That’s right boys and girls it’s time for another Japanese edition of the Downes Side! It may not be as adorable as Hello Kitty, but I’d like to think it has just as many merchandising possibilities.
The UFC merchandise table (and I suppose the fighters) sets up shop in Japan for UFC on FUEL TV 8 live from the Saitama Super Arena in Tokyo. No stranger to the venue, Wanderleia Silva returns to Japan looking to recapture some of that old magic. Standing across from him will be former WEC light heavyweight champion and “All-American” Brian Stann (who was born on a military base in Japan). The co-main event pits two heavyweights on win streaks against one another as Stefan Struve takes on Mark Hunt.
Dong Hyun Kim (16-2-1) vs Siyar Bahadurzada (21-4-1) The main card kicks off in the welterweight division with a match between Dong Hyun Kim and Siyar Bahadurzada. The UFC’s greatest grinder since that time Mike Goldberg made a killer meatball hoagie, Kim has used his wrestling and top control to earn a 7-2 record in the organization, including his most recent win against Paulo Thiago in Novermber. Living up to his nickname “The Great” (recently changed from the less diplomatic “The Killer”) Bahadurzada showcased his powerful striking as he knocked out Paulo Thiago (rough couple fights for him, huh?) in 42 seconds in April.
One of the more powerful 170-pounders in the division, Dong Hyun Kim holds an impressive takedown defense of 80%. What does that have to do with this fight? Absolutely nothing, I just thought it would be nice to say something positive about the Korean before getting down to business. Kim has shown a weakness in the striking game and Bahadurzada is one of the most dangerous hand specialists out there. Siyar will waste no time and punch his way to another first-round TKO. Mizuto Hirota (14-5-1) vs Rani Yahya (17-7) Next we move to the featherweights as WEC veteran Rani Yahya battles Strikeforce transplant Mizuto Hirota. An extremely talented grappler, Yahya secured his 15th career submission win with a first-round north-south choke against Josh Grispi in August. An aggressive striker with solid ground-and-pound, Hirota makes his UFC debut.
Yahya has that next-level jiu jitsu that could give anyone difficulties. He failed against Chad Mendes, but Hirota doesn’t possess that same level of wrestling. Yahya gets this to the ground quickly and immediately advances position. Hirota exposes his back, Yahya pounces and the Brazilian wins via first-round RNC. Yushin Okami (29-7) vs Hector Lombard (32-3-1) On to the middleweight division for Yushin “Thunder” Okami and Hector “Lightning” Lombard. Okami had already spent the more time inside the Octagon than any other middleweight in UFC history, then padded that record with a unanimous decision win against Alan Belcher at UFC 155. After a UFC debut more disappointing than the first episode of The World According to Paris, Olympic wrestler Lombard returned to his finishing ways with a first-round KO of Rousimar Palhares in December.
Okami uses the same gameplan (take down, hold, repeat) for most of his fights and it’s been fairly successful. People may view Okami’s style as a delay tactic, but he effectively shuts down his opponent’s strengths and completely neutralizes any offense. Lombard is neither the world beater we thought nor the bum others claim, but the Tim Boetsch fight showed that he’s able to be controlled. Lombard’s questionable cardio will hurt him again as Okami survives the first and then controls the 2nd and 3rd rounds en route to another unanimous decision.
Takanori Gomi (34-8) vs Diego Sanchez (25-5) Don’t appreciate technical grappling and calculated top control? Well this next fight should cleanse the palate. After back-to-back losses put his job in jeopardy, Takanori Gomi (aka “The Fireball Kid”) rattled off two in a row with victories over Eiji Mitsuoka and Mac Danzig. The mixed martial artist formerly known as “The Nightmare,” Sanchez has not competed since losing to Jake Ellenberger over a year ago. Effective in all aspects, Sanchez has consistently proven he has a high pain tolerance and will be making his return to lightweight in this bout.
Gomi has made a career of finishing opponents. Against such a dangerous opponent, the human instinct for self-preservation usually kicks in, but Diego does not hold this same instinct. He’ll stand right in front of Gomi and they’ll get in a firefight. In a fight like this, the man with more power and a better chin wins out… and that’s Diego Sanchez. “The Dream” will push forward and eat lots of punches, but he’ll give back better than he receives. In tight rounds, Sanchez also has the ability to secure the buzzer-beating takedown to steal it away. He’ll earn a couple new scars in the process, but Sanchez will lock up the decision win.
Mark Hunt (8-7) vs Stefan Struve (29-5) Time for the co-main event of the evening as the most verbose man in New Zealand, Mark Hunt, faces the tallest man in the UFC, Stefan “Skyscraper” Struve. A former K-1 kickboxer, Hunt holds a surprising three-fight win streak including a first-round TKO of Cheick Kongo. Struve has used a mixture of submissions and punches to run up a win streak of his own with wins over Stipe Miocic, Lavar Johnson, Dave Herman and Pat Barry.
Struve has steadily improved during his career, but he still fails to use his (seven-foot!) height to its full potential. The Skyscraper has all the abilities to beat Hunt, but his biggest enemy will be himself. His fight against Travis Browne showed that he’s not exactly the Napolean of the Octagon, and that’s a bad move against Mark Hunt. Even if Struve avoids the big counter punch, Hunt is by no means an easy target — he’s stuffed 17 of the 20 takedown attempts against him. He’ll break Struve’s clinch, throw a big right hand and earn the 2nd-round KO. Then I suspect he’ll take the microphone and wow with his oratorial skills.
Wanderlei Silva (34-12-1) vs Brian Stann (12-5) In the main event, Wanderlei Silva returns to the land of PRIDE, where he secured his status as an MMA legend. It’ll be a welcome change of scenery since the Axe Murderer — who once held an 18-fight win streak in PRIDE — is 3-7 in his last 10 fights. One of the most accurate strikers in the division, Brian Stann looks to bounce back from a loss to Michael Bisping at UFC 152.
Wanderlei Silva has accomplished some amazing things in his career, but he just doesn’t seem to have it anymore. He excels at wide-open fights that devolve into brawls. Brian Stann is too smart for that, though, and is not the type of fighter to find himself in such a slugfest. Stann will neutralize Silva’s aggressiveness with his wrestling. Once he gets Silva down, he’ll deliver the ground-and-ound and get the 2nd-round TKO.
That wraps up another captivating edition of the Downes Side. Be sure to follow me on Twitter @dannyboydownes. Also, don’t forget to leave your own predictions, comments, queries or favorite Anime .gifs on the page, too.
That’s right boys and girls it’s time for another Japanese edition of the Downes Side! It may not be as adorable as Hello Kitty, but I’d like to think it has just as many merchandising possibilities.
The UFC merchandise table (and I suppose the fighters) sets up shop in Japan for UFC on FUEL TV 8 live from the Saitama Super Arena in Tokyo. No stranger to the venue, Wanderleia Silva returns to Japan looking to recapture some of that old magic. Standing across from him will be former WEC light heavyweight champion and “All-American” Brian Stann (who was born on a military base in Japan). The co-main event pits two heavyweights on win streaks against one another as Stefan Struve takes on Mark Hunt.
Dong Hyun Kim (16-2-1) vs Siyar Bahadurzada (21-4-1) The main card kicks off in the welterweight division with a match between Dong Hyun Kim and Siyar Bahadurzada. The UFC’s greatest grinder since that time Mike Goldberg made a killer meatball hoagie, Kim has used his wrestling and top control to earn a 7-2 record in the organization, including his most recent win against Paulo Thiago in Novermber. Living up to his nickname “The Great” (recently changed from the less diplomatic “The Killer”) Bahadurzada showcased his powerful striking as he knocked out Paulo Thiago (rough couple fights for him, huh?) in 42 seconds in April.
One of the more powerful 170-pounders in the division, Dong Hyun Kim holds an impressive takedown defense of 80%. What does that have to do with this fight? Absolutely nothing, I just thought it would be nice to say something positive about the Korean before getting down to business. Kim has shown a weakness in the striking game and Bahadurzada is one of the most dangerous hand specialists out there. Siyar will waste no time and punch his way to another first-round TKO. Mizuto Hirota (14-5-1) vs Rani Yahya (17-7) Next we move to the featherweights as WEC veteran Rani Yahya battles Strikeforce transplant Mizuto Hirota. An extremely talented grappler, Yahya secured his 15th career submission win with a first-round north-south choke against Josh Grispi in August. An aggressive striker with solid ground-and-pound, Hirota makes his UFC debut.
Yahya has that next-level jiu jitsu that could give anyone difficulties. He failed against Chad Mendes, but Hirota doesn’t possess that same level of wrestling. Yahya gets this to the ground quickly and immediately advances position. Hirota exposes his back, Yahya pounces and the Brazilian wins via first-round RNC. Yushin Okami (29-7) vs Hector Lombard (32-3-1) On to the middleweight division for Yushin “Thunder” Okami and Hector “Lightning” Lombard. Okami had already spent the more time inside the Octagon than any other middleweight in UFC history, then padded that record with a unanimous decision win against Alan Belcher at UFC 155. After a UFC debut more disappointing than the first episode of The World According to Paris, Olympic wrestler Lombard returned to his finishing ways with a first-round KO of Rousimar Palhares in December.
