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Khabib Nurmagomedov: Who Makes the Most Sense for His Return to Action?

Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of the newest names in the ever-growing list of mixed martial arts fighters hampered by injuries.
Unfortunately for the athlete, the knee injury that has forced him out of competition came at a time when he was surging t…

Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of the newest names in the ever-growing list of mixed martial arts fighters hampered by injuries.

Unfortunately for the athlete, the knee injury that has forced him out of competition came at a time when he was surging toward the top of the lightweight division.

Even though he’s still months away from returning to the Octagon, the Ultimate Fighting Championship has a number of opponents waiting to welcome him back. However, one of the most interesting options isn’t on the UFC’s roster at this time.

That man is current Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez.

Since joining the UFC back in 2012, “The Eagle” has run his undefeated streak to 22 victories. The Russian native has propelled himself to a point where he is one of the premier fighters at 155 pounds, and he’s currently the No. 3-ranked lightweight in the promotion behind Benson Henderson and Gilbert Melendez, per UFC.com.

In order to obtain the title shot that has eluded him to this point, Nurmagomedov should be placed against Alvarez, as it would be a challenging bout for both of them.

Alvarez is still under contract with Bellator, but that did not stop the UFC from attempting to bring him over to face Donald Cerrone at UFC 178, per Tristen Critchfield of Sherdog. That fight would eventually fall apart, as Cerrone is now scheduled to face Bobby Green. However, that doesn’t mean the UFC should end their pursuit of Alvarez.

Steven Marrocco of MMA Junkie reported that at the time of Nurmagomedov‘s injury in July he would be out of action for at least six months. During this period the UFC could work on their negotiations with Bellator to reach an agreement to bring over their lightweight champion. The companies would have their work cut out for them, but earlier efforts show that they are willing to negotiate.

Scott Coker recently addressed the situation with Alvarez’s contract with Bellator. “Right now, where it’s at today is Eddie’s still a fighter under contract with Bellator.” Scott Coker told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. “I know that lawyers are involved, and that’s something that happened way before I came to this company. Right now, I don’t have an update for you on that.”

Alvarez would present an interesting challenge for Nurmagomedov if they were to actually meet in the Octagon. To this point, Nurmagomedov has been able to overwhelm his opponents within the UFC with effective grappling.

Alvarez uses an aggressive style of a different nature, where he stays on his opponents, looking to land boxing combinations and use his wrestling when possible. Nurmagomedov has yet to face an opponent in the UFC who uses such a style, so a fight against Alvarez would be a clear change of pace for him.

From a business perspective, this fight makes sense for the organization as well. Alvarez has never shied away from promoting himself or the fights that he’s involved in. He would have the ability to carry much of the needed media work for a fight against Nurmagomedov.

A win for either fighter would create enough credibility for them to be considered a No. 1 contender to fight the winner of the upcoming Anthony Pettis–Gilbert Melendez fight with the title. If the UFC were able to set this match up it would work as a co-main event for a pay-per-view card in 2015.

Khabib Nurmagomedov was very near to earning a shot at the UFC lightweight title before suffering a knee injury last month. As the promotion awaits his return, they can use this time to sign Eddie Alvarez and create the best fight possible to welcome Alvarez to the UFC and Nurmagomedov back from the injured list all at once.

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Khabib Nurmagomedov: Who Makes the Most Sense for His Return to Action?

Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of the newest names in the ever-growing list of mixed martial arts fighters hampered by injuries.
Unfortunately for the athlete, the knee injury that has forced him out of competition came at a time when he was surging t…

Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of the newest names in the ever-growing list of mixed martial arts fighters hampered by injuries.

Unfortunately for the athlete, the knee injury that has forced him out of competition came at a time when he was surging toward the top of the lightweight division.

Even though he’s still months away from returning to the Octagon, the Ultimate Fighting Championship has a number of opponents waiting to welcome him back. However, one of the most interesting options isn’t on the UFC’s roster at this time.

That man is current Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez.

Since joining the UFC back in 2012, “The Eagle” has run his undefeated streak to 22 victories. The Russian native has propelled himself to a point where he is one of the premier fighters at 155 pounds, and he’s currently the No. 3-ranked lightweight in the promotion behind Benson Henderson and Gilbert Melendez, per UFC.com.

