Carlos Condit did what he had to do in order to defeat Nick Diaz at UFC 143. He should be celebrating his victory and the interim welterweight championship. Instead, UFC president Dana White announced on Twitter that Condit agreed to a rematch wit…
Carlos Condit did what he had to do in order to defeat Nick Diaz at UFC 143. He should be celebrating his victory and the interim welterweight championship.
Instead, UFC president Dana White announced on Twitter that Condit agreed to a rematch with Diaz. No date or location has been set for the fight yet.
There are conflicting reports about whether the fight will even happen. Cesar Gracie, who manages Diaz, told MMA Junkie that the rematch is not happening.
However, the fact that Condit even agreed to it in the first place is a ridiculously shortsighted move on his part. You have to appreciate his fighting spirit and willingness to put his match with Georges St-Pierre on the line, but he is risking a lot by doing this.
Condit has his unification bout with Georges St-Pierre, who is expected to return from a torn ACL later on this year, set. He can stand toe-to-toe with the best welterweight fighter in the world to determine who is the one true champion.
In addition to being able to fight for the undisputed championship, he is risking a lot of money in the process. St-Pierre is the biggest draw that UFC has now that Brock Lesnar has retired.
Shows that St-Pierre headlines do well over 800,000 pay-per-view buys. No other fighter in UFC comes close to that level.
Condit’s payout for a main event fight with St-Pierre would be significantly higher than any amount of money he has received in the past. He is not a draw on his own, so he needs all the help he can get selling shows.
Condit and Diaz did have a close enough fight at UFC 143 that a rematch makes sense to determine who really is the better fighter, but Condit stands to gain nothing by doing it. He will get respect in the mixed martial arts community, so if that is what he is looking for, then more power to him.
In the best interest of his career, a rematch with Diaz is a mistake. He might win again, and if he does, this argument is moot, but you never put the biggest fight of your career on the line against someone that you have already beaten.
UFC has gotten great mainstream exposure this year thanks to its new contract on FOX, and the two events that have been run on the network. However, there is no excuse for the company to schedule a show against the Summer Olympics and hope that it is a…
UFC has gotten great mainstream exposure this year thanks to its new contract on FOX, and the two events that have been run on the network. However, there is no excuse for the company to schedule a show against the Summer Olympics and hope that it is a ratings success.
It was announced on Tuesday that UFC would run a show on August 4 in Los Angeles. This year’s Olympics get underway on July 27, with the Opening Ceremony in London.
The problem with the show is not that they can’t attract an audience to watch, but whether it will be big enough for network television. They need casual fans to tune into the show, and if the choice comes down to UFC or the Olympics, most casual sports fans will choose the latter.
The UFC hasn’t shied away from the Olympics in the past. UFC 110, which featured Cain Velasquez taking out Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in the first round, aired against the 2010 Winter Olympics. Georges St. Pierre defended his belt against Jon Fitch at UFC 87 on the second night of the 2008 Summer Games.
But unless the company is going to put one of its biggest attractions—Georges St-Pierre, Jon Jones, Anderson Silvain the main event of a free show and forego all the money they would make on a pay-per-view, it is going to be hard to sell this show.
St-Pierre probably won’t be healthy enough to fight in August. Silva is fighting Chael Sonnen at a Brazil show in June, so he won’t be ready to fight.
Jones could be available, since his next scheduled bout is with Rashad Evans on April 21. Depending on how that fight goes, he could be ready to fight in three months.
Other than those three fighters, who is going to draw the casual fan? Junior dos Santos is a great fighter, but he does not have the personality needed to sell a fight.
UFC is trying to make a statement going head-to-head with the Olympics on network television, but it is one that is going to backfire on them. The company would have been better off scheduling a pay-per-view, because all they have to do is bring in hardcore fans for it to be successful.
Getting 4-5 million viewers watching a show on FOX is a much taller task. Unless the company is able to put together one of the best cards in recent memory, it is not going to happen.
For the first time since 2008, the UFC welterweight championship will be up for grabs without Georges St-Pierre in the red corner. Nick Diaz will challenge Carlos Condit for the interim championship at UFC 143 on Saturday night. Diaz talked his wa…
For the first time since 2008, the UFC welterweight championship will be up for grabs without Georges St-Pierre in the red corner. Nick Diaz will challenge Carlos Condit for the interim championship at UFC 143 on Saturday night.
