Author: Andrew Saunders

50 UFC Fighters Who Are Likely to Be Fired

When UFC mainstay Jon Fitch was unceremoniously released from the company last Wednesday, it was an immediate wake-up call to every single fighter on the roster.With a 14-3-1 record inside the Octagon, Fitch has been a world-ranked welterweig…

When UFC mainstay Jon Fitch was unceremoniously released from the company last Wednesday, it was an immediate wake-up call to every single fighter on the roster.

With a 14-3-1 record inside the Octagon, Fitch has been a world-ranked welterweight for more than five years. If he can be released only one fight after reinventing himself in a Fight of the Night performance at UFC 153, no fighter is safe.

Fitch wasn’t the only one released. UFC standouts Vladimir Matyushenko, Terry Etim and Jacob Volkmann also highlighted the 16-man list of newly released fighters.

Last week, UFC president Dana White made the announcement that this was only the tip of the iceberg and that 100 more fighters are also on their way out of the organization.

There’s 100 more guys that are gonna go. It’s not over. We have 475 guys under contract. We have over 100 guys too many. We have over 100 guys too many on the roster right now. What’s going to happen is, if you lose, the blood has not all been spilled yet. There’s more coming.

With that startling news in mind, here is a look at 50 fighters who are likely to be released for various reasons.

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Urijah Faber vs. Ivan Menjivar: Full Fight Technical Breakdown

Sometimes rematches are necessary. For instance, when Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard battled to a draw at UFC 125, fans wanted a more satisfying conclusion to the incredible fight they had just witnessed. However, some rematches take place several…

Sometimes rematches are necessary. For instance, when Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard battled to a draw at UFC 125, fans wanted a more satisfying conclusion to the incredible fight they had just witnessed. 

However, some rematches take place several years later, not because there is overwhelming demand, but simply because paths ended up crossing once again.

In the case of Urijah Faber vs. Ivan Menjivar II, the latter scenario is most reflective of the events leading up to UFC 157’s clash of bantamweights.

The action began quickly, as most bantamweight fights do. After a brief exchange of hooks, Faber instigated a clinch, but was forced to pay for it almost instantly when Menjivar utilized a judo throw to get this fight to the mat.

Faber out-muscled his foe and rolled over into top position with little resistance. With Menjivar on his back, Faber had side control and looked to rain down elbows, but lost position.

Menjivar regained guard and worked diligently to find a submission from the bottom to no avail. Faber began throwing heavy elbows once again and they landed flush.

Faber was forced back to his feet and dealt with the threatening upkicks of his opponent while trying to re-enter guard, which he did successfully.

With little less than a minute left on the clock, Menjivar was able to push Faber away before returning to his feet. However, Faber was quick to pounce and locked up a standing crucifix position on Ivan’s back.

It looked as if Menjivar was trying to point Faber’s head downward before dropping into a nasty slam. Instead, Faber acted quickly and transitioned to a body triangle from behind and forced his opponent to carry all the weight.

Menjivar fought the hands for a moment, but “The California Kid” would not be denied the rear-naked choke that he was looking for.

The official stoppage came at 4:34 into the first round, and Urijah Faber is once again back to his winning ways.

What’s next for the most famous member of Team Alpha Male? If history tells us anything, we will be force-fed another undeserved title shot for a fighter who has lost almost half of his last 11 contests.

Maybe matchmaker Joe Silva will make Faber put together multiple wins inside the Octagon before giving him a third title fight in two years. 

Could a matchup with Scott Jorgensen be in the cards? Perhaps a rematch with a surging Rafael Assuncao is in order. What about a potential return to featherweight? Who knows? 

The only thing that is clear after this one-sided bullying is that Urijah Faber is one of the best bantamweights alive.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Donald Cerrone vs. KJ Noons Set to Meet at UFC 160

UFC 160 was just announced last week, but is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about cards in the promotion’s history.Headlined by a heavyweight title fight between champion Cain Velasquez and former opponent Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva at the May 25…

UFC 160 was just announced last week, but is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about cards in the promotion’s history.

Headlined by a heavyweight title fight between champion Cain Velasquez and former opponent Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva at the May 25 event, the card will also feature an exciting affair between lightweight fighters who love to scrap.

During Tuesday’s episode of UFC Tonight, it was announced that former WEC title contender Donald Cerrone is going to welcome former Strikeforce stud K.J. Noons into the Octagon.

Cerrone most recently competed at UFC on Fox 6 in a fight where he was quickly finished by Anthony Pettis in a possible title eliminator. Prior to the loss, “Cowboy” had won six of his seven UFC bouts, which includes victories over Jeremy Stephens and Dennis Siver.

