Author: Alex Ballentine

Barao vs. McDonald: Interim Title Fight Brings Relevance to UFC on Fuel Card

Even to the most ardent MMA fan, the cards that have been put on UFC on Fuel have been—to put it nicely—lacking in relevance.That won’t be the case on Saturday when UFC on Fuel 7 goes down.A bantamweight interim title fight between Renan Ba…

Even to the most ardent MMA fan, the cards that have been put on UFC on Fuel have been—to put it nicely—lacking in relevance.

That won’t be the case on Saturday when UFC on Fuel 7 goes down.

A bantamweight interim title fight between Renan Barao and Michael McDonald headlining the card means that this event has a relevance usually reserved for FX cards at minimum. That’s a move that should be welcomed by UFC fans watching on TV at home and abroad.

Make no mistake, this isn’t a complaint about the strength or weakness of past cards on Fuel. Considering the amount of money the company stands to gain from pay-per-view sales, it’s nice to see free fights regardless of the fighter’s position in the pecking order.

Cung Le vs. Rich Franklin was a fun matchup. For fans in China, that’s a huge fight. However, neither carry the relevance in their weight division that Barao or McDonald possess (regardless of what Anderson Silva thinks of Cung Le).

From a business standpoint, it makes no sense to regularly put title fights on cards that air for free on a station that many don’t have. To expect that is unrealistic. However, it was a smart move for the UFC to add a title match to this specific event.

Firstly, it acknowledges a large fanbase that often gets the short end of the stick when it comes to live events.

England has existed as a strong market for the UFC for a long time. The organization made its first stop in 2002 and has re-appeared in the country sporadically. This event will be the first one in the country since 2010.

The fact that the UFC was willing to put a title fight on the free card shows a dedication to building the brand in the country. For an organization looking for international expansion that’s a great decision.

Aside from rewarding the fans of England with a quality fight, the extra attention of a title fight will also provide the rising prospects on the card a chance to shine.

From Paul Sass to Jimi Manuwa to Gunnar Nelson, this card features some of the most promising international talent that the UFC has to offer. While it may have been a more conventional move to put a hometown fighter in the main event, the main event of Barao and McDonald should attract more TV viewers.

If the UFC really wants to make its presence felt internationally, it has to nail these events overseas. With a solid main event between two major players in their division, they did just that with UFC on Fuel 7.

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Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar: ‘The Answer’ Needs to Remain at Featherweight

Frankie Edgar fell flat in his attempt to win UFC gold for the second time in as many tries when he dropped a unanimous decision to featherweight champion Jose Aldo. However, he found a new home at 145 pounds in the process. The loss to Aldo has t…

Frankie Edgar fell flat in his attempt to win UFC gold for the second time in as many tries when he dropped a unanimous decision to featherweight champion Jose Aldo. However, he found a new home at 145 pounds in the process. 

The loss to Aldo has to be disheartening. After losing out on two close decisions against Benson Henderson in the lightweight division, Edgar’s move down to featherweight seemed like his best chance at regaining a title. 

While the goal of winning the title didn’t work out this time around, Edgar held his own and showed he deserved to be in the cage with Aldo. Unlike many of the champion’s opponents, you felt like Edgar had a shot to win as the fight progressed. 

It’s for that reason Edgar needs to make the 145-pound division his permanent home. A move back up to 155 would place him squarely in the log jam that exists in the division. He’d have to wait behind Gilbert Melendez and Anthony Pettis if he wanted a shot at a third encounter with Henderson. 

By contrast, the featherweight division is far less decided when it comes to the title picture. 

The next title shot will likely go to either Ricardo Lamas or Chan Sung-Jung. Neither is likely to top Aldo, but they have done the most within the division to earn the opportunity to fight for the belt. 

Ideally, Edgar will be paired with whichever one does not get the title shot in a title eliminator to find out who gets the next crack at the reigning champion. After watching Edgar go toe-to-toe with Aldo, it’s clear that he can hang with anyone at 145. 

