Author: Andrew Gould

UFC 180: Start Time, Prelim Live Stream Info and Full Fight Card Predictions

Fabricio Werdum and Mark Hunt will headline a packed UFC 180 card with a fight Saturday for the interim heavyweight title in Mexico City, Mexico.
Having won his last four UFC bouts, Werdum enters the event as the favorite to become a placeholder champi…

Fabricio Werdum and Mark Hunt will headline a packed UFC 180 card with a fight Saturday for the interim heavyweight title in Mexico City, Mexico.

Having won his last four UFC bouts, Werdum enters the event as the favorite to become a placeholder champion for the injured Cain Velasquez, who was originally supposed to defend the belt against “Vai Cavalo.”

On the other hand, Hunt can cement his improbable climb up the heavyweight ladder years after suffering six straight losses. Will the 40-year-old Samoan capitalize on his opportunity? His quest for glory is the top story entering the weekend, but it’s just one of five fights occupying the main card after six preliminary bouts.

Here are the latest predictions for each fight on the UFC 180 schedule.

 

When: Saturday, Nov. 15

Where: Arena Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico

Start Time: UFC Fight Pass Prelims at 7 p.m. ET; Fox Sports 1 Prelims at 8 p.m. ET; Main Card PPV at 10 p.m. ET

Live Stream: UFC.TV , Fox Sports Go (for preliminary fights on FS1)

 

Werdum vs. Hunt Preview

Everyone loves an underdog story, which makes Hunt the primary rooting interest given his unlikely journey to this fight.

A quick glance at the tale of the tape reveals an uninspiring 10-8-1 record in mixed martial arts, hardly the resume of a champion. After starting his career at 5-1, he lost six consecutive battles, going over four years without a victory.

He then turned the corner, rattling off four UFC wins to earn a 5-1-1 mark since that sour patch from May 5 2006 to Feb. 26, 2011. Feel-good comebacks top the underdog checklist, and facing the top-ranked heavyweight only bolsters that narrative.

Hunt acknowledged and embraced that role heading into the biggest fight of his career, per MMAFighting.com’s Shaun Al-Shatti:

My whole career’s been an underdog’s. I’m not supposed to be here. I won the world title in K-1 as a nobody. Of course I’m the underdog. Everyone is saying it. I mean, even these circumstances brings me there, but hey, man, it makes a good story. If anyone can do it, I can do it.

Also working against Hunt, he had to slash his weight to 265 pounds. Along with dealing with Mexico City’s high altitudes, he admitted to Al-Shatti that he’s battling sluggishness due to a strict diet: 

I haven’t had any carbs for three weeks, so I’m hungry. When I have some carbs, I’ll have the energy to think about my plan and my performance and my fighting. My plan ultimately is to go and hurt him. If you don’t know, this is the hurt business. And we’re pretty good at hurting people. My job is to go hurt Fabricio as much as I can, so he doesn’t put a hurt on me. I’ll make up a plan while I’m doing it

Both veterans bring a different style to the octagon. While Werdum has obtained half of his victories by submission, Hunt has yet to make an opponent tap. He has, however, procured a 70 percent knockout rate, collecting his last three victories via KO.

Sherdog.com’s Javier Vazquez cited Werdum’s takedown skills as his meal ticket to besting Hunt.

Everyone loves Hunt’s story, but he has a tall task with Werdum. If the fight hits the ground, it should be over quickly. If Werdum wants to test his standup, I would recommend against it against Hunt. He is very durable and hits very hard. The safe bet is to take Hunt down, which could prove to be challenging, as his takedown defense has gotten better.

For Werdum to emerge victorious, he must bring Hunt to the mat, no easy task considering his burly opponent’s 72.13 takedown defense percentage. Yet the grappling artist can’t afford to test Hunt’s stand-up game, as a battle of strikes bodes poorly for the 37-year-old Brazilian.

Look for Werdum to put Hunt’s redemption saga to rest with a submission, making him the temporary champion until Velasquez is ready to fight for the crown.