In order to obtain the title shot that has eluded him to this point, Nurmagomedov should be placed against Alvarez, as it would be a challenging bout for both of them.

Alvarez is still under contract with Bellator, but that did not stop the UFC from attempting to bring him over to face Donald Cerrone at UFC 178, per Tristen Critchfield of Sherdog. That fight would eventually fall apart, as Cerrone is now scheduled to face Bobby Green. However, that doesn’t mean the UFC should end their pursuit of Alvarez.

Steven Marrocco of MMA Junkie reported that at the time of Nurmagomedov‘s injury in July he would be out of action for at least six months. During this period the UFC could work on their negotiations with Bellator to reach an agreement to bring over their lightweight champion. The companies would have their work cut out for them, but earlier efforts show that they are willing to negotiate.

Scott Coker recently addressed the situation with Alvarez’s contract with Bellator. “Right now, where it’s at today is Eddie’s still a fighter under contract with Bellator.” Scott Coker told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. “I know that lawyers are involved, and that’s something that happened way before I came to this company. Right now, I don’t have an update for you on that.”

Alvarez would present an interesting challenge for Nurmagomedov if they were to actually meet in the Octagon. To this point, Nurmagomedov has been able to overwhelm his opponents within the UFC with effective grappling.

Alvarez uses an aggressive style of a different nature, where he stays on his opponents, looking to land boxing combinations and use his wrestling when possible. Nurmagomedov has yet to face an opponent in the UFC who uses such a style, so a fight against Alvarez would be a clear change of pace for him.

From a business perspective, this fight makes sense for the organization as well. Alvarez has never shied away from promoting himself or the fights that he’s involved in. He would have the ability to carry much of the needed media work for a fight against Nurmagomedov.

A win for either fighter would create enough credibility for them to be considered a No. 1 contender to fight the winner of the upcoming Anthony Pettis–Gilbert Melendez fight with the title. If the UFC were able to set this match up it would work as a co-main event for a pay-per-view card in 2015.

Khabib Nurmagomedov was very near to earning a shot at the UFC lightweight title before suffering a knee injury last month. As the promotion awaits his return, they can use this time to sign Eddie Alvarez and create the best fight possible to welcome Alvarez to the UFC and Nurmagomedov back from the injured list all at once.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Travis Browne: Who Should the Returning Heavyweight Fight Next?

Travis Browne’s last fight was his 10th inside the Octagon. He lost by unanimous decision to Fabricio Werdum in a fight where he broke his hand and his foot. That was April at UFC on Fox 11, and UFC Tonight reported that the Jackson-Winkeljo…

Travis Browne’s last fight was his 10th inside the Octagon. He lost by unanimous decision to Fabricio Werdum in a fight where he broke his hand and his foot. That was April at UFC on Fox 11, and UFC Tonight reported that the Jackson-Winkeljohn MMA fighter has resumed training for a year-end return to the cage.

Werdum earned a heavyweight championship fight in Mexico City with the win over Browne, after finishing up a coaching stint on TUF: Latin America opposite Cain Velasquez. Browne now finds himself looking to avoid two losses in a row, and is three weeks into training for his next fight, which has yet to be announced.  

 

Who should Browne fight after losing the title eliminator to Werdum?

UFC matchmaker Joe Silva is known to favor an approach of matching up winners with winners, and losers with losers. Whether you match Travis Browne up with someone coming off a win or a loss, there are a lot of viable options for his next fight.  

Brendan Schaub is coming off a narrow decision loss to Andrei Arlovski at UFC 174, and Junior dos Santos hasn’t fought since his loss to Cain Velasquez. Either would be good opponents for Browne, but dos Santos has said recently to Tatame(transcribed by BloodyElbow.com) that he thinks the UFC will be matching up with Stipe Miocic, who is coming off of a 35-second TKO of Fabio Maldonado in May.  

 

Winner of Mitrione vs. Lewis at Fight Night 50

Browne is in a position where he might need to beat back some of the middle of the pack in the heavyweight division to get back into title contention, and either of these fighters would be a good rebound fight for him.

Derrick Lewis has 10 wins by KO/TKO, and would provide a great toe-to-toe striking battle for Browne. A fight with Mitrione would also most likely be entertaining, as what Mitrione lacks in technical skill, he makes up for in athleticism and overall willingness to throw down.  I would favor Browne to beat either fighter, but crazier things have happened, and heavyweights punch hard.  

