For the past two decades, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has transformed himself in every sense of the word. He morphed from Canadian Football League castoff into one of the most popular professional wrestlers of all time, and then into the most bankable star in Hollywood. Along the way, he has matched his career gains in sheer physical size. As a teen growing up in Hawaii, Johnson fell in love with the weight room. His singular talents as an entertainer are unequivocal, but he owes no small part of his success to his dedication to the iron. Seeing Johnson on the silver screen, it’s easy to overloo … Read the Full Article Here
For the past two decades, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has transformed himself in every sense of the word. He morphed from Canadian Football League castoff into one of the most popular professional wrestlers of all time, and then into the most bankable star in Hollywood. Along the way, he has matched his career gains in sheer physical size. As a teen growing up in Hawaii, Johnson fell in love with the weight room. His singular talents as an entertainer are unequivocal, but he owes no small part of his success to his dedication to the iron. Seeing Johnson on the silver screen, it’s easy to overloo … Read the Full Article Here
Most MMA fans, no matter the age, get the opportunity to gaze upon a genuine rivalry between two elite fighters in their lifetime. They square off back and forth, split victories and keep fans hungry.
That’s like winning $15 on a $1 scratcher fro…
Most MMA fans, no matter the age, get the opportunity to gaze upon a genuine rivalry between two elite fighters in their lifetime. They square off back and forth, split victories and keep fans hungry.
That’s like winning $15 on a $1 scratcher from the gas station across the street.
Few fight fans ever get the opportunity to be witness to two of the best fight camps in the world—stocked to the brim with elite fighters—showcasing a similar rivalry.
That’s like landing the rich girl, or guy, who’s light-years out of your league.
MMA fans can rejoice, though, for you’ve all landed your wealthy partner who’s as capable of picking up the check as getting past all your insecurities and emotional baggage.
That partner can otherwise be referred to as the rivalry that’s brewing between Rio deJaneiro’s Nova Uniao and Sacramento’s Team Alpha Male.
Just in case you’re unaware, read on for a bit of a history lesson.
The Featherweights
It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact origin to the rivalry, but it’s safe to assume that Jose Aldo’s victory over Urijah Faber at WEC 48 in 2010 played a big role in getting things going.
Nova Uniao’s Aldo, who at the time was riding a nine-fight winning streak, had just captured the WEC featherweight crown in 2009—a title once held by Team Alpha Male’s Faber.
After an unsuccessful attempt at regaining his title against Mike Brown—the man who would dethrone Faber but lose to Aldo—The California Kid got another crack at the belt.
Unable to defend against Aldo’s vicious leg kicks, Faber was forced to exit the cage with bad bruising on his legs and no belt on his waist.
Aldo would go on to take his winning streak even further, capturing eight more victories en route to becoming the first ever UFC featherweight champion and most dominant man to ever step inside any cage at 145 pounds.
Faber wouldn’t be the last Team Alpha Male member to try to knock Aldo off the mountain and end his dominant reign—a then-undefeated Chad Mendes tried his luck against the dominant Brazilian before taking a vicious knee to the face in the first round of their title fight at UFC 142 in 2012.
Mendes was out cold and Aldo would take his championship record to an undefeated 2-0 against the Sacramento-based team.
Two years later, and Aldo still sits on his throne while Mendes has knocked out four out of his last five victims upon earning a second chance at Aldo’s strap. They haven’t been so cordial this time around.
From volleying performance-enhancing drug allegations back and forth at each other to Mendes questioning the champion’s durability as a fighter, it’s evident these two men have thrown respect out the window.
Mendes first spoke with Sherdog Radio in response to Aldo calling him a “pu–y” (h/t MMAFighting.com) for the PED accusation:
This is huge for me. This is huge for me getting in there and taking that belt from him. I’ve never seen him talk like this about anybody. He’s being very disrespectful. I’ve never been caught red-handed or anything. It’s funny to me that as soon as the whole random drug testing started popping up, the next day he is injured and out of the fight. If anything, I could throw that in his face, but whatever.
The Bantamweights
After realizing he could no longer compete with the bigger, stronger fighters the 145-pound division had to offer, Faber made his way down to bantamweight.
He would go on to lose his first chance at UFC bantamweight gold when he came out on the bad end of a close, but unanimous, decision to then-champion Dominick Cruz.
Faber’s next chance at the title came against a rising, dominant bantamweight star in Nova Uniao’s RenanBarao.
Barao was riding a 28-fight winning streak and Faber was fresh off a dominant submission victory against Brian Bowles.
Faber’s fight against Barao went much like his last fight against a Nova Uniao fighter—he was left battered. A broken rib suffered early on inside the Octagon would prevent Faber from seeing his hand raised and leaving with UFC gold.
Three submissions in four wins in 2013 would place Faber back inside the cage against Barao, who was now seeking to defend his bantamweight belt for the third time.
