In just six months, Demian Maia has defeated three top-10 170-pounders in dominant fashion to redefine his career. The man that once went the distance with Anderson Silva is one fight away from a welterweight title shot. The welterweight version o…
In just six months, Demian Maia has defeated three top-10 170-pounders in dominant fashion to redefine his career. The man that once went the distance with Anderson Silva is one fight away from a welterweight title shot. The welterweight version of the Brazilian grappling star has now proven he is a dominant wrestler, legitimate striker and a physical powerhouse.
The world-renowned BJJ practitioner fared well in the 185-pound division. He lasted five rounds with the champ and landed some good shots against an Anderson Silva who was more interested in clowning than fighting.
He went 3-2 after his title shot. In his controversial decision loss to Mark Munoz, he dominated the opening stanza with improved striking. His forgettable loss to Chris Weidman was explained by his flu. Regardless, the UFC’s greatest jiu-jitsu player is now 3-0 at welterweight and is fighting better than ever.
Last night at UFC 156, Jon Fitch, a division stalwart, discovered firsthand how evolved the game of Maia has become. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion dominated Fitch for all three rounds. He effortlessly scored takedowns and had the former NCAA Division I wrestler’s back with a body triangle for almost the entire match.
Demian was constantly threatening the rear-naked choke and had dominant near-fall position throughout the contest. It was purported that Maia “out-Fitch’d Jon Fitch,” but it was not so.
Fitch’s style is to score a takedown and sit in his opponent’s guard without ever risking the position to try to land significant strikes or pass the guard to seek a fight-ending submission. Fitch is content to sit there and score light shots that never cause any real damage but win him the rounds. This is very similar to the strategy of the current champion.
Maia scored several takedowns and then procured the most dangerous position in MMA—back control. He constantly searched for the finish and relentlessly attacked the former title challenger’s neck. Unbelievably impressive.
Demian has now set off alarm bells in the division with this devastatingly dominant win over such a high-quality wrestler. Maia, the 2007 ADCC champion, has shown that, at 170 pounds, he can beat dangerous strikers, top wrestlers and high-level grapplers. This recent win comes off back-to-back first-round stoppages over Rick Story and Dong Hyun Kim.
Story is a scary striker with wins over the No. 1- and No. 2-ranked contenders, Johny Hendricks and Jake Ellenberger, respectively. Kim is a highly respected Judoka who was perched close to the top of the rankings before the Brazilian derailed him.
UFC 158 is showcasing the best welterweights in the world. The winner between Hendricks and Ellenberger, who fight on that card, will get the next golden crack against the GSP-Diaz winner. Expect Maia to face off with one of the best performers on that evening to position himself for the subsequent title shot.
Logic would suggest that the champion will still be the iconic GSP, a fighter who also likes to conservatively sit in people’s guard. However, he has never fought anyone with a guard like Maia. A contest between the two would be extremely compelling. Maia’s momentum might just make the encounter unavoidable.
Demian has reinvented himself and is now one of the most dominant fighters on the planet. His move to welterweight has created tectonic shifts in the rankings and might even dethrone the impressive reign of GSP. The game just got even more intriguing.
Allow me to do the introductions. Jordan Mein, meet the UFC. World, meet MMA’s next superstar.UFC 158 has been designed to showcase the 170-pound division. The elite of the welterweight division are competing in pivotal contests that will redefine…
Allow me to do the introductions. Jordan Mein, meet the UFC. World, meet MMA’s next superstar.
UFC 158 has been designed to showcase the 170-pound division. The elite of the welterweight division are competing in pivotal contests that will redefine the division. Do not be surprised if the brightest shining star from that evening belongs to one that you are not that familiar with. Fans should be prepared to witness a tectonic welcome party at Montreal’s Bell Centre on March 16.
Jordan Mein is from Alberta, Canada and grew up training with his father, Lee Mein; both are professional fighters. The junior Mein has been groomed to be an MMA star since birth and has trained in a variety of disciplines. At 14, he began competing in amateur MMA and turned pro at 16 against Rory MacDonald.