Okami uses the same gameplan (take down, hold, repeat) for most of his fights and it’s been fairly successful. People may view Okami’s style as a delay tactic, but he effectively shuts down his opponent’s strengths and completely neutralizes any offense. Lombard is neither the world beater we thought nor the bum others claim, but the Tim Boetsch fight showed that he’s able to be controlled. Lombard’s questionable cardio will hurt him again as Okami survives the first and then controls the 2nd and 3rd rounds en route to another unanimous decision.
Takanori Gomi (34-8) vs Diego Sanchez (25-5) Don’t appreciate technical grappling and calculated top control? Well this next fight should cleanse the palate. After back-to-back losses put his job in jeopardy, Takanori Gomi (aka “The Fireball Kid”) rattled off two in a row with victories over Eiji Mitsuoka and Mac Danzig. The mixed martial artist formerly known as “The Nightmare,” Sanchez has not competed since losing to Jake Ellenberger over a year ago. Effective in all aspects, Sanchez has consistently proven he has a high pain tolerance and will be making his return to lightweight in this bout.
Gomi has made a career of finishing opponents. Against such a dangerous opponent, the human instinct for self-preservation usually kicks in, but Diego does not hold this same instinct. He’ll stand right in front of Gomi and they’ll get in a firefight. In a fight like this, the man with more power and a better chin wins out… and that’s Diego Sanchez. “The Dream” will push forward and eat lots of punches, but he’ll give back better than he receives. In tight rounds, Sanchez also has the ability to secure the buzzer-beating takedown to steal it away. He’ll earn a couple new scars in the process, but Sanchez will lock up the decision win.
Mark Hunt (8-7) vs Stefan Struve (29-5) Time for the co-main event of the evening as the most verbose man in New Zealand, Mark Hunt, faces the tallest man in the UFC, Stefan “Skyscraper” Struve. A former K-1 kickboxer, Hunt holds a surprising three-fight win streak including a first-round TKO of Cheick Kongo. Struve has used a mixture of submissions and punches to run up a win streak of his own with wins over Stipe Miocic, Lavar Johnson, Dave Herman and Pat Barry.
Struve has steadily improved during his career, but he still fails to use his (seven-foot!) height to its full potential. The Skyscraper has all the abilities to beat Hunt, but his biggest enemy will be himself. His fight against Travis Browne showed that he’s not exactly the Napolean of the Octagon, and that’s a bad move against Mark Hunt. Even if Struve avoids the big counter punch, Hunt is by no means an easy target — he’s stuffed 17 of the 20 takedown attempts against him. He’ll break Struve’s clinch, throw a big right hand and earn the 2nd-round KO. Then I suspect he’ll take the microphone and wow with his oratorial skills.
Wanderlei Silva (34-12-1) vs Brian Stann (12-5) In the main event, Wanderlei Silva returns to the land of PRIDE, where he secured his status as an MMA legend. It’ll be a welcome change of scenery since the Axe Murderer — who once held an 18-fight win streak in PRIDE — is 3-7 in his last 10 fights. One of the most accurate strikers in the division, Brian Stann looks to bounce back from a loss to Michael Bisping at UFC 152.
Wanderlei Silva has accomplished some amazing things in his career, but he just doesn’t seem to have it anymore. He excels at wide-open fights that devolve into brawls. Brian Stann is too smart for that, though, and is not the type of fighter to find himself in such a slugfest. Stann will neutralize Silva’s aggressiveness with his wrestling. Once he gets Silva down, he’ll deliver the ground-and-ound and get the 2nd-round TKO.
That wraps up another captivating edition of the Downes Side. Be sure to follow me on Twitter @dannyboydownes. Also, don’t forget to leave your own predictions, comments, queries or favorite Anime .gifs on the page, too.
The episode opens in the immediate aftermath of Bubba McDaniel’s loss to Kelvin Gastelum. Jon Jones tries to stay upbeat and assure Bubba that he’ll get that wildcard spot. He then shifts his focus to this week’s fight between Tor Troeng and Josh Samman and concedes that he really doesn’t know that much about the Swede. Coach Chael Sonnen believes that “Tor is a sleeper,” and he’ll surprise everyone. Troeng vs. Samman Training At a Team Sonnen training session, Luke Barnatt and Uriah Hall have a disagreement. Luke is upset with Uriah’s aggressiveness during drills and doesn’t appreciate his attitude. “He’s not a team player…he’s an ego-driven machine.” Uriah thinks that Luke didn’t show up to train that day, and was just being soft.
While Luke and Uriah argue, we learn more about the mysterious Swede. Growing up in countryside, Tor began training MMA when he was 16 years old. Back home he holds job at a university doing math research. Amazingly, he finds professional fighting more interesting. Chael calls Tor, “The most unassuming guy on our team.” Sonnen admits he has a lot of skill, but lacks a killer instinct at times.
Back at the house Josh Samman runs some extra training sessions in the backyard. Dylan Andrews says he avoids these additional sessions and Josh’s personality annoys him. Josh appears bossy and assumes he’s in a position to tell the guys what to do. Adam Cella doesn’t seem as critical of Samman’s actions, but shares an anecdote about how Josh couldn’t even let him cut an onion without trying to correct him.
After sharing tips on how to properly slice something of the Allium genus, Josh recounts an old leg injury. After the pain finally became too much for him, he went to the hospital. It was there he learned that he had torn his quad severely and was suffering from a blood clot that could possibly cost him his leg. Luckily, everything went according to plan. After the leg story, he goes though a series of humble brags about how he was always in gifted programs, but chooses to fight because it’s his “path to greatness.” Uriah vs. Whoever We return to the TUF house for more Team Sonnen drama. When discussing possible matchups for the next round, Uriah calls out teammate Luke. Luke is shocked that Uriah would say such a thing aloud (and in front of him). Kevin Casey doesn’t like how this will affect the team and hurt morale. Uriah doesn’t seem to have any remorse and warns us to be careful because supposed friends will turn their backs on you at any moment. Let’s just hope there aren’t any spare axes lying around the house because Uriah might turn into Jack Torrance by the end of the season.
Looking for friendlier territory, Uriah sits with Team Jones…and makes some more enemies. Showing his short fuse, Uriah makes an off-color remark about Adam Cella and his girlfriend and further alienates himself from the house. Collin Hart calls him a “loose cannon.” The next morning Bubba tries to talk with Uriah about it and doesn’t really get anywhere. Uriah tells us, “I’d rather talk with my fists,” and says he’ll just go it alone.
What’s the best way to cut tension? That’s right, bowling! The entire crew heads to the Red Rock Casino and Resort for a night of 10-pin bowling and UFC fights. Chael Sonnen interrupts a Jon Jones interview and challenges him to a three-frame bowl-off. The loser has to train the next day in the opposing team’s jersey. Falling short by only two pins, Jon Jones will have to represent the Team Dark Side colors.
At weigh-in, Adam Cella delivers the best line of the episode by saying, “Josh is Josh’s biggest fan.” Luke has some more positive words for his teammate Tor and calls him a “silent killer.” As it leads up to fight day, Josh says that he’ll push the pace and that Tor can’t compete with his cardio.
Fight Time Josh opens the first round with strong low kicks. He then rushes Tor and creates a tie-up. They battle inside the clinch and reverse positions a number of times. They briefly break, Tor lands a strong uppercut and they’re back in the tie-up. Josh attempts a judo throw, but Tor winds up on top and the Swede gets in a few strong punches. Josh is able to get Tor off balance with a sweep attempt and uses that opening to return to his feet. On the feet, Josh lands a big knee to the body that forces Tor to break the clinch. Josh doesn’t let him recover, though. He lands a body kick and follows through with a crisp 1-2 combo and earns the first-round TKO.
There are a variety of reactions to the Josh’s win. Jon Jones praises Josh for taking control right away, and Chael Sonnen criticizes Tor for lacking a sense of urgency. Josh tells us, “I’m very happy with myself.” Shocking, right? He also proclaims himself the #1 seed in the house with his performance. On the confessional cam, Uriah Hall finally shows his more diplomatic side by saying, “Josh is like that guy in a movie that you see and you just want him to get his ass kicked.”
As we ponder that statement, Coach Jones makes the next fight announcement: Clint Hester vs. Jimmy Quinlan. Chael is completely confused by the pick and says that it couldn’t be a worse stylistic matchup for Team Jones’ Clint.
We end on that note as we see a sneak peek into next week’s episode. Why is Josh Samman in the emergency room? Has Jon Jones made another tactical error? What happens when you unleash the TUF cast into a Hooters? Find out this and more next week on The Ultimate Fighter!
Team Jones (2-3) Clint Hester Josh Samman (1-0, TKO win over Tor Troeng in episode 6) Bubba McDaniel (0-1, submitted by Kelvin Gastelum in episode 5) Gilbert Smith (0-1, TKOd by Luke Barnatt in episode 2) Collin Hart (1-0, defeated Kevin Casey by UD in episode 4) Adam Cella (0-1, KOd by Uriah Hall in episode 3)
The episode opens in the immediate aftermath of Bubba McDaniel’s loss to Kelvin Gastelum. Jon Jones tries to stay upbeat and assure Bubba that he’ll get that wildcard spot. He then shifts his focus to this week’s fight between Tor Troeng and Josh Samman and concedes that he really doesn’t know that much about the Swede. Coach Chael Sonnen believes that “Tor is a sleeper,” and he’ll surprise everyone. Troeng vs. Samman Training At a Team Sonnen training session, Luke Barnatt and Uriah Hall have a disagreement. Luke is upset with Uriah’s aggressiveness during drills and doesn’t appreciate his attitude. “He’s not a team player…he’s an ego-driven machine.” Uriah thinks that Luke didn’t show up to train that day, and was just being soft.
