UFC 175 is looking to have some awesome matchups that will provide some great entertainment for UFC fans.
Chris Weidman is coming off back-to-back wins versus Anderson Silva and is looking to take on a well-rounded fighter in Lyoto Machida. Ronda…
UFC 175 is looking to have some awesome matchups that will provide some great entertainment for UFC fans.
Chris Weidman is coming off back-to-back wins versus Anderson Silva and is looking to take on a well-rounded fighter in LyotoMachida. Ronda Rousey is putting her undefeated record on the line against a very tough Alexis Davis.
Nick Newell is a story within mixed martial arts that is being missed by the mainstream sports world. This Saturday at World Series of Fighting 11 two undefeated lightweights will enter the cage to compete for the WSOF lightweight title. Justin Gaethje…
Nick Newell is a story within mixed martial arts that is being missed by the mainstream sports world. This Saturday at World Series of Fighting 11 two undefeated lightweights will enter the cage to compete for the WSOF lightweight title. Justin Gaethje will defend his title against Newell but that isn’t what makes this story stand out among others in the sport. Newell is a congenital amputee that hasn’t allowed his condition to stop his meteoric rise to this point.
Newell was born with a left arm that stopped just past his elbow. In a sport that demands the ability to punch, grab and wrestle, Newell has proven naysayers wrong since he first stepped into the cage to compete. Five years after his professional debut, the man known as “Notorious” has done nothing but win. His abilities allow him to stay undefeated but can’t take the attention away from his condition that most would deem a disadvantage. Newell has come to terms with his condition as an athlete but doesn’t let it hold him back from performing at a high level.
“I have never been like ‘check me out,’ I have one arm and I’m out here fighting, is that unique?” Newell told MMA Mania’s C.J. Tuttle in 2013. “All I have ever done is put on exciting fights and win. If it helps market me and helps me stand out and make a living, that’s cool. Whatever gets you to watch.”
Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like Newell‘s story has captured the attention of the mainstream sports industry. A few days out from the event, major sports mediums such as ESPN haven’t touched the story. The main MMA page on ESPN still lists headlines that are weeks old rather than any mention of the event planned for Saturday.
There are a number of reasons that may have attributed to this situation. Newell fights in the World Series of Fighting promotion which many consider the second or third dog in the MMA promotion game. Even though the WSOF has steadily grown since their first show back in 2012, they haven’t garnered much attention outside the vessels that normally cover mixed martial arts.
Another factor that may pull attention away from Newell‘s story is the continued increase of MMA news and action available to the industry. The Ultimate Fighting Championship just featured two shows in one day this past Saturday. This weekend features not only WSOF 11 on Saturday, but UFC 175 later that evening and UFC The Ultimate Fighter 19 Finale on Sunday. Now, with the newest developments of the ChaelSonnen story,Dana White and co will be the talk of the town; taking attention away from Newell and the WSOF.
Still, Newell and Gaethje both deserve to be covered for what they will do on Saturday. The fact that a major promotion is hosting a card that will be headlined by a fighter with such a disability is a story that makes sports so enjoyable. Athletes such as Jim Abbott and Anthony Robles have inspired multitudes of people by overcoming similar challenges. Newell could be a similar story that benefits not only his career, but the promotion of the WSOF as a whole. While there is the question as to whether or not his disadvantage will “catch up with him,” Newell deserves the opportunity that he has coming on Saturday. The rest of the sports world should be aware to cheer him on.
Nick Newell will bring an 11-0 record with him into his main event confrontation on Saturday. With that he’ll bring a story that’s worth telling to the whole sports world. Sadly, the mainstream sports community is missing out on the opportunity to show yet another example of what makes the industry so enjoyable.
In the world of MMA, the women’s division is ruled by Ronda Rousey.
She’s snatched the position created by Gina Carano years ago and ran with it into stardom. Even though Carano has been away from the sport for years, she’s still a name th…
In the world of MMA, the women’s division is ruled by Ronda Rousey.
She’s snatched the position created by Gina Carano years ago and ran with it into stardom. Even though Carano has been away from the sport for years, she’s still a name that draws attention when mentioned. As talks between Carano and the UFC seem to have stalled, according to Mike Chiappetta of Fox Sports, one must ask if her return is not only in her best interests but those of women’s MMA as a whole.
Gina Carano made history when she took to the Strikeforce hexagon and became, along with Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino, the first women’s main event of a major MMA card. Even though she was toppled in brutal fashion by Cyborg, that one moment led to Carano‘s leap into the movie industry.
At the same time, it pulled her out of the cage for what would be a five-year hiatus. In those five years, women’s mixed martial arts has grown by leaps and bounds.
UFC President Dana White softened his hardline stance against letting women compete in the Octagon. Many attribute that change of heart due to the rise of Rousey. How could you blame him? Rousey immediately become one of the sport’s most important stars and is branching out into other ventures just as Carano did before her.
