Author: Alex Ballentine

Rampage vs. Maldonado Results: Winner, Scorecard and Reaction from UFC 186

For the first time in four years, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson picked up a victory in the UFC with a unanimous-decision win over Fabio Maldonado at UFC 186 at the Bell Centre in Montreal. 
Bleacher Report MMA tweeted Saturday night’s result:

Jackso…

For the first time in four years, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson picked up a victory in the UFC with a unanimous-decision win over Fabio Maldonado at UFC 186 at the Bell Centre in Montreal. 

Bleacher Report MMA tweeted Saturday night’s result:

Jackson came out as the aggressor from the opening bell, looking to close the distance and pin Maldonado against the cage. After some early success in the clinch, he was more willing to create some separation and do his damage from close range. A barrage of knees, kicks and punches showed off diverse arsenal that Jackson doesn’t always bring to his fights. 

MMA Fighting noted how well Rampage mixed things up:

The second round saw Maldonado become the aggressor as he took his turn to pin Jackson against the cage. His offense was less diverse than Jackson’s as he went to the body with some dirty boxing on the inside. Once again, the fighters spent the latter half of the round fighting at distance. Unfortunately for Maldonado, that also meant more effective striking from Jackson.

Any concerns about Rampage’s fitness were answered in the third and final frame. Despite some attempts to work the body from Maldonado, Jackson was the much more active fighter in the third round. He continued to pepper his opponent with a variety of strikes en route to a decisive decision victory. 

The sight of Jackson having his hand raised in a UFC bout is one that seemed nearly impossible just a year ago. Rampage was putting on the finishing touches of a three-fight stint in Bellator. After openly disparaging the UFC in the past, it appears the light heavyweight has changed his tune about the organization.

“Honestly there’s a lot worse shows out there than the UFC.” Jackson said, via Chuck Mindenhall of MMA Fighting. “People think that MMA fighters have been treated bad and stuff like that…there are people out there that don’t care about your one bit. At least in the UFC you can earn a pretty good living. Other places, I don’t see you earning no living like you earn in the UFC.”

With the previously disgruntled star’s rocky relationship with the organization apparently mended, this shouldn’t be the last we see of him in the Octagon. 

Those who think this win is a steppingstone to bigger and better things might want to pump the brakes a bit, though. His lengthy hiatus from the UFC doesn’t cover the fact that he jumped to Bellator in the midst of a three-fight losing streak.

His three-fight win streak in Bellator and this win over Maldonado may prove that he’s in a better position to fight his way up the rankings again, or it could be a testament to the talent gap that exists between Bellator and the UFC. 

Joey Beltran, Christian M’Pumbu and Muhammed Lawal isn’t exactly a murderers’ row of opponents. Even Maldonado matched up perfectly for Rampage. The Brazilian is a straightforward striker who rarely looks to take down opponents. 

As Reed Kuhn of Fightnomics noted, Rampage didn’t even have to worry about leg kicks heading into the fight:

Ultimately, this fight told us little about Rampage’s long-term stock in the UFC. Whether or not he can climb his way back to being a legitimate Top 10 light heavyweight is still up in the air. 

For now, fans of Rampage can sit back and enjoy at least one more UFC win for one of the sport’s most recognizable stars. 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 186 Results: Winners and Scorecards from Johnson vs. Horiguchi Fight Card

UFC 186 isn’t the most star-studded card on the UFC’s calendar this year. Events anchored by Jon Jones, Ronda Rousey and the like have certainly received more hype, but that doesn’t mean we should overlook Saturday’s card.
Chief amon…

UFC 186 isn’t the most star-studded card on the UFC’s calendar this year. Events anchored by Jon Jones, Ronda Rousey and the like have certainly received more hype, but that doesn’t mean we should overlook Saturday’s card.

Chief among the reasons to tune in is the opportunity to watch Demetrious Johnson work. Mighty Mouse is among the most dominant champions in the sport, even if he never dominates the headlines.

Then there’s the return of one of the UFC’s most recognizable stars in Rampage Jackson. After a three-fight stint in Bellator that saw him get back on the winning track, he’ll make his return against Fabio Maldonado.

With Michael Bisping and C.B. Dollaway also set to square off, this card has more than one quality scrap on deck. Here’s a live look at the results as they happen throughout the night.  