While Luke and Uriah argue, we learn more about the mysterious Swede. Growing up in countryside, Tor began training MMA when he was 16 years old. Back home he holds job at a university doing math research. Amazingly, he finds professional fighting more interesting. Chael calls Tor, “The most unassuming guy on our team.” Sonnen admits he has a lot of skill, but lacks a killer instinct at times.
Back at the house Josh Samman runs some extra training sessions in the backyard. Dylan Andrews says he avoids these additional sessions and Josh’s personality annoys him. Josh appears bossy and assumes he’s in a position to tell the guys what to do. Adam Cella doesn’t seem as critical of Samman’s actions, but shares an anecdote about how Josh couldn’t even let him cut an onion without trying to correct him.
After sharing tips on how to properly slice something of the Allium genus, Josh recounts an old leg injury. After the pain finally became too much for him, he went to the hospital. It was there he learned that he had torn his quad severely and was suffering from a blood clot that could possibly cost him his leg. Luckily, everything went according to plan. After the leg story, he goes though a series of humble brags about how he was always in gifted programs, but chooses to fight because it’s his “path to greatness.” Uriah vs. Whoever We return to the TUF house for more Team Sonnen drama. When discussing possible matchups for the next round, Uriah calls out teammate Luke. Luke is shocked that Uriah would say such a thing aloud (and in front of him). Kevin Casey doesn’t like how this will affect the team and hurt morale. Uriah doesn’t seem to have any remorse and warns us to be careful because supposed friends will turn their backs on you at any moment. Let’s just hope there aren’t any spare axes lying around the house because Uriah might turn into Jack Torrance by the end of the season.
Looking for friendlier territory, Uriah sits with Team Jones…and makes some more enemies. Showing his short fuse, Uriah makes an off-color remark about Adam Cella and his girlfriend and further alienates himself from the house. Collin Hart calls him a “loose cannon.” The next morning Bubba tries to talk with Uriah about it and doesn’t really get anywhere. Uriah tells us, “I’d rather talk with my fists,” and says he’ll just go it alone.
What’s the best way to cut tension? That’s right, bowling! The entire crew heads to the Red Rock Casino and Resort for a night of 10-pin bowling and UFC fights. Chael Sonnen interrupts a Jon Jones interview and challenges him to a three-frame bowl-off. The loser has to train the next day in the opposing team’s jersey. Falling short by only two pins, Jon Jones will have to represent the Team Dark Side colors.
At weigh-in, Adam Cella delivers the best line of the episode by saying, “Josh is Josh’s biggest fan.” Luke has some more positive words for his teammate Tor and calls him a “silent killer.” As it leads up to fight day, Josh says that he’ll push the pace and that Tor can’t compete with his cardio.
Fight Time Josh opens the first round with strong low kicks. He then rushes Tor and creates a tie-up. They battle inside the clinch and reverse positions a number of times. They briefly break, Tor lands a strong uppercut and they’re back in the tie-up. Josh attempts a judo throw, but Tor winds up on top and the Swede gets in a few strong punches. Josh is able to get Tor off balance with a sweep attempt and uses that opening to return to his feet. On the feet, Josh lands a big knee to the body that forces Tor to break the clinch. Josh doesn’t let him recover, though. He lands a body kick and follows through with a crisp 1-2 combo and earns the first-round TKO.
There are a variety of reactions to the Josh’s win. Jon Jones praises Josh for taking control right away, and Chael Sonnen criticizes Tor for lacking a sense of urgency. Josh tells us, “I’m very happy with myself.” Shocking, right? He also proclaims himself the #1 seed in the house with his performance. On the confessional cam, Uriah Hall finally shows his more diplomatic side by saying, “Josh is like that guy in a movie that you see and you just want him to get his ass kicked.”
As we ponder that statement, Coach Jones makes the next fight announcement: Clint Hester vs. Jimmy Quinlan. Chael is completely confused by the pick and says that it couldn’t be a worse stylistic matchup for Team Jones’ Clint.
We end on that note as we see a sneak peek into next week’s episode. Why is Josh Samman in the emergency room? Has Jon Jones made another tactical error? What happens when you unleash the TUF cast into a Hooters? Find out this and more next week on The Ultimate Fighter!
Team Jones (2-3) Clint Hester Josh Samman (1-0, TKO win over Tor Troeng in episode 6) Bubba McDaniel (0-1, submitted by Kelvin Gastelum in episode 5) Gilbert Smith (0-1, TKOd by Luke Barnatt in episode 2) Collin Hart (1-0, defeated Kevin Casey by UD in episode 4) Adam Cella (0-1, KOd by Uriah Hall in episode 3)
That right boys and girls, it’s time for the first-ever feminist edition of the Downes Side! Frankly it’s about time. The Feminine Mystique was written in 1963 and it’s taken 50 years to get to the point where we let women fight in a UFC cage for our entertainment.
The stage for history will be set inside the Honda Center in Anaheim, California for UFC 157. A Pay-Per-View that would make Gloria Steinem proud, the main event of the night is between Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche for the UFC women’s bantamweight title. The co-main event is no less important (okay, maybe a little bit less) as Dan Henderson battles Lyoto Machida for potential rights to a light heavyweight title shot.
Josh Koscheck (17-6) vs Robbie Lawler (19-9) The main card kicks off in the welterweight division as “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler returns to the UFC for the first time since 2004 to face Josh Koscheck. A powerful southpaw with 16 KOs to his credit, Lawler looks to earn some momentum after a 3-5 stint in Strikeforce. After being sidelined with a bulging disc, Koscheck hasn’t fought since a split decision loss to Johny Hendricks in May. After such a long layoff, Kos will certainly welcome the opportunity to be ferociously booed again.
Lawler needs to keep this on the feet to have an opportunity to win. Koscheck needs to keep his mouth shut to have an opportunity to make friends. What do both of these things have in common? Neither is going to happen. Lawler has a penchant for clinching and while he’s used that tendency to hurt opponents, it’s going to give Kos the opening he needs. Once in the tie-up, Koscheck secures the takedown and gets to work. He’ll grind Lawler out in the first and second round, then take advantage of a fatigued opponent to lock in a third-round RNC.
Court McGee (14-3) vs Josh Neer (33-12-1) We stay in the 170-lb division for Court “The Crusher” McGee and Josh “The Dentist” Neer. Winner of season 11 of The Ultimate Fighter, McGee looks to get back on track in a new division after two straight losses to Costa Philippou and Nick Ring. Grizzled veteran and top-10 MMA nickname holder (avoiding random noun alliteration automatically qualifies you) Josh Neer rides a two- fight losing streak of his own.
Both fighters have similar streaks, but the manners in which they lost have been quite different. McGee’s fights have gone to the judges’ scorecards, while Neer holds two first-round KO defeats. McGee has the ability to outlast his opponents and push the pace, even into the final round. Neer doesn’t raise the same sort of confidence. Plus McGee’s chin (or is it his beard?) helps him weather the first-round onslaught. His conditioning, clinching and wrestling will wear out his opponent and he’ll take the decision with 29-28 across the board. At 29 years old, Neer still has time to go back to school and earn that DDS. I just hope he’s saved enough to avoid the worst adversary of all — student loans. Urijah Faber (26-6) vs Ivan Menjivar (25-9) We drop down to the bantamweights for a contest between Urijah Faber and Ivan Menjivar. Always the bridesmaid and never the bride, “The California Kid” is on a roll — in all non-title fights — with his ability to close the distance and finish the fight on the ground. Extremely aggressive, Menjivar has earned fans all over the world with his tendency to stand in the pocket and push the pace. After a disappointing performance against Mike Easton, Menjivar finished Azamat Gashimov (which may or may not be the name of a Bond villain) with a first-round armbar at UFC 154.
Menjivar has the highest striking rate in the division. Normally I tend to favor volume strikers against wrestling-based fighters like Faber. I also normally don’t eat at places that get shut down by the health examiner. You know what? Life’s about switching things up. Faber will use that big right hand to close the distance and bring Menjivar down to the mat. Menjivar certainly is dangerous off his back, but I don’t see him being able to lock one in against the California Kid. Faber holds top position for the majority of the fight and wins by unanimous decision. He’ll feel great and so will I…hopefully.
Lyoto Machida (18-3) vs Dan Henderson (29-8) A lot of times the co-main event of a show is merely the second-to-last thing to happen. In this case, though, it’s something truly special. In one corner stands Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida. Former champion and most entertaining karate practitioner since Rocky Douglas, he’s coming off a second-round starching of Ryan Bader in August. In the opposite stands another former champion, Dan Henderson. Winner of four in a row, he competes for the first time since beating Shogun Rua in a five-round “Fight of the Century” by decision at UFC 139 in November.
Hendo’s right hand can change the scope of a fight in an instant. His strong wrestling and takedowns have grounded some of the greatest fighters in MMA history, too. Unfortunately, for those things to work, your opponent needs to be in front of you. Machida’s accuracy and footwork will save him from the appendage that still causes Michael Bisping to wake up with cold sweats. After avoiding Hendo’s haymaker, Machida will effectively counter and hand the former PRIDE and Strikeforce king his first KO loss. Think that’s impossible? Well you clearly have never seen Lyoto Machida Out for a Kill.