Comparisons between the two quickly became the norm for fans and talking heads alike. The momentum for a Rousey vs. Carano fight has picked up in 2014. White has even gone on record to say that Carano“deserves” a shot at Rousey. This is Dana White doing the job that he’s become known for doing. While both individuals are trailblazers for women in combat sports, it’s clear where the overall value for this fight lies.
A few things are certain when addressing this potential contest.
First, Rousey, Carano and the UFC would make enormous amounts of money on what would most likely be the biggest women’s fight in the sport’s history. If this bout was made in 2014, there would be a shot for it to be one of the most watched of the year as well. Rousey‘s promotional debut at UFC 157 against Liz Carmouche had one of the highest pay-per-view buyrates of 2013.
Even though her second title defense of the year was a co-main event against Miesha Tate on UFC 168, that card ended up being the best-selling event of 2013 (although the show also featured the rematch of Chris Weidman and Anderson Silva). A fight between Carano and Rousey would be promoted so well that it would easily surpass UFC 157 if not come close to the seven-figure buyrate of UFC 168.
The second certainty of this bout is that Carano would be a major underdog to Rousey. Whether this fight took place at 135 or 145, Gina would be facing an individual that would be the best athlete she’s ever fought. Rousey has faced tougher matchups while enduring a higher level of scrutiny than Carano ever dealt with in her career.
Asking Gina to return after so many years away from the sport to face the pound-for-pound queen of women’s mixed martial arts would be asking way too much, especially if the expectations are for her to be competitive. Many expect Rousey to dispatch of Carano quite easily.
“I really feel that it’s just kind of a joke,” former title challenger Tate stated on MMAjunkie radio. “It really is. Gina was a great fighter, and she’s a beautiful woman. Ronda is a great fighter, and she’s an attractive girl. But to say that Gina should be able to come in after five years of nothing and take on arguably the best female fighter ever? Come on.”
With top fighters such as Holly Holm and Cristiane Justino waiting in the wings, it’s clear why the UFC is making a push to obtain Carano‘s services. As debates rage as to whether or not mixed martial arts is a sport or entertainment, this conversation will stand as a point for those who believe it is clear entertainment. Rousey vs. Carano does have appeal, but that demand comes in the form of dollar figures, not sporting value.
Add Dan Henderson’s name to the list of UFC light heavyweights looking for a career-resurgence by dropping to 185 pounds.
MMAFighting.com reported that the former Pride two-division champion will be returning to middleweight for the first time si…
Add Dan Henderson’s name to the list of UFC light heavyweights looking for a career-resurgence by dropping to 185 pounds.
MMAFighting.com reported that the former Pride two-division champion will be returning to middleweight for the first time since his 2010 fight against Jake Shields in Strikeforce.
Hendo hopes to be back in the cage by the end of the year, and the middleweight division is as competitive as it’s ever been. With fighters like Tim Kennedy, Yoel Romero and Luke Rockhold currently jockeying for position in the top 10, there are a number of intriguing matchups for Henderson.
Will we see him take on other legends and former champions in what will most likely be his last few fights?
Perhaps Anderson Silva would be a good option if that will be in the case. If Henderson takes the alternative route and acts as a gatekeeper of sorts for the division’s younger, hungrier talent, then a fight with someone like Rockhold or even Costas Philippou would make sense.
Here are the five best options for Henderson’s return to the middleweight division.
UFC bantamweight Alex “Bruce Leeroy” Caceres faces the biggest test of his career at UFC 175, taking on former WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber in the night’s featured preliminary bout. The fight will give him the opportunity t…
UFC bantamweight Alex “Bruce Leeroy” Caceres faces the biggest test of his career at UFC 175, taking on former WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber in the night’s featured preliminary bout. The fight will give him the opportunity to establish himself as one of the best 135-pound fighters in the sport.
Faber has defeated half of the current Top 10 on the UFC.com rankings, and Caceres understands that some people may be looking past him. Caceres had this to say about his upcoming fight:
“I’m always being a little overlooked going into any fight. With my lifestyle choices, I’m a standout character. People know who I am, and they enjoy watching my fights, but I’m not a mainstream person. I’m not really out there for those kinds of reasons, for fame, glitz, glamour and glory. I simply enjoy performing these actions. Whether I’m in front of a crowd doing it, or if I’m in a hole-in-the-wall gym, it makes no difference to me, and I’m going to be happy doing it.”
He doesn’t concern himself with trying to hype his fights the way some other fighters do. He is simply here to ply his trade, and would rather communicate through his art, saying:
“You don’t see me that much out there promoting myself, and taking selfies and getting out there and saying ‘Hey, look at me, I’m the best.’ I don’t necessarily believe in all that. I’m a very simple person. I’m just a human being that does martial arts, and when I get in there I’ll do it to the best of my ability.”