Meanwhile, Noons is fresh off the heels of a controversial decision loss to Ryan Couture on the final Strikeforce card. However, before the loss, the Hawaiian lost decisively in matchups against Josh Thomson, Jorge Masvidal and Nick Diaz.

Also on this card is a hotly anticipated fight between former titleholders Junior dos Santos and Alistair Overeem. In addition, a light heavyweight contest between standouts Glover Teixeira and Ryan Bader has been reportedly added to the bill.

Bader won’t be the only Ultimate Fighter winner in action on this card, as Amir Sadollah meets Stephen Thompson in what promises to be a standup clinic.

Stay tuned to Bleacher Report MMA for all things UFC 160, including preview, live analysis and post-fight coverage.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Report: Glover Teixeira vs. Ryan Bader Booked for UFC 160

Ever since his promotional debut, UFC fans can not get enough of UFC prospect Glover Teixeira. The Brazilian fighter now holds a 3-0 mark inside the Octagon. After beating down former champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC on Fox 6, fans have wonder…

Ever since his promotional debut, UFC fans can not get enough of UFC prospect Glover Teixeira. The Brazilian fighter now holds a 3-0 mark inside the Octagon. After beating down former champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC on Fox 6, fans have wondered who is next in line for this title contender.

Wonder no more:

ESPN’s Brett Okamoto tweeted on Tuesday night that light heavyweights Teixeira and Ryan Bader are scheduled to do battle at UFC 160. The report did not specify if this matchup will take place on the evening’s main card.

Bader earned himself a decision win against Rampage, but followed it up with a KO loss to Lyoto Machida last summer. Most recently, the Ultimate Fighter winner was seen setting the record for fastest light heavyweight submission in UFC history against Vladimir Matyushenko.

Currently, the UFC has Teixeira ranked as the No. 4 light heavyweight on the roster, with Bader coming in behind him at No. 9.

With the winner of Dan Henderson vs. Lyoto Machida expected to get a championship opportunity, this is one of the most impactful fights that could have been booked at 205 pounds.

UFC 160 takes place on May 25 and will be headlined by a UFC heavyweight championship battle between Cain Velasquez and Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva. Also on the card is a featured battle between former title holders Junior dos Santos and Alistair Overeem.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Strikeforce Champ Tarec Saffiedine Turned Down UFC 158 Fight with Carlos Condit

By now, you’ve likely already heard about the welterweight shuffle that has taken place at UFC 158. However, just in case you haven’t, here is a quick recap of what went down in the last 24 hours. Carlos Condit was scheduled to take on Rory MacDonald i…

By now, you’ve likely already heard about the welterweight shuffle that has taken place at UFC 158. However, just in case you haven’t, here is a quick recap of what went down in the last 24 hours.

  • Carlos Condit was scheduled to take on Rory MacDonald in the co-main event of UFC 158.
  • Rory MacDonald got hurt and will be out for 3-4 weeks with a back and neck strain.
  • A welterweight matchup between Johny Hendricks and Jake Ellenberger was scrapped so Hendricks could fill the void.
  • Jake Ellenberger now meets former Strikeforce champion Nate Marquardt.

A new twist has been added to the story, as Johny Hendricks was reportedly not the first choice to meet Condit. MMAJunkie.com’s John Morgan recently tweeted that reigning Strikeforce welterweight champion Tarec Saffiedine was offered the fight but turned it down.

With the fight coming on only four weeks notice, it’s hard to fault Saffiedine for not immediately jumping at the opportunity. However, how often is a fight against a recent UFC champion going to fall into your lap?

Saffiedine made the right call by turning down a dangerous fight without proper time to prepare, but with UFC president Dana White‘s recent harsh words for Matt Mitrione, it will be interesting to see if this ends up hurting his status with the organization in the long run.

UFC 158 takes place on Saturday, March 16 and is headlined by a welterweight title fight between Georges St-Pierre and Nick Diaz. Even with the recent card changes, five of the world’s six top welterweights are in action.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 157: Predictions You Can Take to the Bank

On Saturday night, the UFC brings us their second pay-per-view offering of 2013, and it is headlined by the first women’s fight in organization history.In the main event, newly minted UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey meets No. 6-ranked bantamweig…

On Saturday night, the UFC brings us their second pay-per-view offering of 2013, and it is headlined by the first women’s fight in organization history.

In the main event, newly minted UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey meets No. 6-ranked bantamweight Liz Carmouche in a fight that must have Dana White on pins and needles.

The UFC has taken a tremendous gamble by forcing the new division into the spotlight without having any real indication as to how receptive the pay-per-view audience will be.

Some things about UFC 157 are hard to predict, such as the buyrate or the winner of a co-main event between Dan Henderson and Lyoto Machida. However, there are some things that are essentially predetermined before the Zuffa team rolls into California.

Here is a look at five predictions about UFC 157 that you can take to the bank.

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