Author: Andrew Barr

UFC on FOX 2 Results: What’s Next for Michael Bisping?

Michael Bisping put forth possibly the most impressive performance of his career at UFC on FOX 2, although it was in a losing effort.Bisping, who was originally scheduled to fight Demian Maia at this event, instead took on No.2 ranked middleweight Chae…

Michael Bisping put forth possibly the most impressive performance of his career at UFC on FOX 2, although it was in a losing effort.

Bisping, who was originally scheduled to fight Demian Maia at this event, instead took on No.2 ranked middleweight Chael Sonnen, after Sonnen’s original opponent, Mark Munoz, withdrew due to injury.

Going into the fight, Bisping was a huge underdog, but you wouldn’t have known it from watching. It was a competitive matchup throughout and a solid performance from both fighters.

When the fight was on the feet, Bisping got the better of most exchanges, though both men were frequently landing clean shots.

Sonnen had surprisingly little success with his takedowns, but was able to achieve them often enough to win on the judges scorecards.

Despite the loss, it was an impressive performance for Bisping, who put up a much better fight against Sonnen than most of the UFC’s top middleweights.

Though he didn’t get the win, it is likely that Bisping will finally start to get some respect from the fans, as he has proved he belongs in the cage with the best middleweights in the world.

So, what’s next for Michael Bisping?

Chris Weidman, who also fought on the card tonight could be next. He took Bisping’s place against Demain Maia and was able to defeat the crafty Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist.

Another possibility is that Bisping could face the very fighter he replaced tonight, Mark Munoz.

Other possible opponents include Rousimar Palhares and Vitor Belfort, assuming Belfort gets passed Wanderlei Silva later this year.

Andrew Barr is a Featured Columnist for BleacherReport.com. For updates on what’s happening in the world of MMA, follow him on Twitter @AndrewBarr8

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UFC 142 Results: $65,000 Fight Night Bonuses Awarded

UFC 142 in Rio de Janeiro has come to a close and the fight bonuses have just been announced.Bonuses were given for Fight, Submission and Knockout of the Night and each bonus was $65,000.Edson Barboza and Terry Etim took home Fight of the Night for the…

UFC 142 in Rio de Janeiro has come to a close and the fight bonuses have just been announced.

Bonuses were given for Fight, Submission and Knockout of the Night and each bonus was $65,000.

Edson Barboza and Terry Etim took home Fight of the Night for the almost three-round war that they opened up the main card with.

Etim came out aggressively and had some early success, but was eventually slowed by Barboza’s devastating leg kicks.

From there, the fight was mostly a technical striking battle with Barboza getting the better of most exchanges.

It looked like Barboza was en route to an academic unanimous decision but, eager to thrill the fans, Barboza through a late spinning-wheel kick that caught Etim on the jaw and ended the fight.

UFC commentator Joe Rogan said following the knockout that it was the first spinning-wheel kick KO in UFC history.

For the finish, Barboza also took home the Knockout of the Night bonus, netting a total of $130,000 in bonuses.

Master of leg locks Rousimar Palhares once again showed the world why you don’t want to go to the ground with him.

A touch over a minute into his fight with Mike Massenzio, Palhares dove on a leg and quickly locked up a heel-hook, ending the fight in violent fashion.

It was a solid win for the up-and-coming Palhares and it also earned him the Submission of the Night bonus.

For more on UFC 142, stay tuned to Bleacher Report.

Andrew Barr is a Featured Columnist for BleacherReport.com. For updates on what’s happening in the world of MMA, follow him on Twitter @AndrewBarr8.

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UFC 142 Results: Jose Aldo Cleans Out Team Alpha Male

Jose Aldo defeated Team Alpha Male standout Chad Mendes in dramatic fashion, in a fight that brought UFC 142 to a close.While Mendes was working for a takedown late in the round, Aldo managed to separate, spin around, around with one second left, …

Jose Aldo defeated Team Alpha Male standout Chad Mendes in dramatic fashion, in a fight that brought UFC 142 to a close.