Prediction: Werdum via submission

 

Note: Fight stats courtesy of UFC.com

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UFC 178: Full Breakdown, Predictions for Alvarez-Cerrone Fight

Eddie Alvarez won’t get eased into UFC action when he makes his highly anticipated debut against Donald Cerrone during Saturday night’s UFC 178. 
Demetrious Johnson and Chris Cariaso headline the proceedings in Las Vegas, but expect Alvarez a…

Eddie Alvarez won’t get eased into UFC action when he makes his highly anticipated debut against Donald Cerrone during Saturday night’s UFC 178. 

Demetrious Johnson and Chris Cariaso headline the proceedings in Las Vegas, but expect Alvarez and Cerrone to steal the show. Both experienced, aggressive fighters bring diverse styles to the table, creating an intriguing clash of tactics.

When a big name transitions over to UFC, he’s usually fed a vulnerable opponent to feast upon for a resounding first impression. That’s not the case here, as Alvarez will receive a baptism by fire against one of the promotion’s premier lightweights in Cerrone, who is riding a four-match winning streak.

How will the Bellator star fare in his first taste of UFC action? Does he have what it takes to make a major statement during his inaugural fight? Let’s take a closer look at UFC 178’s hottest draw.

 

Fight Breakdown

Both men have carved out an illustrious career in the octagon, but they don’t get their hand raised the same way. While Cerrone is a submission specialist, Alvarez has pummeled the Bellator brethren with knockout victories.

Entering Saturday’s fight at 24-6, Cerrone has obtained 15 of his victories (62.5 percent) via submission. At 25-3, Alvarez has 16 wins via KO to his credit.

Regardless of how the fight ends, viewers can expect a brawl leading up to the finish. Cerrone lands 3.83 significant strikes per minute to Alvarez’s 3.94. Yet the UFC veteran is more prone to getting hit, defending 56.03 percent of opposing hits to his foe’s 63.31.

“Cowboy” didn’t hide that foible, and he doesn’t expect it to change during his upcoming fight. He told ESPN.com’s Brett Okamoto that he anticipates being on the receiving end of several blows.

You’re asking me if I’m going to go out and take a lot of punches early on. I try to work on it, but none of it works, you know? It’s who I am. I’ve accepted it. Head movement is hard, especially when you’re fighting someone at the top. Every fight, we’re like, ‘Let’s work on head movement.’ That can be the No. 1 thing. And then it just doesn’t happen. You can expect me to get punched in the head quite a few times by Eddie. I can pretty much guarantee that.

Alvarez isn’t backing down from his fiery approach either. He shared similar sentiments to Okamoto, saying he won’t change an ultra-aggressive style that has worked well for him so far.

For me, I don’t pride myself on being a defensive fighter. I’m not like that in my everyday life, and I’m not going to bring that into the cage. I tend to throw caution to the wind and take risks because I believe I can finish the guy in front of me. I’ve learned to embrace it, be OK with it and keep moving forward. In my 11 years, I’ve been pretty d–n successful with it, so I don’t want to change it.

What happens when two colliding men won’t relent? One way or the other, this one probably won’t go the full distance. If it does, that favors Alvarez, who has never been saddled with a loss by the judges. Cerrone will have to use his submission prowess to force the issue, while Alvarez will need to inflict ample damage after the opening bell.

Although both men feature intricate MMA résumés, one has been busier lately. As indicated by Bleacher Report’s MMA Twitter page, Cerrone has worked more than Alvarez during recent years.

Does he get the experience edge, or does that mean his opponent is fresher? Considering Cerrone is enjoying the roll of his life, the extra work won’t hurt.

 

Prediction

This is the evening’s toughest bout to handicap, either man could easily leave Nevada with a pivotal victory. Due to fear of the unknown, Cerrone gets the upper hand.

His aggressiveness and submission skills don’t bode well for Alvarez, whose eagerness to make a lasting first impression will prove his downfall. An early knockout is his best chance of stealing a victory, but the smart money is on the UFC veteran.

After a brutal bout, look for Cerrone to make Alvarez tap.

Cerrone, submission, Round 3

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Bellator 123 Results: Winners, Scorecards from Curran vs. Pitbull 2 Fight Card

Connecticut hosted a loaded card of MMA fights during Friday’s night Bellator 123, highlighted by a heated title bout between Pat Curran and Patricio “Pitbull” Freire.
The 11th season started strong with four marquee bouts highlighting the main ca…

Connecticut hosted a loaded card of MMA fights during Friday’s night Bellator 123, highlighted by a heated title bout between Pat Curran and Patricio “Pitbull” Freire.

