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UFC 145: Why Michael McDonald vs. Miguel Torres Is a Must-Watch Fight

UFC 145 is one of the most anticipated events of 2012, if only because we haven’t seen a pay-per-view event since the end of February and every MMA fan is getting a little stir-crazy waiting for the next big-time fight.While Jon Jones and Rashad Evans …

While Jon Jones and Rashad Evans have been getting all the headlines and promotion, Michael McDonald vs. Miguel Torres could very well steal the show.

Since their inclusion into the UFC in 2011, featherweights have proved that they can put on some of the most action packed fights in the organization. In McDonald and Torres, fight fans will get to see two of the most exciting featherweights in the sport.

McDonald hasn’t wasted any time in establishing himself as one of the most exciting fighters in the division. He earned fight of the night honors in his UFC debut and knockout of the night honors in his last outing.

Torres may not have the youth and potential of McDonald, but he does have experience. Torres made a name for himself as one of the mainstays of the now defunct World Extreme Cagefighting promotion.

While on the WEC roster, Torres racked up three fight night bonuses including two “fight of the night” honors out of his eight appearances. Torres is 2-1 since making the transition to UFC.

Aside from the championship bout between Jones and Evans, no fight on the UFC 145 fight card will mean more for the immediate landscape of its weight division than the McDonald/Torres bout. Both are top ten talents in the weight class and each will be looking to make the other one a stepping stone on the path to a title.

There are subplots a plenty in this fight, none more obvious than the contrast between the generations.

Torres epitomizes the old guard. His superior Jiu-Jitsu skills have carried him through an impressive career that was built slowly on the regional scene and culminated with a championship in the largest promotion at the time for his weight class.

McDonald represents the “new breed” of fighters. Spearheaded by light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, the under-25 crowd is beginning to supplant fighters like Torres. Surviving in the sport has always been a case of who is more fit. The recent evolution has shown that the younger generation may be the fittest of contenders.

Just 21 years old, McDonald has already built a 14-1 record including three UFC wins. At UFC 145 we get to see if he is really ready to be a member of the elite. McDonald could join Jones, Jose Aldo and fellow UFC 145 fighter, Rory MacDonald as young fighters at the top of their division.

For Torres, the McDonald bout is all about the risks and the potential rewards. Although he is one of the most well-known names in the division, his job isn’t necessarily secure. His popularity factored in to his return to the UFC after a brief release in December 2011 for an inappropriate tweet. But a loss at UFC 145 could bring back thoughts of another, perhaps permanent, release.

A win over McDonald would be a huge step towards making a run at the UFC title and sustained relevancy.

His status and security hangs in the balance.

A hungry up-and-comer on the verge of stardom taking on an accomplished veteran trying to make another run at a title.

McDonald and Torres is sure to provide fireworks.

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Tim Sylvia and 6 Fighters Who Need to Win Their Way Back to the UFC

The UFC is the premier organization in all of MMA. If you have ever watched The Ultimate Fighter, you know just how much it means to a fighter to break into the organization.However, the success it takes to break into the organization pales in comparis…

The UFC is the premier organization in all of MMA. If you have ever watched The Ultimate Fighter, you know just how much it means to a fighter to break into the organization.

However, the success it takes to break into the organization pales in comparison with the consistency and success it takes for fighters to stay. The UFC has no qualms about cutting a fighter that isn’t performing or happens to do wrong by Dana White.

Even the most entrenched fighters that have spent years in the organization have been cut with a bad performance or a few incidents working against them. However, the organization has also shown that they are capable of welcoming fighters back to the octagon if they are able to prove their worth outside of the organization.

Nick Diaz and Dan Henderson are higher-profile examples of fighters that left the organization for different reasons but were able to earn their way back by being relevant with other organizations.

Most recently, former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia has tried to talk his way back into the organization. He claimed he could beat 80 percent of the UFC heavyweight roster and matches up best with No. 1 contender Alistair Overeem.

Former UFC middleweight contender Patrick Cote took exception to that route, directly calling out Sylvia on Twitter.

Cote expanded upon his hopes to return to the octagon in a recent interview with MMAWeekly.

I don’t have a lot of control about the decision who is going to put me back in the UFC. My only power I have is be in shape and win fights and that’s what I’m doing. Three wins in a row, and I’m going for a fourth one. The UFC asked us to go to somebody better than my last two opponents, and with a winning record, so that’s exactly what we’re doing,

With Cote’s point in mind, here are six former UFC fighters who need to win to make their way back to the UFC.

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Why Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen Is the Biggest Rematch in UFC History

“Anderson Silva, you absolutely suck, Super Bowl weekend, the biggest rematch in the history of the business. I’m calling you out Silva, but we’re upping the stakes. I beat you, you leave the division. You beat me, I will leave the UFC forever.” Thes…

He didn’t have the date right, he has since backed off the “loser leaves town” premise and obviously Anderson Silva by no means “sucks,” but Sonnen did get one thing right—Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen will be the biggest rematch in the history of the UFC.

Rather than meeting on Super Bowl weekend, it appears the rematch will be a summer blockbuster. According to UFC.com the date and venue have now been set and we will finally see the rematch we’ve been waiting for on June 23 at Joao Havelange Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The massive soccer stadium seats approximately 47,000 but the live attendance record set by UFC 129 of over 55,000 is expected to be eclipsed by the landmark bout. According to Dana White we can expect this to be the event of the year:

“This will be the biggest sporting event of the year. Bigger than the NFL, the NBA, you name it – UFC 147 will be the biggest. The whole world wants to see this fight between Silva and Sonnen. We are broadcast in over 150 countries in 22 languages in half a billion homes. Wherever those fans are, they are going to be watching this fight.”

