The UFC’s big card in Boston took a bit of a hit Wednesday.
Jorge Masvidal had to pull out of his scheduled lightweight fight with Norman Parke at UFC Fight Night 59: McGregor vs. Siver on Jan. 18 due to a back injury, the UFC announced. In …
The UFC’s big card in Boston took a bit of a hit Wednesday.
Jorge Masvidal had to pull out of his scheduled lightweight fight with Norman Parke at UFC Fight Night 59: McGregor vs. Siver on Jan. 18 due to a back injury, the UFC announced. In Masvidal’s place will step his American Top Team training partner Gleison Tibau.
Tibau (30-10), one of the most active and tenured fighters in the UFC, has won four of his last five bouts and is coming off a split decision victory over Piotr Hallmann in September. The Brazilian is 31 years old, but seems to be the best he has ever been right now, using his wrestling and clinch game to suffocate opponents.
He’ll present a tough challenge for Parke (20-2-1), a solid prospect from Northern Ireland. Parke is unbeaten in his last 11 fights and is coming off a second-round knockout of Naoyuki Kotani in July.
The UFC Fight Night 59 main event is scheduled to be Conor McGregor taking on Dennis Siver. Benson Henderson vs. Eddie Alvarez is slated as the co-main event. The card will air on FOX Sports 1 following the NFC Championship game on FOX.
The UFC announced six undercard fights for the Ultimate Fighter 20 Finale on Wednesday — including one surprise debut.
Tecia Torres will take on Angela Magana, Joanne Calderwood fights newcomer Seo Hee Ham, Felice Herrig meets Lisa Ellis, A…
The UFC announced six undercard fights for the Ultimate Fighter 20 Finale on Wednesday — including one surprise debut.
The other undercard bout will likely be between the losers of the two semifinal matchups. On next week’s episode, Rose Namajunas faces Randa Markos and Carla Esparza meets Jessica Penne with a spot in the TUF Finale main event on Dec. 12 in Las Vegas on the line. The tournament winner will be crowned the UFC’s first women’s strawweight champion.
Torres, who was seeded third coming into the show, fell to Esparza by decision in the quarterfinals and Calderwood fell to Namajunas in the quarters, both on Wednesday’s episode. Aisling Daly and Felice Herrig also lost in the quarterfinals, to Penne and Markos, respectively.
Ham, a top South Korean prospect, will make her UFC debut against Calderwood. She is the current DEEP Jewels 106-pound champion and has won six straight. Her nickname is “Hamderlei Silva” for her ferocious fighting style.
NEW YORK — Duke Roufus is in a tough position. He coaches Ben Askren and also has a great relationship with UFC president Dana White. Askren and White don’t seem to see eye-to-eye, a fact you can extrapolate just from reading Askren’s Twitter timeline.
“I love both guys,” Roufus said Monday at an Anthony Pettis media lunch to promote UFC 181. “I have so much respect for Dana, Lorenzo and Frank. I’ve told them so many times Roufusport wouldn’t be around without them. I wouldn’t be here without them.”
The undefeated Askren is currently the ONE FC welterweight champion following his run as the Bellator MMA 170-pound titleholder. White famously said Askren had not done enough in Bellator to warrant a UFC contract. Askren has not been very complimentary of White on social media or in interviews.
The fact remains, though, that Askren is one of the best welterweight fighters in the world. And the UFC is home to the vast majority of elite MMA athletes. Will Askren and White ever mend fences enough to get a contract into place?
“I see it happening,” Roufus said.
It’s unclear when. Askren, 30, is still under contract with ONE FC. White seemed to warm up to the idea of one day having Askren fight in the UFC until Askren continued to not have very many nice things to say about White in the media. Askren bashed the UFC and White, calling the UFC “a monopoly-type situation,” in an Inside MMA interview in September. White followed up with some barbs of his own.