The 11th season started strong with four marquee bouts highlighting the main card. Along with the Featherweight Championship clash, TNA Wrestling star Bobby Lashley entered the octagon with resounding results.

Bellator, aired on Spike TV, went up against rival UFC during an eventful Friday night for MMA fans. Time will tell how that bold move paid off in the ratings.

Let’s take a look at the results from Mohegan Sun Arena.

 

Cheick Kongo def. Lavar Johnson (Round 1 Submission)

Lavar Johnson started Round 1 with a full head of steam, which caused his undoing once Cheick Kongo took him down.

After a furious start, Kongo subsided the fast pace by trapping Johnson on the mat. He kept his aggressive opponent at bay, lulling him to sleep before going for the kill.

Before the first round could close, Johnson gave Kongo an opening to apply his rear-naked choke hold. The 39-year-old heavyweight pounced, earning a quick submission victory.

He had not won by submission since March 21, 2010, when he forced Paul Buentello to surrender at UFC Live 1. As noted by MMAJunkie’s Mike Bohn, even that submission victory did not occur in the traditional sense. One must travel back over a decade to find the last one.

For Johnson, the loss continues a bitter rough patch. The 37-year-old striker has now lost five of his last six fights, three by Round 1 submissions. 

 

Bobby Lashley def. Josh Burns (Round 2 Submission)

Masterfully transitioning back from professional wrestling to MMA, Lashley annihilated Josh Burns in a one-sided effort ended by a Round 2 submission.

Less than a minute into the opening round, Lashley scored a takedown. From there, he controlled the tempo throughout the fight, until Burns tapped out on a standing rear-naked choke.

After leaving MMA for nearly 10 months, Lashley returned to TNA, also aired by Spike TV, after an unsatisfying run with Strikeforce. His wrestling background has expanded his star power, which placed pressure on him early in his MMA career. He discussed those difficulties with Bohn.

I didn’t have to (sign with Strikeforce), and I wish I didn’t do it. I don’t think there are too many fighters who started their career and went straight to a major promotion like I did. It’s a double-edged sword. Me, coming from a wrestling background, of course everyone wants to throw me up there because – the promoters were like, ‘If we’re going to pay you more, you’ve got to fight on a bigger stage so we can get something out of you.’

He is now 11-2 in MMA action after winning his Bellator debut. The 38-year-old has ended four of his last six fights via submission, raising his stock after a lengthy hiatus from the octagon. Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Snowden joked that he still has some adjusting to do.

After suffering another loss, Burns remains winless at Bellator with a 0-5 record. “The Hammer” is now 8-8 overall and 3-5 over the past three years. The 36-year-old never stood a chance during his recent defeat.

 

Tamdan McCrory def. Brennan Ward (Round 1 TKO)

Well, that was quick.

Twenty-one seconds after the opening bell, Tamdan McCrory knocked out Brennan Ward with a vicious combination. So much for giving the fans their money’s worth.

The 27-year-old hadn’t competed in five years, but he showed no rust upon instantaneously seizing his 12th victory. After gaining such a convincing win over Ward during his Bellator debut, McCrory set the rest of the middleweight division on notice.

Ward, on the other hand, has dropped back-to-back bouts after starting his promising MMA career at 9-1. The 26-year-old will need to break that drought to erase the humiliation of losing in 21 seconds.

 

Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal def. Dustin Jacoby (Round 2 TKO)

Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal redeemed his last Bellator loss against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson with a dominating victory over Dustin Jacoby.

The action heated up in the second round, where the two foes traded fierce swings until Lawal took the striker off his feet. After lending a bevy of punches to his grounded prey, the official stopped the fight, awarding Lawal a victory via TKO.

Since joining Bellator in 2013, the 33-year-old is 5-3 with three TKO victories. According to The MMA Report’s Jason Floyd, Lawal‘s latest triumph puts the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight champion one step closer to ruling the Bellator division.

Jacoby served as a late replacement for Marcus Sursa and Tom DeBlass, who both dropped out with injuries. The 26-year-old, whose record slips to 10-4, might regret his decision to step in two weeks after defeating Lucas Lopes at TFC 29.