 

Junior dos Santos

Even though the UFC seems to be interested in trying to rebook dos Santos up against Stipe Miocic, I think “Cigano” would be a great next opponent for Travis Browne. This fight could easily main event a Fight Pass or Fox Sports 1 card.  Dos Santos’ boxing and punching power could be a problem for Browne, but he would have a reach disadvantage.  

He’d need to close the distance to land his shots while also having to worry about Browne up close, who finished both Gabriel Gonzaga and Josh Barnett with elbows to the side of the head.  If Browne could beat a former UFC champion in dos Santos, its possible he could earn a No. 1 contender fight in early 2015.  

 

Stipe Miocic

Miocic is the best option for Browne’s next opponent. Miocic’s boxing would provide a true test for Browne, who’s kicks and elbows have put away veterans like Josh Barnett and Alistair Overeem in recent fights.  When Travis Browne doesn’t get injured in fights, he usually controls the pace of the action.  Against Miocic, he’ll have to deal with constant movement and pressure, and one of the best boxers in the heavyweight division.  

Miocic is getting close to title contention, and a win over Browne would solidify his place as one of the best fighters in the division.  Though he’s targeted for a fight with dos Santos, Brown vs. Miocic would be a heck of a fight.  

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Carlos Condit: Why We Can’t Wait for the Return of the Natural Born Killer

Few men on this planet are capable of taking a Greg Jackson game plan and renovating it into something casual fans consistently revel upon. 
Carlos Condit is one of those men. 
This is why most of our hearts were about as damaged as Condit’s …

Few men on this planet are capable of taking a Greg Jackson game plan and renovating it into something casual fans consistently revel upon. 

Carlos Condit is one of those men. 

This is why most of our hearts were about as damaged as Condit‘s ACL when news broke that his injured knee would keep him out of the cage for an extended period of time.

Known for his high-octane, strike-first mentality, Condit‘s only allowed the judges to voice their opinions on six separate occasions. For a guy who’s stepped into the cage 37 times—seeing his hand raised in 29—he’s certainly established himself as one of the better finishers in the welterweight division.

This is why most of us can’t wait for the return of the Natural Born Killer.

He’s already fought most of the who’s who the welterweight division had to offer over the last two years. He duked it out with former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz for five rounds in what could have easily been 2012’s fight of the year.

He stepped in against former UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre and gave the champion a solid kick to the head and the biggest threat to his crown since Matt Serra. He traded punches with current UFC welterweight king Johny Hendricks in what was another instant classic for the Jackson’s MMA fighter. 

With Condit healing up nicely, even teammate Jon Jones is excited to see the former UFC welterweight interim titleholder make his way back into the cage. 

There are virtually zero fighters in the welterweight division who could share the Octagon with Condit and deliver anything but an electrifying matchup.

With Condit firmly among the welterweight’s best, it’s likely he’ll be pegged against another contending fighter upon his much-anticipated return to the cage. Hypothetical matchups against established fighters like Robbie Lawler and Matt Brown should already be in the discussion as the fight of the year for 2015.

Even fights against rising contenders in Hector Lombard, Kelvin Gastelum and Gunnar Nelson should keep you excited enough to curse the sometimes-fragile human body for keeping one of the more exciting fighters from entertaining us in the prime of his career.

With several bouts to take place before fans are graced with Condit‘s Octagon presence, it’s hard to tell who the Natural Born Killer will be standing across from as he starts his journey back to the welterweight crown. It shouldn’t matter much, though—you’d be foolish to do anything else but watch.

 

Kristian Ibarra is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report. He also serves as the sports editor at San Diego State University’s student-run newspaper, The Daily Aztec. Follow him on Twitter at @Kristian_Ibarra for all things MMA.

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3 Bantamweight Title Fights We’d Have Preferred over Dillashaw vs. Barao Rematch

At UFC 173 T.J. Dillashaw put on a scientific performance against Renan Barao, dominating the former champion for almost an entire five rounds before putting him away in the middle of the last round. Barao was thought to be unbeatable, and Dillashaw be…

At UFC 173 T.J. Dillashaw put on a scientific performance against Renan Barao, dominating the former champion for almost an entire five rounds before putting him away in the middle of the last round. Barao was thought to be unbeatable, and Dillashaw beat him with near-impunity.