According to Jordan, the objective was simple: become an MMA fighter. “We started with Karate, Karate tournaments, Muay Thai, Jiu Jitsu and Jiu Jitsu tournaments. It then progressed to Sport Jiu Jitsu which was basically MMA. Everything was geared towards doing MMA,” Mein said.
At the tender age of 23, he has now complied 34 professional fights with an impressive record of 34-8. He has handily defeated familiar names such as Joe Riggs, Josh Burkman, Marius Zaromskis and Cyborg. His opponent, at 31, has only 21 fights.
His only loss in his last nine fights was against former Strikeforce champion TyronWoodley. It was a split-decision loss in a fight where Mein pressed the action on the feet and worked well off his back (scoring with elbows and submission attempts) while Woodley stalled in Mein‘s guard. This was an excellent example of how MMA judges do not understand the sport.
Mein also possesses an underrated quality: poise. He is comfortable and exudes confidence inside the cage while overtly enjoying the action. In his win over Zaromskis, when Marius opened the fight with a flash rolling axe-kick, Mein simply evaded it, smiled and countered with the exact same move. The kid has panache and copious quantities of the “it factor.”
On a super-stacked card, his opportunity to steal the show will come at the expense of Dan Miller on the Facebook undercard. It might be Mein‘s last time not being featured in the main event. There is more at stake than earning a “W”: his hard-fought and well earned opportunity to become an MMA sensation.
On this high-profile evening featuring the best at 170, the Canadian has a rare opportunity to make an immediate splash in the division. It might just be the athlete with the best performance of the night who rockets to the top of contender status.
Despite being on a card among the greatest fighters in the division—Nick Diaz, GSP, Rory MacDonald, Carlos Condit, Johny Hendricks etal—young Mein might be the one people are talking about on Sunday morning.
Each of the 14 scheduled welterweights is indirectly competing with the others. In the capricious and arbitrary UFC ranking system, performance and style points are significant factors. A stylistic win for the product from the CMC camp could award him with immediate marquee bouts that could quickly launch him into title contention. Having the best performance of the night could make him the leader of the pack in the eyes of the fans and the promotion.
The opportunity is enhanced with the fact that the show is in Montreal. The venue is famous for its attendance and intensely engaged audience. They will be vociferously supporting their Canadian comrade.
A further advantage in debuting on this fortuitous manner is that GSP is headlining. The champ is the sport’s number one PPV draw, so there should be well over a million pay-per-view buys.
Do not expect any debut nerves for this young but seasoned veteran. Big fights do not bother him. In fact, he thrives on the pressure. He has been groomed for this. He was genetically built for this. He yearns for this.
“The more pressure, the better it is when you win. I want high pressure fights and to compete at the highest level,” Mein said.
UFC 158 is an electric card that will unveil the hottest contenders in the UFC’s deepest division. On March 16, within the confines of Montreal’s Bell Centre, leaders will emerge, and fall, as the best-of-the-best meet on a watershed card.Thi…
UFC 158 is an electric card that will unveil the hottest contenders in the UFC’s deepest division. On March 16, within the confines of Montreal’s Bell Centre, leaders will emerge, and fall, as the best-of-the-best meet on a watershed card.
This will be a momentous night for the careers of the best welterweights in the world. The Octagon will be the portal that shall define the future for upcoming marquee bouts.
The headliner is the world champion, and possibly the greatest fighter on the planet, native Quebecer Georges St-Pierre against the quintessential bad boy, Nick Diaz. Diaz’s fighting style resonates with all fight fans, and while his polemic personality might not ingratiate him to all people, even his most ardent of detractors would agree they enjoy watching his bouts.
Diaz has long lamented that he has been deserving of a title shot, and GSP has specifically requested this opponent for his chance to respond to some disrespectful remarks made about the champ’s character and the legitimacy of his now healed injury. It’s a recipe for an action-packed affair.
Diaz purported, in his post-fight interview after defeating B.J. Penn, that GSP was faking an injury and insinuated he did so to avoid fighting Diaz. GSP was in attendance to personally hear the bellicose comments made by the truculent Stockton star.
“I don’t think he is hurt. I think he is scared to fight. Where you at Georges?”