Diaz talked his way into a title shot after defeating B.J. Penn last October, but the knee injury to St-Pierre forced Condit into this spot. Diaz is bring an 11-fight winning streak into this bout. He wants to send a loud, clear message to St-Pierre.
Condit originally had a title shot against St-Pierre set for this show, but when Diaz decided to call out St-Pierre, UFC president Dana White changed the match. Condit wasn’t happy, but he got thrown back into the spotlight when St-Pierre went down. This is his moment to make his presence felt in the welterweight division.
Where: Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, NV
When: Saturday, Feb. 4
Watch: Facebook undercard fights start 7:00 p.m. EDT; Preliminary Fights air at 8:00 p.m. EDT on FX; Main Card fights air at 10 p.m. EDT on pay-per-view; online pay-per-view streaming (must pay $44.99) at UFC.tv, Yahoo! Sports, UStream, Android or iPhone.
Fight Card
Main Card
Interim Welterweight Championship bout: Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit
Heavyweight bout: Roy Nelson vs. Fabricio Werdum
Welterweight bout: Josh Koscheck vs. Mike Pierce
Bantamweight bout: Renan Barao vs. Scott Jorgensen
Middleweight bout: Ed Herman vs. Clifford Starks
Preliminary Card (FX)
Featherweight bout: Dustin Poirier vs. Max Holloway
Welterweight bout: Matthew Riddle vs. Henry Martinez
Bantamweight bout: Alex Caceres vs. Edwin Figueroa
Welterweight bout: Matt Brown vs. Chris Cope
Preliminary Card (Facebook)
Welterweight bout: Dan Stittgen vs. Stephen Thompson
Middleweight bout: Rafael Natal vs. Michael Kuiper
Diaz’s Keys To Victory
Use superior boxing skills to wear Condit down; work the fight to the ground in the later rounds.
Diaz is one of the best boxers in all of mixed martial arts today. He has changed his fighting style in recent years, not using his wrestling as much as he used to. Rest assured that it is still in his arsenal if he wants to use it.
He can’t get too cocky heading into this fight, because Condit does have the skills to match up with him. He needs to stay focused on the task at hand in order to become the interim welterweight champion.
Condit’s Keys To Victory
Use technical skills and deep arsenal of submissions to frustrate Diaz.
Condit doesn’t get the credit that he deserves for being one of the best welterweight fighters in the world, mainly because he does not have the flashy personality that someone like Diaz does.
That being said, he is dangerous. He is a skilled stand-up fighter with good power in his kicks and punches, and he can work a fight to the ground in order to get a submission if he wants to.
What They Are Saying
Nick Diaz is going to talk about anyone, anytime. Carlos Condit has seen Diaz’s antics up close and personal, and he does not care for the way the controversial fighter goes about business.
I’ve never met the guy, so honestly I don’t have much of an opinion. I think that we’re fortunate to be doing what we’re doing for a living. We get paid to train, we get paid to fight, and we get paid to do what we like to do. I think he’s got kind of a bad attitude when it comes to being grateful for the position he’s in. But other than that, like I said, I don’t really know the guy.
Diaz is a paranoid human being, but his attitude does leave a lot to be desired. He is not easy to work with, as evidenced by the shenanigans last October that cost him his title shot against St-Pierre.
Undercard Fight To Watch: Dustin Poirier vs. Max Holloway
Holloway is an unknown newcomer to the sport, boasting just a 4-0 record. He does not have an impressive resume yet, but in mixed martial arts all it takes is one fight to make a career.
Poirier is making a lot of noise in the featherweight division. He has won 11 of his 12 career fights, including his first three in UFC. He is moving up the 145-pound division quickly, and could put himself in line for a title shot with an impressive showing.
Main Event Prediction
This is Diaz’s time to shine. He wants to be the big star in UFC, believes that he is better than St-Pierre, feels slighted that he has to do battle with Condit to win a title and will take out his frustrations on anything that moves.
Condit is a terrific fighter. He poses a serious threat to Diaz because he is so effective in a number of different areas.