Edgar has always been a small lightweight and even looked small compared to the champion on Saturday night. Not many featherweights possess the size of Aldo, and Edgar was still able to score effectively throughout the fight and got stronger in the later rounds. 

Should Edgar stay in the featherweight division, he would likely be favored against any opponent not named Aldo. Considering his popularity with fans and his long track record of delivering in big fights, it’s definitely within reason that he would be granted a rematch with just one victory in the featherweight division. 

The whole idea of Edgar’s drop to 145 was that it presented him with the quickest path to winning a UFC championship. Even though he came up short in his first featherweight championship bout, it’s still the division that gives him the quickest road back to the top. 

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Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar: Last-Minute Betting Guide to UFC 156 Main Event

If you miss Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on the fight of the year. These two are going to put on a show when they close out UFC 156.Those who want to add a little intrigue to an already awesome matchup have the opt…

If you miss Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on the fight of the year. These two are going to put on a show when they close out UFC 156.

Those who want to add a little intrigue to an already awesome matchup have the option of doing so with a variety of wagering options from the good folks at Bovada. 

The Las Vegas-based site is offering the traditional money line on the fight but also offers more specific prop bets for the title fight. Here’s a look at some of the most intriguing options along with the latest odds from Bovada.

 

Money Line: Jose Aldo (-170), Frankie Edgar (+140)

This is the closest line on the main card, and it should bear that out when these two are in the Octagon.

On paper this is about as close a fight as you can get. The slight edge in the line comes from the fact that Aldo is the champion and Edgar is the challenger. 

This is the most straightforward way to bet on this fight. If you think you know beyond the shadow of a doubt who will win, this is probably the best way to make your money. 

 

Method of Victory

Bovada allows you to wager on who will win and in what fashion. The site sets odds for nearly every possible outcome. These are the ones with the best value.

Aldo Wins in First Round (5/1)

If you’re a firm believer in Aldo, this is a good bet to make. He’s shown the ability to put opponents away in the first round. If he shocks Edgar with his power early on, 5/1 is a nice payout. 

 

Edgar Wins by Decision (+250)

Edgar by decision pays out about half as well as Aldo in the first round, but it’s much more likely to happen. Edgar will look to use his excellent cardio and could take the fight in the later rounds. If Edgar pulls off the upset, it’s most likely going to be by decision. This could be the best value on the whole card.

 

Over/Under: 4.5 Rounds

Over: -155

Under: +110

Essentially, this boils down to whether the fight goes to decision or not. If Edgar’s past is any indication, we’ll have to rely on the judges to sort this out. He’s been to a decision 11 times in 19 career fights including five of his last six. 

Aldo is always capable of landing a flash-knockout blow, but he’s been to a decision in two of his last three fights. It would certainly appear this one is destined to go the distance. 

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UFC 156: Prime Candidates for Fight of the Night on Stacked Card

The year is still young, but UFC 156 has to be the early favorite for best card of 2013. Headlined by an incredible title fight, there’s a whole lot to love for fight fans looking to enjoy a great night of fights. With so many big names and intrig…

The year is still young, but UFC 156 has to be the early favorite for best card of 2013. Headlined by an incredible title fight, there’s a whole lot to love for fight fans looking to enjoy a great night of fights. 

With so many big names and intriguing matchups set to go down, the competition for fight of the night will be fierce. There are plenty of fighters on the card that are known for setting the pace and entertaining the fans, but which fights are the favorite to earn the lucrative distinction?

 

Joseph Benavidez vs. Ian McCall

If there’s one thing that the flyweights have shown since the division was added to the UFC, it’s that they are guaranteed to put on a show. 

Benavidez and McCall should continue that trend, as they are both at the top of the division and hungry to get back in the thick of the title picture. Both guys establish a great pace and have the cardio to keep things interesting throughout. 

Benavidez has one fight of the night award to his name, although it was under the WEC banner when he took then-champion Dominick Cruz to a decision. McCall has only fought twice in the UFC but already has one fight of the night performance under his belt. 

