Author: Adam Wells

CM Punk vs. Mickey Gall: Latest Comments, Reaction After Fight Announcement

More than one year after signing with UFC, former WWE superstar CM Punk finally has an opponent for his mixed martial arts debut. 
Mickey Gall, who defeated Mike Jackson by submission at UFC Fight Night 82 on Saturday, has been given the task of c…

More than one year after signing with UFC, former WWE superstar CM Punk finally has an opponent for his mixed martial arts debut. 

Mickey Gall, who defeated Mike Jackson by submission at UFC Fight Night 82 on Saturday, has been given the task of challenging Punk, per UFC President Dana White: 

An official date for Punk’s UFC debut has not been set, but Damon Martin of Fox Sports noted White said after the event the company is targeting UFC 199 in June, which will be headlined by Chris Weidman vs. Luke Rockhold for the middleweight title. 

Speaking to reporters after his first UFC fight was confirmed, per MMA Fighting, Punk referred to himself as a mystery because this is uncharted territory for him:

While Punk’s MMA skills are certainly a mystery, especially since he’s beginning his professional fighting career at the age of 37, Gall is a bigger unknown by virtue of most people having never heard of him. 

The 24-year-old doesn’t have an extensive professional resume, with his win Saturday just the second of his career, and it happened during the UFC Fight Pass portion of the preliminary card, but he’s oozing confidence. 

Gall told Martin after the win what he expects to see happen against Punk: “I’m excited to fight a superstar. I’m going to beat up a superstar. I’m excited for that.”

Ben Fowlkes of USA Today also posited a theory that Gall’s quick victory over Jackson may have worked to his advantage moving forward:

Bryan Alvarez of Figure Four Weekly did question the way UFC decided to start promotion for Punk’s debut:

It’s a valid question because Punk immediately becomes one of the best-known names in UFC by virtue of having been in WWE for nearly a decade. MMA fans don’t often like comparisons to WWE because the latter is a sport with predetermined outcomes, but UFC is also a business. 

While there’s no doubt that Punk’s debut will get a bigger push from UFC as the fight date approaches, the official announcement of his first fight should have been treated like a bigger deal than just a staredown on Fight Pass. 

Looking ahead to the actual fight, Punk’s age has been a talking point in the past, with White saying on the Grant and Danny Show in Washington, D.C. (per Martin), prior to Saturday’s event that there’s no set plan for the former WWE champion after his first match:

So CM Punk was a wrestler in the WWE, he was a big fan of the UFC and he ended up leaving the WWE and he said ‘Dana, my dream is to fight in the UFC, I want to fight in the UFC, will you let me fight?’ so we’re giving him a fight. We’re bringing in a kid who has obviously a little more experience than he does, if he wins this fight this Saturday he’ll be 2-0 and Punk is 0-0. We’ll see how it goes for him. He will decide what he wants to do after that.

This is certainly a special circumstance for UFC and Punk. He’s going to be unfairly compared to Brock Lesnar due to being a former WWE superstar transitioning into mixed martial arts. 

Lesnar moved to MMA at the age of 29 in 2006, honed some of his skills in K-1 and then signed a deal with UFC. He also came into the sport at a time when UFC’s heavyweight division was in a state of transition, with stars like Randy Couture and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira entering the twilight of their respective careers. 

Punk is nearly a decade older than Lesnar with zero in-ring experience outside of his training and is fighting in a loaded welterweight division. He could easily make this a one-and-done event just to say he fulfilled a lifelong dream, which may be anticlimactic for fans given all the hype around his arrival 14 months ago.    

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Ronda Rousey Hasn’t Watched Tape of Holly Holm Fight

It’s been more than two months since Ronda Rousey suffered her first career loss against Holly Holm at UFC 193, but the former women’s bantamweight champion has not stopped to look at footage from the match. 
Speaking to Brett Okamoto of ESPNW.com…

It’s been more than two months since Ronda Rousey suffered her first career loss against Holly Holm at UFC 193, but the former women’s bantamweight champion has not stopped to look at footage from the match. 

Speaking to Brett Okamoto of ESPNW.com, Rousey’s coach, Edmond Tarverdyan, said his fighter may never watch video from her knockout defeat.

It’s not about wanting to watch, it’s about whether or not the timing is right or if it’s even necessary. 

I know how to speak to Ronda. I know Ronda very well. She doesn’t need to watch that fight. The fight is over. It’s about what we’re doing now. It’s my job to watch the footage and I’m dedicating everything I have to Ronda’s rematch with Holly.

Every athlete is different in their process before a game or match and afterwards. Tarverdyan has been with Rousey long enough to know what she needs to do before getting back in the Octagon.

Tarverdyan also accepted blame for Rousey’s loss due to some criticism she received after the November bout, with Okamoto specifically citing Rousey’s mother speaking out against her daughter’s coach. 