Ronda Rousey (6-0) vs Liz Carmouche (8-2) In the main event, we shall witness history in the making as “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey fights Liz “Girl-rilla” Carmouche in the first-ever women’s MMA bout in UFC history. Everyone knows Rousey’s story: Undefeated in six professional fights, she has won all of them in the first round via armbar. Challenger (and maybe Urijah Faber’s long-lost sister) Carmouche looks to get of takedown of her own so she can use the ground-and-pound techniques that vaulted her to this position.
Remember that meteorite that struck Russia recently? That’s going to pale in comparison to the sound inside the arena when Liz Carmouche shocks the world. Rousey has only shown us one move. It’s a hell of a move and it’s gotten her this far, but you can only make a career of one thing for so long (Larry the Cable Guy excluded, of course). Carmouche defends the takedown and makes this a standing affair. This will bring Rousey into uncharted waters, where the Girlrilla has tread before. Carmouche gets top position on a frustrated Rousey and takes the belt with a 3rd round TKO.
That wraps up our gender-inclusive edition of the Downes Side. Be sure to follow me on Twitter @dannyboydownes. Also, don’t forget to leave your own thoughts, Fantasy picks, comments or favorite Mary Wollstonecraft work here, too.
That right boys and girls, it’s time for the first-ever feminist edition of the Downes Side! Frankly it’s about time. The Feminine Mystique was written in 1963 and it’s taken 50 years to get to the point where we let women fight in a UFC cage for our entertainment.
The stage for history will be set inside the Honda Center in Anaheim, California for UFC 157. A Pay-Per-View that would make Gloria Steinem proud, the main event of the night is between Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche for the UFC women’s bantamweight title. The co-main event is no less important (okay, maybe a little bit less) as Dan Henderson battles Lyoto Machida for potential rights to a light heavyweight title shot.
Josh Koscheck (17-6) vs Robbie Lawler (19-9) The main card kicks off in the welterweight division as “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler returns to the UFC for the first time since 2004 to face Josh Koscheck. A powerful southpaw with 16 KOs to his credit, Lawler looks to earn some momentum after a 3-5 stint in Strikeforce. After being sidelined with a bulging disc, Koscheck hasn’t fought since a split decision loss to Johny Hendricks in May. After such a long layoff, Kos will certainly welcome the opportunity to be ferociously booed again.
Lawler needs to keep this on the feet to have an opportunity to win. Koscheck needs to keep his mouth shut to have an opportunity to make friends. What do both of these things have in common? Neither is going to happen. Lawler has a penchant for clinching and while he’s used that tendency to hurt opponents, it’s going to give Kos the opening he needs. Once in the tie-up, Koscheck secures the takedown and gets to work. He’ll grind Lawler out in the first and second round, then take advantage of a fatigued opponent to lock in a third-round RNC.
Court McGee (14-3) vs Josh Neer (33-12-1) We stay in the 170-lb division for Court “The Crusher” McGee and Josh “The Dentist” Neer. Winner of season 11 of The Ultimate Fighter, McGee looks to get back on track in a new division after two straight losses to Costa Philippou and Nick Ring. Grizzled veteran and top-10 MMA nickname holder (avoiding random noun alliteration automatically qualifies you) Josh Neer rides a two- fight losing streak of his own.
Both fighters have similar streaks, but the manners in which they lost have been quite different. McGee’s fights have gone to the judges’ scorecards, while Neer holds two first-round KO defeats. McGee has the ability to outlast his opponents and push the pace, even into the final round. Neer doesn’t raise the same sort of confidence. Plus McGee’s chin (or is it his beard?) helps him weather the first-round onslaught. His conditioning, clinching and wrestling will wear out his opponent and he’ll take the decision with 29-28 across the board. At 29 years old, Neer still has time to go back to school and earn that DDS. I just hope he’s saved enough to avoid the worst adversary of all — student loans. Urijah Faber (26-6) vs Ivan Menjivar (25-9) We drop down to the bantamweights for a contest between Urijah Faber and Ivan Menjivar. Always the bridesmaid and never the bride, “The California Kid” is on a roll — in all non-title fights — with his ability to close the distance and finish the fight on the ground. Extremely aggressive, Menjivar has earned fans all over the world with his tendency to stand in the pocket and push the pace. After a disappointing performance against Mike Easton, Menjivar finished Azamat Gashimov (which may or may not be the name of a Bond villain) with a first-round armbar at UFC 154.
Menjivar has the highest striking rate in the division. Normally I tend to favor volume strikers against wrestling-based fighters like Faber. I also normally don’t eat at places that get shut down by the health examiner. You know what? Life’s about switching things up. Faber will use that big right hand to close the distance and bring Menjivar down to the mat. Menjivar certainly is dangerous off his back, but I don’t see him being able to lock one in against the California Kid. Faber holds top position for the majority of the fight and wins by unanimous decision. He’ll feel great and so will I…hopefully.
Lyoto Machida (18-3) vs Dan Henderson (29-8) A lot of times the co-main event of a show is merely the second-to-last thing to happen. In this case, though, it’s something truly special. In one corner stands Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida. Former champion and most entertaining karate practitioner since Rocky Douglas, he’s coming off a second-round starching of Ryan Bader in August. In the opposite stands another former champion, Dan Henderson. Winner of four in a row, he competes for the first time since beating Shogun Rua in a five-round “Fight of the Century” by decision at UFC 139 in November.
Hendo’s right hand can change the scope of a fight in an instant. His strong wrestling and takedowns have grounded some of the greatest fighters in MMA history, too. Unfortunately, for those things to work, your opponent needs to be in front of you. Machida’s accuracy and footwork will save him from the appendage that still causes Michael Bisping to wake up with cold sweats. After avoiding Hendo’s haymaker, Machida will effectively counter and hand the former PRIDE and Strikeforce king his first KO loss. Think that’s impossible? Well you clearly have never seen Lyoto Machida Out for a Kill.
Ronda Rousey (6-0) vs Liz Carmouche (8-2) In the main event, we shall witness history in the making as “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey fights Liz “Girl-rilla” Carmouche in the first-ever women’s MMA bout in UFC history. Everyone knows Rousey’s story: Undefeated in six professional fights, she has won all of them in the first round via armbar. Challenger (and maybe Urijah Faber’s long-lost sister) Carmouche looks to get of takedown of her own so she can use the ground-and-pound techniques that vaulted her to this position.
Remember that meteorite that struck Russia recently? That’s going to pale in comparison to the sound inside the arena when Liz Carmouche shocks the world. Rousey has only shown us one move. It’s a hell of a move and it’s gotten her this far, but you can only make a career of one thing for so long (Larry the Cable Guy excluded, of course). Carmouche defends the takedown and makes this a standing affair. This will bring Rousey into uncharted waters, where the Girlrilla has tread before. Carmouche gets top position on a frustrated Rousey and takes the belt with a 3rd round TKO.
That wraps up our gender-inclusive edition of the Downes Side. Be sure to follow me on Twitter @dannyboydownes. Also, don’t forget to leave your own thoughts, Fantasy picks, comments or favorite Mary Wollstonecraft work here, too.
The episode opens with the coaches’ take on the impending Bubba McDaniel vs. Kelvin Gastelum match. Jon Jones believes that Kelvin is the weakest link on Team Sonnen and that Bubba will win this fight anywhere. Chael Sonnen concedes that Bubba is the favorite, but thinks that conditioning will be on their side. Despite that perceived advantage, Chael calls in some backup and has Ronda Rousey call Kelvin to give him more incentive. She promises that if he wins, she’ll come out to Vegas and train with them.
So far this season, the interactions between the coaches have been surprisingly jovial. Jones admits that he likes to remain aloof from his opponents and doesn’t enjoy talking to them, but acknowledges that the two see each other so much that he can’t really stop it. As Jones and Sonnen make small talk in the hallway, Luke Barnatt puts Bubba on blast. Given the experience gap between Kelvin and Bubba, he calls it “cheap shot” for Bubba to choose such a raw opponent. He predicts that karma will side with Kelvin and he’ll score the KO upset.
Back at the house, Chael Sonnen and some of the other assistant coaches stop by to play charades. Gilbert Smith is wearing his casual camouflage briefs…and nothing else. As the guys inside the house are enjoying the classic pastime of the habitually bored, Bubba sits in front of the fire alone and tells us his story. “I was that kid that shouldn’t be alive.” Without going into much detail, Bubba states that throughout his life, he and the municipal and/or federal laws have not always agreed on right and wrong.
From Bubba’s tale of legal gray areas, we transition to the life of Kelvin Gastelum, whose major source of inspiration comes from his mother. She raised Kelvin and his sister all on her own with modest means. Besides fighting for his mom to make her proud, he’s fighting for other kids who find themselves in his position. “I come from poverty, and with enough hard work and discipline you can get what you want.” He feels that Bubba — and everyone else — is underestimating him and he’s ready to prove them wrong.
Strategy Sessions Cut to Chael Sonnen giving a pep talk to the team. He asks the crew, “What emotion will help you inside the cage?” He answers the question for them and tells them that no emotion helps you. The only thing you can count on are your two fists and actions. After making a particularly emotional appeal against emotion, Chael reverts to his old ways and rhymes words together.