The champ underwent surgery and intense rehab before agreeing to this bout which seems like an awful elaborate subterfuge to simply delay the encounter. Diaz’s remarks irked “Rush” to the extent that the French-Canadian personally requested to Dana White that he meet Diaz. The winner here will categorically be the undisputed greatest 170-pound fighter on the planet.
The battle for the definitive No. 1 contender status is the co-main event. Jake Ellenberger will be contesting the division’s most impressive fighter over the past two years, Johny Hendricks.
In 2011 and 2012, “Big Rig” had wins over five UFC opponents including first round knockout wins over Jon Fitch, Martin Kampmann and T.J. Waldburger. He also had two split-decision wins over a skilled Mike Pierce and perennial contender Josh Koscheck. The winner will be perfectly positioned to demand the next crack at the gold.
In another welterweight showdown, the man people have earmarked to replace GSP on the throne is the champ’s stablemate and fellow Canuck, Rory MacDonald. The heir apparent is encountering the recently dethroned interim champion, Carlos Condit. Condit is the only man to blemish the young phenom’s record. The stoic star called out Condit after he bested Penn.
While the win was controversial in that the match was stopped with a mere seven seconds left and MacDonald ahead on the cards, it was a fair stoppage as Condit was landing significant strikes to a weary MacDonald. The stoppage was just, as safety should always supersede ego and the abstract value in a perfect record. This rematch will place the winner squarely as a top contender.
As incredibly talented as he is, MacDonald has yet to beat an upper-echelon 170-pounder. His convincing destruction of Penn was, to be fair, not against the best B.J. The Hawaiian icon has not been a credible welterweight contender in years. A win over the former interim champ will prove to the world that MacDonald is deserving of the hype.
Condit, who lost to GSP last November, is looking to regain his foothold as the top of the mountain. In order for him to remain in title contention, he needs to derail the rising virtuoso. A loss would be a devastating setback.
While the world is enamoured with Canada’s heartthrob champion, GSP and fast-rising star MacDonald, the MMA universe is about to be introduced to a fighter who may one day be the greatest Canadian fighter of all time, Jordan Mein.
Jordan is facing Dan Miller on the undercard. The young star is 23 years old and has 34 pro fights. He is perfectly well-rounded and has all the tools to be a legend in the sport. A big win over Miller will etch his name on the elite list where he will remain for at least another decade.
The chapter continues to write itself as Canada’s Sean Pierson, on a two-fight winning streak, will face Rick Story. This clash is very important to frame the division’s elite as Story holds wins over Johny Hendricks and Jake Ellenberger. A “W’ for the skilled Pierson places him as a top-10 fighter on the brink of being a serious player in title contention.
This is a great opportunity for Pierson to showcase his prodigious talent and make an impact amongst the elite in the division. The raucous crowd will be staunchly supporting their comrade who is always capable of giving the fans a fight-of-the-night worthy performance.
His win over Matt Riddle in the same venue in December 2010 is a testament to his ability to please the viewers. “The Punisher” will surely be looking to unleash some of his Frank Castle-esque skills in this climacteric bout as the time for the veteran to utilize the multitude of options within his arsenal is now.
A win for “The Horror Story” places him back on track after losing three of his last four contests. Story is an exciting fighter with a growing fanbase and is in desperate need of a win to remain relevant in the promotion. It is an important fight to better define who will rise and fall in the division’s middle ladder rungs.
Overall, the night will undoubtedly redefine the welterweight picture. Contenders will be moved up and down in the rankings reflective of their performance. It will also paint the canvass with future showdowns to further define the top title contenders. This night, like no other in MMA history, will showcase the best 170-pound fighters and sculpt the landscape for the most important upcoming bouts at this weight.
This shall be a night where performance, not politics will allow the players to carve out their own opportunities. This is a ripe opportunity of glory placed within the grasp of all of these athletes. In a sport where title shots and main events are chosen capriciously and often incomprehensibly (Bonnar-Silva), this is a night where one can make their own luck and forge their own destiny.
As Malvolio famously noted: “Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them”.
The fans will see who the best are, and the fighters will have their chance to stamp their mark on the division before a massive PPV audience and a sold-out arena.