 

Patricio Freire def. Pat Curran (Unanimous Decision) for Bellator Featherweight Championship

In the highly contested main event, Patricio “Pitbull” Freire won the rematch over Pat Curran to claim the Featherweight Championship.

The two foes once again went the distance, but this time Freire was declared the victor by decision.

On Jan. 17, 2013, Curran defeated Pitbull via split decision after five grueling rounds. Since losing the contested bout, Freire had won his last three Bellator battles, three by KO or TKO.

Easing into the showdown, the two initially fought a conservative opening round. The title remained up for grabs after two rounds, although Freire entered Round 3 bloodied. Even Curran’s own crew didn‘t know how to score the rounds, via Bloody Elbow.

Yet Pitbull nearly took control with a frenzied attack that momentarily knocked the champion off his feet. Bleacher Report’s MMA Twitter page described the sequence.

Although neither could land a finishing blow, Freire gradually gained control on the match. Per the Spike TV broadcast, Freire landed 44 punches to Curran’ 32, which explains why the Brazilian celebrated after the fifth round ended. Awaiting the decision, he raised his hand in victory while Curran stood nervously.

Turns out the both knew the final outcome. Each judge ruled in favor of Freire, making him the new champion by unanimous decision.

Looking ahead, one must wonder whether the two will settle the score in a rubber match. They delivered big time in both battles, and are evenly matched enough to make their third showdown another intriguing clash.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Barao vs. Dillashaw: Examining Each Fighter’s Path to Winning UFC 173 Main Event

Renan Barao will put his bantamweight title and historic winning streak on the line Saturday night at UFC 173, giving challenger T.J. Dillashaw a chance to stun the world in Las Vegas.
Entering Saturday’s main event, Barao has won 22 consecutive MMA fi…

Renan Barao will put his bantamweight title and historic winning streak on the line Saturday night at UFC 173, giving challenger T.J. Dillashaw a chance to stun the world in Las Vegas.

Entering Saturday’s main event, Barao has won 22 consecutive MMA fights with three successful title defenses.

Dillashaw is no slouch either, having won five of his last six bouts, with the one loss to Raphael Assuncao coming in controversial fashion. The 28-year-old challenger brings a wrestling background to the table that has been serving him well in MMA. 

According to FightMetric‘s Michael Carroll, this main event represents a first among experienced competitors.

Let’s break down each fighter’s path to victory on Saturday night.

 

UFC 173

When: Saturday, May 24 at 10 p.m. ET

Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada

TV: Pay-per-view

 

Barao‘s Path to Victory

The champion is good enough that there’s not just one way to retain his title.

Barao is extraordinarily quick, making him one of the division’s premier defenders. He’s also a gifted striker but most notably a takedown artist who can put a fight away.

He provided a premature ending to his last two bouts, ending them with early knockouts. Four of his last nine fights concluded with his opponent tapping out, giving him 14 submission victories in total.

Each fighter excels at takedowns, but Barao offers more versatility in the stand-up game. He can outwork Dillishaw, gradually tiring him out until pouncing with a submission maneuver.

Barao told Bleacher Report’s Duane Finley, through a translator, that the striking game will lead to Dillashaw‘s downfall.

I believe T.J. (Dillashaw) thinks he is a striker now, and he isn’t. I think he will mess up and make mistakes in this fight, and this will present the chance for me to finish him. I’m very calm and ready for this fight, and I believe I will win this fight because I’m the better fighter.

He has the right strategy in mind to win a fight that is his to lose, barring a critical mistake.

 

Dillashaw‘s Path to Victory

For Dillashaw to have any chance of pulling off an upset, he must find a way to take this fight to the ground.

This is easier said than done, as Barao is a well-versed fighter who doesn’t get down. Even on the mat, he’s arguably the toughest 135-pound grappler out there.

Yet takedowns are his area of expertise, as he averages 3.08 takedowns per 15 minutes with 45 percent accuracy. With a 67 striking defense percentage, Barao is extremely difficult to damage.

Barao is too fast on his feet to successfully engage in a striking war. If they trade punches and kicks, the champion will leave with the belt secure around his waist.

Dillashaw must slow the tempo down and find a way to trap his experienced opponent into submission attempts.

