With UFC 141 just days away, the debate over the main event of Brock Lesnar versus Alistair Overeem has been taken on from every angle.There have been arguments over which fighter will come out on top. Debates on how the fight will end and how quickly …
With UFC 141 just days away, the debate over the main event of Brock Lesnar versus Alistair Overeem has been taken on from every angle.
There have been arguments over which fighter will come out on top. Debates on how the fight will end and how quickly it will be over. Discussions on which fighter needs this win more.
Both heavyweights bring very different skill sets to the Octagon.
Lesnar’s collegiate wrestling background combined with his brute strength has allowed him to overwhelm many of his opponents. There has been some question of his ability to take a punch, but there is no doubt that Brock is a challenge for any fighter.
Alistair Overeem comes with maybe the best technical striking in the heavyweight division. He is a K-1 striking champion as well as a world grappling champion. He may be one of the few heavyweights that can match Lesnar’s size and strength.
The winner of this fight will go on to face Junior Dos Santos for the UFC heavyweight championship.
While this fight means a great deal to both fighters, I feel that this fight means everything to Lesnar.
Here is five reasons why Lesnar must win at UFC 141.
UFC 141 is quickly approaching, and the hype is building for the battle between the two heavyweight giants, Alistair Overeem and Brock Lesnar. Ever since joining the UFC, Lesnar has been a huge draw. He brought with him the fame of being a former …
UFC 141 is quickly approaching, and the hype is building for the battle between the two heavyweight giants, Alistair Overeem and Brock Lesnar.
Ever since joining the UFC, Lesnar has been a huge draw. He brought with him the fame of being a former WWE wrestler and the physical appearance of a monster. Lesnar‘s fights broke pay-per-view records and it was clear that he was an amazing asset for the UFC as they continued to grow in popularity.
The UFC rode the Lesnar hype as he went on to become the UFC heavyweight champion and one of the brand’s most popular stars.
However, it appears that the time to cash in on Lesnar‘s popularity is closing. He has had two battles with diverticulitis, an intestinal disease that causes sharp pains and vomiting. Lesnar is coming off his second surgery that has kept him out of the Octagon for over a year.
While Brock and his camp are saying that he is back and better than ever, it makes you wonder if this is really his last bout with the disease. You also need to question just how much it has taken out of him and if ring rust will be a factor in this fight.
Lesnar is already 34 years old and been an athlete all of his life. He has suffered his fair share of injuries in the WWE and no sport takes more out of you than MMA. The constant punishment that you can suffer in the Octagon stays with you.
Regardless of your opinion on the fight or on Lesnar, the key factor here is the UFC is a business. They are about making money and growing as a brand. In order to do so, they need to have marketable fighters who will continue to help them enter the mainstream sports world.
Enter Alistair Overeem.
He is a 6’5″, 256-pound physical freak. His appearance is similar to Lesnar‘s massive frame and superhero-like muscles. Overeem carries the kind of appearance that is marketable to the casual fan.
Not to mention his fighting style is what the casual fans want to see. Overeem may be the best striker in the heavyweight division. He is at least the most accomplished, as he won the K-1 striking championship in 2010.
His arsenal of heavy punches and kicks matched up with the vicious knees he can deliver in the clinch make for a very entertaining fighter. When Overeem hits you, there is a good chance that the lights are going out.
Overeem is by no means a one-dimensional fighter.
He was a European Champion in the 2005 ADCC submission grappling tournament. In fact, 19 of his 35 MMA victories have come by submission.
“The Reem” is the type of fighter who has all the skills to be a champion. We know because he already holds the Strikeforce and Dream heavyweight championships.
However, we recognize that the UFC is the home to the vast majority of the best fighters on the planet. Overeem has expressed this same acknowledgement and claims it is one of the reasons why he wants to fight under the UFC banner.
Without a doubt, Overeem’s accomplishments on paper are impressive. Yet, in order for him to earn acceptance by hardcore and casual fans alike, he will need to challenge himself in the UFC.
So when given the chance to bring in Alistair Overeem, who better for Dana White and the UFC to match him up against than Brock Lesnar?
The winner would then go on to face Junior dos Santos, the current heavyweight champion.
While this seems like a win-win scenario for the UFC, the real hope should be that Overeem destroys Lesnar in devastating fashion.
As I mentioned earlier, Lesnar‘s career is coming to an end whether he wins or not. There was talk about him retiring after his first surgery, and even more so after his second. Not to mention the rumors that are constantly swirling about him returning to the WWE.
It appears that the longevity of his MMA career is limited. There will only be so many more pay-per-view buys that Dana White will be able to squeeze out of him before people aren’t as interested anymore.