These two will put on a show and make a serious run for the distinction.

 

Jon Fitch vs. Demian Maia

Yes, yes, Fitch has been called a “boring” fighter on more than one occasion. But when he’s taking on the kind of grappler that can keep up with him, he’s capable of putting on entertaining fights. He’s actually been involved in two fights that took home the honor already—his most recent bout with Erick Silva and his title match against Georges St-Pierre.

Maia has the chops in the grappling department to force Fitch into an exciting back-and-forth fight. With Fitch seemingly embracing a more fan-friendly style, this should be a great clash of styles on the ground.

 

Frankie Edgar vs. Jose Aldo

What better candidate for fight of the night than the matchup that headlines the whole card?

This is the closest thing to a “superfight” that we’ve seen in a long time, and it’s hard to envision this one not living up to the hype. Aldo is the explosive champion with the nearly flawless record. He’s on his way to mini-Anderson Silva status. 

However, Edgar is the perfect opponent to push the champion to his limit. He has crisp boxing to combat Aldo’s vicious kicks and enough wrestling, heart and cardio to test Aldo’s will. 

The resulting scrap should put fans on the edge of their seats and could fatten both fighters’ pockets in the form of the almighty fight of the night bonus. 

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UFC 156 Fight Card: Predictions for Biggest Matchups on PPV Slate

On paper, UFC 156 is an easy front-runner for card of the year.With a huge featherweight title fight, the return of Alistair Overeem and Rashad Evan’s first fight since his title loss to Jon Jones, there’s plenty of star power and intrigue surrounding …

On paper, UFC 156 is an easy front-runner for card of the year.

With a huge featherweight title fight, the return of Alistair Overeem and Rashad Evan’s first fight since his title loss to Jon Jones, there’s plenty of star power and intrigue surrounding Saturday night’s action.

When all is said and done, nearly every division’s title picture will be majorly impacted, and we’ll see some fighters set themselves up for a huge year in 2013. Here’s a look at the biggest fights of the night, with predictions and potential implications for each. 

 

Alistair Overeem vs. Antonio Silva

Overeem could be the next big star for the UFC, and he’ll make his return to the Octagon after a year-long layoff due to a suspension for a failed drug test after his stoppage victory over Brock Lesnar. 

Standing in his way will be Antonio Silva, who is coming off of a huge win over Travis Browne. 

The fight has huge ramifications for the heavyweight division. According to Dana White via MMAJunkie, Overeem will be granted a title shot against Cain Velasquez with a win over Silva.

Prediction

Silva is an interesting opponent for Overeem. He has the power to make the fight interesting, and Overeem could be in trouble if Silva is able to land some power shots. However, Overeem is powerful in his own right, and Velasquez ran right through Silva. 

Overeem by KO/TKO.

 

Rashad Evans vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira

Evans returns to the Octagon for the first time since a disappointing decision loss to light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. He’ll be faced with the task of taking down a grizzled veteran in Nogueira, who is coming off of a big knockout win over Tito Ortiz.

This fight could have a major impact on two weight divisions. Dana White acknowledged that, with a win, he would consider Evans for a title shot in the middleweight division against Anderson Silva (h/t USA Today). 

Prediction

If Evans really is interested in a drop down to 185, the title shot is his for the taking. 

Nogueira’s win over Ortiz is nice, but it doesn’t overshadow the fact that he was coming off of back-to-back decision losses to Ryan Bader and Phil Davis. MMA math doesn’t always work out, but the fact that Nogueira was beaten by Davis, who lost to Evans, isn’t the best sign for Little Nog. 

After the bitter disappointment of losing his long-awaited title shot, Evans will be looking to make a point. Look for him to use his wrestling to wear down Nogueira before ultimately finishing the fight off with some ground and pound. 

Evans by KO/TKO

 

Jose Aldo (c) vs. Frankie Edgar

This is about as close to a superfight as the UFC has put on in recent history, and it should live up to expectations. 

