Michael Bisping’s controversial win over Anderson Silva bumped him way up in the middleweight rankings. The UFC’s return to London featured one of the stranger main events in recent history, with Michael Bisping nearly getting knocked out lo…
Michael Bisping’s controversial win over Anderson Silva bumped him way up in the middleweight rankings.
The UFC’s return to London featured one of the stranger main events in recent history, with Michael Bisping nearly getting knocked out looking for his mouthpiece but going on to win a unanimous decision over Anderson Silva. That was really all there was relevance-wise on the show from a rankings standpoint, but that result did cause a big shift in the middleweight ladder.
In addition, an injury apparently has led to a champion sliding down the pound-for-pound rankings a bit.
Without further ado, here’s a look at all the changes this week.
P4P – Rafael dos Anjos has not had a good last few weeks. First he broke his foot and was forced out of his UFC 196 title defense with Conor McGregor. Now he he fallen three spots on the P4P list. RDA had been in a tie for the four spot with Dominick Cruz, but is down to seven now. Luke Rockhold moved up two spots from seven to five, while Fabricio Werdum moved up one to six.
Heavyweight – Just one minor change. Ruslan Magomedov moved into a tie with Oleksiy Oliynik for the 14 spot.
Middleweight – Bisping’s big win moved him back into the top five, settling in at four. That’s up three spots. That dropped Lyoto Machida, Silva, and Tim Kennedy down one to five, six, and seven respectively. Also, Thales Leites‘ loss to Gegard Mousasi dropped him two spots from 10 to 12. Uriah Hall and Derek Brunson moved up to 10 and 11. Mousasi didn’t move at all and remains in the nine spot. C.B. Dollaway is also back onto the list at 15.
Jon Jones is a little under two months from getting the chance to reclaim the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight title he never actually lost in a fight, as he takes on current division kingpin, Daniel Cormier, in the mai…
Jon Jones is a little under two months from getting the chance to reclaim the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight title he never actually lost in a fight, as he takes on current division kingpin, Daniel Cormier, in the main event of UFC 197 on April 23, 2016.
For “Bones,” a win over “DC” will not only get him his hardware back, but prove that he is still the best 205-pound fighter on the planet. An issue Cormier is forced to fend off since winning the title in 2015.
But as Jones recently told MMA Junkie, a rematch and subsequent victory against Cormier isn’t the win that is going to erase any doubt, at least in his mind, since he already defeated the Olympian via unanimous decision at UFC 182.
Instead, it’s a do-over against Alexander Gustafsson that is more crucial for his legacy, as “Bones” says he needs to defeat “The Mauler” more convincingly next time around.
“I have those feelings a little more with Gustafsson than I do with Daniel. I already beat (Cormier) by unanimous decision, so I don’t really have this feeling where I have to put him away or get rid of him once and for all. I just need to fight him because he has the belt right now. That’s really what this is all about for me. I feel that way more about Gustafsson. I really need to fight him again just to get rid of all doubt.”
Jones and Gustafsson put on an epic battle at UFC 165 in late 2013 that saw both men have shining moments throughout the five-round affair. And though Jon was awarded a unanimous decision, many felt that bout was much closer.
A rematch between the two has long been at the top of fight fans’ wish lists, but with Jon moving on to face new challenges and Gustafsson suffering crucial defeats since that night, it’s something that won’t happen for quite some time.
Of course, Cormier has his own agenda, and that’s to take out “Bones” in order to prove to all doubters that he truly is the best 205-pound fighter in town.
The back and forth social media jabs have continued between reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel “DC” Cormier and former divisional ring leader Jon “Bones” Jones. This time, it was Jones who took to his official Instagram account to mock Cormier, replacing the champion with fictional character Carl Winslow in the UFC 197 fight poster.
The back and forth social media jabs have continued between reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel “DC” Cormier and former divisional ring leader Jon “Bones” Jones.
This time, it was Jones who took to his official Instagram account to mock Cormier, replacing the champion with fictional character Carl Winslow in the UFC 197 fight poster.
Despite the banter, “Bones” doesn’t believe any true animosity lies between he and Cormier leading up to their highly anticipated rematch on April 23, 2016. Possessing one of the deepest rivalries in the history of the sport, however, that remains subject to change:
“Right now there isn’t any (animosity), but I’m sure when I see him, things will ramp up a bit,” Jones recently told MMAjunkie. “I haven’t really thought about it at all. I’ve been in the UFC for so many years now, so it can’t be anything too different than what I’ve experienced. I’m excited to just take it as it comes.”