While Kelvin and Bubba get ready for their fight, Josh Samman looks to avoid one. He tells the Team Jones coaching staff that if Bubba wins, he’d like to avoid the next contest. He’s banged up and goes through the rundown of his injuries. Jon Jones holds two disparate reactions to Samman’s request. On one hand he praises Josh for his openness and even compares it to his own relationship with coaches Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn. Then, in the very same breath, he says that Samman is too open, and that he and the other coaches don’t appreciate fighters trying to make demands.
At the Team Jones training session, Bones talks about the (mis)match a bit more. He claims that Bubba takes it easily on the feet and that his superior BJJ takes it on the ground, too. Assistant coach Josh Wood goes even further saying the only way Bubba loses is from a lucky punch or mental mistake. Meanwhile, Mickey Rourke shows up to give a talk at Team Sonnen’s camp which can best be summed up as, “work hard and avoid crazy chicks.”
As Bubba and Kelvin weigh in on the scale, other cast mates weigh in on the fight. Adam Cella thinks that the fight is much too one-sided. Josh Samman criticizes Kelvin’s diet, but Luke Barnatt sees Kelvin winning as long as he stays aggressive. Zak Cummings echos with the warning: “don’t sleep on Kelvin.” Fight Day Both fighters begin the first round aggressively. Bubba rushes in, and Kelvin head tosses him on the mat. Bubba rises quickly, but Kelvin closes the distance and locks in a front headlock. Bubba pulls off a slick sweep from half guard and soon jumps to take his opponent’s back. Kelvin fights the choke and returns to his feet, but Bubba still has a waist lock secured. Kelvin rolls through and ends up in Bubba’s butterfly guard. Bubba uses an armbar attempt to roll Kelvin over and moves to mount. Kelvin gives up his back again and Bubba takes advantage of it. Again Kelvin defends and the two break apart and return to their feet. Bubba attempts a takedown, but Kelvin counters and puts Bubba on his back again. Bubba sweeps with 45 seconds left and the frantic pace continues. Kelvin runs a single to take top position, takes side mount with 10 seconds remaining and stays there until the bell.
The second round opens with Kelvin Gastelum landing a ferocious low kick. He then closes the distance and puts Bubba into a bodylock. Bubba attempts a counter throw, but Kelvin winds up on top. Gastelum transitions to side mount, but quickly loses position. Bubba has top position and his corner pleads with him to drop some elbows. Instead, he transitions for a rear naked choke attempt, which Kelvin easily shakes off. Kelvin lands a few punches as Bubba attempts another sweep. This time, though, Kelvin holds position and secures some ground and pound. When Bubba tries to sweep again, Kelvin uses a front headlock to transition to Bubba’s back. Chael shouts, “Oh my God! He might have it!” and Bubba taps with 2:22 left in the round.
Chael calls it the best fight so far and chalks up “one more for the bad guys.” In the locker room, Jon Jones tries to pump Bubba up for his shot at the wildcard and says he’ll be better than ever. The wound is still fresh, though, and Bubba says, “I feel like a failure.” Ronda Rousey calls to congratulate Kelvin and he giggles like a nervous schoolboy.
The captain of the Dark Side announces the next fight and it will be Josh Samman vs. Tor Troeng. Chael says that they chose this fight because each has the ability to make it to the main event and they’ll just have it out next week. Josh thinks that Tor has his exact same skills, just with less athleticism.
The episode ends with a preview of next week. Will Uriah Hall alienate his teammates? Do Josh’s recurring injuries affect his performance? Can Kelvin’s paper mâché heart win Ronda over? Find out this and more next week on The Ultimate Fighter!
The episode opens with the coaches’ take on the impending Bubba McDaniel vs. Kelvin Gastelum match. Jon Jones believes that Kelvin is the weakest link on Team Sonnen and that Bubba will win this fight anywhere. Chael Sonnen concedes that Bubba is the favorite, but thinks that conditioning will be on their side. Despite that perceived advantage, Chael calls in some backup and has Ronda Rousey call Kelvin to give him more incentive. She promises that if he wins, she’ll come out to Vegas and train with them.
So far this season, the interactions between the coaches have been surprisingly jovial. Jones admits that he likes to remain aloof from his opponents and doesn’t enjoy talking to them, but acknowledges that the two see each other so much that he can’t really stop it. As Jones and Sonnen make small talk in the hallway, Luke Barnatt puts Bubba on blast. Given the experience gap between Kelvin and Bubba, he calls it “cheap shot” for Bubba to choose such a raw opponent. He predicts that karma will side with Kelvin and he’ll score the KO upset.
Back at the house, Chael Sonnen and some of the other assistant coaches stop by to play charades. Gilbert Smith is wearing his casual camouflage briefs…and nothing else. As the guys inside the house are enjoying the classic pastime of the habitually bored, Bubba sits in front of the fire alone and tells us his story. “I was that kid that shouldn’t be alive.” Without going into much detail, Bubba states that throughout his life, he and the municipal and/or federal laws have not always agreed on right and wrong.
From Bubba’s tale of legal gray areas, we transition to the life of Kelvin Gastelum, whose major source of inspiration comes from his mother. She raised Kelvin and his sister all on her own with modest means. Besides fighting for his mom to make her proud, he’s fighting for other kids who find themselves in his position. “I come from poverty, and with enough hard work and discipline you can get what you want.” He feels that Bubba — and everyone else — is underestimating him and he’s ready to prove them wrong.
Strategy Sessions Cut to Chael Sonnen giving a pep talk to the team. He asks the crew, “What emotion will help you inside the cage?” He answers the question for them and tells them that no emotion helps you. The only thing you can count on are your two fists and actions. After making a particularly emotional appeal against emotion, Chael reverts to his old ways and rhymes words together.
While Kelvin and Bubba get ready for their fight, Josh Samman looks to avoid one. He tells the Team Jones coaching staff that if Bubba wins, he’d like to avoid the next contest. He’s banged up and goes through the rundown of his injuries. Jon Jones holds two disparate reactions to Samman’s request. On one hand he praises Josh for his openness and even compares it to his own relationship with coaches Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn. Then, in the very same breath, he says that Samman is too open, and that he and the other coaches don’t appreciate fighters trying to make demands.
At the Team Jones training session, Bones talks about the (mis)match a bit more. He claims that Bubba takes it easily on the feet and that his superior BJJ takes it on the ground, too. Assistant coach Josh Wood goes even further saying the only way Bubba loses is from a lucky punch or mental mistake. Meanwhile, Mickey Rourke shows up to give a talk at Team Sonnen’s camp which can best be summed up as, “work hard and avoid crazy chicks.”
As Bubba and Kelvin weigh in on the scale, other cast mates weigh in on the fight. Adam Cella thinks that the fight is much too one-sided. Josh Samman criticizes Kelvin’s diet, but Luke Barnatt sees Kelvin winning as long as he stays aggressive. Zak Cummings echos with the warning: “don’t sleep on Kelvin.” Fight Day Both fighters begin the first round aggressively. Bubba rushes in, and Kelvin head tosses him on the mat. Bubba rises quickly, but Kelvin closes the distance and locks in a front headlock. Bubba pulls off a slick sweep from half guard and soon jumps to take his opponent’s back. Kelvin fights the choke and returns to his feet, but Bubba still has a waist lock secured. Kelvin rolls through and ends up in Bubba’s butterfly guard. Bubba uses an armbar attempt to roll Kelvin over and moves to mount. Kelvin gives up his back again and Bubba takes advantage of it. Again Kelvin defends and the two break apart and return to their feet. Bubba attempts a takedown, but Kelvin counters and puts Bubba on his back again. Bubba sweeps with 45 seconds left and the frantic pace continues. Kelvin runs a single to take top position, takes side mount with 10 seconds remaining and stays there until the bell.
The second round opens with Kelvin Gastelum landing a ferocious low kick. He then closes the distance and puts Bubba into a bodylock. Bubba attempts a counter throw, but Kelvin winds up on top. Gastelum transitions to side mount, but quickly loses position. Bubba has top position and his corner pleads with him to drop some elbows. Instead, he transitions for a rear naked choke attempt, which Kelvin easily shakes off. Kelvin lands a few punches as Bubba attempts another sweep. This time, though, Kelvin holds position and secures some ground and pound. When Bubba tries to sweep again, Kelvin uses a front headlock to transition to Bubba’s back. Chael shouts, “Oh my God! He might have it!” and Bubba taps with 2:22 left in the round.
Chael calls it the best fight so far and chalks up “one more for the bad guys.” In the locker room, Jon Jones tries to pump Bubba up for his shot at the wildcard and says he’ll be better than ever. The wound is still fresh, though, and Bubba says, “I feel like a failure.” Ronda Rousey calls to congratulate Kelvin and he giggles like a nervous schoolboy.
The captain of the Dark Side announces the next fight and it will be Josh Samman vs. Tor Troeng. Chael says that they chose this fight because each has the ability to make it to the main event and they’ll just have it out next week. Josh thinks that Tor has his exact same skills, just with less athleticism.
The episode ends with a preview of next week. Will Uriah Hall alienate his teammates? Do Josh’s recurring injuries affect his performance? Can Kelvin’s paper mâché heart win Ronda over? Find out this and more next week on The Ultimate Fighter!
That’s right mates and birds, it’s time for another conclusive edition of the Downes Side! As people throughout the world celebrate Valentine’s Day weekend (or attempt to, as is the case of my wife), I have eschewed the flowers and candles for my computer and a mission to deliver the facts as only the Nostradamus of MMA can.