Edgar has long been a successful lightweight despite being relatively undersized for the division and will finally make the trip down to 145. Aldo has been nearly unbeatable throughout his career and is one of the sport’s true pound-for-pound greats. 

The implications for this fight are pretty obvious. The winner will be the champion, and if Edgar loses, he’ll have a decision to make regarding which division he wants to fight in going forward. 

Prediction

At this point, Aldo has the well-earned reputation of being invincible. He has a 14-fight win streak going back to his pre-WEC days and has been as dominant a champion as anyone not named Anderson Silva or Georges St-Pierre. 

However, he hasn’t fought an opponent quite like Edgar. 

Aldo has fought great strikers and great wrestlers, but Edgar is the most well-rounded opponent he’s faced to date. 

This will be an absolute war, but Edgar has all the tools needed to pull off the massive upset and score a decision victory. 

Edgar by Decision

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UFC 156 Predictions: Fighters Who Will Emerge from Underrated Matchups

Lost in the hype of a huge featherweight title fight and the return of Alistair Overeem is a UFC 156 card that is stellar from top to bottom. Fight fans will want to tune in from the time the prelims start to the very end of the night as Saturday …

Lost in the hype of a huge featherweight title fight and the return of Alistair Overeem is a UFC 156 card that is stellar from top to bottom. 

Fight fans will want to tune in from the time the prelims start to the very end of the night as Saturday promises to deliver a great night of fights. 

With the huge Jose Aldo-Frankie Edgar bout highlighting the evening, fighters in the less hyped matchups have the opportunity to steal the spotlight for themselves. These are the best fights that aren’t receiving much attention, but will deliver in a big way.

 

Tyron Woodley vs. Jay Hieron

Considering Woodley was a star in Strikeforce and Hieron was nearly the Bellator welterweight champion, it will be odd seeing these two meet in the Octagon of the UFC.

However, fight fans will be glad that these two found their way to the organization. 

Hieron was on the receiving end of a rude welcoming to the promotion when he lost a unanimous decision to Jake Ellenberger in his UFC debut. He’ll look to do the same to Woodley in his promotional debut. 

Woodley comes into the fight looking to bounce back from his first career loss at the hands of former UFC contender, Nate Marquardt. 

Both fighters have similar resumes outside of the organization and will look to prove that they can make some noise in the welterweight division. 

Prediction

Woodley suffered a setback against Marquardt, but has major wrestling chops and an unblemished record otherwise. Look for him to wear out Hieron and win by decision. 

 

Joseph Benavidez vs. Ian McCall

If the short history of the UFC flyweight division is any indication, this will be a bona fide Fight of the Night candidate. 

Benavidez and McCall were both strong participants in the inaugural flyweight tournament that ultimately saw Demetrious Johnson become champion, so either fighter would put themselves in position for a rematch with a win. 

Both fighters love to set a frenetic pace and have the cardio to give fans three rounds of action. Edgar-Aldo may snag all the headlines, but this could very well outdo that fight in terms of entertainment. 

Prediction

Benavidez brings the same kind of tenacity and relentlessness that Demetrious Johnson utilized in the wrestling department to outpoint McCall in their title fight rematch. McCall has the quickness and stand-up to make things interesting, but Benavidez will use his wrestling to earn the hard-fought decision.

 

Jon Fitch vs. Demian Maia

If you’re wearing a “Just Bleed” shirt and are the type that starts booing when a fight hits the mat, feel free to change the channel during this fight. Nothing to see here. 

If you love a good old-fashioned grappling battle, then this is the fight for you. 

Fitch is one of the best pure wrestlers in the sport. He receives his fair share of criticism for his “boring” style, but the fact of the matter is he can grapple with anyone at 170 pounds. 

Maia has long been one of the best jiu-jitsu practitioners in the sport and looks even more dangerous since making the move from 185 to 170. 

Prediction

This is a classic wrestling vs. jiu-jitsu matchup, and in this case the wrestler is extremely difficult to submit. Fitch only has one submission loss in his career and that was in 2002. Judges usually favor the guy on top and that should be Fitch. 

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