While Mendes was working for a takedown late in the round, Aldo managed to separate, spin around, around with one second left, land a knee that sent Mendes crashing to the canvas.

The featherweight champ followed it up with one thunderous punch and the fight was over.

Some might put an asterisk next to this victory, considering that a minute before Aldo ended the fight, Mendes had a takedown locked up and Aldo held the fence in order to stay on his feet—a blatantly illegal move.

Controversy or no, Aldo was victorious tonight in what was arguably the greatest test of his career in front of thousands of his countrymen.

This being Aldo’s sixth straight title defense, there seem to be few contenders left in the featherweight division that could challenge for his belt.

After tonight, it is apparent that Aldo has Team Alpha Male’s number, having defeated two of the camps top three fighters—Mendes, as well as Urijah Faber.

Despite his mentor Urijah Faber and himself being defeated by Aldo, Mendes seemed to harbor no ill-will toward the 145-pound champ.

In his post-fight interview, Mendes was highly complimentary and respectful of Aldo, showing class in defeat.

Mendes is still young and could very well work his way back towards a title shot, but for now it’s Jose Aldo two, Team Alpha Male zero.

Andrew Barr is a Featured Columnist for BleacherReport.com. For updates on what’s happening in the world of MMA, follow him on Twitter @AndrewBarr8.

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UFC 141 Results: 4 Questions We Still Have About Alistair Overeem

Alistair Overeem just made big waves in the world of MMA, taking out Brock Lesnar in the first round and becoming the No. 1 contender in the UFC’s heavyweight division.It was a dominant performance in which he made quick work of Lesnar, landing strikes…

Alistair Overeem just made big waves in the world of MMA, taking out Brock Lesnar in the first round and becoming the No. 1 contender in the UFC’s heavyweight division.

It was a dominant performance in which he made quick work of Lesnar, landing strikes at will from the opening bell and finishing it off with a kick to the liver, followed by punches.

Overeem’s performance tonight confirmed that he deserves to be talked about as one of the best heavyweights on the planet, but the fight didn’t answer all of the questions we have about Alistair.

Here’s five questions we still have about Alistair Overeem:

 

Can he a stuff the takedowns of a high-level wrestler?

Yes, Overeem stopped one takedown from Lesnar, but it was a halfhearted single leg. 

For whatever reason, we didn’t see Brock explode forward and try to double leg Overeem and so we still don’t know how ‘Reem would react to that.

It will likely be a while before we see this question answered, as there are not a lot of elite wrestlers at the top of the heavyweight division.

 

Can he take a punch?

Since moving to the heavyweight division, we have not seen anyone test Overeem’s chin.

When he was fighting at light heavyweight, we saw him knocked out on multiple occasions, however.

It’s rare that someone’s chin gets better over time, but it’s still curious to see how good a punch Overeem can take and how would react to getting tagged with a big shot.

 

Has his cardio improved?

Though cardio seems a useless commodity in the heavyweight division these days, what with so many of the fights ending early, it would still be interesting to see where Overeem’s cardio is at.

In his fight with Fabricio Werdum earlier this year, Overeem’s cardio looked sub par, as he was noticeable winded in a fight that was far from grueling.

Whether or not he’ll ever need his cardio remains to be seen, but with fighters like Cain Velasquez looming in the background, it is a possibility.

 

Is his striking as good as it’s made out to be?

There’s no doubt that Overeem is a fantastic striker, but is he as good as people say?

Since moving to the heavyweight division, we have not seen Overeem face off against an elite MMA striker.

He has done very well against kick-boxers in K-1, but striking in an MMA fight is different because there are so many more factors to be conscious of.

For instance, when Overeem fought Werdum, he was worried about the fight going to the ground and it showed, as Werdum was able to land solid punches on several occasions.

It will be interesting to see how Overeem fairs against a fellow elite striker, UFC heavyweight champ Junior Dos Santos, later this year.

Andrew Barr is a Featured Columnist for BleacherReport.com. For updates on what’s happening in the world of MMA, follow him on Twitter @AndrewBarr8.