Regardless of the individual winners and losers, the future of the sport’s deepest division is very bright indeed. There is no shortage of stars in the 170-pound galaxy. And on this night, all will have an equal footing to cross the threshold into greatness.
Before midnight strikes in La Belle Province, the world will have an undisputed champion, definitive No. 1 and two contenders and a clear idea of who should be in talks for a future title shot. Fans should not miss this card!
Unequivocally, one of the most electric athletes in the history of sport, Masakazu Imanari, has earned the right to be given an opportunity to showcase his dynamic skills and unique fighting style in the pinnacle of the sport, the UFC.His brash machism…
Unequivocally, one of the most electric athletes in the history of sport, MasakazuImanari, has earned the right to be given an opportunity to showcase his dynamic skills and unique fighting style in the pinnacle of the sport, the UFC.
His brash machismo, flair and creativity are unrivalled and would surely delight fans internationally.
While fans were flabbergasted by Anderson Silva‘s bravado during his destruction of the overmatched Stephan Bonnar, it paled in comparison to Imanari‘s typical fight strategy. No one, not even the great Silva, can match Imanari‘s original touch. Few athletes on the planet consistently do, stylistically, what the “Ashikan Judan” (10th Dan of Leglocks) can do.
He makes the impossible real.
He is known in esoteric circles that follow non-UFC events but deserves an introduction to neophytes. The reason for this seemingly hyperbolic praise is that he is so unconventional. He will keep his hands low, nonchalantly stroll around the ring and attack his opponent’s legs with innovative entries.
He is unpredictable, so every moment is heavy with unbridled anticipation.
Currently, this unheralded genius is fighting for a multitude of smaller Asian organizations: Dream, One Fighting Championship and DEEP. He should be given an opportunity to compete on the most prestigious stage, the UFC. His ring panache would instantly convert sport fans into MMA fans and amaze the most ardent of purists.
Critics will—and validly so—point out his less than stellar record. An impressive but far from dominant record of 26-11 (5-3 in his last eight) do not scream out a “must sign” to Joe Silva and Dana White. His 17 submissions and his 12-plus years in the game do; however, more than afford him his just due.
UFC on Fuel TV 8 is taking place in Tokyo, Japan on March 3, 2013. Inviting the iconic vanguard of MMA would be a touching gesture to show appreciation to the sport’s pioneers and to the Japanese infrastructure that helped build the sport.
He is much beloved there and enjoys rock star status. His presence would electrify the Saitama Arena and homes and bars across the globe.
In weighing the risks-reward, this is an easy bet.
Should the avant-garde leglock specialist win, the UFC would then have a new marketable Asian star. Should he lose, a current UFC roster member would have enhanced their profile by defeating a legend.
Imanari has only ever been knocked out twice and will either provide the promotion with a spectacular submission or lose while shocking the fans with his brazen fighting style. In all fairness to objectivity, he often does not engage his opponent, which can become tiresome when done by other fighters.
However, the way he walks around the ring is worth watching.
When he does decide to attack, one witnesses a relentless cycle of chain submission attempts that reveal the profound genius and mastery of the art. It is a thrilling display of set-ups and switches scientifically conceived to force a leglock submission.
The truest one-in-a-kind fighter on the planet should be given his shot at international glory next March.
There is only an upside to it. Guaranteed, it will pay proper respect where it is due and it will entertain fans as they have never been entertained before. If you agree, send out your sentiments to Dana White via Twitter: @danawhite
Johny Hendricks is easy to like: a world class wrestler who likes to bang. This is an explosive matchup. Full credit to Joe Silva for making this clash happen and for both fighters for accepting it. These two welterweight stars can end anyone’s night …
Johny Hendricks is easy to like: a world class wrestler who likes to bang. This is an explosive matchup. Full credit to Joe Silva for making this clash happen and for both fighters for accepting it. These two welterweight stars can end anyone’s night with one punch. Both have excellent full-on styles and look to finish fights with their superhuman punching power.
“Big Rig” has been making news with his vociferous dissent from being passed over for the title shot for perennial contender, Nick Diaz. Truthfully, Hendricks needs this one more win to solidify his number one contender position. Hendricks is amazingly exciting and is on a five-fight win streak over the division’s best, but a caveat: two of the five wins were via split decision. The other three are wild K.O. finishes that deserve to be on any highlight reel and have stricken fear into his contemporaries.
