No matter the outcome, Anderson Silva will be at his best when he faces Chris Weidman at UFC 168 on Dec. 28. Weidman knocked out the MMA legend in their first meeting at UFC 162. Silva’s clowning and taunting cost him his title and created some confusi…
No matter the outcome, Anderson Silva will be at his best when he faces Chris Weidman at UFC 168 on Dec. 28. Weidman knocked out the MMA legend in their first meeting at UFC 162. Silva’s clowning and taunting cost him his title and created some confusion.
Who is really the better fighter? If Weidman defeats the Spider again, there will be no excuses.
The loss has seemingly served as a wake-up call for Silva. He is earnestly jumping back into the Octagon after suffering a devastating KO loss just five-plus months prior.
At 38 years old, the Spider is facing his fighting mortality for the first time in his career. The man who has always exuded confidence in the Octagon and out has been forced to doubt some things about himself.
That vulnerability will be good for him as it will create a healthy edginess heading into the rematch. After years of domination in the UFC, a hard left hand from Weidman has shaken the previously rock-solid foundation Silva created.
A loss was bound to happen at some point—if Silva fought long enough—but was the loss to Weidman a product of Father Time and/or the natural rule of combat sports catching up to him?
Or did his clowning truly expedite the inevitable loss in front of the UFC fans?
In either case, can Silva rebound from the effects of not just being beaten, but being separated from consciousness? The psychological effects of this type of defeat can’t be underestimated. Many fighters are never the same after these types of losses.
This is especially the case when the victim has been so successful.
Silva is a very proud man, and he keeps himself in remarkable physical condition. Because of those two traits, there is no doubt he’ll be ready to give his best showing in the rematch.
The biggest question of all is, will it be enough?
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Ronda Rousey, and even Cat Zingano’s showings in the UFC, have been major successes for women’s MMA and the UFC, but the Liz Carmouche vs. Jessica Andrade bout at UFC on Fox 8 will likely produce a significant downgrade in quality.
A decline is expecte…
Ronda Rousey, and even Cat Zingano’s showings in the UFC, have been major successes for women’s MMA and the UFC, but the Liz Carmouche vs. Jessica Andrade bout at UFC on Fox 8 will likely produce a significant downgrade in quality.
A decline is expected when lesser fighters are compared to the best in the sport, but because of the placement of the Carmouche-Andrade bout, expectations will be set at a level that the fighters aren’t likely to meet.
This bout is scheduled to open the main-card action, but is much better suited as a FX or even Facebook preliminary fight.
Yes, UFC on Fox 8 is free, but a higher precedence has been set with the previous seven versions of UFC on Fox. The cards have been pay-per-view level, and the fighters who opened the show have had to prove their worth throughout their career for the exposure.
In the first UFC on Fox, only the heavyweight title fight between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos was televised on Fox, so it isn’t a comparable event.
The other UFC on Fox shows have featured far more successful and well-known fighters in the opening bout of the main card. Take a look at the fights that have opened the main card in UFC on Fox 2-7:
This list of matchups features bruising heavyweights who had won KO of the night in bouts prior to their appearance on the main card mentioned. Former Ultimate Fighter participants, elite middleweights who had won submission and/or KO of the night earlier in their careers, dynamic featherweights who had also made their mark with noteworthy fight night bonus performances.
In short, we know these fighters The notoriety is based upon their accomplishments in the Octagon. They attained some level of fierceness that made them worthy of appearing on the main card.
What is Carmouche and Andrade’s claim to fame in the Octagon? Who are these fighters?
Carmouche’s most notable fighting accomplishment is becoming Rousey’s seventh armbar victim. Prior to the loss to Rousey, Carmouche lost a decision to Sarah Kaufman—whom Rousey also beat—in 2011. Carmouche is 8-3, but she’s lost to both of the more recognizable fighters she’s faced in her career.
Her opponent is, for all intent and purposes, an unknown to most MMA fans. Andrade is 9-2, and she just began her MMA career in 2011. She hasn’t faced the caliber of fighters Carmouche has.
In no way does this match sound like a clash of elite fighters in their division. If Carmouche and Andrade do represent the upper echelon of talent in the women’s bantamweight class, it is clear there isn’t much parity in the group.
Instead of trying to max out exposure on the newest ingredient in his MMA pot, UFC head man Dana White would be better off letting the ladies earn their spots in the consciousness of MMA fans.
This is clearly an attempt to capitalize on anything that resembles the next big thing. Rousey and Zingano have proven themselves stars—to a degree—but that doesn’t mean that every moderately relevant female UFC matchup land on the main card.