This weekend the Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to the United Kingdom for UFC on FUEL TV live from Wembley Arena in London. The main event will be for the interim bantamweight title as current holder Renan Barao looks to continue his reign against Michael “Not The One Who Sings ‘I Gotta Try’” McDonald. The co-main event of the night takes place in the featherweight division as likely title contenders Cub Swanson and Dustin Poirier face off.
Che Mills (15-5) vs Matthew Riddle (7-3) To kick off the main card, we have “Beautiful” Che Mills taking on the future president of the United Kingdom’s Tourism Board — Matthew “Deep Waters” Riddle. Mills is 2-1 in his UFC career including wins over Duane Ludwig and a Knockout of the Night performance against Chris Cope. A former TUF 7 star, Riddle has spent his entire professional career inside the Octagon, using a mix of wrestling and conditioning to wear down opponents.
Riddle has capable striking, but Mills has the complete advantage on the feet. Riddle needs to bring this fight to the ground, and he will. He has shown that he possesses a strong enough chin to close the distance even if he catches a solid strike. Once he ties up Mills, he’ll easily get it to the ground and utilize his grappling skills. Riddle has been working more with Robert Drysdale, so it will be interesting to see how his submission game has advanced. As long as he doesn’t get stuck with one of those crooked British referees, Riddle should take the unanimous decision.
Ryan Jimmo (17-1) vs James Te Huna (15-5) Next we head to the light heavyweight division for Ryan Jimmo vs James Te Huna. Te Huna has used his powerful striking to earn 10 career TKOs. In his most recent outing, he secured a decision victory over the nearly-impossible-to-drop Joey Beltran in July, but had the fight in cruise control for the majority. Ryan “Big Deal” Jimmo has been on a 17-fight win streak since dropping his professional debut in 2007. Also a dynamic striker, Jimmo tied the UFC record for fastest knockout with his one-punch destruction of Anthony Perosh at UFC 149.
Don’t let Jimmo’s seven-second finish of Perosh fool you into thinking he’s some knockout powerhouse. I mean, Diana Duyser once had a grilled cheese with the image of the Virgin Mary imprinted into it, but that doesn’t mean it happens all the time. The more likely scenario is that Jimmo uses his kicks and straight punches to keep Te Huna at a distance. Known for shaky cardio, Te Huna will fade in the later rounds and Jimmo will notch a decision win. No, it’s not as cool as a food product with the Mother of God on it, but a grilled cheese sandwich is still a delicious grilled cheese sandwich.
Gunnar Nelson (10-0-1) vs Jorge Santiago (25-10) We jump down to the welterweights as one of Europe’s most anticipated prospects, Gunnar “Not the One Who Sings ‘Love and Affection’” Nelson, looks to continue his climb with a win over veteran Jorge Santiago. Having finished his opponent in all ten victories, ‘Gunni’ made his UFC debut in September with a first-round RNC victory over DaMarques Johnson. Making his UFC debut at welterweight, Santiago looks to make his third stint in the Octagon a successful one. Extremely well rounded, Santiago has ten KO and 13 submission victories to his storied career.
Despite being in the MMA game for over a decade, Santiago still brings a lot of skills to the table. He can beat you in the clinch, at a distance and on the ground. Having said that, he’ simply outmatched here. It’s like trying to fight adorable animal pictures, — you just can’t do it. The younger, more aggressive Nelson will take control from the outset and never give it up. He’ll put Santiago on his back and use that BJJ black belt he earned from Renzo Gracie to finish things in the second.
Jimi Manuwa (12-0) vs Cyrille Diabate (19-8-1) We move back up to light heavyweight for a matchup between two lethal strikers. After finishing all of his opponents — all but one via knockout — Jimi “Poster Boy” Manuwa has quite the reputation. The only knock against him has been conditioning, but with only three of his fights making it out of the first round, it’s hard to determine how much of an issue that might be. Standing across him will be French kickboxer Cyrille “The Snake” Diabate. In his most recent outing, the 39-year-old submitted Mr. Mutton-chop himself, Chad Griggs, in the first round with a rear-naked choke.
Much like the Nelson/Santiago fight, this matchup pits the young standout against the aging veteran. Unlike the Nelson/Santiago fight, I’m taking the aging veteran in this one (hey, if you want to avoid cognitive dissonance, read Scientific American). Diabate will be able to use his 6’6” frame to keep Manuwa at bay long enough to take him into deep waters (not “Deep Waters” — that would be weird.). Once there, he’ll exploit the Poster Boy’s weak stamina and secure another rear-naked win.
Cub Swanson (18-5) vs Dustin Poirier (13-2) Next up is a fight between potential featherweight title contenders as Cub Swanson faces off against Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier. Winner of his last three (all by T/KO) Cub Swanson has shown a resurgence almost as impressive as Lazarus’. Stepping in for Dennis Siver, Poirier returned to his normal winning ways with a first round submission over Jonathan Brookins at the TUF 16 Finale.
This has been one of the more difficult fights to decide. It’s like deciding between boxers and briefs. Both have their pros and cons, but once you choose one, you’re stuck in it the entire day. After much careful deliberation, I’ve decided to go with Cub Swanson. In the Chan Sung Jung fight, Poirier seemed unable to deal with an aggressive striker. Not only does Swanson have thunder in his hands, he possesses much better footwork than the Korean Zombie. Swanson will use his speed advantage to avoid prolonged tie-ups and utilize his boxers’ boxing to damage The Diamond. Poirier certainly showed endurance against Jung, but Swanson drops him in the 2nd.
Renan Barao (29-1) vs Michael McDonald (15-1) Time for the main event of the evening as interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao puts his title on the line against Michael “Mayday” McDonald. Undefeated in his UFC career, Barao earned the belt at UFC 149 with an impressive victory over Urijah Faber where he controlled the striking and stuffed all of the California Kid’s takedown attempts. McDonald has used his hands to work his way up the featherweight ladder, including a handy KO of Miguel Torres at UFC 145.
McDonald has been very impressive in his career, but Barao might be too much too soon. The difference maker here will be McDonald’s right hand. The dangerous appendage he used to put out Miguel Torres might be enough to turn the tide of battle… but I doubt it. Barao simply has too much speed and has never shown the defensive lapses that McDonald’s previous opponents have. Look for the Brazilian to neutralize all of McDonald’s attacks en route to a UD win.
Well that wraps up another lovely edition of the Downes Side! Be sure to follow me on Twitter @dannyboydownes and leave you thoughts, comments, predictions and belated Valentines on the page, too. As for me, I’m going to try to figure out how to fall asleep on my undersized couch.
That’s right mates and birds, it’s time for another conclusive edition of the Downes Side! As people throughout the world celebrate Valentine’s Day weekend (or attempt to, as is the case of my wife), I have eschewed the flowers and candles for my computer and a mission to deliver the facts as only the Nostradamus of MMA can.
This weekend the Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to the United Kingdom for UFC on FUEL TV live from Wembley Arena in London. The main event will be for the interim bantamweight title as current holder Renan Barao looks to continue his reign against Michael “Not The One Who Sings ‘I Gotta Try’” McDonald. The co-main event of the night takes place in the featherweight division as likely title contenders Cub Swanson and Dustin Poirier face off.
Che Mills (15-5) vs Matthew Riddle (7-3) To kick off the main card, we have “Beautiful” Che Mills taking on the future president of the United Kingdom’s Tourism Board — Matthew “Deep Waters” Riddle. Mills is 2-1 in his UFC career including wins over Duane Ludwig and a Knockout of the Night performance against Chris Cope. A former TUF 7 star, Riddle has spent his entire professional career inside the Octagon, using a mix of wrestling and conditioning to wear down opponents.
Riddle has capable striking, but Mills has the complete advantage on the feet. Riddle needs to bring this fight to the ground, and he will. He has shown that he possesses a strong enough chin to close the distance even if he catches a solid strike. Once he ties up Mills, he’ll easily get it to the ground and utilize his grappling skills. Riddle has been working more with Robert Drysdale, so it will be interesting to see how his submission game has advanced. As long as he doesn’t get stuck with one of those crooked British referees, Riddle should take the unanimous decision.
Ryan Jimmo (17-1) vs James Te Huna (15-5) Next we head to the light heavyweight division for Ryan Jimmo vs James Te Huna. Te Huna has used his powerful striking to earn 10 career TKOs. In his most recent outing, he secured a decision victory over the nearly-impossible-to-drop Joey Beltran in July, but had the fight in cruise control for the majority. Ryan “Big Deal” Jimmo has been on a 17-fight win streak since dropping his professional debut in 2007. Also a dynamic striker, Jimmo tied the UFC record for fastest knockout with his one-punch destruction of Anthony Perosh at UFC 149.
Don’t let Jimmo’s seven-second finish of Perosh fool you into thinking he’s some knockout powerhouse. I mean, Diana Duyser once had a grilled cheese with the image of the Virgin Mary imprinted into it, but that doesn’t mean it happens all the time. The more likely scenario is that Jimmo uses his kicks and straight punches to keep Te Huna at a distance. Known for shaky cardio, Te Huna will fade in the later rounds and Jimmo will notch a decision win. No, it’s not as cool as a food product with the Mother of God on it, but a grilled cheese sandwich is still a delicious grilled cheese sandwich.