“I thought Tito (Ortiz) was the dumbest human being I ever met,” White said on UFC Tonight in September. “This guy (Askren) is an absolute moron. It’s almost like, you know, he gets it. He’s copying everything Tito does. Obviously you get lots of attention if you talk about the UFC and if you talk about how you don’t like me or whatever it is, you obviously get lots of attention. He stole that. Tito oughta sue him for stealing that one.”
One of the initial things standing in the way of Askren to the UFC when his contract with Bellator was up last year was Askren’s fighting style. Askren is a former NCAA champion wrestler at the University of Missouri and one of the most dominant takedown and top-position artists in MMA. That doesn’t always lead to the most exciting fights. But Askren has finished his two ONE FC opponents and seems to be improving all the time.
“He knows at this stage of his career become a world-class striker,” Roufus said. “But you know what? He’s going to become awesome at not getting hit. So he takes you down, the fight is over.”
Pettis said that he would want nothing to do with Askren, his teammate, if he were to ever move down to lightweight where Pettis is the UFC champ.
“He would whoop my ass,” Pettis said. “He holds me down and laughs at me [in training].”
Roufus calls Pettis and Askren the two most confident people he knows. Could Askren come in and be a star in the UFC welterweight division like Pettis is at 155? The coach wants it badly.
“Ben, he’s a very proud guy,” Roufus said. “I’m hoping and pray. I think [it would] just be for the greater good of the sport, what the UFC has always done.”
NEW YORK — Duke Roufus is in a tough position. He coaches Ben Askren and also has a great relationship with UFC president Dana White. Askren and White don’t seem to see eye-to-eye, a fact you can extrapolate just from reading Askren’s Twitter timeline.
“I love both guys,” Roufus said Monday at an Anthony Pettis media lunch to promote UFC 181. “I have so much respect for Dana, Lorenzo and Frank. I’ve told them so many times Roufusport wouldn’t be around without them. I wouldn’t be here without them.”
The undefeated Askren is currently the ONE FC welterweight champion following his run as the Bellator MMA 170-pound titleholder. White famously said Askren had not done enough in Bellator to warrant a UFC contract. Askren has not been very complimentary of White on social media or in interviews.
The fact remains, though, that Askren is one of the best welterweight fighters in the world. And the UFC is home to the vast majority of elite MMA athletes. Will Askren and White ever mend fences enough to get a contract into place?
“I see it happening,” Roufus said.
It’s unclear when. Askren, 30, is still under contract with ONE FC. White seemed to warm up to the idea of one day having Askren fight in the UFC until Askren continued to not have very many nice things to say about White in the media. Askren bashed the UFC and White, calling the UFC “a monopoly-type situation,” in an Inside MMA interview in September. White followed up with some barbs of his own.
“I thought Tito (Ortiz) was the dumbest human being I ever met,” White said on UFC Tonight in September. “This guy (Askren) is an absolute moron. It’s almost like, you know, he gets it. He’s copying everything Tito does. Obviously you get lots of attention if you talk about the UFC and if you talk about how you don’t like me or whatever it is, you obviously get lots of attention. He stole that. Tito oughta sue him for stealing that one.”
One of the initial things standing in the way of Askren to the UFC when his contract with Bellator was up last year was Askren’s fighting style. Askren is a former NCAA champion wrestler at the University of Missouri and one of the most dominant takedown and top-position artists in MMA. That doesn’t always lead to the most exciting fights. But Askren has finished his two ONE FC opponents and seems to be improving all the time.
“He knows at this stage of his career become a world-class striker,” Roufus said. “But you know what? He’s going to become awesome at not getting hit. So he takes you down, the fight is over.”
Pettis said that he would want nothing to do with Askren, his teammate, if he were to ever move down to lightweight where Pettis is the UFC champ.
“He would whoop my ass,” Pettis said. “He holds me down and laughs at me [in training].”
Roufus calls Pettis and Askren the two most confident people he knows. Could Askren come in and be a star in the UFC welterweight division like Pettis is at 155? The coach wants it badly.