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Johnson vs. Horiguchi Fight Card: Live Stream, PPV and TV Schedule

UFC 186 can be added to the number of events that have been hurt by the injury bug in recent years. The marquee that was once anchored by a rematch between T.J. Dillashaw and Renan Barao is now headlined by Demetrious Johnson and Kyoji Horiguchi. …

UFC 186 can be added to the number of events that have been hurt by the injury bug in recent years. The marquee that was once anchored by a rematch between T.J. Dillashaw and Renan Barao is now headlined by Demetrious Johnson and Kyoji Horiguchi. 

But the lost luster doesn’t mean it’s a lost cause. 

Oftentimes, it’s the cards with the least amount of star power that wind up providing exciting fights. With a slew of up-and-comers and familiar veterans on the docket, the night should still wind up being filled with exciting bouts for those in attendance at the Bell Centre. 

Here’s a look at all the vital information surrounding the card as well as a look ahead at the biggest storylines to watch for on Saturday. 

 

When: Saturday, April 25

Start Time: Fight Pass prelims at 6:30 p.m. ET (subscription required); Fox Sports 1 prelims at 8 p.m. ET; main card pay-per-view at 10 p.m. ET

Where: Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Live Stream: UFC.tv

 

Just How Good is Thomas Almeida?

Leading off the pay-per-view card is a classic prospect-vs.-gatekeeper matchup with 23-year-old bantamweight Thomas Almeida in line to fight 35-year-old Yves Jabouin.

Jabouin is a veteran of the UFC, having stepped in the Octagon eight times since joining the organization in 2011. However, none of the five opponents he’s beaten are still fighting under the Zuffa banner.

Almeida—on the other hand—appears to be just getting started. He’s 18-0 and coming off his first win in the UFC. And even with just one fight under his belt on the biggest stage in MMA, he’s already drawing comparisons to professional kickboxers, via Patrick Wyman of Sherdog.com:

With 13 of his 18 wins coming by way of knockout and Jabouin losing two of his last three fights by knockout, everything points toward a highlight finish for Almeida.

 

Do Michael Bisping and Rampage Jackson Have Anything Left in the Tank?

The card may start with some future contenders in Almeida and Shane Campbell, but it’ll be kicking it old school in the lead-up to the main event. Both Michael Bisping and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson will be making their returns to the Octagon. 

Bisping will be the first up on the senior circuit when he takes on C.B. Dollaway in middleweight action. Despite losing two of his last three fights, the British fighter is confident he can not only beat the Doberman but also challenge for the title. 

“Luke Rockhold is going to beat Weidman later in the year. I’ll beat someone in summer, and then I’ll get my rematch with Rockhold,” Bisping told Rick Lee and John Morgan of MMAJunkie. “He head-butted me in that fight, and then this time next year, I’ll be the champion. There you go.”

Those comments aren’t surprising given The Count’s reputation for bravado. Still, it’s lofty talk for a guy who is 3-4 in his last seven fights. Lyoto Machida recently dominated Dollaway, but the latter won back-to-back fights prior to the loss. He’ll be a game opponent to see where Bisping is truly at in the hierarchy. 

While Bisping is one of the bigger names on the card, there’s no denying that the return of Rampage is one of the biggest storylines. Dana White even tweeted out a short hype video pumping up the former champion’s return from Bellator:

Here’s the biggest question, though. Can Rampage, a fighter who left the UFC in 2013 on a three-fight losing streak, still really be relevant?

Well, just the fact that he’s fighting for the UFC again is relevant in its own right. The announcement that an injunction linked to his contract with Bellator would be lifted and that he would be on the card was only announced five days before the fight, per Nancy Gay of UFC.com.  

With the legal issues settled for now, Rampage actually has to go out and perform. With his history of motivation issues, one has to wonder if Fabio Maldonado might be coming into this bout a little more prepared than his celebrity opponent. 

 

How Will Mighty Mouse Win?

Unless Kyoji Horiguchi can channel a T.J. Dillashaw– or Rafael dos Anjos-type performance that no one sees coming, Demetrious Johnson is walking away from UFC 186 with the flyweight title firmly around his waist. He’s reached the level where we can assume the crown is his until someone special comes along. 

The real question is how he’ll have his hand raised. 

Early in Mighty Mouse’s career, he had to face allegations of being a decision machine. The technical juggernaut saw his first seven UFC bouts end by decision. But lately that’s changed. 

Whether it’s due to a progression of skills or simply fighting a more aggressive style, Johnson is no longer a guy who outpoints opponents. He’s ended three of his last four bouts. 