There is another bout from the women’s bantamweight division on the card, but it is part of the Facebook preliminaries and features Julie Kedzie and Germain de Randamie.
While the Carmouche-Andrade bout is certainly more appealing than the Kedzie-de Randamie clash, it is still grossly misplaced on the main card. Women’s MMA has a future, but it needs to be a process.
Placing fights in slots on the card where they don’t belong is an attempt to skip steps. That almost always backfires. The worst thing that could happen to women’s MMA would be for fans to only care about Rousey, Zingano, and possibly, Miesha Tate.
If Carmouche and Andrade produce a snoozer, it’ll only increase the possibility that happens.
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Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson (17-2-1) looks to make his second successful defense of the UFC flyweight title on Saturday against John Moraga (13-1) at KeyArena in Seattle, Wash.
The flyweight title match headlines the UFC on Fox 8 fight card. John…
Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson (17-2-1) looks to make his second successful defense of the UFC flyweight title on Saturday against John Moraga (13-1) at KeyArena in Seattle, Wash.
The flyweight title match headlines the UFC on Fox 8 fight card. Johnson is one of the best all-around fighters in the world, but many of the flyweight bouts fail to hold the attention of the casual MMA fan.
While winning would suffice, Johnson or Moraga would love to put on a show that helps to excite more fans about the smallest weight class in the UFC.
Here’s a look at the full card with fight information, network coverage and predictions. The predictions with an asterisk indicate a deeper analysis is below.
Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard Will Remind Us Why We Thought He Was an Exciting Fighter
Can you still call yourself the “Young Assassin” at 30 years old? Perhaps, the “Seasoned Assassin” is a more appropriate alias for the man from New Orleans.
Guillard has been in his share of knockdown, drag-out wars, but recently he’s come up on the short end of too many of them. He’s lost four of his last five fights and is descending down the rankings.
He badly needs a win over Mac Danzig to stop his free-fall.
The strategy for Guillard against Danzig is simple. Guillard must keep the fight standing so he can take advantage of his quickness and dynamic striking. The issue for Guillard is that he loses focus at times, and his defense suffers.
It’s a risky prediction, but I’m picking Guillard to win this one by spectacular KO.
Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal Will Be Michael “Maverick” Chiesa’s Bump in the Road
Something unexpected is going to happen to Chiesa on his road to stardom in the UFC. The Maverick is a perfect 9-0 having submitted seven of his opponents, but Masvidal represents a significant step up in competition.
He’s not coming to Seattle to fall neatly in line as Chiesa’s 10th victim. In fact, his speed, size, experience and striking ability will lead to a victory.
Chiesa’s grappling and submissions game is stellar, but Masvidal will be the first opponent he faces who won’t be completely befuddled by Chiesa’s long limbs and octopus like tactics on the ground.
Gamebred wins this bout by decision on the strength of his striking.
Ruthless Robbie Lawler Win Short Slugfest With Vicious Bobby Voelker
Both Lawler and Voelker would rather throw bombs at each other, so this fight may actually wind up being the most crowd-pleasing bout of the night—while it lasts.
Lawler has won 17 of his 20 fights by KO and Voelker has claimed 15 of his 24 in the same manner. It is fairly safe to say this one is going to end in a knockout.
I give Lawler the edge because he’s a bit more explosive and he’s naturally the bigger, stronger fighter. This fight could be a prime candidate for KO of the Night with Lawler as the victor.
Jake “The Juggernaut” Ellenberger Will Upset Rory MacDonald
It feels a bit disrespectful to Ellenberger to call this a potential upset, but I do so because MacDonald is the chosen one in many MMA circles. He is certainly skilled and one of the most well-rounded fighters in the sport, but Ellenberger is the type of fighter who can derail him.
Ellenberger is a powerful wrestler that packs a sledgehammer-like punch that can change a night. Just recently it appears he is finding a nice balance between wrestling and striking.
He did have the misstep against Martin Kampman in January 2012, but aside from that, the Juggernaut has been on a nice run winning eight of his last nine fights.
MacDonald seems so calm and collected in his bouts, but the truth is, he’s only truly been tested by one opponent, and that was Carlos Condit in 2010.
The Natural Born Killer handed MacDonald his only loss of his career up to now, but Ellenberger will give him his second blemish. Ellenberger’s power is so explosive, he only needs to touch an opponent once. He displayed that quality in his last fight against Nate Marquadt at UFC 158.
As good as MacDonald can be, he will fall victim to Ellenberger’s power. Watch the overhand right at the end of exchanges, it could be a key punch in the fight.