“I’m taking the blame,” Tarverdyan told Okamoto. “I’m OK with that. I know what reality is. I accept reality. Reality is people will talk all kinds of unnecessary stuff. As long as my fighter believes in me, I believe in my fighter and we’ll move on from there.”

Even though Tarverdyan mentions a rematch between Rousey and Holm, the match has not been officially announced. Holm will be defending the women’s bantamweight title against Miesha Tate on Mar. 5 at UFC 196. 

The assumption before Holm took the bout with Tate was that UFC would pit the champion against Rousey at UFC 200, but Tarverdyan told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne that Rousey has film commitments and needs more rest after fighting three times last year. 

It’s fashionable to overreact when a seemingly unstoppable athlete loses. Holm happened to be better on that particular night and earned her victory. Rousey doesn’t need to dwell on what happened in order to get revenge in her rematch. 

The 28-year-old superstar will be mentally and physically ready for her rematch with Holm, whenever that takes place.   

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Matt Mitrione Injury: Updates on UFC Star’s Eye and Return

UFC heavyweight Matt Mitrione will require surgery to repair his right eye that was severely damaged by two eye pokes in his Jan. 17 matchup against Travis Browne.  
According to Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com, Mitrione is scheduled to have his …

UFC heavyweight Matt Mitrione will require surgery to repair his right eye that was severely damaged by two eye pokes in his Jan. 17 matchup against Travis Browne.  

According to Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com, Mitrione is scheduled to have his broken orbital bone repaired next week. 

Continue for updates. 

Mitrione ‘Unsure’ of Recovery Time

Friday, Jan. 22

Speaking to Helwani in the same report, Mitrione said he does not have a return timetable, but he did add good news because his eye is “non-weight bearing and has significant blood flow.”

During an appearance on Helwani’s podcast The MMA Hour on Tuesday, Mitrione did express frustration with how things were handled by the referee and officials during his fight with Browne after the second time he was poked in the eye. 

“It shouldn’t be up to me, the guy who lives his life to compete to make a decision,” Mitrione said. “It should be up to the commission, the doctors and the referee to realize the dude is fighting with one eye closed, and he’s complaining about seeing double.”

Mitrione’s right eye became a social media sensation on Sunday night when it looked like someone stuffed a rubber ball under his skin, as this post from his Twitter account after the fight shows (WARNING: IMAGE IS GRAPHIC):

As horrific as the injury was, Mitrione also praised the job UFC officials did taking care of him. He would end up losing the bout against Browne in the third round by TKO, his second consecutive defeat, adding insult to the injury. 

Fortunately, Mitrione sounds optimistic about how his early recovery has gone and will hopefully be back in the Octagon very soon so that his eye isn’t the final image fans have of him for the rest of his mixed martial arts career. 

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Cris Cyborg vs. Daria Ibragimova: Invicta FC 15 Live Stream, Card and Prediction

A huge year in mixed martial arts is off to a fantastic start that promises to continue on Saturday night with Invicta FC 15 featuring Cris Cyborg seeking her fifth straight win as she takes on Daria Ibragimova in her debut bout with the promotion…

A huge year in mixed martial arts is off to a fantastic start that promises to continue on Saturday night with Invicta FC 15 featuring Cris Cyborg seeking her fifth straight win as she takes on Daria Ibragimova in her debut bout with the promotion.   

Cyborg continues to reinvent herself with Invicta FC, winning her two featherweight title matches in 2015 with first-round TKOs. The 30-year-old is 14-1 (one no-contest) in her career and has only had to go past the first round once in her last five matches. 

Ibragimova is the great unknown heading into Saturday’s matchup. She has an impressive 9-1 career record with seven submissions and knows how to finish early with just two of her 10 matches going past the first round. 

 

Schedule

 

Fight Card

 

Livia Renata Souza vs. DeAnna Bennett

The co-main event features two undefeated fighters doing battle for the strawweight title. Livia Renata Souza is the champion putting her belt on the line against DeAnna Bennett. 

Souza, who is 8-0 with seven career submissions, is still fighting to get credit despite being the Invicta FC strawweight champion. She is currently sitting outside ESPN.com‘s top 10 women’s pound-for-pound rankings. 

Her resume hasn’t been stacked with elite competition yet, though she told Matt Erickson and Christian Stein of MMAJunkie a jump to UFC is her goal with a win on Saturday: 

It’s any fighter’s dream to go to the UFC. I’ll do my part within Invicta. I believe that with this fight, which could be my last one in Invicta, I’ll be able to showcase my skills with a successful title defense. And if (UFC President) Dana White and (CEO) Lorenzo Fertitta believe that I deserve a chance in the UFC, I’ll be ready at any moment.