Still, there is too much going in Diaz’s favor not to pick him in this fight.
UFC president Dana White has never been shy about speaking his mind on any topic. It is his best and worst quality as the face of a major sports organization, but his latest outburst against the group that hacked the UFC.com website is going to get him…
UFC president Dana White has never been shy about speaking his mind on any topic. It is his best and worst quality as the face of a major sports organization, but his latest outburst against the group that hacked the UFC.com website is going to get him into a lot of trouble.
Earlier this week, a group of hackers broke into the UFC.com server and redirected users to a different site. They were upset that UFC was supporting the Stop Online Piracy Act and wanted to do something to show their frustration.
White has responded by daring the group to keep messing with him and the website.
Here is a portion of what White had to say, via USA Today:
Keep hacking our site. Do it again. Do it tonight.
You know what’s happening is? These guys look like terrorists now, and a bill that was about to die is about to come back. …
I’m not afraid of the Internet. I love the Internet. It’s fun to get on there and cruise around and stuff. I’m not afraid of you.
You want to keep hacking our site, go for it. Watch what happens. You’re hurting yourself.
The hackers responded to White as all good Internet attackers do: With an anonymous video posted on YouTube.
White is a tough guy, and he is trying to show the world how tough he is by talking down to these hackers. However, there has to be a point where you keep things in house so as to get to the bottom of the whole incident without causing further damage to your website.
Remember, the people being hurt by this whole thing are the fans trying to access the site. If the problem persists, they could just stop trying to go to the website altogether.
Whether you support the bill or not is irrelevant in this case. This group is using illegal tactics to make a statement, and they deserve to be punished if/when they are found. However, it is not White’s job to bait them to keep doing what they are doing just to feed his own ego.
UFC returns to FOX this Saturday night with a huge event that will set the stage for a lot of big pay-per-view shows later on this year. The card is headlined by Rashad Evans taking on Phil Davis in a match that will determine the No. 1 contender for J…
UFC returns to FOX this Saturday night with a huge event that will set the stage for a lot of big pay-per-view shows later on this year. The card is headlined by Rashad Evans taking on Phil Davis in a match that will determine the No. 1 contender for Jon Jones’ light heavyweight championship.
Evans has been the top contender for nearly two years, but injuries and timing have kept him from being able to cash in on the opportunity. He is putting up his title shot for the second time in four months against Davis.
Davis is in an interesting position coming into this fight. He is likely not in line for a title shot if he wins, but he can make a name for himself by defeating one of the top light heavyweight fighters in the world. This will be his second time headlining an event, after last March’s Fight Night in Seattle.
Where: United Center in Chicago, Illinois
When: Saturday, Jan. 28 at 5:00 p.m. EDT
Watch: Preliminary card starts at 5:00 p.m. EDT on Fuel TV, main card starts at 8:00 p.m. EDT on FOX
FIGHT CARD
Main Card
Light Heavyweight bout: Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis
Middleweight bout: Michael Bisping vs. Chael Sonnen
Middleweight bout: Demian Maia vs. Chris Weidman
Preliminary Card
Lightweight bout: Evan Dunham vs. Nik Lentz
Heavyweight bout: Mike Russow vs. John-Olav Einemo
Bantamweight bout: Johnny Bedford vs. Mitch Gagnon
Featherweight bout: Cub Swanson vs. George Roop
Featherweight bout: Charles Oliveira vs. Eric Wisely
Lightweight bout: Michael Johnson vs. Shane Roller
Heavyweight bout: Joey Beltran vs. Lavar Johnson
Middleweight bout: Chris Camozzi vs. Dustin Jacoby
Evans’ Keys To Victory
Don’t get caught in Davis’ guard and stay on top if the fight goes to the ground.
There is really only one way that Evans loses this fight: If Davis is able to work him to the ground and hold him there.
Evans is superior to him in every facet of the game, with the possible exception of wrestling. He has improved his striking dramatically over the last two years, and emerged as one of the most dynamic 205-pound fighters in the sport.
Davis’ Keys To Victory
Work the fight to the ground and use effective striking.
Davis’ wrestling has carried him to a 9-0 start to his career, but he has to start showing improvement in his stand-up ability if he wants to be a championship contender in UFC.