“Ben, he’s a very proud guy,” Roufus said. “I’m hoping and pray. I think [it would] just be for the greater good of the sport, what the UFC has always done.”
Chris Weidman is on the cusp of mixed martial arts stardom. Since the start of his run in the UFC, Weidman’s maturity in competition has been something worth watching. As 2015 approaches, the current middleweight champion finds himself in a posit…
Chris Weidman is on the cusp of mixed martial arts stardom. Since the start of his run in the UFC, Weidman’s maturity in competition has been something worth watching. As 2015 approaches, the current middleweight champion finds himself in a position to have a huge year, if he can continue to stay victorious and healthy.
The UFC has set up an interesting start to next year. The middleweight division is filled with a number of contenders. VitorBelfort, Yoel Romero, Ronaldo Souza and Luke Rockhold are the four names that leap to recognition as potential challengers for the current champion. Belfort has his shot at the belt in two months at UFC 184. Romero and Souza are set to fight that same evening, with the winner presumably getting the next shot at the belt, per a report by Adam Guillen Jr. of MMA Mania.
If Weidman can defeat any three of those competitors next year, it would be hard to deny him a nomination for “Fighter of the Year” in 2015. Defending his title multiple times in 12 months would help him put together one of the most difficult runs in recent MMA history. However, Weidman has one factor working against him at times—his physical health.
As with many other fighters, Weidman has been forced to back out of multiple fights due to injury. His proposed bout against Tim Boetsch at UFC 155 was pushed back due to a shoulder injury (via MMA Fighting). Weidman’s next complication would come before facing LyotoMachida in which a knee injury pushed that fight from UFC 173 to UFC 175 (via UFC.com). His title defense against Belfort was originally scheduled for this weekend’s UFC 181, but a broken hand suffered by Weidman caused this fight to be postponed to UFC 184 (via Newsday).
These are just the injuries that are known to the public. As with every other mixed martial artist who competes, chances are that Weidman has and will continue to compete while dealing with other physical issues. This is a serious precaution when predicting how great of a fighter he may become.
At 30 years old, Weidman has nearly six years of professional experience. That combination may allow him to stay around in the sport longer, but his potential for greatness and bout with injuries can draw a comparison to Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. Rua is just 33 years old, but numerous dealings with knee injuries have stifled his ability to remain at the top of the light heavyweight division (via Sports on Earth).
Weidman has already broken through some of the barriers that have stopped other MMA athletes. Appearances in major magazines and on networks such as ESPN will only fuel his rise within the sport. If he can stay healthy and victorious throughout 2015, Chris Weidman may finally reach the point of super stardom that has been projected for his career.
Michelle Waterson was a 19-year-old Hooters waitress when she first started fighting. That’s when she was given her “Karate Hottie” nickname.
Nine years later, Waterson is the 28-year-old mother of a 3-year-old daughter and doesn’t necessari…
Michelle Waterson was a 19-year-old Hooters waitress when she first started fighting. That’s when she was given her “Karate Hottie” nickname.
Nine years later, Waterson is the 28-year-old mother of a 3-year-old daughter and doesn’t necessarily still relate to the moniker. But she has long since embraced it as part of her brand.
“The name is still there, because it stuck,” Waterson told MMA Fighting. “But I’m a different person now.”
A person who happens to be the budding face of an entire organization. Waterson will headline her second Invicta FC event in three months Friday when she defends her women’s atomweight title against Herica Tiburcio at Invicta FC 10 in Houston. The card will air live at 9 p.m. ET on UFC Fight Pass.
Waterson (12-3) headlined the first Fight Pass event, against Yasuko Tamada back in September. UFC commercials for the bout included the line: “Have a date with the Karate Hottie.'” The marketing slant drew criticism for its focus on looks. But Waterson said she wasn’t offended by the way she was advertised.
“No,” Waterson said. “It is what it is. If it makes me uncomfortable, I don’t think I should be having the nickname ‘The Karate Hottie.’ I have no problem being the face of that. That’s what people want to see. They want to see attractive women go in there and show that their skills match their looks. If I can accomplish both, I’m happy.”