Bennett is a more methodical and technically proficient fighter than Souza. Of her eight wins, four have come via decision, including three straight. That does bode well for her chances if this becomes a long fight, as Souza‘s history with long fights isn’t that extensive. 

The 24-year-old Souza is clearly a star on the rise. She has higher aspirations than just being the Invicta FC champion, which gives her additional motivation necessary to avoid complacency. 

Souza also has more ways to win a fight. She has yet to knock an opponent out, but her extensive submission resume proves how strong her ground game is. Bennett hasn’t been able to end a fight since September 2014, a span of three bouts. 

All of Souza‘s momentum is building toward a spot in UFC’s strawweight division later this year, so expect her to come out of Invicta FC 15 with her ninth straight victory. 

 

Cris Cyborg vs. Daria Ibragimova

The main event is very much a battle of the unstoppable force and the immovable object. Cyborg has been like a tidal wave since returning from her performance-enhancing drug suspension and joining Invicta FC in 2013, needing 91 seconds to win her last two matches. 

Ibragimova is a submission artist who lives on the ground, though she does have one knockout to suggest she can trade punches. However, standing with Cyborg is not a wise strategy for anyone to use. 

The Russian-born Ibragimova has praised Cyborg’s fighting style leading up to the match, telling Rob Tatum of Combat Press this matchup is something she has dreamed about. 

“She has long been an idol for me,” Ibragimova said. “She completes her fights early, and I love to do everything quickly. … I wanted to fight Cyborg. This is my long-cherished dream. I wanted it and our team went for it. This is the logical continuation of my sports path.”

Cyborg has reached that place—at least in Invicta FC—where Ronda Rousey was prior to her bout with Holly Holm in November. She hasn’t lost a fight since her debut in 2005 and is the best knockout artist in the women’s division that it’s impossible to bet against her at this point. 

While neither Cyborg nor Rousey would likely view being compared to each other under any circumstance as a compliment, these are the two biggest female stars in mixed martial arts right now. 

Cyborg seems to be building toward a UFC deal, setting up an inevitable match with Rousey at some point. She’s not going to let Ibragimova stand in her way on Saturday. 

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UFC 195: Latest Lawler vs. Condit Fight Card Predictions and Projected Winners

UFC rings in the new year with a showdown between Robbie Lawler and Carlos Condit, two of the best knockout artists in mixed martial arts, for the welterweight championship at UFC 195. 
Lawler has been on fire since losing to Johny Hendricks in Ma…

UFC rings in the new year with a showdown between Robbie Lawler and Carlos Condit, two of the best knockout artists in mixed martial arts, for the welterweight championship at UFC 195. 

Lawler has been on fire since losing to Johny Hendricks in Mar. 2014, winning four consecutive fights and two by TKO, highlighted by a rematch with Hendricks at UFC 181, which he won by split decision to capture the welterweight title. The 33-year-old does not have a subtle fighting style, ending 20 of his 26 career wins by knockout. 

Condit can be as fun and exciting as any fighter in UFC, but that style leaves him open to attacks. He lost three of four bouts from Nov. 2012 through Mar. 2014, suffering a torn ACL against Tyron Woodley at UFC 171. The former interim welterweight champ got an impressive win over Thiago Alves in his return last May to earn this shot at the title. 

 

Main Event Preview

Condit has changed his style with age. The 31-year-old used to be a submission specialist, but he has not won a bout by making an opponent tap out since Feb. 2008 in his fourth fight with World Extreme Cagefighting. 

There’s perhaps a reason for Condit’s shift in style because he’s not a great takedown fighter, especially compared to Lawler’s all-around style. 

Nothing about the way either competitor attacks anymore suggests this fight will end with a submission, though Lawler would get the edge if things do end up on the ground. 

Condit has taken notice of what Lawler has been doing during his four-fight winning streak, telling reporters (per Dave Doyle of MMAFighting.com) Lawler is more dangerous than UFC’s most famous welterweight. 

“Georges, he wasn’t as dangerous but he did have his aura about him,” Condit said. “He had this mystique. Robbie not so much, but he’s the more dangerous fighter.”

Georges St-Pierre wasn’t necessarily a fighter who scared opponents. He dominated for six years through precision and technique before taking a leave of absence in Dec. 2013. Lawler is not afraid to throw a superman punch or flying knee, though he’s hardly a loose cannon in the Octagon. 

In particular, Lawler is able to land significant strikes as well as anyone in mixed martial arts. According to Jeff Wagenheim of Sports Illustrated, citing FightMetric stats, Lawler has landed 723 significant strikes in his career (sixth-most among UFC welterweights ever). 

One notable difference between the two fighters, as noted by ESPN.com’s Brett Okamoto, is the way they go about attacking on offense even though both are stand-up specialists.