Let’s take a look at this match up that is now almost two years in the making and why it will be the biggest rematch in the history of the business.

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The Diaz Brothers and the 10 Fighters We’ll Always Pay to See

In this economy, being a fight fan is expensive. Dropping $45 to $55 dollars on a pay-per-view is quite the investment when it costs more than that to fill up your gas tank.Nothing is more disappointing than a night of fights that fails to deliver. So …

In this economy, being a fight fan is expensive. Dropping $45 to $55 dollars on a pay-per-view is quite the investment when it costs more than that to fill up your gas tank.

Nothing is more disappointing than a night of fights that fails to deliver. So it’s understandable when fight fans decide to hold off on buying a pay-per-view if there’s not a fight that jumps off the paper. That’s why we as fans gravitate toward fighters like the Diaz brothers.

Whether you are a fan of Nick or Nate Diaz or not, chances are your tuning into watch them. Their zany antics and aggressive fight style are a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee and can’t-miss television. For that, we are grateful.

Here are 10 other fighters who we will always pay to see.

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MMA: Dan Hardy vs Matt Hughes: Would Anyone Care?

In random rivalry news, British slugger Dan Hardy made it clear in a recent interview with MMA Weekly Radio that he has a disliking for UFC hall-of-famer Matt Hughes and would love to meet the legend in the octagon.The timing of Hardy’s call out is odd…

The timing of Hardy’s call out is odd to say the least as the fighter is currently on a four-fight losing streak and will certainly be fighting for his job when he faces Duane Ludwig at UFC 146.

Is Dan Hardy already posturing for an extra fight should he lose to Ludwig?

The UFC rarely matches a winner against a loser, so even if Hardy is able to win, this fight still makes no sense as the aging Hughes is currently riding a two-fight losing streak himself in which he showed his chin isn’t what it used to be.

Hughes has paid his dues and he deserves a chance to leave the sport on a high note, but is this really the retirement fight that Hughes has in mind? Hughes hasn’t publicly responded to Hardy’s comments as of yet but with Hardy’s lack of wrestling it would certainly present Hughes with a beatable opponent.

Hughes is a legend of the sport, but his days of being a main draw are long gone. Hughes hasn’t headlined a card since 2008 and its clear that his next fight will certainly be his last.

Hardy didn’t go too much into detail as to why he doesn’t like Hughes other than to say he was a “blood thirsty kill freak.”

Nothing sells in MMA quite like a personal beef between fighters and Hardy has a history of being able to sell fights but given how irrelevant he has become and the overall irrelevancy of both fighters, is this a fight that MMA fans could really get excited about?

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Should Anthony Pettis Drop Down to Challenge Aldo?

In today’s MMA landscape, fighters are changing weight classes more than ever and for a myriad of reasons. When the UFC introduced the featherweight division, a flood of title-chasing and unsuccessful lightweights filled the division.So when a fighter …

So when a fighter refuses to drop down just to chase a title, it’s commendable to see someone stick it out in their division. However, in a case like Anthony Pettis, is he making the right decision?

Pettis, a former No. 1 contender by virtue of winning the WEC lightweight championship, has already lost out on one opportunity to vie for the 155-pound strap when he elected to fight Clay Guida rather than sit around and wait for the Gray Maynard-Frankie Edgar III winner.

Pettis lost that fight after being out-grappled by Guida throughout the fight. Pettis rebounded nicely with two impressive victories over Jeremy Stephens and Joe Lauzon.

After the impressive finish of Lauzon, as reported by Yahoo! Sports, Dana White speculated that Pettis could be in for a rematch with newly minted lightweight champion Benson Henderson. However, outcry for a rematch between Henderson and former champion Frankie Edgar prevailed, and Pettis was once again upstaged for a rematch.

Pettis is now left with the same situation: Should he wait for a title match or take on another opponent and risk falling down the ladder again?

Even if Pettis elects to wait, the winner of the upcoming bout between Jim Miller and Nate Diaz lurks as a serious threat to leapfrog him in the pecking order, so waiting is probably not a legitimate option.

This time a third option exists. Pettis could and perhaps should drop to 145 and challenge pound-for- pound lynchpin Jose Aldo.

While Pettis apparently has no interest in dropping and has been connected to rumors that he is a possible opponent for Gilbert Melendez for a future Strikeforce card, the appeal to leaving the No. 1 MMA promotion in the world is not apparent.

It would appear that that the most enticing option for Pettis would be to drop down to fight Aldo.

He would certainly be doing the UFC a favor.

Since coming over to the UFC from WEC, Aldo has been a dominant champion at 145, practically clearing out the division. A match with Hatsu Hioki is a possibility, but Pettis is a much more recognizable and intriguing matchup.

The upside is clear. A win gives him the UFC title that Pettis desires and could even set him up for a champion vs. champion superfight with whomever holds the lightweight belt at the time.

A loss probably does way less damage to Pettis’ standing in the lightweight division than losing to a fellow lightweight contender.

In essence, Pettis has everything to gain and very little to lose by dropping down to challenge Aldo.

While Pettis deserves respect for choosing to stay the course and earn his way to the title at his longtime weight division, is he really making the best choice for his career?

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