Author: Andrew Saunders

What’s Next for Rory MacDonald After UFC on Fox 8 Victory?

Canadian phenom Rory MacDonald added another win to the pile on Saturday night when he picked up a unanimous decision against Jake Ellenberger at UFC on Fox 8.
However, due to the boring nature of the fight, it is likely that the impressive game plan o…

Canadian phenom Rory MacDonald added another win to the pile on Saturday night when he picked up a unanimous decision against Jake Ellenberger at UFC on Fox 8.

However, due to the boring nature of the fight, it is likely that the impressive game plan of MacDonald will go overlooked by fans. 

Abandoning the showboating style utilized last December, MacDonald focused on implementing an effective jab and excellent footwork from bell to bell. The tactics seemed to confuse Ellenberger, who was uncharacteristically docile during the affair.

What is next for MacDonald, who now holds a UFC record of 6-1?

 

Challenging for UFC gold

As the No. 3 contender in the welterweight division, many would suggest that MacDonald earned himself a crack at gold. However, due to a friendship with champion Georges St-Pierre, MacDonald recently told the New York Post that the matchup will not happen.

“No, me and Georges aren’t fighting,” MacDonald said. “When we get to that point, me and Georges and our coaches, we’ll come to a solution. When we get to the road, we’ll cross it. We’re not gonna fight.”

UFC president Dana White seems to disagree with the notion that MacDonald doesn’t want the matchup. After all, Jon Jones made the same claim about teammate Rashad Evans in 2011. In mid-2012, the two collided in one of the year’s biggest events.

Would MacDonald be willing to face St-Pierre if it meant potentially losing his training camp and relationship with the world’s greatest welterweight? Probably not, but stranger things have happened.

 

The Maia Factor

If GSP defeats challenger Johny Hendricks in November and MacDonald refuses a title shot, the welterweight division will be out of worthy contenders. Demian Maia is the next man in line who has momentum on his side, but he has yet to defeat a Top Five opponent.

Maia vs. MacDonald makes sense on a lot of levels. However, should Maia come up short, that would leave the division without a willing contender for the spring. 

 

A Ruthless Option

“Ruthless” Robbie Lawler was also in action on Saturday night. For the second time in as many bouts, Lawler walked away with a knockout victory. With commentator Joe Rogan calling the former Elite XC champion a dark-horse contender in the welterweight division, the 12-year veteran is in need of a highly ranked opponent.

MacDonald vs. Lawler doesn’t have the same appeal as the other bookings. That being said, it allows MacDonald to fight a ranked opponent without going against his word or his teammate.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC on Fox 8: 5 Fights for Robbie Lawler to Take Next

Between the outstanding showing from Demetrious Johnson and the appalling dud between Jake Ellenberger and Rory MacDonald, fight fans have plenty to talk about after UFC on Fox 8. 
One performance that should not be overlooked came from Robbie Law…

Between the outstanding showing from Demetrious Johnson and the appalling dud between Jake Ellenberger and Rory MacDonald, fight fans have plenty to talk about after UFC on Fox 8. 

One performance that should not be overlooked came from Robbie Lawler.

He appeared to be in tremendous shape from the opening bell. With excellent timing, the former Elite XC champion scored a knockout victory only 24 ticks into the second frame.

With this victory, Lawler is 2-0 since returning to the UFC welterweight division. As the No. 9 contender to Georges St-Pierre’s championship, the next booking for “Ruthless” could determine whether or not he contends for gold in 2014.

Here is a look at five fights for Lawler to take next.

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UFC on Fox 8: Predicting the Fight Night Bonuses

On Saturday night, fight fans will be treated to incredible action as part of UFC on FOX 8. There, the Zuffa boys offer FOX viewers a championship fight when Demetrious Johnson looks to defend his flyweight title against contender John Moraga.
Perhaps …

On Saturday night, fight fans will be treated to incredible action as part of UFC on FOX 8. There, the Zuffa boys offer FOX viewers a championship fight when Demetrious Johnson looks to defend his flyweight title against contender John Moraga.

Perhaps it is the never-slowing pace of the flyweight division that Dana White and Co. wish to showcase. After all, the frantic action provided by the UFC’s smallest weight class has delivered some of the most consistently entertaining fights of the last 15 months.

Will it be the flyweights who steal the show on Saturday night? Or will the evening’s other stars be taking home the lucrative fight night bonuses?

Here is a look at the front-runners to win Knockout of the Night, Submission of the Night and Fight of the Night at UFC on Fox 8.

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Contender or Pretender for the UFC’s Top Ten Light Heavyweights

Traditionally, the UFC light heavyweight division has been the pride of the Zuffa organization. At important point’s in the organization’s history, top promotional stars Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz, Forrest Griffin and Rampage Jackson have…

Traditionally, the UFC light heavyweight division has been the pride of the Zuffa organization. At important point’s in the organization’s history, top promotional stars Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz, Forrest Griffin and Rampage Jackson have ruled the weight class with an iron fist.

In 2013, the landscape of the 205-pound division doesn’t include any of those names. However, there are plenty of legitimate stars who are capable of one day rising to the top of the heap. There are also some who aren’t fooling us in the slightest.

Here is a look at the contenders and pretenders of the UFC light heavyweight division. 

Author’s Note: We are looking solely at the Top 10 contenders to the UFC light heavyweight championship as ranked by UFC.com.

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10 Items We Would Love to See on a Physical MMA Hall of Fame

Baseball has Cooperstown. In Canton, OH you can find the best in football. Fans of basketball celebrate the sport by traveling to Naismith in Springfield. And with the steady growth of mixed martial arts, one day it too will need a physical Hall of Fam…

Baseball has Cooperstown. In Canton, OH you can find the best in football. Fans of basketball celebrate the sport by traveling to Naismith in Springfield. And with the steady growth of mixed martial arts, one day it too will need a physical Hall of Fame to call its own.

What would you put in a building dedicated to the honorable and infamous moments in MMA? A headset from Stephen Quadros? An Anderson Silva bobble-head?

Here is a look at 10 items that we would love to see inside a MMA Hall of Fame.

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Knockout of the Year Watch: June 2013 Edition

At UFC 162, fans were treated to six knockouts on the year’s annual Fourth of July card. The most prominent of which came in the main event, where Chris Weidman used a left hand to leave Anderson Silva laying in an unconscious heap of flesh on the canv…

At UFC 162, fans were treated to six knockouts on the year’s annual Fourth of July card. The most prominent of which came in the main event, where Chris Weidman used a left hand to leave Anderson Silva laying in an unconscious heap of flesh on the canvas.

The knockout sent shockwaves across the world. People who have no clue about the sport were left talking about Silva’s jaw-dropping loss.

In the eyes of fans, knockouts are the most satisfying conclusion to any fight. Every year, we award the fighters who generate the best of the year, and here at Bleacher Report, we are keeping a close eye on the action.

Here is a look at the top candidates for Knockout of the Year, as of July 8, 2013.

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