On the bright side, Dillashaw can leave everything on the table with nothing to lose. In a UFC preview show, via Sports Illustrated‘s Jeff Wagenheim, he embraced the underdog role.

Barao‘s been the reigning champion. He’s been winning for the last nine years. He’s been on a crazy win streak. And it takes off some pressure for me. I get to let loose and have some fun and prove to the world that I’m a lot better than they think. It’s exciting to be the one that’s gonna shock them, you know? ‘Cause it’s gonna happen.

As a neutral observer, it’s difficult to share Dillashaw‘s confidence. But hey, you never know.

 

Note: All statistics courtesy of FightMetric. 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 172 Predictions: Breaking Down Top Fights on Saturday’s Main Card

Jon “Bones” Jones and Glover Teixeira’s clash for the light heavyweight title highlights a loaded card for Saturday night’s UFC 172 event in Baltimore.
While Jones looks to solidify one of the sport’s most impressive title reigns with another successfu…

Jon “Bones” Jones and Glover Teixeira’s clash for the light heavyweight title highlights a loaded card for Saturday night’s UFC 172 event in Baltimore.

While Jones looks to solidify one of the sport’s most impressive title reigns with another successful defense, Teixeira has not dropped a fight since 2005. Bones most recently derailed Alexander Gustafsson in a five-round classic, while Teixeira defeated Ryan Bader with a first-round TKO.

The title bout represents Saturday night’s marquee draw, but there are plenty of other bouts to excite MMA fans. Luke Rockhold has a fierce challenger ahead of him in Tim “The Barbarian” Boetsch, and Phil Davis is out to prove he’s worthy of main event status in his fight with Anthony “Rumble” Johnson. 

Let’s take a look at what the card has to offer in another enticing UFC tilt.

 

Where: Baltimore Arena, Baltimore, Maryland

When: Saturday, April 26 at 10 p.m. ET

Watch: Pay-per-view (check local cable provider)

Live Stream: UFC.TV (subscription required)

 

Luke Rockhold vs. Tim Boetsch

Rockhold is out for redemption after suffering an early knockout loss to Vitor Belfort last May. In his way stands Boetsch, a brawler who has lost two of his last three bouts in the third round.

The defeat against Belfort hit Rockhold hard. As he told Yahoo! Sports’ Kevin Iole, that blemish on his record will haunt him throughout his career.

I want that fight back. My goal is not to be the champion, not to win a belt or anything else. I want to be the best in the world. You only live once and so the way I see it, it’s worth it to try to go out and be the best at something. Even if I become champion, I can’t say I’m the best in the world while I still have that loss on my record.

After earning five straight submission victories in the opening round, Rockhold has not made an opponent tap out since 2009. Yet he’s earned three swift first-round knockouts, most recently cleaning out Costas Philippou during the opening minutes.

The jiu-jitsu fighter is a balanced tactician in the Octagon, armed with speed and well versed in all three areas of submission, striking and takedowns. One way or the other, he’ll find a way to beat Boetsch.

Prediction: Rockhold by TKO

 

Phil Davis vs. Anthony Johnson

Davis has his sights set on grander pastures, focusing more attention on Jon Jones than his actual opponent.

Rather than focusing on his upcoming bout with Jackson, “Mr. Wonderful” used Monday’s pre-fight conference call to poke Jones. He questioned the validity of his last victory over Gustafsson, claiming Jones’ opponent made him “look like a pirate.”

He didn’t change his tune during Thursday’s media day.

Davis has reason to exude confidence after winning his last three fights. The 29-year-old, who boasts a 12-1 record, is sculpted like a Marvel superhero with superior wrestling skills. Johnson, on the other hand, was last seen in UFC submitting to Belfort two years ago.

While Davis is the rightful favorite on paper, he could get in his own way by investing his time marketing a future fight with Jones. Johnson can take Davis down if he’s not careful, but Mr. Wonderful should live up to the nickname with a decisive victory.

Prediction: Davis by submission

 

Jon Jones vs. Glover Teixeira

Although Teixeira enters the biggest fight of his career on a hot streak, he doesn’t have the chops to defeat Jones in the main event.

A Chuck Liddell disciple, Teixeira is a brawler, averaging 6.91 strikes per minute to Jones’ 4.15, per UFC.com. While that style has served him so far, he’ll struggle to make much leeway against Jones, who is faster with a wider reach.