On top of that, if Lesnar wins and goes on to face dos Santos, it could create an appearance of a division in turmoil. Dos Santos beats Cain Velasquez who beat Lesnar who then comes back to beat dos Santos.
Some may argue that not having a dominant champion is a good thing, but having a belt constantly being handed off isn’t a positive either. Look at the light heavyweight division before the arrival of Jon Jones. The belt was passed off from fight to fight.
As frustrating as a dominant champion can be, I believe that people enjoy the stability in a division. That stability is especially important in a weight class as popular as heavyweight.
A Lesnar win also immediately discredits Overeem to the casual fans. They are most likely unaware of his accomplishments other than what Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg will tell them before the fight—even then they may not understand their significance. A loss in his debut would instantly create a black cloud when trying to market him.
An Overeem win opens a whole bunch of new doors for the UFC.
You then have the chance to market Overeem versus dos Santos, which will be a big draw. Overeem will get the push with the casual fans by beating Lesnar, a popular face. Most importantly of all, the fans will see him win.
All of his accomplishments outside of the UFC will gain more significance the more he wins UFC fights. Whether or not that is fair to Overeem, it is the reality of the situation.
If he goes on to defeat Junior dos Santos, Overeem will likely be touted as the next dominant heavyweight and “the baddest man on the planet.” The UFC will have the face of their heavyweight division. Overeem will not only be able to capture popularity in the United States, but he will bring in a huge international following as well.
The UFC will never publicly root for one fighter over another. However, deep down I have to believe that Dana White and company will have their fingers crossed for Overeem come December 30th.
Dan “Hendo” Henderson improved his MMA record to 29-8 with a unanimous decision victory over another MMA legend in Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.Henderson battered Rua for the first three rounds, landing a few blows that would put the vast majority of fighters…
Dan “Hendo” Henderson improved his MMA record to 29-8 with a unanimous decision victory over another MMA legend in Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.
Henderson battered Rua for the first three rounds, landing a few blows that would put the vast majority of fighters face down on the mat. Even though Shogun rallied in the final two rounds to make the decision close, the judges still believed that Henderson had done enough to pick up the win.
Shogun Rua became just another marquee name on Henderson’s resume.
Henderson has been known through his entire career as a fighter who is competitive at multiple weight classes. From middleweight to heavyweight, he has managed to find success against some of the best in the world.
So why is a fighter with such an impressive resume not mentioned in the all-time great conversation?
The obvious point most MMA fans would jump to is the fact that he lost to another all-time great, Anderson Silva.
It may not just be the fact that he lost, but the manner as well. Silva dismantled Henderson in what was probably the most lopsided defeat of his career. Considering he has only been stopped three times in his entire career, this loss certainly stands out.
The only other fighters to stop “Hendo” were the Nogueira brothers, who each won by armbar during their years in Pride. However, Henderson does hold a split-decision win over “Big Nog” in the King of Kings Tournament held in 2000.
There is no one to be ashamed about on that list. He also holds victories over Misaki and Wanderlei Silva. That means of his eight losses, there are only five fighters he hasn’t redeemed himself against.
Henderson is currently on a four-fight win streak, including winning Strikeforce’s light heavyweight championship and stopping Fedor Emelianenko. Now Henderson’s future is up in the air.
He has expressed interest in a shot at the UFC’s light heavyweight champion, Jon “Bones” Jones. However, Jones is tied up with a fight against Lyoto Machida at UFC 140.
UFC President Dana White has suggested that Henderson may get a rematch with Anderson Silva at middleweight, but with Silva currently injured, that plan has been scrapped as well. On top of that you have Chael Sonnen and Mark Munoz going head to head in what likely is the No. 1 contender match.
If Jon Jones is able to run through Machida as he has with most of his opponents, it is possible that a match early next year could be in the works, though, Rashad Evans is still waiting for his chance as well.
Regardless of opponent, “Hendo” has proven that even at age 41, he is a force. His famous right hand that has created some incredible highlight reel knockouts is as deadly as ever. Just ask Michael Bisping.
Dan Henderson is going to have the chance to recapture UFC gold at some point, but his future opponents will all be fighters that would only continue to stack his glowing resume. I understand the impact of the Anderson Silva loss on his legacy, but Henderson deserves to be mentioned among the all-time greats.
His ability to be an exciting fighter at multiple weight classes throughout the years has earned him legend status. Whether or not he gets the chance to redeem himself against Silva or to challenge the new breed in Jon Jones, Henderson’s legacy is intact.
Love him or hate him, Dan Henderson has cemented his legacy as one of the greatest fighters of all time.