Gunnar Nelson (10-0-1) vs Jorge Santiago (25-10) We jump down to the welterweights as one of Europe’s most anticipated prospects, Gunnar “Not the One Who Sings ‘Love and Affection’” Nelson, looks to continue his climb with a win over veteran Jorge Santiago. Having finished his opponent in all ten victories, ‘Gunni’ made his UFC debut in September with a first-round RNC victory over DaMarques Johnson. Making his UFC debut at welterweight, Santiago looks to make his third stint in the Octagon a successful one. Extremely well rounded, Santiago has ten KO and 13 submission victories to his storied career.
Despite being in the MMA game for over a decade, Santiago still brings a lot of skills to the table. He can beat you in the clinch, at a distance and on the ground. Having said that, he’ simply outmatched here. It’s like trying to fight adorable animal pictures, — you just can’t do it. The younger, more aggressive Nelson will take control from the outset and never give it up. He’ll put Santiago on his back and use that BJJ black belt he earned from Renzo Gracie to finish things in the second.
Jimi Manuwa (12-0) vs Cyrille Diabate (19-8-1) We move back up to light heavyweight for a matchup between two lethal strikers. After finishing all of his opponents — all but one via knockout — Jimi “Poster Boy” Manuwa has quite the reputation. The only knock against him has been conditioning, but with only three of his fights making it out of the first round, it’s hard to determine how much of an issue that might be. Standing across him will be French kickboxer Cyrille “The Snake” Diabate. In his most recent outing, the 39-year-old submitted Mr. Mutton-chop himself, Chad Griggs, in the first round with a rear-naked choke.
Much like the Nelson/Santiago fight, this matchup pits the young standout against the aging veteran. Unlike the Nelson/Santiago fight, I’m taking the aging veteran in this one (hey, if you want to avoid cognitive dissonance, read Scientific American). Diabate will be able to use his 6’6” frame to keep Manuwa at bay long enough to take him into deep waters (not “Deep Waters” — that would be weird.). Once there, he’ll exploit the Poster Boy’s weak stamina and secure another rear-naked win.
Cub Swanson (18-5) vs Dustin Poirier (13-2) Next up is a fight between potential featherweight title contenders as Cub Swanson faces off against Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier. Winner of his last three (all by T/KO) Cub Swanson has shown a resurgence almost as impressive as Lazarus’. Stepping in for Dennis Siver, Poirier returned to his normal winning ways with a first round submission over Jonathan Brookins at the TUF 16 Finale.
This has been one of the more difficult fights to decide. It’s like deciding between boxers and briefs. Both have their pros and cons, but once you choose one, you’re stuck in it the entire day. After much careful deliberation, I’ve decided to go with Cub Swanson. In the Chan Sung Jung fight, Poirier seemed unable to deal with an aggressive striker. Not only does Swanson have thunder in his hands, he possesses much better footwork than the Korean Zombie. Swanson will use his speed advantage to avoid prolonged tie-ups and utilize his boxers’ boxing to damage The Diamond. Poirier certainly showed endurance against Jung, but Swanson drops him in the 2nd.
Renan Barao (29-1) vs Michael McDonald (15-1) Time for the main event of the evening as interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao puts his title on the line against Michael “Mayday” McDonald. Undefeated in his UFC career, Barao earned the belt at UFC 149 with an impressive victory over Urijah Faber where he controlled the striking and stuffed all of the California Kid’s takedown attempts. McDonald has used his hands to work his way up the featherweight ladder, including a handy KO of Miguel Torres at UFC 145.
McDonald has been very impressive in his career, but Barao might be too much too soon. The difference maker here will be McDonald’s right hand. The dangerous appendage he used to put out Miguel Torres might be enough to turn the tide of battle… but I doubt it. Barao simply has too much speed and has never shown the defensive lapses that McDonald’s previous opponents have. Look for the Brazilian to neutralize all of McDonald’s attacks en route to a UD win.
Well that wraps up another lovely edition of the Downes Side! Be sure to follow me on Twitter @dannyboydownes and leave you thoughts, comments, predictions and belated Valentines on the page, too. As for me, I’m going to try to figure out how to fall asleep on my undersized couch.
The episode opens up with Adam Cella, recipient of last week’s spin kick of doom, returning to the house from the hospital. Despite earning an eternal spot on MMA highlight reels, he’s in good spirits. The first thing he wants to do is congratulate Uriah Hall on his victory, and doesn’t let the fact that Hall is in the shower stop him. Hook kicks may stop him, but Cella will never let personal space deter him jfrom his dreams.
On to this week’s fight between Kevin Casey and Collin Hart. Still recovering from a cut sustained during his fight to get into the house, Kevin Casey surprised many by taking a fight so soon. He explains that this was all part of the strategy. Kevin wanted to make sure he had the ability to choose his opponent to set up the matchup he wanted. He chose Collin Hart because Hart lacks dangerous striking skills that could open up his cut. As Kevin diminishes Collin’s striking ability, Bubba belittles all of Kevin’s abilities. Collin stays above the fray, stating “I’m the quiet type.”
TEAM JONES At the Team Jones training session, we learn that Bones’ strategy for winning resides in Collin’s ground game and cardio. Casey may be more muscular, but Hart’s superior athleticism will lead him to victory. We then hear the Collin Hart story. With a nickname like “The Dick,” one would assume Collin got his start at Adams College. Surprisingly, Hart was actually a victim of bullying as a kid. Never too big on team sports, Hart had his first MMA fight when he was 18 years old and has been going strong ever since.
Back at the house, the guys are talking about Kevin’s rap career. This naturally leads to a freestyle rap battle among the members of the house. Adam Cella wisely sits this one out.
TEAM SONNEN We now move to the Team Sonnen training session, where Kevin talks about his entry into the world of MMA. Involved in martial arts since a child, he took things to a new level when he became friends with Rockson Gracie. After Rockson passed away when he was in college, Kevin dedicated himself to an MMA career. Chael Sonnen sums up Hart’s strategy: Kevin will utilize top control and ground and pound his way to the next round.
Back at the house, the power goes out, and we all know what that means — prank time! Team Sonnen’s idea of a prank, though, is to run into a bedroom and throw toilet paper at their foes. Sure it’s no antiquing, but it’s something, right? Collin Hart doesn’t appreciate this because Team Sonnen has violated the house rule to not mess with each other’s sleep. Collin should have known that the TUF house is like Mad Max — people get murdered for gasoline and there are no rules.
Collin refuses to let the “prank” go and shows his displeasure at weigh ins by giving Kevin the middle finger. It may not be the most effective means of protest, but I’m pretty sure it was Ghandi’s second option after that whole non violent resistance stuff. At weigh ins we also learn that Josh Samman would bet his house and any money he has on Collin winning the fight. Next to that, Zak Cummings’, “I don’t see Kevin losing,” lacks a certain sense of panache.
Back at the house, a few of the guys are still angry about Collin’s actions at weigh ins. Uriah confronts Collin about it and Kevin tells us that, “Older guys [like me] have to teach younger guys a lesson.” This leads us into fight day.
FIGHT TIME Collin sprints out the gate to begin round one. He jumps at Kevin (Jones later calls it a “ninja move”) and immediately transitions to a single-leg takedown. He easily moves to side control, but fails to do anything with it. Kevin gets his guard back and attempts a guillotine. Collin defends and the two are back on their feet. Kevin initially wins the advantage, but Collin soon backs him down and pushes Casey against the fence. The two trade knees in the clinch and Collin lands the more solid blows. With 20 seconds left in the round, Kevin breaks the tie-up and lands hooks with both fists, but Collin soon ties him back up and the round ends.
In between rounds, Kevin’s corner tells him that he needs to win the next round and that he should use some more of the punches that gave him success at the end of the first. Jones wants Collin to work the body more and tire Casey out.
The second round begins and Kevin Casey follows orders, finding the mark with a couple of solid left crosses. Collin immediately clinches and puts Kevin — who is now bleeding — against the fence. Collin fails to score the outside trip, but uses the move to transition behind Kevin and take him down with a bodylock. Kevin’s cut appears to open up more as Collin moves to side mount. From this position Collin grinds Kevin down and uses short punches and elbows to batter his opponent. Kevin earns his guard back, but time is now his enemy. He continues to try to set up submissions from his back, but Collin rains down punishment as only 30 seconds remain. Collin stays in the dominant position and Kevin continues to bleed as time expires.
Back from the break, the judges all give it to Collin Hart 20-18 (was there any doubt? [well, okay, sure]). The coaches give their post-fight commentary. Chael Sonnen credits Collin’s relentless pressure with wearing Kevin out, and criticizes Kevin by saying that he “never came to fight.” Jon Jones is pleased with his fighter’s performance and says he expected Kevin to slow down as the fight progressed. Dana White says that Hart broke Casey and that Kevin “didn’t even try to win the fight.” Kevin Casey also admits that he physically wasn’t all there in the fight. Collin is upset he didn’t get the finish, but doesn’t have a lot of time to talk because he hops on a treadmill right afterward.
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENT Team Jones has their first win under their belt and control is back on their side. Bubba McDaniel finally gets his chance to fight. His opponent will be the youngest man in TUF history, Kelvin Gastelum. Jon Jones believes Kelvin to be one of the weakest links on the opposing team. Chael Sonnen admits that Bubba is certainly the favorite to win the fight, but, “Kelvin is going to surprise some people.”