The circumstances surrounding the rematch are a bit unusual in the way that although Jones isn’t the current champion, he did indeed beat “DC” quite convincingly when they first met back in January 2015.
Too Jones, this bout simply marks the chance to regain the title he had stripped from him after being arrested on felony hit and run charges last April.
In fact, a rematch with Swedish star Alexander Gustafsson, who had “Bones” on the brink of defeat back in 2013, holds more weight to the ex-champion:
“I have those feelings a little more with Gustafsson than I do with Daniel,” Jones said. “I already beat (Cormier) by unanimous decision, so I don’t really have this feeling where I have to put him away or get rid of him once and for all. I just need to fight him because he has the belt right now. That’s really what this is all about for me. I feel that way more about Gustafsson. I really need to fight him again just to get rid of all doubt.”
Do you see Jones getting passed Cormier and once again locking horns with “The Mauler”?
Corey Anderson and Tom Lawlor will go to war this Saturday (March 5, 2016) at UFC 196 MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. In a match up of up-and-comer and veteran, what adjustments must be made for either woman to claim victory? Fi…
Corey Anderson and Tom Lawlor will go to war this Saturday (March 5, 2016) at UFC 196 MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. In a match up of up-and-comer and veteran, what adjustments must be made for either woman to claim victory? Find out below!
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight hitters Corey Anderson and Tom Lawlor will square off this Saturday (March 5, 2016) at UFC 196 inside MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
After winning The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 19, Anderson has proven himself a solid member of the Light Heavyweight division. He’s won four of his last five fights, showing improvement and doing well against an increasing level of competition.
On the other hand, Lawlor returned from a lengthy layoff in a new division. Though the fight was not going well early on, Lawlor roared back with a fantastic counter punch knockout. Now, he’ll look to prove that win was no fluke by dispatching one of the division’s top prospects.
Let’s take a look at the keys to victory for both athletes:
Corey Anderson Record: 7-1 Key Wins: Jan Blachowicz (UFC 191), Fabio Maldonado (UFC Fight Night 77), Matt Van Buren (TUF 19 Finale) Key Losses: Gian Villante (UFC on FOX 15) Keys to Victory: Anderson is a solid wrestler with good boxing, but his biggest weapon is his conditioning. “Beastin’ 25/8” does his best to live up to that absurd nickname by dragging his opponent into deep waters and exhausting him.
In this bout, Anderson’s main goal should be avoiding making any serious mistakes. He should have the wrestling and striking edge to dictate the pace and range, plus his usual conditioning edge will be a big help.
However, Lawlor is a dangerous veteran. If Anderson leaves his neck out while shooting or lunges in with a wild punch, he could very easily find himself in a terribly dangerous situation.
To avoid such an error, Anderson should attempt to keep this on the fight and work from range. He’s the bigger and longer fighter, so he should be able to do good work on the outside. He’ll have to be wary of his foe’s counter punches, but Anderson’s extra reach should help him avoid that knockout blow.
If he can avoid that threat, it should be smooth sailing for the wrestler.
VS.
Tom Lawlor Record: 10-5 (1) Key Wins: Gian Villante (UFC on FOX 16), Patrick Cote (UFC 121), C.B. Dollaway (UFC 100) Key Losses: Chris Weidman (UFC 139), Francis Carmont (UFC 154) Keys to Victory: Lawlor has never been the most consistent fighter, but he’s always been a skilled opportunist and is fairly well-rounded. A strong wrestler with slick chokes and one punch knockout power, Lawlor has finished eight of his opponents.
As I partially explained above, Lawlor doesn’t have any major technical advantages here. He’s likely the sharper jiu-jitsu player, but unless he finds a way to take down the bigger wrestler, that’s not likely to play into this much.
Similarly, Lawlor may have more one punch knockout power, but he throws at a lower volume and has never been a consistent knockout artist.
With all that in mind, this is another case of a fight where the veteran must pull something out of his hat in order to win. Essentially, Lawlor has to figure out which of the tricks in his game — he’s been a professional for nearly 10 years now, so he should have a few — will be effective opposite Anderson.
