 36 finishes between them. “Shogun” has been involved in some epic wars over his career, and a fight with Teixeira has all the makings for another classic.

A win over “Shogun” would still probably put Teixeira at least one more quality fight away from a title shot, but it would go a long way in proving that he is more than just hype.

And if Teixeira can finish Rua in spectacular fashion, it will be difficult not to consider him a true force to be reckoned with in the light heavyweight division. 

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The Career-Defining Moment of Each UFC Middleweight Champion

In 2000, the New Jersey Athletic Control Board started regulating mixed martial, arts instituting stricter rules and more weight classes. The UFC added the new divisions, including middleweight, starting with UFC 31 back in 2001.  For the better p…

In 2000, the New Jersey Athletic Control Board started regulating mixed martial, arts instituting stricter rules and more weight classes. The UFC added the new divisions, including middleweight, starting with UFC 31 back in 2001.  

For the better part of a decade, Anderson Silva has lorded over the UFC’s middleweight division. 

However, prior to “The Spider’s” domination, there were four other men who had the distinct honor of holding the middleweight title. 

These fighters have all made an indelible impression on the landscape of the middleweight division. 

This is a list chronicling the defining moment of each champ’s career. These are the moments that not only epitomize the fighters’ determination, but also their warrior spirit. 

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Vitor Belfort’s ‘Phenomenal’ MMA Legacy in Dispute

The concept of creating a legacy is something unique unto humankind—an extension of our collective mortality.Vitor Belfort has built his legacy atop a series of highlight-reel finishes.And “the Phenom’s” knockout of former Strik…

The concept of creating a legacy is something unique unto humankind—an extension of our collective mortality.

Vitor Belfort has built his legacy atop a series of highlight-reel finishes.

And “the Phenom’s” knockout of former Strikeforce middleweight champ Luke Rockhold at UFC on FX 8 may very well be the most impressive of his career.

Midway through the first round, Belfort threw a spinning heel kick that Rockhold never saw coming. It landed flush on his chin. After a few follow-up punches, the ref jumped in to save Rockhold from further punishment.

The finish earned Belfort Knockout of the Night honors and it is easily an early contender for Knockout of the Year.

With his second straight victory over a top-level divisional opponent, Belfort finds himself surging through the middleweight ranks.

However, at 36, Belfort’s age-defying accomplishments have been seriously called into question.

He tested positive for elevated testosterone levels after his unanimous-decision loss to Dan Henderson at Pride 32 in 2006.

A dark cloud of skepticism has hung over his career ever since.

The level of suspicion reached a crescendo following Belfort’s head-kick KO of Michael Bisping back in January. After the fight, the UFC announced that Belfort was receiving testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).

Other fighters including Chael Sonnen, Frank Mir and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson have also been granted waivers for TRT.

Even though TRT is currently legal, many still equate the highly controversial procedure to cheating.

The order of life dictates that as a man ages, he experiences a natural decline in his testosterone levels. This drop leads to obvious decreases in strength, speed and agility.

The reintroduction of testosterone into the system not only helps to negate these losses, but also further delays the aging process.

Not surprisingly, Belfort has been cagey about the TRT issue and relatively dismissive of the subject altogether.

While TRT definitely doesn’t turn the user into Superman, it is hard to argue with the perceived effects it has had on Belfort’s career.

Over a four-year period from 2002-2006, Belfort was in a 4-6 slump and looked like he may be finished in the MMA.

He lost to Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz and dropped two fights to the light heavyweight version of Alistair Overeem.

But after returning from a nine-month suspension stemming from his positive steroid test, Belfort has looked like a fighter reborn. He’s gone 9-2 in his last 11 fights, only coming up short against Anderson Silva and Jon Jones.

Belfort has ripped through the rest of his opponents with ease, finishing seven of the bouts by way of knockout.

The win over Rockhold puts him at the front of the line in a division seemingly bereft of ready talent. From the UFC’s standpoint, it is hard to argue with this scenario.

There are few fights for Belfort to take aside from a possible matchup with Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, who defeated Chris Camozzi via arm-triangle choke on the same FX card.

However, it is more likely that he will play the waiting game to see who comes out on top in the championship tilt between Silva and up-and-comer Chris Weidman at UFC 162.

While Weidman’s top-notch wrestling may give him a good shot at dethroning Silva, one would wager a guess that Belfort is hoping that “the Spider” successfully defends his belt for a record 11th time. 

In their first meeting at UFC 126, Silva knocked out Belfort with a front kick to the face.

It’s safe to assume then that Belfort would relish the opportunity to fight Silva again. If “the Phenom” could hand the Brazilian his first loss Octagon loss, it would really put an exclamation point on his career.