He has more than one way to skin a cat, too. He finished Joseph Benavidez via first-round knockout but submitted both John Moraga (armbar) and Chris Cariaso (kimura). 

With his recent penchant for finishing fights, it’ll be interesting to see how he chooses to handle Horiguchi and his unique striking style. The safe bet is that he’ll find a way to end it on the ground by relentless ground-and-pound or another slick submission as he ends his night early. 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Demetrious Johnson vs. Kyoji Horiguchi Predictions, Odds Before Start of UFC 186

Kyoji Horiguchi has a big task ahead of him when he faces Demetrious Johnson at UFC 186. 
The 24-year-old has shown some promise since making his UFC debut in 2013. His 4-0 record in the Octagon and 15-1 record overall are why he has this opportun…

Kyoji Horiguchi has a big task ahead of him when he faces Demetrious Johnson at UFC 186. 

The 24-year-old has shown some promise since making his UFC debut in 2013. His 4-0 record in the Octagon and 15-1 record overall are why he has this opportunity in the first place. But when Horiguchi is looking across the cage at Johnson, he’ll be seeing an entirely new level of competition. 

The four opponents that Horiguchi has beaten in the UFC have combined for a total of two wins in the UFC. Johnson had two wins last year. 

The odds reflect this experience disparity, of course. The latest numbers from Odds Shark have Mighty Mouse as a 8-1 favorite to retain his belt against his Japanese challenger. Here’s a look at the tale of the tape heading into the matchup, as well some predictions for how the fight will shake out. 

 

Horiguchi Will Look to Gauge Distance Early

Horiguchi is known for his knockout power, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to come out guns a-blazing and looking to knock out Johnson. His karate style calls for him to sit back in his stance and wait for the right opportunities to blitz his opponent.

This tendency for early tentativeness showed in his bout against Louis Gaudinot. Facing the aggressive Gaudinot, he only threw 27 significant strikes in the first round, per FightMetric. He would then go on to increase his workload in each of the next two rounds. 

Unfortunately for Horiguchi, Johnson isn’t Gaudinot. Few in MMA can rival Mighty Mouse’s quickness and footwork. If Horiguchi is waiting on the champion to make a mistake early, it’s not going to happen. 

 

Johnson Will Score Multiple Takedowns

Even if Horiguchi starts off tentatively, he’s made it clear he’s looking for a knockout. “This is my time and I’m ready. [Johnson] is a very good fighter, but I have a lot of weapons as well,” Horiguchi told Duane Finley of Bleacher Report. “I’m going to use my karate base to control the fight and take advantage in the stand-up game. I will be looking for the knockout at all times.”

That makes for great pre-fight talk, but it’s indicative of a fighter who might not have the patience to outpoint a fighter on the feet. With Johnson’s elusiveness frustrating Horiguchi, the challenger could ditch his usually patient game plan early on for a more aggressive approach. 

When that happens, it’ll be the beginning of the end for the challenger. 

Johnson is a great champion because of how well-rounded his game is. He can wrestle the best strikers in his division and outstrike the best grapplers. In this case, he can look to take his challenger to the mat as much as possible. 

 

Johnson Will Finish the Fight

Once this fight heads to the ground, the advantage for Johnson swings from noticeable to gigantic. His fluidity in transitions is unrivaled. 

When making his pick, Bloody Elbow’s Zane Simon broke down how Horiguchi’s weakness plays right into Johnson’s strength:

Horiguchi does a great job keeping and controlling range. His broken rhythm style takes time to track down, and like Johnson and Dodson, he’s great at moving in and out of the pocket behind strikes. In the early rounds I expect Johnson to have some trouble finding his timing and tracking Horiguchi down. Once he does, however, Horiguchi is very prone to giving up his back in scrambles and I think that’ll really cost him. Demetrious Johnson by Submission, Round 3.

A submission-victory prediction is a perfectly logical one. After all, Johnson has earned two of his last three stoppages by way of submission. However, he might not even need to bring those skills out of the bag in this case. 

He’s so good at putting himself in advantageous positions and landing ground-and-pound that it’s easy to envision him bringing the fight to a halt via strikes. 

Prediction: Johnson via second-round TKO.