“Condit is a medley of offense, but when he finds something effective he’ll pour it on (i.e. leg kicks against Nick Diaz, standing elbows against Thiago Alves),” Okamoto wrote. “Lawler is a good enough fighter to make in-fight adjustments though, so Condit will need every bit of his versatility.”

That “medly of offense” is something that can hurt Condit because there’s a reckless quality to him, which helps explain why he is just 2-3 in his last five bouts despite having as much raw talent as anyone in the welterweight division. 

Lawler is a safer fighter than Condit in a lot of ways, but he’s also going to come after anyone who stands in his way with a heavy barrage of punches that bring enough power to knock even the most strong-jawed opponent out. 

 

Main Event Prediction

Condit is the kind of fighter who is hard to bet against, even when he’s going through a fallow period, because all he has to do is land one of those big strikes that everyone knows is coming to score a knockout. 

A puncher’s chance is the greatest equalizer in combat sport because knockouts can happen in the blink of an eye. Just ask Jose Aldo after he took a shot from Conor McGregor at UFC 194. 

Yet there’s something about the way Condit fights, combined with his lack of activity over the last 21 months (two rounds), that makes Lawler more than just a favorite.

Lawler is an underrated champion because there’s no bombast outside of the Octagon. He’s just a fighter who takes care of his business and goes home. Lather, rinse, repeat. The formula will continue on Saturday night. 

Lawler wins via fourth-round TKO (Punches)

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Frankie Edgar vs. Chad Mendes: Winner, Recap and Reaction from TUF 22 Finale

A matchup worthy of a pay-per-view main event was given to the fans on free television, with Frankie Edgar defeating Chad Mendes by technical knockout in the first round of their featherweight showdown at The Ultimate Fighter 2…

A matchup worthy of a pay-per-view main event was given to the fans on free television, with Frankie Edgar defeating Chad Mendes by technical knockout in the first round of their featherweight showdown at The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale on Friday night. 

Mendes was in need of a victory after losing two of his last three bouts, albeit both defeats were in title fights against Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor.

Edgar, who came into this battle ranked as the No. 2 featherweight by UFC.com, has been steadily building himself back into title contention with three straight wins and could have earned himself a shot at the winner of Saturday’s Aldo-McGregor matchup at UFC 194.

Here’s the full list of winners from the TUF 22 Finale at Las Vegas:

 

Edgar and Mendes came out in the first round sizing each other up, waiting to pick their spots. Mendes was opportunistic with his kicks, landing multiple shots to Edgar’s lower half. He tried going for a big haymaker about two minutes in, but Edgar slipped out of the way.

Just when it seemed like Mendes was going to be in control, Edgar stunned the former featherweight title contender with a hard right-left combo that sent Mendes crumbling to the mat less than three minutes into the opening round. 

Fox Sports UFC provided the highlights of Edgar’s knockout win through its official Twitter account:

ESPN’s Ryen Russillo tweeted out a simple, perfect response to the fight’s stunning early conclusion:

It certainly wasn’t the way anyone would have predicted Edgar to win. He’s not a known for having knockout power, with just five of his 19 wins coming into Friday ending via knockout or TKO, his last one coming against B.J. Penn in 2014 after Penn came out of a 19-month retirement.

Per Fox Sports commentator Ariel Helwani, even Edgar seemed to be shocked by the way things ended:

In a potentially cruel twist of fate for Edgar, which he noted after the match, per MMAFighting.com, UFC president Dana White wasn’t around to see his impressive performance:

The “give it to me” that Edgar refers to is a title shot, which was mentioned earlier. It does seem like the 34-year-old has earned his spotlight match with his fifth straight win, including Friday night’s victory against the No. 3 ranked featherweight. 

USA Today‘s Ben Fowlkes speculates about what Edgar could be doing on Saturday night if the Aldo-McGregor match goes a certain way:

A McGregor win would work to Edgar’s advantage because the two have never met in the Octagon. Aldo defeated Edgar at UFC 156 in what was Edgar’s first fight at featherweight, so White may not be so keen to give him another title shot if Aldo walks away victorious at UFC 194. 

According to ESPN Stats & Info, this marks the first time Mendes has ever lost in a non-title fight. His career record is 17-4 with two losses to Aldo, one to McGregor and now Edgar. 

Given Mendes’ track record in major fights against top-tier featherweights, it is fair to wonder how high his ultimate ceiling goes. There’s no doubt the 30-year-old is one of the best 145-pound fighters in the world, but at some point he has to start beating the fighters ranked ahead of him to maintain his spot. 

While Mendes does have time to think about what his next move will be, Edgar will be keeping a close eye on Aldo and McGregor on Saturday. UFC needed a future challenger for the featherweight title to step up. 

Edgar held up his end of the bargain and deserves the next title shot at some point in 2016, regardless of who the opponent might be. 

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