In all likelihood, Lawlor’s best chance at winning this fight is another counter punch knockout. If it doesn’t come on its own, Lawlor may need to attempt to force a brawl, as Anderson does occasionally over-extend himself while on the offensive.
Bottom Line: This is another test for one of Light Heavyweight’s few true prospects.
Anderson is just 26 years old and is only three years into his professional career. Despite that inexperience, he’s already a Top 15-ranked fighter. He may not be lighting the world aflame with violent finishes, but Anderson has performed remarkably well and has all the makings of a future contender.
More than anything else, this fight affects his timing. If Anderson wins here, he’ll continue to move up the ladder and get tougher fights. Alternatively, a loss shows that Anderson needs more experience and development as a fighter before he can challenge the Top 10.
At this point in Lawlor’s career, making a title run seems unlikely. However, Lawlor can still carve out a solid position for himself as an action fighter and gate keeper, as Light Heavyweight needs all the skilled, in shape fighters it can find.
This fight is really the first example of him fulfilling that role. His last victory secured his position on the roster and showed that he still had something left in the tank following two years on the sidelines. Now, he’s hoping to fight with some regularity.
If Lawlor wins or loses a few in a row, his position may change, but this fight alone probably will not affect him all that much.
At UFC 196, Corey Anderson and Tom Lawlor will throw down. Which fighter will remain standing when the dust settles?
Anthony Pettis says he was in the running for a UFC 196 bout with Conor McGregor, but the opponent decision was Conor’s and he figured he wouldn’t get picked. Like a few others, Anthony Pettis seemed to be in the running for a headlining sp…
Anthony Pettis says he was in the running for a UFC 196 bout with Conor McGregor, but the opponent decision was Conor’s and he figured he wouldn’t get picked.
Like a few others, Anthony Pettis seemed to be in the running for a headlining spot at UFC 196. When Rafael dos Anjos went down with an injury and Conor McGregor needed an opponent, the UFC reached out to guys like Jose Aldo, Frankie Edgar, Urijah Faber, and more. Another one of them was former lightweight champion Pettis. He said on The MMA Hour that he was in the running, but because of who was making the final call, wasn’t likely to get the fight (transcribed by MMA Mania):
“I spoke to Dana, Joe Silva, but it was all up to him (McGregor). They said RDA pulled out and they are not going to make him fight anybody, they are going to let him choose who he wants to fight. I figured he wouldn’t pick me. So, I was a little excited about it, but, there was easier opponents and easier guys for him to fight.”
Pettis believes that Diaz, who he has traded verbal jabs with in the past, isn’t an easy fight, but that himself and Donald Cerrone would have been tougher matchups:
“Diaz is a tough fight at 170. Going from 45 to 170, that’s a huge jump right there. I mean, top 10 lightweights, no one is easy, but there are quicker routes and easier ways for him to move. I wouldn’t say it’s an easy fight for him, but, as far as fighting me or Cowboy who just came off a camp, Diaz was just sitting there for the picking.”
Pettis is currently scheduled to meet Edson Barboza at UFC 197 on April 23rd. McGregor and Diaz will face off on March 5th in Vegas.
EA Sports is gearing up for the release of their new UFC game. And as the day closes in, they’re starting to leak more and more info on just what fans can expect from the game. The latest? Striking stats. Video games do not represent reality…
EA Sports is gearing up for the release of their new UFC game. And as the day closes in, they’re starting to leak more and more info on just what fans can expect from the game. The latest? Striking stats.
Video games do not represent reality. Even reality driven ones, like sports games. That’s a mantra I have to repeat to myself whenever I play them, because the moment I start thinking about these things I go just a little bit crazy. With EA Sports’ new UFC game coming up just around the corner (March 15th), the developer has started giving fans a peak at more and more of the design they can expect when they actually dive in and start playing.
Most recently, they released the full roster they have planned for the release date. No doubt it will be expanded on with DLC in short order, but it’s an interesting collection of fighters to start with. All the notable names, and a few oddballs like Mike Tyson, Bruce Lee, Kazushi Sakuraba, and CM Punk (of course).
Now there’s a new update. The first look at EA’s UFC 2 stats, with the “Stand Up” numbers for each and every in game fighter. Promise me it won’t get weird:
Reminder, these are only striking stats. I’ve highlighted a few of the weirder ones. Feel free to sound off with your own.