Mike Pierce and Josh Koscheck could have easily been awarded those split decision wins that went the way of the 2005 and 2006 NCAA wrestling champion. A win over the dangerous Ellenberger would make Hendricks the definitive number one contender. Possessing a clear advantage in wrestling and grappling will give him an edge, but his biggest asset is Jake’s penchant for gassing.
Ellenberger has proven that he is unstoppable in the first round. His ten career first-round knockouts speak to that. The winner of seven of his last eight contests, he is truly a top contender. His pressure is unrelenting for the first few minutes. That lone loss came after he spent himself while smashing the filling out of Martin Kampmann. He intelligently paced himself in his rebound win against crafty veteran Jay Hieron in October. That is the game plan that he needs to follow to compete with Hendricks.
Both have big K.O. wins over top fighters. Johny’s hit list includes Kampmann, Fitch, Brenneman andSadallah. Jake’s resume boasts knockouts over Shields, Pierson, Pyle, Zach Light and “Pele”. The contest itself will prove who the better power-puncher is. What is not ambiguous is the fact that this is the contest to determine the next defense for Georges St-Pierre.
Interestingly, both have decision losses to Rick Story—whom Demian Maia recently manhandled. Regardless, this is the best non-title fight at welterweight and proves that GSP has unfinished business in the division to address before moving up.
The Juggernaut is 11-2 over the past 13 fights. He is a beast in the division. A close split decision loss to Carlos Condit was a watershed moment in his life that probably cost him a title shot. Being a few more blows from finishing Kampmann must also have been a bitter pill to swallow. Come March, he will have his chance for redemption. A hungry Hendricks will not make it easy.
On a side note, for those who feel that Diaz does not deserve the fight over the wrestling star, the point is moot because the fight is happening. Nick was in line to fight GSP at UFC 137, but lost it for non-fight reasons and then destroyed BJ Penn. Instead of waiting for GSP, he took on the dangerous Condit. He should be rewarded for bucking the waiting trend and not punished.
Who won, Condit or Diaz, is a debate for another article. What cannot be debated is that Nick has proven himself worthy of a title shot for a much longer time that Johny.
At 14-1 and with massive wins over Kampmann and Fitch, Hendricks has arrived on the welterweight scene with fanfare. At 28-6, Ellenberger has proven he can take out the best in the business. There is no doubt that this is the categorical showdown to determine the number one contender.
The only potential wrench to ruin a class affair would be Jake Ellenberger, who comes prepared to fight only one round. It behooves one to consider that he has never had a third round knockout in his career and only one of his UFC knockouts came past the first stanza.
On the 16th of March in 2013 at UFC 158 in Montreal, these two will square off. This is how the Oklahoma State Cowboy should present his case for a title shot—in the Octagon with a legit killer. The ChaelSonnen routine does the affable and dynamic star a disservice. At the end of the night his title dream will be answered, either with: “Go Johny, go!” or “Johny, We’re Sorry.”
Dana White is a genius. His role in the development of MMA is tantamount to what Arnold did for bodybuilding. Every sports fan and entrepreneur must appreciate his achievement: turning a local event into an international phenomena.Some of his…
Dana White is a genius. His role in the development of MMA is tantamount to what Arnold did for bodybuilding. Every sports fan and entrepreneur must appreciate his achievement: turning a local event into an international phenomena.
Some of his many ingenious methods include: free tickets to fans, video logs, his engaging and honest personality, more fights and cards, Facebook fights, UFC Primetime, TUF, etc.; in summary, incredible work.
No single person has done more for this amazing sport than he has.
This is a list that strives to help him to be aware of some possible decisions that should be reconsidered in order to help him, and his organization, continue to flourish.
In just six months, Demian Maia has defeated three top-10 170-pounders in dominant fashion to redefine his career. The man that once went the distance with Anderson Silva is one fight away from a welterweight title shot. The welterweight version of the Brazilian grappling star has now proven he is a dominant wrestler, legitimate striker and a physical powerhouse.