Cain Velasquez seems to be the overwhelming pick to retain his heavyweight title when he faces Junior “Cigano” dos Santos for a third time at UFC 166 on Saturday. Velasquez was knocked out in their first meeting, but he dominated the rematc…
Cain Velasquez seems to be the overwhelming pick to retain his heavyweight title when he faces Junior “Cigano” dos Santos for a third time at UFC 166 on Saturday. Velasquez was knocked out in their first meeting, but he dominated the rematch to win by unanimous decision.
Though the first two results were split, the interviews featured in the video from MMAInterviews.TV strongly suggest Velasquez is the popular choice.
Check it out.
Is it Disrespect for JDS or Respect for Cain?
Despite the fact that Junior dos Santos appears to be the better overall athlete and already owns a win over Velasquez, the images from their second meeting have made the biggest impression. It seems a little disrespectful to dismiss dos Santos so easily, though.
Of the eight fighters who spoke in the video, only Brendan Schaub picked dos Santos to win. Johny Hendricks couldn’t make a decision, but it sounded like he favored Velasquez.
This massively slanted look at the UFC 166 main event has to serve as even more motivation for dos Santos to regain his title.
One factor that should be noted is that all but one of the fighters interviewed in the video above are American. None of them hail from dos Santos’ home country of Brazil. Had a few of the UFC’s many Brazilian warriors been interviewed, there is a good chance dos Santos would have had a few votes of confidence.
While Velasquez’s work ethic and efficiency on the ground were noted in the video, it seems there is a bit of a disconnect to dos Santos’ preparation. Velasquez is undoubtedly a man on a mission, but it is foolish to think dos Santos isn’t just as driven.
Adding to His Arsenal
In this interview with Bleacher Report’s Ultimate Show, dos Santos talks about his training and wanting to regain his title.
“Cigano” mentions the head kick he used to finish the tough Mark Hunt in his last fight. That technique was a new wrinkle in his game. He is the type of fighter who is so good at one aspect of the sport (boxing), it appeared he didn’t really need to add other dimensions.
The rematch with Velasquez proved he needed to give his opponent more to worry about. From the sound of his interview, he is ready to show how much he’s grown since Velasquez last faced him.
This could simply be dismissed as a contrary point of view, but Schaub seems to be right on the money with his prediction. Expect a thunderous punch or kick to spell the end of the night for Velasquez and dos Santos will prove the doubters wrong.
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UFC.com is calling Saturday’s Cain Velasquez vs. Junior “Cigano” dos Santos heavyweight title bout at UFC 166 “the final chapter,” but what’s to say the loser won’t deserve another rematch once this one is over…
UFC.com is calling Saturday’s Cain Velasquez vs. Junior “Cigano” dos Santos heavyweight title bout at UFC 166 “the final chapter,” but what’s to say the loser won’t deserve another rematch once this one is over?
Cigano is going to regain his title on Saturday. His chin is stronger, and his athleticism and determination will have him prepared and ready to win.He has thwarted 74 percent of the attempts to take him down in the UFC. Although Velasquez had some success against Dos Santos in stand-up in their last meeting, his best bet is to take Cigano to the mat.
If he can’t get him there, it is hard to imagine Velasquez winning another stand-up battle.
The third meeting in their rivalry takes place on Saturday in the Toyota Center in Houston.
Cigano flattened Velasquez in their first fight in 2011, but Velasquez used a big first round to coast to a unanimous decision over Dos Santos in their 2012 rematch. Velasquez landed a couple of titanic punches on Cigano, but he couldn’t finish him. Dos Santos will carry that redeeming value into this fight.
Right now, Dos Santos and Velasquez seem to be head and shoulders above the rest of the heavyweights in the world. Roy Nelson and Daniel Cormier could have something to say about that, but both men would be underdogs in a match against Dos Santos or Velasquez.
The winner of the Nelson vs. Cormier co-feature will have the right to challenge the man who emerges from UFC 166 as champion. However, if Nelson or Cormier can’t take advantage of the opportunity, where does that leave the heavyweight title picture?
Fabricio Werdum is ranked third, but he’s almost exclusively a submissions fighter whom fans won’t love. While he defeated an old and seemingly disinterested Fedor Emelianenko in Strikeforce, he’d be a big underdog against Dos Santos or Velasquez.
Travis Browne is somewhat interesting because of his size and height, but he needs a big win before anyone believes he can become champion.
Lastly, there is Josh Barnett, who is a former champion but long in the tooth. He’s looked good in his return to the UFC, but he hasn’t faced the likes of Dos Santos and Velasquez.