“It’s not a competition between me and the other person; if anything it’s just a competition with myself. I’m trying to beat myself to see if I’m better than who I am and see if I can achieve a higher level in this playing field.”
“Bruce Leeroy” is known for his relaxed fighting style, and he is one of the more calm and complacent fighters when he’s on his way to the cage. He attributes that to his understanding of the true nature of a fight, saying:
“The way I look at it, there are only two people inside the cage, and somebody has to lose. I don’t think there is any shame in losing inside the UFC cage, inside that Octagon. Just getting there is a feat by itself. And then to beat someone who has trained for you, and is a top athlete—whoever wins is the better man that night and only that night. You always have a lifetime to get back into it and do it again, and transform yourself and get better. You can’t expect to win all the time. There are only two people in there, and one of them has to lose.”
Caceres does not fight to appease the cageside judges. In fact, when he heard his cornermen saying that he had only 30 seconds left in the final round of his fight with Sergio Pettis, his initial thought was not that he needs to find a way to win; instead, it was that he only had 30 seconds left to do what he loves and that he better make the most of that time.
His entertaining style comes from his lack of fear or stress leading up to his fights. His goal is to achieve new heights through his martial arts skills, and being able to go in and compete and truly perform to his potential matters more than actually winning.
“I try to go in there with an empty mind and a full heart, so I don’t hesitate on the actions that I want to perform. I’m not going to hold back because I’m afraid of losing. I just want to do what I do and do it to the best of my abilities. I know with that attitude and that motivation, it will most likely lead me to victory, even though it’s not my main concern. It’s kind of like people who take life too seriously. You can’t get out alive, so you might as well just live.”
Mike Wellman is a contributor for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
In the prime of his fighting career, Georges St-Pierre—the former welterweight king and pound-for-pound great—walked away from MMA just eight months ago, citing personal issues.
Months after his departure, the MMA community gained gr…
In the prime of his fighting career, Georges St-Pierre—the former welterweight king and pound-for-pound great—walked away from MMA just eight months ago, citing personal issues.
Months after his departure, the MMA community gained greater insight on what St-Pierre’s concerns were partially hinged upon: the use of performance-enhancing drugs in MMA and the UFC.
As the months went by, it became readily apparent that those sentiments were not unique to St-Pierre. Several other fighters, such as Brian Stann—who claimed that PEDs were a big reason he retired from the sport as well—believe athletic commissions were not doing enough to combat banned substances in MMA, telling Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour back in April (via MMAMania.com):
I’m 33 years old, and I have seen, in my own training, and in talking and knowing guys in the inner circle, I’ve known what guys are not on, and when they cycle on it. You can feel the difference in the gym and what big a difference it makes, and I do think there are a number of guys who are using just because the testing currently our athletic commissions is inadequate.
Dana White and the UFC have always been quick to claim sufficient and successful drug testing, often stating that the promotion completes its own testing separate of any athletic commission. White first told ESPN’s Michelle Beadle on Sportsnation in April:
PEDs have been cleaned up in the UFC. What people don’t realize is that the rule used to be that when commissions would test athletes, they’d do the main event and they’d have a couple of random tests. We’ve been testing everyone on the cards. Everyone’s being tested. It’s been a long time since anybody has tested positive for PEDs in the UFC.
St-Pierre didn‘t agree. He first told Helwani on The MMA Hour in March about how he indirectly disagreed with White’s sentiments (via MMAFighting.com):
The system is not in place. There are no guidelines. The way they test now, it’s not good. It’s not good the way they test. If you get caught on steroids right now, it’s because you’re very disorganized. It’s so easy to beat the test. It’s ridiculous. It’s not a real test.
But for all the good random drug testing can provide MMA, it could do a lot of harm too.
Take Major League Baseball and the “steroids era,” for example. People weren’t as concerned about clean play as much as they were about seeing home run records be broken. They didn’t care that pitchers looked like they belonged on the cover of FITNESS Magazine as long as they were throwing heat and making dudes whiff.
Eventually the dirty stuff hit the fan and a bright light was cast upon the shadows that aided cheaters—baseball was officially impure. Much to the credit of the sport’s already established position in the United States, baseball managed to survive.
The UFC is big, but not MLB-big.
Currently the smelly, pimple-faced, rapidly growing teenager that it is, the UFC might not survive having some of its main attractions fall victim to random drug testing.
MMA is still currently illegal in the state of New York. An ongoing, debilitating battle with PED users is not a card the UFC can afford to hold in its hands as it tries to convince the Yankee-faithful of its credibility as a sport in the land of the free and the home of the brave.
That’s not to say that the sport shouldn’t implement random drug testing more often, though—it’s evidently successful in cleaning the sport and creating a more even playing field. But for a promotion that claims it cannot pay its lower-tier fighters more than $8,000 just to show up, there might not be enough money around to keep this party going once all the cool guys and girls have to go home.
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.