Waterson did not expect to be competing at this event. The main event was supposed to feature Cris “Cyborg” Justino’s debut at 135 pounds. But Justino injured her ankle and Waterson was asked to fill in on somewhat short notice. The Jackson-Winkeljohn MMA fighter has become a safety net for the organization and perhaps the face of it after most top fighters in the 135- and 115-pound divisions have moved on to the UFC.
That’s a role Waterson is very happy to embrace. She does admit there is some pressure that comes with it, however.
“First of all, there’s just pressure as a fighter,” Waterson said. “In the cage, putting your heart on the line, add in having that belt, add in having people saying you’re the face of the organization. Oh, there’s pressure. But it’s good pressure.”
In Tiburcio (8-2), she’ll face a top 22-year-old prospect who has won three straight bouts. The Brazilian is known for her ground game — six of her eight career victories have come by submission.
Waterson’s biggest strength is her athletic, technical striking style. But she’s also quick to point out that she’s pretty darn good on the mat, too. Jessica Penne was supposed to have the advantage over her in that department in April 2013, but Waterson submitted her by armbar to win the Invicta women’s atomweight title.
Penne is now competing on the UFC’s Ultimate Fighter reality program in the 115-pound division. Waterson has fought at that weight class before and would not rule out a move up sometime in the future.
Right now, though, she has a growing organization to help elevate. And if you’re not a big fan of her “Karate Hottie” nickname, she has a message for you.
“I think it’s catchy,” Waterson said. “I think it fits me. If you don’t know by now how serious I am as a fighter, then watch me this weekend.”
From a fan’s perspective, Alexander Gustafsson wouldn’t mind seeing Daniel Cormier become the UFC light heavyweight champion by beating Jon Jones at UFC 182.
But selfishly, Gustafsson has a different rooting interest. There’s only one person…
From a fan’s perspective, Alexander Gustafsson wouldn’t mind seeing Daniel Cormier become the UFC light heavyweight champion by beating Jon Jones at UFC 182.
But selfishly, Gustafsson has a different rooting interest. There’s only one person he wants to see across from him with the belt on the line. And it’s not Cormier.
“Me personally, I want Jones to win, because I want to fight him,” Gustafsson told Ariel Helwani on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour. “If I want to take the belt from anyone, it would be Jones. Not DC.”
Of course, for those plans to go into motion two things would have to occur. First, Jones would have to beat Cormier on Jan. 3 in Las Vegas. Then, Gustafsson would have to knock off Anthony Johnson at UFC on FOX 14 on Jan. 24 in Gustafsson’s hometown of Stockholm, Sweden.
Jones and Gustafsson have a history. The two competed in one of the best UFC light heavyweight title fights ever at UFC 165 in September 2013. Jones took the unanimous decision to retain the belt, but many people think Gustafsson was the true winner. He seemed to do more damage.
The two stars were supposed to have their rematch this past September at UFC 178, but Gustafsson injured his knee and Cormier stepped in. The Jones-Cormier bout never happened either when Jones, too, hurt his knee. But because Jones and Cormier had so much heat with each other — everyone remembers the press conference brawl in August — Cormier was kept as the No. 1 contender.
“Well, I think ‘DC’ is a great athlete and a great person, so, like I said, it would be great to see him win because it would mix things up,” Gustafsson said. “He’s a great fighter.”
That might be true. But for Gustafsson, that rematch with Jones would just have more juice.
On The MMA Hour, the Swede also spoke about the odd timeslot of UFC on FOX 14. Gustafsson and Johnson might not enter the Octagon until after 3 a.m. local time to accommodate the United States audience. Gustafsson said he would begin to train late at night his last few weeks of training camp to adjust.
“It’s gonna be a big change,” Gustafsson said. “I’m a morning person. I like to go to bed very early and get up very early. I’m very curious to see how this will affect me.”