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UFC 140 Predictions: What Must Go Right for a Lyoto Machida Win?

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones is a riddle that no one in the UFC has been able to figure out.At UFC 140, another man will go to task trying to find a whole in Jones’ armor—a man who at one point also seemed like an unsolvable r…

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones is a riddle that no one in the UFC has been able to figure out.

At UFC 140, another man will go to task trying to find a whole in Jones’ armor—a man who at one point also seemed like an unsolvable riddle, former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida.

Just two years ago, Machida was in a similar position to Jones.

He was undefeated—which Jones would be if not for a controversial DQ loss to Matt Hamill—the new light heavyweight champion and seemed unbeatable.

Machida has lost twice since then but tonight looks to regain his belt and prove that, just as he was exposed, Jones can be exposed as well. However, Jones is an unusual opponent, even more so than Machida was, so he will not be easy to beat.

A lot of things are going to need to go right for Machida if he’s going to win this fight.

First off, he needs to get Jones’ respect early in the fight by landing some solid punches.

In Jones’ past few fights, he has seemed comfortable on his feet and unconcerned with his opponent’s power.

Machida needs to make him uncomfortable and tentative to engage.

Jones’ massive reach is for sure going to be a problem, so Machida needs to get Jones chasing after him.

If Jones is the one countering and moving back, it will be nearly impossible for Machida to reach him. However, if Jones is the one being aggressive and Machida is moving back, Machida can try to surprise Jones with quick bursts forwards, while Jones is also moving forwards.

Perhaps most importantly, Machida needs to land a clean shot and knock Jones out.

If this fight goes to a decision, that favors Jones—who has the longer reach and the better grappling. Machida doesn’t stand much chance of winning this one based on points.

Lastly, Machida must use his quick footwork to avoid Jones takedowns. Jones is an animal from the top position and Machida is not known to fight well off his back.

If Machida can put all these strategies into play, there is a reasonable chance we could have a new UFC light heavyweight champion by this time tomorrow.

 

Be sure to stay tuned to Bleacher Report for all things UFC 140. B/R is your home for complete coverage of the December 10 fight card, from pre-fight predictions to in-fight coverage, results and post-fight analysis

Andrew Barr is a Featured Columnist for BleacherReport.com. For updates on what’s happening in the world of MMA, follow him on Twitter @AndrewBarr8.

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UFC 140 Fight Card: What a Win Would Mean for Lyoto Machida

Tonight, Lyoto Machida takes on UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, in a bout scheduled to be the main event of the evening.Machida found himself in the same position two years ago, ready to challenge Rashad Evans for the UFC light heavyweight cr…

Tonight, Lyoto Machida takes on UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, in a bout scheduled to be the main event of the evening.

Machida found himself in the same position two years ago, ready to challenge Rashad Evans for the UFC light heavyweight crown.

At the time, Machida was 14-0 and considered to be one of the sport’s greatest prospects.

Machida would take the belt from Evans, knocking out the former champion in the second round, and ushering in what Joe Rogan referred to as the “Machida Era.”

However, this era was short lived as Machida defended his title against Mauricio Rua in highly controversial fight and then lost to Rua in the resulting rematch.

Since losing the belt, Machida has gone through a rough patch, losing to Quinton Jackson and following that up witha win over Randy Couture, but things started going his way when an injury to Evans allowed Machida to step to the front of the line for a title shot.

What would a win tonight mean for Machida?

Everything.

It would prove to the world that he is—pardon the cliche—back and better than ever.

Machida has been criticized a lot since losing the title and tonight is his big chance to prove to everyone that he really is the man in the 205 lbs. weight class.

Two years ago, Machida was supposed to be the next huge star in MMA, and now people are saying that star is Jones.

A victory tonight would give Machida the opportunity to achieve true greatness in this sport and the chance to usher in a second, hopefully longer, Machida era.

Andrew Barr is a Featured Columnist for BleacherReport.com. For updates on what’s happening in the world of MMA, follow him on Twitter @AndrewBarr8.

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