The sequel would be nothing like the original—but that didn’t mean it would end well for Faber this time, either. Barao dominated Faber on the feet, stunning him and knocking him down twice before a premature stoppage from referee Herb Dean at UFC 169. He was 0-3 in title fights against Nova Uniao.
With seemingly nobody left to challenge Barao’s 32-fight winning streak, the UFC green-lit a bout between Barao and TJ Dillashaw—the latest Team Alpha Male member to get an opportunity at UFC glory.
With just one fight—a loss, at that—against a ranked bantamweight opponent, many (including this author) believed Dillashaw was merely the next body for Barao to dispose of.
He was supposed to be No. 33.
He was inexperienced. He was unproven. He was vulnerable.
It didn’t matter.
It took one round and a jaw-dropping knockdown to silence all the critics—Dillashaw, at the very least, belonged inside the cage with the champion. It took four-and-a-half rounds of complete and utter domination to prove he was the better fighter and the rightful heir to the bantamweight throne.
Team Alpha Male finally had a UFC champion to call its own.
Once an invincible, dominant, pound-for-pound beast, Barao now stands where Dillashaw once did—an undeserving title contender. Really, it wasn’t even close enough to give the greatest of champions an immediate rematch.
So, here we stand.
Bloody Elbow indicates Barao was the latest to take part in a Duane Ludwig striking seminar, and Mendes is finally under Aldo’s skin. If all that history isn’t enough to validate this rivalry, you might want to dust off your dictionary.
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.
Matt Brown once authored a 12-11 record as a professional mixed martial artist, leaving many questioning whether or not The Immortal had a place among the sport’s elite.
He’s since capped off a seven-fight winning streak and thrust hi…
Matt Brown once authored a 12-11 record as a professional mixed martial artist, leaving many questioning whether or not The Immortal had a place among the sport’s elite.
He’s since capped off a seven-fight winning streak and thrust himself into the title conversation, silencing most of his doubters.
“Cincinnati, Ohio, who do you want to see fight for the title next?” Brown asked the fans in attendance after his comeback performance against Erick Silva at UFC Fight Night in May.
Though few men inside the Octagon’s welterweight division can attest to the same type of streak Brown’s held since 2012, The Immortal’s got one last task before he can get to the champ—his name is Robbie Lawler.
Lawler’s victory streak is nowhere near as impressive as Brown’s currently is, but that hasn’t stopped many from wondering if the latter fighter is in over his head as he prepares for the UFC’s No. 1-ranked welterweight.
Yes, Brown’s been victorious in his past seven—with six of those wins coming by way of knockout or TKO—but those numbers alone shouldn’t grant Brown an automatic nod against the former welterweight title contender.
Dust off your magnifying glass, inspect Brown’s last five fights a little closer and see for yourself why his winning streak hasn’t already catapulted him into any title fights.
It’s not his fault, though—the UFC just hasn’t given many opportunities against the division’s elite. He had his chance against the promotion’s No. 3-ranked contender, Carlos Condit, back in December before falling victim to two herniated discs in his back before the bout.
He’ll get just what he needs to validate his winning streak this Saturday: a bout with a top-10 opponent.
That top-10 opponent, while not undefeated in his last five bouts, has faced much, much stronger competition.
Brown’s most recent victory was a few strikes away from being a loss, while Lawler’s most recent loss was a late takedown away from being a win.
It’s worth noting that Brown’s near-loss stemmed from a body kick from an orthodox fighter that all but folded him like a lawn chair. Silva couldn’t capitalize and let a recovered Brown put a shiny bow on what Jon Anik called “one of the greatest performances in UFC history.”
He’ll naturally be at greater risk of facing that same type of strike against a southpaw Lawler on Saturday, and you can bet Ruthless will be ruthless if he sees Brown in any sort of visible distress during their No. 1 contender bout at UFC on Fox 12.
Ruthless and The Immortal have their eyes set on getting inside the Octagon with Johny Hendricks. A win against a resurgent Brown is all Lawler needs before he’s able to punch his ticket back to the dance. A win against a proven Lawler is the last piece of the puzzle before Brown can effectively silence all of the critics.
Whether or not you think Brown is in over his head is irrelevant—few excuses should prevent you from tuning in to this guaranteed barnburner.
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.
Conor McGregor was coming into his fight against Diego Brandao with a massive amount of pressure on his shoulders. The UFC is banking on him becoming a massive star, and the Irish competitor lived up to those expectations.
From start to finish he batte…
Conor McGregor was coming into his fight against Diego Brandao with a massive amount of pressure on his shoulders. The UFC is banking on him becoming a massive star, and the Irish competitor lived up to those expectations.
From start to finish he battered Brandao in every position of the contest. While Brandao was a replacement for Cole Miller and far from a high-ranking opponent, McGregor has found himself in a position where he has vaulted himself to prominence in the featherweight division.