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UFC 186: Early Predictions for Johnson vs. Horiguchi Main Event

If you ask the casual MMA fan who the top three pound-for-pound fighters in MMA are, Demetrious Johnson’s name probably won’t come up. 
The list is guaranteed to have Jon Jones. Ronda Rousey and Cain Velasquez are not only switching to Metro but l…

If you ask the casual MMA fan who the top three pound-for-pound fighters in MMA are, Demetrious Johnson’s name probably won’t come up. 

The list is guaranteed to have Jon Jones. Ronda Rousey and Cain Velasquez are not only switching to Metro but likely on the list as well. Perhaps even Jose Aldo—or as he’s more known these days—”the guy fighting Conor McGregor.”

Chris Weidman could also be on the list. After all, he’s the one who took down Anderson Silva. 

But the one they call Mighty Mouse isn’t likely to be found. Yet if you look at the pound-for-pound rankings on UFC.com as of April 20, he’ll be there at No. 3.

After seven consecutive wins in the Octagon, Johnson is finally starting to get the recognition he deserves in the rankings. At UFC 186, he’ll attempt to prove he’s earned the accolades he receives against Kyoji Horiguchi. 

Horiguchi has put together a nice winning streak since coming into the UFC. He’s a perfect 4-0 since joining the organization, and at only 24 years old, his potential as a contender is intriguing. MMA Infographics breaks down the records of both fighters:

So is the young Horiguchi prepared to spring an upset on the titan of his division? Here’s a look at how he matches up with the champion along with an early prediction for just how the fight will shake out Saturday.

 

When: Saturday, April 25

Start Time: Fight Pass prelims at 7 p.m. ET (subscription required); Fox Sports 1 prelims at 8 p.m. ET; main card pay-per-view at 10 p.m. ET

Where: Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Live Stream: UFC.tv

 

Fight Preview

Looking at the odds for this bout, Vegas isn’t too confident in Horiguchi‘s ability to find a way to beat the champion. Odds Shark pegs the challenger as a 6-1 underdog for Saturday’s main event. 

In actuality, the odds seem even steeper than that. Looking at the way these two match up, Horiguchi only has one path to victory. With nine of his 15 wins coming by way of knockout or TKO, he stands a puncher’s chance against Johnson. 

Here’s how the two stack up statistically, via FightMetric:

The problem for Horiguchi is that Johnson has seen powerful strikers before. As Brian Hemminger of MMAOddsBreaker points out, Joseph Benavidez and John Dodson were dangerous challengers in their own right:

The difference between Horiguchi and those other two strikers might be in his style, though. The Norifumi Yamamoto-trained fighter doesn’t always have the most orthodox angles and footwork, meaning he can sneak in and out of striking range without relying on being quicker than Johnson on the feet. 

The body kick that Horiguchi landed early in his bout against Jon Delos Reyes is a great example:

The greatest challenge for the Horiguchi won’t be keeping up on the feet, though. It’s going to be getting it to stay on the feet. When Johnson has sensed a talent disparity in the wrestling department, he’s often taken advantage. He took down John Moraga 12 times and Dodson five, according to FightMetric. 

Where Johnson chooses to take this fight ultimately becomes the storyline to watch as this bout unfolds. 

 

Prediction

This fight bears some resemblance to the aforementioned Johnson vs. Moraga matchup. Moraga came into the bout with Johnson as a promising prospect who had made a good impression in his few UFC bouts but ultimately had very little to offer the champion.

What ensued was a five-round beatdown that ended with Johnson getting a submission victory.

Ultimately, this feels like it’s a classic case of too much, too soon for the young Horiguchi. With his unique style and knockout power, the potential is there for him to be an excellent contender in the flyweight division, perhaps champion.

However, as Patrick Wyman of Sherdog notes, this just feels like poor timing for the challenger:

Horiguchi himself disagrees, of course. “This is the perfect time for me to get a title shot,” Horiguchi said via Mike Bohn of MMAjunkie. “As usual, I’m going to work very hard in training and have a hard training camp before the fight. I am going for the victory and going for the title.”

If Horiguchi‘s karate style can throw Johnson’s rhythm off early, things could get surprisingly more interesting. 

However, the more likely scenario is one in which Johnson sets the tone early. Rather than stand and exchange strikes with the younger fighter looking to make a name for himself, Johnson will look to turn the fight into a wrestling match. 

If he’s successful doing that early on, things will get ugly quick for Horiguchi. Johnson has found a way to finish three of his last four opponents, and that’s a trend that should continue here. 