The rematch is set for the main event of UFC 177 on August 30, but there are other fights that may have been a better option for Dillashaw’s first bantamweight title defense. Because of Barao’s previous 33-fight unbeaten streak, he is definitely deserving of a rematch. But after such a one-sided first fight, it would be smart if Barao took on someone else and rematched Dillashaw coming off of a win.  

The top of the UFC’s bantamweight division is vibrant, and there is no shortage of interesting fights for both Dillashaw or Barao. Dominick Cruz is jumping back into the fray at UFC 178, Raphael Assuncao and Brian Caraway have been booked opposite one another in October, and there’s always Urijah Faber, who is looking to return at the end of the year.

With so many viable contenders in the bantamweight division, there were numerous fighters Dillashaw could have faced in his first fight as champion. Here are three fights that would have been preferable over the Dillashaw vs. Barao immediate rematch.

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Why Alexander Gustafsson Should Continue His Campaign Against Jones-Cormier

Alexander Gustafsson suffered his own type of pain when news broke that Jon Jones was forced off of the UFC 178 card due to injury (via a report by Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting). 
The UFC has rescheduled the fight between Jones and Daniel Co…

Alexander Gustafsson suffered his own type of pain when news broke that Jon Jones was forced off of the UFC 178 card due to injury (via a report by Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting). 

The UFC has rescheduled the fight between Jones and Daniel Cormier for UFC 182, which is set for January 3, 2015. While that fight has excited fans in recent weeks, Gustafsson, who is ranked No. 1 in the light heavyweight division by the UFC, has been left out in the cold. In response, Gustafsson has come out to state his disgust with the current situation, and he should continue his verbal assault.

Gustafsson and his team did not wait to come out against the fight between Cormier and Jones being rebooked rather than the Swede being given his title shot back.

“We are not happy,” Andreas Michael, Gustafsson‘s head trainer, told Sherdog. “Alex is the number one contender; he got injured and the UFC went to Plan B. Now if that fight is not happening, of course Alex and Jones should be right back.”

This is a very valid point for this team to make. Gustafsson and Jones put on one of the best fights in 2013 at UFC 165. When Jones successfully defended his title against Glover Teixeira at UFC 172, UFC President Dana White confirmed that Gustafsson would be next for the champion (via Sherdog).

Unfortunately, the challenger would suffer a knee injury before being able to get into the cage in September. That allowed for Daniel Cormier to receive his crack at the title.

The promotional train would race off as Cormier and Jones would brawl during press events and argue during interviews on major sports networks. The MMA community became enthralled with this matchup nearly two months before the two men would enter the Octagon. This created the perfect atmosphere for the promotion to rebook this fight rather than give Gustafsson back the title shot he earned.

To make the situation even worse for Gustafsson, it looks like he will not be allowed to wait on the sidelines until his turn against the champion is planned.

“Gustafsson will probably fight again. We’ll probably do another fight for him,” White said to UFC.com. “He’ll probably fight again to stay active, stay top of mind and the guy has to make money.”

The same report makes mention of Anthony Johnson as a potential opponent, which would be a very dangerous fight for Gustafsson to take. However, Gustafsson should continue his campaign against the Cormier and Jones matchup because his actions may pay off in the long run.

If Gustafsson is mandated to fight Johnson, he should work with the promotion to have the fight booked as the co-main event for UFC 182. The injury bug has already struck the light heavyweight title picture twice, so this type of booking would protect the changing of the fight for a third time. Instead, the UFC would have the opportunity to move Gustafsson into the main event to face either Jones or Cormier.

Even if Gustafsson is unable to convince UFC executives to make this fight a featured bout for UFC 182, he should continue his diatribe against the organization and the two men. Talking about the situation in public will keep him in the headlines and a prominent figure in the weight class. That is the exact type of momentum needed to force his way back into the title scene.

Alexander Gustafsson may not have the spot that he wants in the main event of UFC 182, but he shouldn’t stop his campaign against the two competitors. If injury strikes again, the Swedish fighter can find himself back in just as quickly he found himself out of title talks.

An individual’s ability to promote himself is a growing skill set within the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and this is Gustafsson‘s opportunity to show just how well he’s learned it.

 

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