It is easy to expect both men to separate themselves from the pack again. Assuming the loser of Saturday’s main event remains active, will Dana White play keep-away with a fourth fight simply because we’ve seen them clash three times?
The second fight between the two men came about when Velasquez smashed his way through Antonio Silva to earn a rematch. Likewise, Dos Santos knocked out Mark Hunt to prove he was ready to meet his archrival again.
Even if Dos Santos loses but proves again that no other heavyweight can handle him, wouldn’t he deserve another shot?
In other weight classes with more parity, this may not be an issue. In the heavyweight division, however, there aren’t enough good fighters to make Velasquez or Dos Santos wait his turn for too long. If the UFC is to adhere to a standard of excellence in regard to matchmaking, we’ll likely see Dos Santos vs. Velasquez IV somewhere down the line.
To retain his title at UFC 166 on Saturday at the Toyota Center in Houston, Cain Velasquez needs to take Junior “Cigano” dos Santos to the mat. Velasquez valiantly traded with Dos Santos in their last meeting after being knocked out in their first enco…
To retain his title at UFC 166 on Saturday at the Toyota Center in Houston, Cain Velasquez needs to take Junior “Cigano” dos Santos to the mat. Velasquez valiantly traded with Dos Santos in their last meeting after being knocked out in their first encounter.
In the first fight, Dos Santos landed a hard right hand high on Velasquez’s head, which spelled the beginning of the end. An explosive left hook from Velasquez hurt Dos Santos in the first round of the second fight, but he couldn’t finish him.
Many were amazed that Dos Santos survived the round, let alone the fight. While he had the wherewithal to continue, he had lost the stamina to be dangerous. Velasquez dominated the rounds and won his title back.
In the third bout, Cigano will be looking to strike first and avoid being dragged to the mat. Velasquez is one of the best ground-and-pound fighters in the sport.
To prepare properly for the bout, Dos Santos knew he had to add more layers to his attack. He talked about that in this interview with Bleacher Report’s Ultimate Show.
Because he’s a better natural athlete than Velasquez, he has a higher ceiling. He showed a bit of that with the spin kick he used to drop Mark Hunt in his last fight.
Cigano also sports a 74 percent takedown defense rate in his UFC career. His game is getting more well-rounded, and that means trouble for Velasquez. While no other heavyweight in the world is likely capable of beating him, Velasquez will take his second loss to Cigano.
Here are predictions for the other four fights scheduled for the main card at UFC 166.
John Dodson vs. Darrell Montague
Speed is the operative word in the flyweight division. Few fighters in the world are as swift and explosive as Dodson. He was the only fighter who was able to keep pace with Demetrious Johnson.
Though Dodson lost that fight, he made an excellent account of himself. Matched against UFC newcomer Darrell “The Mongoose” Montague, Dodson’s speed advantage should be huge.
Montague has won four fights in a row and has only two losses total. However, in his last loss, he fell to Ian “Uncle Creepy” McCall. The latter used his speed and varied attacks to get the better of Montague. He controlled most of the wrestling exchanges and ultimately submitted Montague with a rear-naked choke.
It isn’t Dodson’s style to chase a submission, but he’s even faster than McCall. He will use his speed to land early and often against Montague, despite a three-inch height disadvantage.
Look for an impressive KO win by Dodson.
Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Shawn Jordan
Gonzaga could look to make this fight easy by taking Jordan to the mat, but in an effort to make a statement, he could try to stop his rugged and dangerous opponent.
“Napao’s” submission game is far beyond Jordan’s. He has captured nine of his 15 wins by submission, and he’s two inches taller. Though Gonzaga has advanced Brazilian jiu-jitsu to fall back on, his most memorable wins have come by knockout.
He destroyed Mirko Filipovic with a head kick in 2007 and knocked out Dave Herman in 17 seconds in July. With Jordan bringing the fight to him, look for another spectacular KO win from the well-rounded Gonzaga.
Gilbert Melendez vs. Diego Sanchez
This bout has a good chance to be the Fight of the Night. Melendez is a solid, technically efficient fighter who is tough to hit and take down. He defended 100 percent of the takedowns attempted and avoided 52 percent of the strikes from Benson Henderson in his lone UFC bout.
This slickness should serve him well against the aggressive and tough Sanchez. A veteran of eight years in the UFC, Sanchez has won five Fight of the Night bonuses. His only chance to win this fight is to turn it into a brawl.
Melendez doesn’t like to fight at a scrambling pace, but mayhem is where Sanchez thrives. Look for this bout to have a little of everything with both men having their moments.