Mighty Mouse Will Out-Strike John Moraga
Fans may again be bored by the flyweights’ artistry, and that truly is a shame. Johnson is one of the most gifted athletes in any sport, and he’ll again prove that with a decision win over Moraga.
Much like athletically superior boxers, Johnson is so fast, calculated and agile, he is able to land shots and maneuver out of harm’s way before taking punishment from his opponents. Moraga has plenty of speed himself, but few—if any—are on Johnson’s level when it comes to swiftness.
Expect this to be a clear unanimous decision win for the champion.
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Anderson “The Spider” Silva may not regain his UFC middleweight title from All-American Chris Weidman, but you can bet he won’t get caught clowning in the Octagon again.
According to Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports, the rematch is now set for Dec. 28 as th…
Anderson “The Spider” Silva may not regain his UFC middleweight title from All-American Chris Weidman, but you can bet he won’t get caught clowning in the Octagon again.
According to Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports, the rematch is now set for Dec. 28 as the main event of UFC 168 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
At UFC 162, Silva robbed himself, Weidman and MMA fans of a clean contest and result by employing cinematic dodging tactics that were more about presentation than substance.
Silva’s manager, Ed Soares, spoke to Iole about Silva’s current mindset. “He knows he made a mistake and he’s ready to go out there and get his title back,” he said.
When a fighter pulls these things off without peril, it adds to their overall appeal. When they get caught, they awake to an arena filled with noise and doctors checking their vital signs.
Unless you’ve been completely unplugged from the MMA matrix over the last few weeks, you know that Silva faced the latter result when Weidman caught him with a left hand that ended the legend’s 16-fight win streak and championship reign.
Despite the ill-advised tactics he employed at UFC 162, Silva is a smart man.
He knew Weidman would be a stiff challenge and also knows that, at 38 years old, there is no room for more games. Perhaps he should have taken to that last concept before being knocked into reality, but no one is perfect.
Silva will go into the rematch more prepared mentally, physically and strategically. Silva has notoriously been readier for tough opponents the second time around.
He dispatched ChaelSonnen more easily in their second meeting. The Spider left no doubt or controversy when he stopped YushinOkami in their rematch after being disqualified for an illegal upkick in the first meeting. Silva toyed with and destroyed Rich Franklin a second time after dropping him in the first round of their initial bout.
Most of those fights happened when Silva was a much younger man and none of those opponents were Weidman. For the first time in a long while, Silva has something to prove to himself, an opponent and fans.
Can he do it? That remains to be seen, but you can bet he’ll be all business this time around.
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If you’re looking for ways to catch UFC 162 on Saturday night, you’ve come to the right place. The UFC always has a plethora of viewing options and networks broadcasting all or some portion of their events.Saturday night’s event from Las Vegas is no ex…
If you’re looking for ways to catch UFC 162 on Saturday night, you’ve come to the right place. The UFC always has a plethora of viewing options and networks broadcasting all or some portion of their events.
Saturday night’s event from Las Vegas is no exception. Here’s a breakdown of how you can watch each stage of UFC 162.
Now that you know how to watch the event, here’s a few things to watch for over the course of the night.
Frankie Edgar Needs a Win…Badly
Although each of the decisions in Edgar’s last three fights could have gone either way, the official result was a loss for the 31-year-old former lightweight champion.
Facing the possibility of a four-fight losing streak, Edgar needs to stop his skid. He won’t be facing a pound-for-pound top-five fighter on Saturday night, but Charles Oliveira is still a dangerous opponent.
His height and submission prowess could be a tough test for Edgar.
A Gracie Fights in an UFC Event
The Gracie name is like a royalty in MMA. With the UFC being the premier fighting promotion in the world, anytime a Gracie competes in an UFC event, it is a noteworthy occurrence. Roger Gracie will take on Tim Kennedy on Saturday as part of the main card.
Gracie has a five-inch height advantage, but Kennedy’s power and explosion could create issues for Gracie. The latter has never been especially good on his feet and Kennedy would be smart to try and keep the fight standing.
Can The Spider Reign Supreme Again?
UFC middleweight champion Anderson “The Spider” Silva has a fairly tough test on his hands with Chris Weidman. The challenger doesn’t have the experience Silva has, but he’s a very strong wrestler and a good enough athlete to conduct himself respectably as a striker.
This fight will either signal the end of a historic reign as champion for Silva or be just another example of why he’s considered by many to be the greatest of all time.