But even with UFC gold around his waist, it remains to be seen how fans will ultimately view Belfort‘s MMA legacy.

Perhaps he will be remembered fondly for his accomplishments inside the cage, or maybe he’ll be harshly tossed on the trash heap and dismissed as just another “cheater.”

I guess only time will tell. 

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Imagining a UFC Without Anderson Silva, Jon Jones or GSP

The many-worlds interpretation is a scientific theory of quantum mechanics that purports that all past and future histories are not only possible, but are actually simultaneously existing in a limitless number of parallel universes.   There i…

The many-worlds interpretation is a scientific theory of quantum mechanics that purports that all past and future histories are not only possible, but are actually simultaneously existing in a limitless number of parallel universes.   

There is a variance in the degree of difference between universes. For some it may be slight, while other universes may be the diametric opposite of our own perceived reality.

If this concept is applied to the the realm of mixed martial arts, it opens up a veritable smorgasbord of possibilities. Hypothetically, there is a universe out there in which Tim Sylvia still holds the UFC heavyweight belt.

What is even crazier to consider is that there is a universe where Anderson Silva, Jon Jones and Georges St-Pierre have never stepped foot inside the Octagon?

Imagine it. 

Silva never knocked out Vitor Belfort with a Seagal-style front kick to the face. Jones never defeated Mauricio “Shogun” Rua  to become the youngest champ in UFC history. GSP never pummeled B.J. Penn so badly that his corner was forced to throw in the towel.

One now is left to wonder what kind of impact their non-existence would have on the UFC and more importantly the entire mixed martial arts world.

To state it bluntly, their absence would be absolutely devastating.There are many talented and skilled fighters currently under the UFC banner, but none of them possess the magnitude of those three men.

Silva, Jones and GSP represent the trinity. They are the three greatest pound-for-pound MMA fighters in the world. 

Their very existence has defined the UFC and superseded the bounds of MMA. Each has played a gigantic part in growing the UFC brand worldwide and turning it into the mainstream juggernaut it is today.

That is not to say the UFC would cease to exist without them, though it is likely that the organization would not be nearly as successful. 

In Brazil, the fertile crescent of MMA, Silva is perhaps the most famous face and a real driving force behind the explosion of amazing talent coming out of South America.

Up in the land of hockey and hospitality, St-Pierre has given a similar rise to a growing number of great Canuck fighters, including potential future welterweight champ Rory MacDonald.

And Jones looms large as the evolutionary mixed martial arts fighter. “Bones” is so athletically gifted that he could compete in any sport he desired. Both of his brothers play football in the NFL, yet he chose MMA.

Jones is the first in a line of next generation MMA athletes that will propel the sport to greater heights in the near future.

Each fighter also has a legion of rabid fans that equals millions of dollars for the UFC in pay-per-view buys, merchandising and advertising. Regardless of who they are fighting, fans cannot help but hand over their hard-earned money to watch them throw-down.

Sure, some may argue that with these giants lording over their prospective weight classes, there is a lack of parity in these UFC divisions. 

And that is a totally valid point. When Michael Jordan played with the Bulls, prior to his first retirement, there was always the feeling that no other team had a snowball’s chance in heck.

The same could be said of those fighters who have the huevos to stand across the cage from Silva, Jones or GSP. There is the sneaking suspicion that no one will be able to defeat them. This inevitably could lead to fan boredom.

However, it is better to think of these fights as reminders of what is so great about sports. To see a person do something so amazing that it literally stretches the bounds of human achievement and compels those watching to utter the magical words, “Did you just see that?”

Silva, Jones and GSP do something highlight-reel worthy every fight. And what is even more astounding is that they make these difficult feats look downright ordinary. 

In this writer’s humble opinion, the UFC landscape would be a dark, barren place without the likes of Silva, Jones and GSP to light the way. Yes, other worthy champions would exist in the void left by their absence, but none could equal their transcendent aura.

Luckily, like George Bailey, that horrible alternate reality is not our own and MMA fans are blessed enough to know that for the foreseeable future Silva, Jones and GSP will continue to enthrall us with their performances inside the cage.

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Why Ronda Rousey Will Lose Her Belt to Cat Zingano

Since nearly breaking Miesha Tate’s arm to capture the Strikeforce women’s bantamweight strap back in 2012, Ronda Rousey has been on a meteoric rise to superstardom.After Strikeforce folded earlier this year, Rousey was named the UFC’s first women’s ba…

Since nearly breaking Miesha Tate’s arm to capture the Strikeforce women’s bantamweight strap back in 2012, Ronda Rousey has been on a meteoric rise to superstardom.