In the end, Melendez’s defense and technical striking will result in a victory in one of the best fights on the card.
Daniel Cormier vs. Roy Nelson
Who will get the winner of Velasquez vs. Dos Santos? The Nelson vs. Cormier co-feature will determine who’s next in line. Nelson may not look the part, but he is a well-rounded—no pun intended—fighter with great wrestling and big-time power.
Cormier is technically solid with fast hands and elite grappling, but the power edge favors Nelson. For Cormier to win, he’ll need to either stay inside of Nelson’s reach and take his chances in the grappling game, or move in and out to utilize his quickness advantage.
The latter strategy will use a ton of energy, and judging by his stamina level against Frank Mir in his last fight, Cormier isn’t exactly long in the wind department.
Ultimately, “Big Country” will catch Cormier or gain dominant top position with his technique and girth. The next title shot will belong to Nelson after he submits Cormier late in the fight.
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They say everything is bigger in Texas. It seems the UFC has taken that literally.
If UFC pay-per-views were like WWE events, UFC 166 would be like WrestleMania or SummerSlam. The card scheduled for the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, is stacked with …
They say everything is bigger in Texas. It seems the UFC has taken that literally.
If UFC pay-per-views were like WWE events, UFC 166 would be like WrestleMania or SummerSlam. The card scheduled for the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, is stacked with intriguing bouts, and the headliners are the big boys—and not just in name.
Two colossal heavyweight clashes are the marquee bouts.
The UFC heavyweight title bout between champion Cain Velasquez (12-1) and former champ Junior “Cigano” dos Santos (16-2) is the main event. It is the tie-breaker meeting between the two men.
With dos Santos taking the title from Velasquez in their first meeting back in 2011 and Velasquez regaining it 2012, this third meeting should definitively decide who the better man is.
Just before they take the Octagon by storm, heavyweight contenders Daniel Cormier and “Big Country” Roy Nelson will do battle to determine who’s next in line for a shot at the crown. That bout is a co-main event, but it could headline a lesser card.
In addition to the heavyweight fights, there are at least six other well-known fighters scheduled for action.
Here’s how you can watch the event and predictions on each bout, followed by deeper analysis for the bouts projected to be top candidates for Fight Night bonuses and the main event.
Submission of the Night: TJ Waldburger over Adlan “Borz” Amagov
Waldburger’s UFC record is 4-2, but his losses have been respectable.
He was stopped by heavy-handed Johny Hendricks and lost an unanimous decision to Brian Ebersole in June 2012. His last fight was a technical submission win over Nick Catone in December. He returns after nearly a year away to take on relative UFC newcomer Amagov.
Borz won his UFC debut in April over Chris Spang by decision. He is a striker by nature, and though he has shown the ability to take opponents down, he’ll have no desire to allow the fight to go to the mat against Waldburger.
Up to now, Amagov hasn’t won a fight in his MMA career by submission.
He is a Strikeforce veteran who has been in with guys like Robbie Lawler and Keith Berry, but Waldburger is arguably the best submission fighter he will face.
Waldburger doesn’t possess much of a stand-up game; just one of his 16 wins have come by KO/TKO. He has however won 13 fights by submission.
This one will come down to the fighter who can dictate the tempo and identity of the fight. Expect Waldburger to get the fight he wants.
He shoots the legs with power and shows great takedown technique, and Amagov doesn’t possess the type of power that will serve as a big enough deterrent for Waldburger.
The latter will crowd his opponent and ultimately wear him down for a submission win.
KO of the Night: Gabriel “Napao” Gonzaga over Shawn “The Savage” Jordan
Gonzaga has produced some of the most explosive KOs in heavyweight history.
His head kick of Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic has to rank in the top five, and his most recent destruction of Dave Herman was impressive.
The eight-year veteran of the UFC is looking to make another brutal statement on Saturday, and Jordan is the perfect mark for another Napao bomb.
The Savage loves to trade, but against Gonzaga, that isn’t the best game plan; however, it may be his only choice.
Jordan is the shorter man, and Gonzaga’s kicking game makes the length advantage even more noteworthy. Because Gonzaga is also the more accomplished grappler and submission artist with nine wins by tap out, Jordan’s options are limited.
The result of these unfortunate dynamics will be a memorable KO from Napao.
Nobody screams and looks like a stark-raving lunatic like Gonzaga after a KO win. Get ready to see the madman again on Saturday.