Even though his talking skills have done most of the work to this point, McGregor is becoming one of the most talked about athletes in this division. The UFC should follow suit by placing him in a challenging fight next to prove his worth while giving him the chance to further establish himself in the featherweight division.
These fight suggestions would help move McGregor up the featherweight ladder at an acceptable pace to match his verbal antics.
UFC flyweight champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson has reigned supreme as the best 125-pound fighter in the world, and over the past two years he has dispatched the entire divisional Top Five.
He’s looked dominant against his co…
UFC flyweight champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson has reigned supreme as the best 125-pound fighter in the world, and over the past two years he has dispatched the entire divisional Top Five.
He’s looked dominant against his contemporaries and is set to defend his belt against the No. 8-ranked Chris Cariaso in a head-scratcher of a fight at UFC 177 on August 30. If fighters like Joseph Benavidez, Ian McCall and John Moraga can’t find a chink in the armor of Mighty Mouse, his next challenges may come from some of the talent outside of the Top Five, where there is no dearth of skilled fighters.
The emerging contenders in the UFC’s lightest men’s weight class are ready for the big stage, and fighters like Dustin Ortiz, KyojiHoriguchi and Zach Makovsky are all striving to shake up the division and earn a title shot.
With Ortiz winning a close fight against Justin Scoggins and Jon Lineker’s recent Fight of the Night battle with AlptekinOzkilic putting him back on the winning track, there is no shortage of viable contenders for Johnson.
Conor McGregor is a star in the world of mixed martial arts. Whether mainstream or hardcore fans want to admit it, the Irish star has grabbed this sport by the throat. With only two wins against competitors who are well outside the featherweight top 15…
ConorMcGregor is a star in the world of mixed martial arts. Whether mainstream or hardcore fans want to admit it, the Irish star has grabbed this sport by the throat. With only two wins against competitors who are well outside the featherweight top 15, McGregor has used his eloquent speech skills to become one of the most captivating characters in the sport today. To his luck, the UFC has thrown their weight behind them and this Saturday’s UFC Fight Night is now a proving grown for not only McGregor, but the Ultimate Fighting Championship as well.
When’s the last time the UFC has paid so much attention to a competitor that is 2-0 within the Octagon? If that athlete’s name isn’t Brock Lesnar or Ronda Rousey, then the answer was never. Until McGregor came along. He’s never appeared on a Pay-Per-View event but the Irish native is set to headline the UFC’s return to his home country. The entire card is built around his name and everyone knows it. UFC Fight Night: Dublin, as it has been tagged, sold out in mere hours. With all of this promotion swirling, the pressure is on for McGregor to produce. Luckily for the organization, he seems to be ready for the moment.
“Pressure is an illusion, but I want that illusion of pressure,” McGregor said as he addressed the media on Wednesday as reported by Sherdog. “Heap more on me. Give me more pressure so that when I put this guy away and make it look easy – which I will do – people will say, ‘How did he do that?’ Let’s jump this guy straight ahead of the queue and put him straight in for a title shot.”
Quite the diatribe from McGregor, whose two wins have come against opponents with a combined 8-5 while fighting under the Zuffa banner. Experts are overlooking the challenge that Diego Brandao brings to this contest, but odder things have happened in mixed martial arts. Just as Rick Story knows what it felt like when his hype was destroyed by Charlie Brenneman years ago. What’s different between these two situations is that the UFC needs McGregor to succeed and they need him to do so in dramatic fashion.
Many are comparing Conor to the famed ChaelSonnen for his ability to perform when the microphones are hot and cameras are rolling. Except there are two major differences: McGregor is much younger than Sonnen was when he pushed his way into the limelight and Conor has shown that he has the ability to perform in the Octagon as well. With 12 knockout victories, mainstream fans are hoping that he continues his path of violence. Realistically speaking, McGregor should be very far from any mention of a featherweight title shot—but star power talks in the UFC and it’s screaming for Conor.
UFC President Dana White has even joined in the commotion. Back in 2013, White was asked if McGregor had a lot of hype surrounding him and Dana responded “You’ve got that right, other than Brock Lesnar.” As mentioned in that MMA Mania report by Jesse Holland, there was a lot of anticipation surrounding Conor even before he entered the Octagon and he’s performed up to par to this point.
An upset win for Diego will not boost his career as much as it would diminish that of McGregor‘s and the perception of who the UFC decides to promote. Mixed martial arts is still teetering between being described as a form of sport or entertainment. McGregor is an athlete but his star power has been developing purely by the entertainment side of the industry. A failure at Saturday’s event would be akin to an actor flopping in a bad movie and a highly touted prospect blowing a big game all at the same time.
The UFC is struggling to build personalities that fans care about. Conor has done most of the work for them and now has an entire country in his back pocket. His main event spot at UFC Fight Night: Dublin is a testament to the current state of mixed martial arts. The UFC will never admit it, but they have a rooting interest in this fight. As they should because ConorMcGregor has the potential to blow the doors off of this sport.
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