Fedor Emelianenko won his first fight in more than two years this weekend when he took a unanimous decision over Jeff Monson. The victory, while not the most exciting, was still an important win for Emelianenko. With Strikeforce now falling under …
Fedor Emelianenko won his first fight in more than two years this weekend when he took a unanimous decision over Jeff Monson.
The victory, while not the most exciting, was still an important win for Emelianenko. With Strikeforce now falling under the Zuffa umbrella, Fedor’s opportunities to fight outside of M-1 Global are quickly disappearing.
It is looking more and more like he may finish his career with a series of spectacles for crowds in Russia and Japan rather than fights that really mean something to his resume.
Which is why it is time for Dana White to step in and make one last attempt at signing “The Last Emperor.”
There was rumor buzzing in the MMA community after a MMA site posted that the UFC and Fedor were negotiating a contract that would match up the Russian with former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez in his debut.
The post has since been removed as well as denied by Vadim Finkelstein, Fedor’s manager, and Dana White himself on Twitter.
Just because it isn’t actually happening doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t.
M-1 Global and Fedor are very much aware of their current stock. Emelianenko is incredibly popular in Europe and Asia, but he is well outside the Top 10 heavyweights in the world, and his biggest bargaining chips with the UFC are gone.
White should be approaching Fedor and M-1 with the offer of large amounts of money and getting Fedor back on to the mainstream. Even though it is clear that Fedor is past his prime, he could still be spun into a big draw and make some classic fights for the hardcore fans.
It is likely now more than ever that M-1 would back down on their demands of co-promotion. Even if they didn’t at first, Dana White has never been afraid to play hardball.
So some may ask why would Dana White even bother at this point?
Two reasons.
Fedor is still a huge draw in Europe and Japan. With the UFC’s constant push to expand to every corner of the globe, bringing in Fedor to highlight international cards would be huge. Not to mention the extra pay-per-view buys the UFC would take in from the hardcore fans wanting to see Emelianenko in the Octagon for the first time.
The second is a little more diabolical on White’s part. We can all clearly see that the Fedor of 2011 is not the terminator or ruthless destroyer that we came to love in the early half of the decade. The UFC heavyweight division has several fighters now that would be favored and would likely beat Fedor if they fought today.
Fedor’s three-fight losing streak erased the mystique. The unbeatable, emotionless Emelianenko became an out of shape shell of himself.
The UFC has the ability to hype Fedor Emelianenko back to a star level. They can use his fame to capture markets they haven’t been able to tap in to yet. He would be another big name to one of their weakest weight classes.
All of this with no risk to the UFC.
Sure, they would have to pay him a nice chunk of change to get him in to the UFC without co-promotion. However, even if he loses every fight he has in the UFC, it would still allow Dana White to say “I told you so.”
A Fedor-UFC deal without co-promotion is a win-win situation for the UFC. At this point, there is so much to gain and so little to lose.
Getting a contract with no M-1 Global co-promotion may be difficult, it may even be impossible.
That still shouldn’t stop Dana White from making one last run at “The Last Emperor.”
This Saturday UFC 136 will take place at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.The main event will feature lightweight champion Frankie Edgar taking on Gray Maynard in their third match up. Their last fight at UFC 125 was a thriller that ended in a draw….
This Saturday UFC 136 will take place at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
The main event will feature lightweight champion Frankie Edgar taking on Gray Maynard in their third match up. Their last fight at UFC 125 was a thriller that ended in a draw.
Both men were disappointed that the fight came to that, but they look to settle the score for good this Saturday.
The co-main event will feature featherweight champion Jose Aldo taking on former lightweight contender Kenny Florian. Florian made another drop in weight in hopes of being more competitive, but Aldo may be the toughest test of his career.
The card is loaded with great fights from top to bottom.
With UFC 135 in the books, we now look ahead to the future. Jon “Bones” Jones simply outclassed Rampage Jackson in his first defense of the UFC light heavyweight title, as he won by rear naked choke in the fourth round. The dismantling was not as …
With UFC 135 in the books, we now look ahead to the future.
Jon “Bones” Jones simply outclassed Rampage Jackson in his first defense of the UFC light heavyweight title, as he won by rear naked choke in the fourth round. The dismantling was not as bad as the destruction of Shogun Rua, but it once again showed just how good Jones is.
The light heavyweight division has been one of the most competitive for years. We have been waiting for that one fighter that can take control of the division like Georges St-Pierre and Anderson Silva have in theirs.
Whether or not Jones is that fighter has yet to be seen, but the future looks bright.
Here is a list of fighters that could lead to Jon Jones cementing his legacy as one of the best in the world.