Fight of the Night: Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez vs. Diego “The Dream” Sanchez
The last time we saw Melendez in the Octagon, he was losing a close decision to then lightweight champion, Benson Henderson.
In his first fight since that bout in April, Melendez draws the tough veteran Sanchez. The latter knocked off Takanori Gomi by split decision in March, and he hopes to use this opportunity to vault himself into title contention.
Sanchez has great heart and a solid chin. Though Melendez is technically a better fighter, Sanchez’s grit and will should make this an entertaining scrap.
Melendez is a calculated, sharp fighter, but Sanchez’s pressure and attempts to take him down will force Melendez to work hard. Both men could have moments in this fight where they are visibly fazed by their opponent’s strikes.
In the end, Melendez’s defense is just too solid. In his bout with Henderson, he defended 72 percent of the takedowns attempted against him and avoided 65 percent of the strikes.
Dating back to his days in World Extreme Cagefighting and Strikeforce, El Nino has been hard to hit and takedown.
This skill, along with his accurate striking, will lead to a win. However, don’t be surprised to see both men bloodied in this bout.
The Main Event
In the first two meetings between dos Santos and Velasquez, the one thing I’ve come away most impressed with is Cigano’s beard. He took some mammoth shots from Velasquez early in their second fight, and he still survived.
In the first bout, dos Santos’ power overwhelmed Velasquez, and he didn’t even land flush. The punch that stopped Velasquez caught him high on the head, which can certainly disorient or disturb the equilibrium, but it isn’t on par with the shots dos Santos took from Velasquez.
The third and decisive meeting is probably going to come down to striking again.
Velasquez is believed to have the edge if the fight goes to the mat; however, dos Santos has been excellent with his takedown defense in the UFC. He’s stuffed 88 percent of the attempts to take him to the mat.
Cigano will be prepared for Velasquez’s power in the third bout, but the champion isn’t likely to withstand another flush strike from the challenger.
Look for the title to change hands yet again as dos Santos stops Velasquez via TKO.
The skills of Demian Maia and Jake Shields are underappreciated. In a sense, their grappling and submission mastery are like instrumental jazz music; you either get it or you don’t. Unfortunately, many fans of the sport don’t get it and thu…
The skills of Demian Maia and Jake Shields are underappreciated. In a sense, their grappling and submission mastery are like instrumental jazz music; you either get it or you don’t. Unfortunately, many fans of the sport don’t get it and thus neither man receives the credit they deserve for long successful careers.
Maia and Shields are a combined 46-10-1 in their careers with a total of 19 victories by submission. Does that mean someone is tapping out on Wednesday night at UFC Fight Night 29 in Barueri, Sao Paulo, Brazil? More than likely not.
Submitting a Submission Master
Most submissions specialist on Maia’s and Shields’ level are nearly impossible to submit. True to this concept, neither Shields or Maia have ever lost a fight this way. As good as both men are at locking in maneuvers to make their opponent say “uncle,” it isn’t likely either fallsvictim to a trap.
What happens if we’re “treated” to five rounds of mat chess? Even the most accepting grappling fan may get a little sleepy as Shields and Maia posture on the canvas. Unfortunately, this is probably the type of fight we’re going to see.
I have a ton of respect for Maia and Shields, but sometimes a matchup of two good fighters doesn’t produce an exciting fight. This will one of those bouts. Though I’m obviously not optimistic, I’m hoping for one or both men to take an alternative approach.
Settling the Grappling Stalemate With Their Fists
At some point, Maia and/or Shields could realize they have no chance to gain a clear advantage over the other on the ground. If this happens, fans would rejoice at the sight of the men going to Plan B, aka a standup battle.
This isn’t either man’s forte as both men have scored just three wins by KO in their career.
The last time Maia won by TKO was in July 2012, but there is a caveat to that stoppage. His opponent Dong Hyun Kim was stopped because of a rib injury. A similar occurrence happened in May 2007 when Maia beat Ryan Stout when the latter suffered a shoulder injury.
In fact, the only time Maia has ever stopped an opponent with a strike came way back in his first recorded professional fight in 2001. Maia scored a technical knockout win over a fighter named Raul Sosa, who according to Sherdog.com, has never fought again.
As for Shields’ striking resume, it isn’t much better. However, at least all three of his KO/TKO wins are legitimate. He hasn’t finished an opponent with strikes since 2007, but he does have aggressive ground-and-pound if he gains top position.
If somehow this bout comes down to striking, Shields will have the advantage.
Who Wins?