Evans is the biggest test Davis has faced as a mixed martial artist, and he will need every ounce of his wrestling ability to win this fight. This has the potential to be a star-making performance if he is able to win.
What They Are Saying
Rashad Evans and Phil Davis got into a heated argument during the UFC on FOX conference call last week because Davis actually had the nerve to suggest that he was going to beat Evans.
“Let’s get one thing straight, you aren’t beating me,” interjected Evans, who could be next in line for light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. “It can’t come fast enough. I’m going to smash you, dude. He isn’t ready and he knows he isn’t ready. When I look into his eyes, he isn’t ready. You’re just a boy.”
–snip–
“When you get hit in the mouth, things change. When you got hit by Li’l Nog (Antonio Rogerio Nogueira), you didn’t know what to do. When I hit you in the mouth, you’re going to feel it.”
The only person in the sport who can match Evans on the trash talk scale is Chael Sonnen, and he has been quiet, based on his standards, leading up to this show.
It’s a good thing that Evans is as good as he is, otherwise all that talk would make him look like a dork.
Undercard Fight To Watch: Johnny Beford vs. Mitch Gagnon
Being a bantamweight bout, you can expect these two fighters to come out fast and furious. Bedford is still trying to establish himself in the UFC. He was successful in his first fight at the Ultimate Fighter Finale last December with a third round TKO.
Gagnon is making his UFC debut after spending the last two years in Ringside MMA. He has an 8-1 career record with all his victories coming via submission, seven of them in the first round.
This fight should be a great technical battle between two up-and-coming 135-pound fighters.
Main Event Prediction
Evans will finally get his shot against Jon Jones by dismantling Davis.
The first UFC event on FX promises to be an entertaining event, with a compelling main event between Jim Miller and Melvin Guillard that could have ramifications on the lightweight division later on this year. Though before the main card starts, the un…
The first UFC event on FX promises to be an entertaining event, with a compelling main event between Jim Miller and Melvin Guillard that could have ramifications on the lightweight division later on this year. Though before the main card starts, the undercard will be broadcast on Fuel TV, which has become the unofficial UFC network.
We know what to expect from undercard fights. It is very rare that anyone involved will become a star, but some fighters have emerged from the shadows in an event like this to make a name for themselves and be a staple of UFC for a long time.
So what should fans be watching out for when they tune in to see these preliminary bouts?
Jorge Rivera Will KO Eric Schafer In The First Round
Rivera was on a good roll in 2009 and 2010 with three straight wins, and he even got a shot against Michael Bisping at UFC 127. He lost that fight, albeit controversially, and inexplicably lost to Constantinos Philippou at UFC 133.
Schafer is a good opponent for Rivera to get back in the win column. He doesn’t do anything exceptionally well, and has lost his last three UFC fights.
Rivera has good knockout power, and is solid in all other facets of the game, so he will dictate the pace early and unleash a flurry of punches before the referee stops it.
Charlie Brenneman Will End Daniel Roberts’ UFC Career
Both Brenneman and Roberts are coming off losses, so they will want to put on a show for the fans and management in order to keep their spots in UFC.
Roberts, however, has a lot to prove in this fight and is under tremendous pressure to perform. He is 3-3 in six career UFC fights, and he has looked bad in his last two fights against Claude Patrick and Rich Attonito.
Brenneman is going to get back on track in this fight thanks to his wrestling ability, and he will send Roberts to another organization.
Fabrício Camões Will Make Tommy Hayden’s First UFC Fight One To Forget
Tommy Hayden got the opportunity of a lifetime when Reza Madadi and Rafaello Oliveira both had to pull out of a fight with Camões due to injuries during training.
Undefeated in his eight professional fights, Hayden takes a big step up in competition tonight. He last fought for Absolute Action MMA in May 2011, but he has never come close to fighting under the bright lights of the UFC stage.
Camões is making his return to UFC following two years in Tachi Palace Fighting. He is a good Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter, and he will be able to overwhelm the younger, less-talented Hayden.
Carlos Condit did what he had to do in order to defeat Nick Diaz at UFC 143. He should be celebrating his victory and the interim welterweight championship.