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For the first time in a while, UFC middleweight champion, Anderson “The Spider” Silva (33-4) is facing a challenger with a legitimate shot a beating him. Chris “All-American” Weidman (9-0) is a respected and well-rounded fighter set to challenge the le…
For the first time in a while, UFC middleweight champion, Anderson “The Spider” Silva (33-4) is facing a challenger with a legitimate shot a beating him. Chris “All-American” Weidman (9-0) is a respected and well-rounded fighter set to challenge the legend at UFC 162 in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Weidman talks about his monumental clash with arguably the greatest MMA fighter in history:
That bout alone is enough to make the event worth a look, but the card will also feature other potentially exciting fights. Here is the information you need to watch the event, the full fight card with predictions and analysis for some of the most compelling matchups.
(An asterisk in the prediction section indicates deeper analysis is written below the fight card.)
The Crippler Has Another Good Performance Left in Him
Without a doubt, Chris Leben has seen his best days come and go, but sometimes an aging fighter can catch a break by being matched with an opponent who doesn’t highlight his deficiencies.
We saw it when Wanderlei Silva knocked out Brian Stann at UFC on Fuel TV 8 in March. We’ll see it again when Leben defeats Andrew Craig on Saturday. The Crippler probably won’t stop Craig, but the the former still has formidable power that will set up his underrated ground game in this fight.
Leben discusses his training and upcoming opponent:
Craig has never really been extremely impressive, despite his shiny 8-1 record. He would probably have at least one more loss were it not for Rafael Natal’s carelessness in their bout in July 2012. Natal was outfighting Craig until he lost focus and was stopped with a head kick.
Leben is too experienced to fall victim to a lack of focus, and Craig can’t expose Leben’s diminished speed. Leben will win a decision.
Tim Kennedy Won’t Be Intimidated by Gracie Mystique
Two Strikeforce veterans will make their UFC debuts in this intriguing battle.
Roger Gracie is perhaps the most physically gifted of the Gracie family. At 6’4″ he has excellent height for the middleweight division, but his submission-dominant style won’t be effective against Kennedy.
The latter is an accomplished submissions artist in his own right. More than half of his 15 professional wins have come via submission, including his most recent victory, over Trevor Smith.
Gracie hasn’t displayed the ability to strike on the same level as Kennedy. In fact, in Gracie’s lone professional loss, Mohammed Lawal knocked him out with a vicious overhand right.
Kennedy’s power isn’t as explosive as Lawal‘s, but he should have the quickness advantage in stand-up exchanges. Kennedy will likely capture rounds with his work in these situations and hold his own if the fight goes to the ground.
Frankie “The Answer” Edgar Will Stop His Losing Streak
Believe it or not, the great Frankie Edgar has lost three straight fights. That sounds a lot worse than it actually is considering the level of competition he’s faced. Throughout his eventual Hall of Fame career, Edgar has proven that to beat him, you must be elite.
Take a look at the combined record and accomplishments of the men who can say they got the best of The Answer:
Benson Henderson, Jose Aldo and Gray Maynard are the only men to defeat Edgar.
Charles Oliveira is a talented young fighter, but he isn’t ready to join this prestigious list. He proved his vulnerability against a solid striker in his recent loss to Cub Swanson. Edgar’s quickness and work rate will overwhelm Oliveira in the stand-up game.
The young Brazilian may have a better shot taking the fight to the ground, but Edgar will stave off those attempts to earn a unanimous-decision victory.
The Spider Will Catch Another in His Web
Silva fans should be concerned, but not too worried. It’s true, Weidman is the type of fighter who could give Silva a serious challenge. He has the physicality that ChaelSonnen possesses as a grappler, but he’s a more coordinated athlete, which makes him a better striker.
That said, he can’t beat Silva if he doesn‘t smother him from the beginning of the fight. As good as Weidman can be as a striker (he stopped Mark Munoz and Uriah Hall in his career), he would be playing into Silva’s hands if he attempts to stand and strike with him.
If he’s successful taking the legend to the mat, he must still be wary of allowing himself to fall victim to Silva’s formidable submission skills.
There are a ton of things for Weidman to consider in this fight, and he’s never been on a stage this big. Silva has been fighting these types of fights for years. He’s headlined every UFC event he’s been in for the last three years.
Silva’s time to give way to a young lion may be coming, but it won’t happen on Saturday night. Look for Weidman to try to prove himself the superior striker and for Silva to remind him how dangerous his knees can be.
The spider will retain his title with a KO victory.
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No matter the outcome, Anderson Silva will be at his best when he faces Chris Weidman at UFC 168 on Dec. 28. Weidman knocked out the MMA legend in their first meeting at UFC 162. Silva’s clowning and taunting cost him his title and created some confusion.