Even though this fight is more apt to stay grounded—in more ways than one—Shields’ ability to obtain top position will resonate with the judges. While both men are specialists, Maia is more of a one-trick pony. Shields will win a grapple fest that is best suited for purest of the discipline.
Apparently, UFC Undisputed 3 the video game agrees with me.
This simulation predicts Shields will win the bout as well. You can watch the real bout Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1.
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Rousimar Palhares has a lot to prove. He had a good reputation when he first arrived in the UFC in 2008. He won his debut and lost a decision to Dan Henderson in his second fight. There is certainly no shame in that.
The 33-year-old hulking Brazilian s…
RousimarPalhares has a lot to prove. He had a good reputation when he first arrived in the UFC in 2008. He won his debut and lost a decision to Dan Henderson in his second fight. There is certainly no shame in that.
The 33-year-old hulking Brazilian seemed to be headed for big things in his career, but he has never been able score a major win over a big opponent. He’s lost his last two fights by KO to Hector Lombard and Alan Belcher.
Palhares will face Mike Pierce at UFC Fight Night 29 in his native Brazil on Wednesday. Pierce doesn’t represent an opportunity for Palhares to finally score a welterweight win over a fighter with a big name. Pierce is on a three-fight win streak, but he too has fallen whenever he’s faced names like Josh Koscheck, Johny Hendricks and Jon Fitch.
For Palhares, he must defeat Pierce to prevent himself from descending further down the ladder in the UFC. He is in a must-win situation and Pierce knows it. In an interview with Brett Okamoto of ESPN.com, Pierce said this about facing a guy in Palhares’ situation:
I thought it was kind of funny because if you look back on my career, there have been a lot of guys the UFC has thrown at me where it was their last chance at doing something. If they didn’t do something, they either got released or would drop a weight class or something. It’s kind of like another one of those situations. He’s lost twice in a row and is dropping to 170. I’ve dealt with guys before who have dropped from 185 and it didn’t go their way.
He also called Palhares a cheat, stemming from a fine for holding a submission too long on an opponent in UFC 111 and testing positive for elevated testosterone at UFC on FX 6.
It sounds like Pierce has lost any respect he may have had for Palhares coming into this fight. If the Brazilian loses again, most fans are likely to follow suit. Palharesisn’t the only fighter that desperately needs to impress.
Here are three others that need to shake the overrated tag.
Iliarde Santos
There’s something about 33-year-old Brazilian fighters on this card. Santos looks like a top-flight flyweight, but he’s hit quite a snag since coming to the UFC. He made his debut in May, but things haven’t worked out too well.
He was knocked out in his debut by IuriAlcantara and he lost a unanimous decision to “Uncle Creepy” Ian McCall at UFC 163. Both Alcantara and McCall are highly regarded fighters. Santos was given a shot at them because he appeared to have the goods to contend.
By coming out on the short end of the stick both times, he’s now in his own must-win situation against another solid fighter in Chris Cariaso. Per UFC.com, Cariaso is ranked eighth at 125 pounds; McCall is third.
If Santos can’t beat a fighter near the top of the rankings or in the latter half of the top 10, that means he’s not elite. At 33 years old, that doesn‘t bode well for his future in the UFC.
Demian Maia and Jake Shields
Fans almost always underappreciate fighters who are exclusively grapplers or submission artists. Fighters like Joe Lauzon and ChaelSonnen are exceptions, but Lauzon subjects himself to wars and Sonnen has a mouthpiece best fit for WWE‘s Monday Night Raw. Shields and Maia don’t have either “quality.”
They usually don’t take a lot of punishment; they posture until an opponent makes a mistake, and then they attempt to make their man submit. It’s a beautiful art for those that can appreciate it, but truth be told, many fans grow tired of the types of fights Maia and Shields regularly produce.
It is the reason why fans from most places in the world will boo if a fight stays on the ground too long. Luckily for Maia and Shields, their bout on Wednesday takes place in Brazil, where fans have perhaps the highest appreciation for grappling. While the fans in Barueri may be fascinated by this potential session of mat chess, a percentage of fans at home may be wondering why this match is the main event.
It is true these two men are a combined 46-10-1 in their careers and have finished 19 men by way of submission, but if you asked most people who the top five welterweights in the world are, I’d be willing to bet most wouldn’t name Shields or Maia.
Unfair? Possibly, but the majority of MMA fans want to see striking and neither of these men excel in that area.
In order for the winner of this bout to come out with a high public approval rating, he will need to either come out of his comfort zone to strike or show himself to be vastly superior in the ground game. Unfortunately for fans with a limited appreciation for extensive grappling, neither of those two things are likely.
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