After Strikeforce folded earlier this year, Rousey was named the UFC’s first women’s bantamweight champ. 

Rousey successfully defended her belt in the organization’s inaugural women’s bout at UFC 157. She finished challenger Liz Carmouche, as most predicted, via first-round armbar.

At The Ultimate Fighter 17 finale, Cat Zingano took on Tate for not only the No. 1 contendrship, but also the opportunity to coach opposite Rousey on the upcoming 18th season of TUF.

Tate looked strong early, but Zingano weathered the storm.

“Cupcake” faded in the third round, and Zingano unleashed a barrage of vicious knees that put an end to her night. The victory put “Alpha’s” record at a perfect 8-0.

Many MMA fans feel that the female fighter with the best chance of defeating Rousey is fellow Olympian Sara McMann.

However, Zingano showed in her scrap with Tate that she has all of the intangibles to unseat Rousey and become the undisputed queen of the women’s bantamweight division.

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Does the UFC’s Win-Now Culture Hurt Developing Fighters?

Yes. That’s the simple answer.The UFC is currently not in the business of building fighters, but rather acquiring bona fide stars from other promotions that are already marketable.With an increasing number of events airing on pay-per-view and the …

Yes. That’s the simple answer.

The UFC is currently not in the business of building fighters, but rather acquiring bona fide stars from other promotions that are already marketable.

With an increasing number of events airing on pay-per-view and the Fox family of channels, it is imperative that the UFC has a fully stocked stable of fighters that can headline these cards.

Not only do the fighters need to be thrilling inside the Octagon, but they also need to be able to properly hype the bout in order to guarantee that fans will tune in. The UFC’s livelihood relies on a consistently healthy viewership in the form of pay-per-view buys and higher television ratings

So it’s in the promotion’s best interest to make fights that the average MMA fan would be willing to plunk down $54.99 to watch even if the matchups sometimes fly in the face of common sense.

And this seemingly arbitrary manner in which fights are made is one of the biggest criticisms people have of the UFC.

The promotion builds fights in a top-down manner where fighters with greater fan appeal will leapfrog those that may have more consecutive wins under their belt, but lack the name recognition.

In February, the UFC implemented a fighter ranking system for each weight class, but even that has not helped in streamlining the way matchups are made.

Nick Diaz still got a fight with GSP even after coming off not only a loss, but also a year-long suspension for a failed drug test.

Gilbert Melendez was granted a title shot against Benson Henderson in his very first fight in the UFC.

And most egregiously, middleweight Chael Sonnen was paired against light heavyweight terminator Jon Jones in a fight where the champ was a massive favorite.

These fights were made under the illusion that they were matchups that fans were clamoring to see even though there were fighters (Johny Hendricks and Alexander Gustafsson) much more deserving of those title shots. 

Now not only is it difficult to get a title shot, but the UFC also doesn’t have a real system in place for maturing fighters before they make their Octagon debuts. Instead, the fighters are thrown to the wolves and expected to survive. It is a trial by fire that few escape from unscathed. 

The Ultimate Fighter started out as a way for the UFC to fill its ranks with a new crop of talent, but it has turned into nothing more than an extended commercial for the upcoming bout between the two (often feuding) coaches.

The first season of the show in 2005 was a landmark moment for the UFC that not only gave the average viewer their first taste of mixed martial arts action, but also provided the promotion a viable set of quality up-and-coming prospects.

The epic fight between Stephan Bonnar and Forrest Griffin at the first TUF finale was actually one of the main contributing factors to keeping the sport from potentially collapsing in the United States. 

As UFC president Dana White has said “It’s the most significant fight in UFC history” (via Ray Hui, MMAFighting.com).

Of the 16 fighters on the original cast, eight have had fairly long and successful careers in the UFC. Most of them, including Josh Koscheck, Nate Quarry, Diego Sanchez and Kenny Florian, even eventually earned shots at a championship belt.

And three years after defeating Bonnar via unanimous-decision, Griffin became the first TUF alumnus to capture the UFC light heavyweight strap.

Since then, the talent on the show has greatly decreased, leaving the winners ill-equipped to handle the higher level of competition in the UFC.

Consequently, the vast majority of fighters in the UFC are never able to crack the top 10 or even get a whiff of that elusive title shot. This, coupled with the fact that the UFC is currently cutting fighters with greater regularity, leaves most stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard place.

For every fighter like Jones who can run the gauntlet and emerge as a homegrown talent, there are a hundred others who get ground up by the UFC machine and spit back out onto the regional circuit.

Right now, the UFC may be living high off the hog, but for the promotion to continue growing it is important that it develops its younger fighters to guarantee a successful future.

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