Teixeira also has no experience fighting five rounds, which could hurt the 34-year-old if neither man quickly takes care of business. Although Jones is eight years younger, he holds more experience on the grand stage.

Bank on Jones cementing his seventh winning title defense to gain his 20th overall victory.

Prediction: Jones by decision.

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Jones vs. Teixeira: Plotting Each Fighter’s Blueprint to Victory at UFC 172

If everyone is to be believed, UFC 172’s main event between Jon Jones and Glover Teixeira is already over. The public categorically supports Bones rattling off his seventh straight successful title defense on Saturday night in Baltimore.
Yet Teixeira h…

If everyone is to be believed, UFC 172‘s main event between Jon Jones and Glover Teixeira is already over. The public categorically supports Bones rattling off his seventh straight successful title defense on Saturday night in Baltimore.

Yet Teixeira has not lost a fight in nine years, entering the light heavyweight championship showdown with a 22-2 record. The underdog has his work cut out for him, but an upset should not be expelled from the realm of possibility. 

One thing is for sure: Jones is not going to let complacency rear its ugly head. According to B/R’s Jeremy Botter, the champion said he was not his best during his last victory over Alexander Gustafsson.

I definitely know that I performed better in the past. It humbled me. A good humbling is always good, though. And it also let me know that I have heart. I trained my butt off to not have any close fights. And now that I’ve gone through a close fight—or a war, as some would call it—now I know even more about myself. I know when the going gets rough, I’m not going to give up.

A disqualification represents the only blemish on Jones’ record, and he’ll look to keep it that way against Teixeira, who can shock the world with a colossal win.

 

Jones’ Blueprint to Victory: Chip Away with Strikes

A responsible, deliberate plan centered on a hearty dosage of standing strikes will propel Jones to another victory.

Although Teixeira boasts a jiu-jitsu background, he doesn’t necessarily hold an advantage on the mat. Jones is comfortable fighting on the ground, but he shouldn’t let it come to that.

Bones holds a massive reach advantage over his opponent, touting an 84.5″ measurement over Teixeira’s 76″ mark. The champion must thoroughly exploit that edge by keeping a safe distance from the heavy hitter while gradually sinking strikes of his own throughout the evening.

According to UFC.com, Jones successfully lands 57 percent of his standing strikes while Teixeira holds a 41 percent success rate. Staying upright favors Jones in this bout.

He does not need a memorable finish to retain the title. If the two men are left to test their skills over the full five rounds, Bones sports an advantage over Teixeira, who is eight years older yet inexperienced fighting more than three rounds.

If the champion maintains his composure and plays this fight smart, he’ll retain the belt. That puts all the pressure on the challenger to make something happen.

 

Teixeira’s Blueprint to Victory: Steal a KO

Teixeira dared to dream big with MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz, offering up the best-case scenario for his clash with Jones.

In a perfect world, I’ll win via first-round knockout. But I believe it’s going to be a tough fight. Jon Jones is an excellent fighter, so I expect a tough bout. I will be ready for five rounds. I was ready to go five rounds against (Ryan) Bader and will be ready now, so we’ll see who will leave the cage as the champion.

He’s ready to go five rounds, but it’d be best if he didn’t.

The challenger simply can’t match wits with Jones in toe-to-toe combat. If the judges are left to decide the winner, the title won’t change hands. Jones won’t be outclassed in that fashion.

Six of Teixeira’s last seven UFC victories have come by KO or submission, with the sole exception being a unanimous victory over Rampage Jackson through three rounds. Nowhere in there has he needed to last five rounds in the Octagon.

Fox Sports’ E. Spence Kyte provided Teixeira with the perfect mission statement for his major bout in Baltimore. Quoting The Wire‘s Omar Little, “You come at the king, you best not miss.”

The Brazilian has no room for error against Jones. He’ll need to stay aggressive, swing hard and hope he doesn’t miss. It takes just one blow to seize the crown, and that’s the only way Teixeira can steal a victory.

 

Prediction: Jones by unanimous decision

The champion can win by trading barbs and could even make Teixeira tap out on the mat. While he has a few portals to success, the challenger is too dependent on landing a big blow. Jones will once again show he is a premier fighter by earning a convincing victory over Teixeira.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com