Prediction: Johnson via second-Round TKO

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Pettis vs. Dos Anjos Results: Analyzing Performance of UFC 185 Headliners

Rafael dos Anjos is the UFC lightweight champion. 
If that’s a phrase you never thought you’d hear, you aren’t alone. The Brazilian entered his bout with Anthony Pettis at UFC 185 as more than a 4-1 underdog by fight time, according to BestFightOd…

Rafael dos Anjos is the UFC lightweight champion. 

If that’s a phrase you never thought you’d hear, you aren’t alone. The Brazilian entered his bout with Anthony Pettis at UFC 185 as more than a 4-1 underdog by fight time, according to BestFightOdds.com. But that’s the world we now live in. 

Despite all of the pre-fight hype pointing to a coronation of Pettis as the world’s best lightweight, Dos Anjos charged forward and owned the fight for all five rounds. It was a runaway showcase of both his stand-up and grappling skills. 

Here’s a look at some key takeaways from each fighter’s performance and what lies ahead for both men. 

 

Takedowns Can Still Be a Problem for Pettis

Pettis has plenty of strengths that made him a UFC champion. Few can match his creativity or unpredictability as a striker. His submission game is equally unpredictable and explosive. 

But a glaring weakness that has reared its ugly head before is takedown defense. Clay Guida took Showtime down five times en route to one of his three career losses. Gilbert Melendez also scored a takedown in a fight that Pettis ultimately won by submission, and Jeremy Stephens took him down three times. 

Granted, the Guida and Stephens fights took place in 2011. That’s four years ago now. There’s no denying that Pettis has evolved. But much of that evolution came in the form of a dangerous submission game that gave him the belt against Benson Henderson and his first title defense against Melendez. 

The issue with employing that strategy against Dos Anjos was that the Brazilian’s brand of grappling wasn’t going to allow him to be submitted. The jiu-jitsu practitioner was great at suffocating Pettis without opening himself up to any submissions. 

In all, Dos Anjos brought Pettis down nine times in the five-round fight. That’s a serious concern that Pettis will need to address in his next fight camp. It’s an area that other opponents will undoubtedly test when given the opportunity. 

 

What’s Next for Pettis?

Just who will be that next opponent to test Pettis’ takedown defense is unknown at this point. According to MMAFighting.com, Dana White has already nixed any notion of an immediate rematch:

That’s fair. Pettis hasn’t held the belt long enough to be granted an immediate rematch after losing a one-sided affair. He needs the opportunity to go back to the drawing board and improve in certain areas before attempting to reclaim the title. 

Should Khabib Nurmagomedov lose to Donald Cerrone in their upcoming bout, the Russian wrestler would make sense. He could definitely test whether Pettis’ takedown defense is up to snuff. However, if Cerrone loses, it might make more sense for the former champion to see another lightweight who is recently coming off a tough loss, such as Edson Barboza. 

 

Dos Anjos Is More than a Grappler

Don’t let the fact that Dos Anjos scored nine takedowns fool you; this was as complete a performance as you’ll see in the Octagon. The Brazilian was confident and aggressive on the feet as well. As Duane Finley of Bleacher Report noted, everything came from Dos Anjos’ surprisingly effective striking on the feet first:

This win in a vacuum was impressive. Dos Anjos controlled the bout no matter where it went. However, taken in the context of RDA’s entire career, it’s even more inspiring. 

As Mike Bohn of MMAJunkie points out, Dos Anjos became the fighter with the most fights before winning his first belt in the UFC:

That’s an odd distinction, but it says one thing: After 18 fights in the UFC, Dos Anjos is still evolving and developing. That kind of dedication to the craft will make him a dangerous champion. 

Many will point to his loss to Nurmagomedov as a reason that his title reign will be cut short. The Russian is one win away from challenging RDA in a rematch. However, there’s no telling just how improved the new champion is from that fight back in April 2014. 

 

What’s Next for Dos Anjos?

Likely Nurmagomedov. His fight with Cerrone almost certainly determines the No. 1 contender barring a serious injury, and it’s a fight that people will want to see. 

But whether Dos Anjos wins his rematch with the man who beat him just less than a year ago is almost irrelevant at this point. 

It isn’t often that an underrated challenger comes in and owns the Octagon against a champion. But when it does, it’s always memorable. Like T.J. Dillashaw and Frankie Edgar before him, Dos Anjos now has a legacy that will always be defined by shocking the world and taking the title. 

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