The episode ends with a sneak peak into next week’s episode. How does Team Sonnen react to their first loss? Can Kelvin overcome the odds? Can Chael Sonnen be any good at a game that forces him to not speak? Find out this and more next week on The Ultimate Fighter!
The episode opens up with Adam Cella, recipient of last week’s spin kick of doom, returning to the house from the hospital. Despite earning an eternal spot on MMA highlight reels, he’s in good spirits. The first thing he wants to do is congratulate Uriah Hall on his victory, and doesn’t let the fact that Hall is in the shower stop him. Hook kicks may stop him, but Cella will never let personal space deter him jfrom his dreams.
On to this week’s fight between Kevin Casey and Collin Hart. Still recovering from a cut sustained during his fight to get into the house, Kevin Casey surprised many by taking a fight so soon. He explains that this was all part of the strategy. Kevin wanted to make sure he had the ability to choose his opponent to set up the matchup he wanted. He chose Collin Hart because Hart lacks dangerous striking skills that could open up his cut. As Kevin diminishes Collin’s striking ability, Bubba belittles all of Kevin’s abilities. Collin stays above the fray, stating “I’m the quiet type.”
TEAM JONES At the Team Jones training session, we learn that Bones’ strategy for winning resides in Collin’s ground game and cardio. Casey may be more muscular, but Hart’s superior athleticism will lead him to victory. We then hear the Collin Hart story. With a nickname like “The Dick,” one would assume Collin got his start at Adams College. Surprisingly, Hart was actually a victim of bullying as a kid. Never too big on team sports, Hart had his first MMA fight when he was 18 years old and has been going strong ever since.
Back at the house, the guys are talking about Kevin’s rap career. This naturally leads to a freestyle rap battle among the members of the house. Adam Cella wisely sits this one out.
TEAM SONNEN We now move to the Team Sonnen training session, where Kevin talks about his entry into the world of MMA. Involved in martial arts since a child, he took things to a new level when he became friends with Rockson Gracie. After Rockson passed away when he was in college, Kevin dedicated himself to an MMA career. Chael Sonnen sums up Hart’s strategy: Kevin will utilize top control and ground and pound his way to the next round.
Back at the house, the power goes out, and we all know what that means — prank time! Team Sonnen’s idea of a prank, though, is to run into a bedroom and throw toilet paper at their foes. Sure it’s no antiquing, but it’s something, right? Collin Hart doesn’t appreciate this because Team Sonnen has violated the house rule to not mess with each other’s sleep. Collin should have known that the TUF house is like Mad Max — people get murdered for gasoline and there are no rules.
Collin refuses to let the “prank” go and shows his displeasure at weigh ins by giving Kevin the middle finger. It may not be the most effective means of protest, but I’m pretty sure it was Ghandi’s second option after that whole non violent resistance stuff. At weigh ins we also learn that Josh Samman would bet his house and any money he has on Collin winning the fight. Next to that, Zak Cummings’, “I don’t see Kevin losing,” lacks a certain sense of panache.
Back at the house, a few of the guys are still angry about Collin’s actions at weigh ins. Uriah confronts Collin about it and Kevin tells us that, “Older guys [like me] have to teach younger guys a lesson.” This leads us into fight day.
FIGHT TIME Collin sprints out the gate to begin round one. He jumps at Kevin (Jones later calls it a “ninja move”) and immediately transitions to a single-leg takedown. He easily moves to side control, but fails to do anything with it. Kevin gets his guard back and attempts a guillotine. Collin defends and the two are back on their feet. Kevin initially wins the advantage, but Collin soon backs him down and pushes Casey against the fence. The two trade knees in the clinch and Collin lands the more solid blows. With 20 seconds left in the round, Kevin breaks the tie-up and lands hooks with both fists, but Collin soon ties him back up and the round ends.
In between rounds, Kevin’s corner tells him that he needs to win the next round and that he should use some more of the punches that gave him success at the end of the first. Jones wants Collin to work the body more and tire Casey out.
The second round begins and Kevin Casey follows orders, finding the mark with a couple of solid left crosses. Collin immediately clinches and puts Kevin — who is now bleeding — against the fence. Collin fails to score the outside trip, but uses the move to transition behind Kevin and take him down with a bodylock. Kevin’s cut appears to open up more as Collin moves to side mount. From this position Collin grinds Kevin down and uses short punches and elbows to batter his opponent. Kevin earns his guard back, but time is now his enemy. He continues to try to set up submissions from his back, but Collin rains down punishment as only 30 seconds remain. Collin stays in the dominant position and Kevin continues to bleed as time expires.
Back from the break, the judges all give it to Collin Hart 20-18 (was there any doubt? [well, okay, sure]). The coaches give their post-fight commentary. Chael Sonnen credits Collin’s relentless pressure with wearing Kevin out, and criticizes Kevin by saying that he “never came to fight.” Jon Jones is pleased with his fighter’s performance and says he expected Kevin to slow down as the fight progressed. Dana White says that Hart broke Casey and that Kevin “didn’t even try to win the fight.” Kevin Casey also admits that he physically wasn’t all there in the fight. Collin is upset he didn’t get the finish, but doesn’t have a lot of time to talk because he hops on a treadmill right afterward.
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENT Team Jones has their first win under their belt and control is back on their side. Bubba McDaniel finally gets his chance to fight. His opponent will be the youngest man in TUF history, Kelvin Gastelum. Jon Jones believes Kelvin to be one of the weakest links on the opposing team. Chael Sonnen admits that Bubba is certainly the favorite to win the fight, but, “Kelvin is going to surprise some people.”
The episode ends with a sneak peak into next week’s episode. How does Team Sonnen react to their first loss? Can Kelvin overcome the odds? Can Chael Sonnen be any good at a game that forces him to not speak? Find out this and more next week on The Ultimate Fighter!
The main card kicks off in the welterweight division with a match between Dong Hyun Kim and Siyar Bahadurzada. The UFC’s greatest grinder since that time Mike Goldberg made a killer meatball hoagie, Kim has used his wrestling and top control to earn a 7-2 record in the organization, including his most recent win against Paulo Thiago in Novermber. Living up to his nickname “The Great” (recently changed from the less diplomatic “The Killer”) Bahadurzada showcased his powerful striking as he knocked out Paulo Thiago (rough couple fights for him, huh?) in 42 seconds in April.
Next we move to the featherweights as WEC veteran Rani Yahya battles Strikeforce transplant Mizuto Hirota. An extremely talented grappler, Yahya secured his 15th career submission win with a first-round north-south choke against Josh Grispi in August. An aggressive striker with solid ground-and-pound, Hirota makes his UFC debut.
On to the middleweight division for Yushin “Thunder” Okami and Hector “Lightning” Lombard. Okami had already spent the more time inside the Octagon than any other middleweight in UFC history, then padded that record with a unanimous decision win against Alan Belcher at UFC 155. After a UFC debut more disappointing than the first episode of The World According to Paris, Olympic wrestler Lombard returned to his finishing ways with a first-round KO of Rousimar Palhares in December.
Don’t appreciate technical grappling and calculated top control? Well this next fight should cleanse the palate. After back-to-back losses put his job in jeopardy, Takanori Gomi (aka “The Fireball Kid”) rattled off two in a row with victories over Eiji Mitsuoka and Mac Danzig. The mixed martial artist formerly known as “The Nightmare,” Sanchez has not competed since losing to Jake Ellenberger over a year ago. Effective in all aspects, Sanchez has consistently proven he has a high pain tolerance and will be making his return to lightweight in this bout.
Time for the co-main event of the evening as the most verbose man in New Zealand, Mark Hunt, faces the tallest man in the UFC, Stefan “Skyscraper” Struve. A former K-1 kickboxer, Hunt holds a surprising three-fight win streak including a first-round TKO of Cheick Kongo. Struve has used a mixture of submissions and punches to run up a win streak of his own with wins over Stipe Miocic, Lavar Johnson, Dave Herman and Pat Barry.
In the main event, Wanderlei Silva returns to the land of PRIDE, where he secured his status as an MMA legend. It’ll be a welcome change of scenery since the Axe Murderer — who once held an 18-fight win streak in PRIDE — is 3-7 in his last 10 fights. One of the most accurate strikers in the division, Brian Stann looks to bounce back from a loss to Michael Bisping at UFC 152. 
At a Team Sonnen training session, Luke Barnatt and Uriah Hall have a disagreement. Luke is upset with Uriah’s aggressiveness during drills and doesn’t appreciate his attitude. “He’s not a team player…he’s an ego-driven machine.” Uriah thinks that Luke didn’t show up to train that day, and was just being soft. 
Back at the house Josh Samman runs some extra training sessions in the backyard. Dylan Andrews says he avoids these additional sessions and Josh’s personality annoys him. Josh appears bossy and assumes he’s in a position to tell the guys what to do. Adam Cella doesn’t seem as critical of Samman’s actions, but shares an anecdote about how Josh couldn’t even let him cut an onion without trying to correct him.
What’s the best way to cut tension? That’s right, bowling! The entire crew heads to the Red Rock Casino and Resort for a night of 10-pin bowling and UFC fights. Chael Sonnen interrupts a Jon Jones interview and challenges him to a three-frame bowl-off. The loser has to train the next day in the opposing team’s jersey. Falling short by only two pins, Jon Jones will have to represent the Team Dark Side colors.
Josh opens the first round with strong low kicks. He then rushes Tor and creates a tie-up. They battle inside the clinch and reverse positions a number of times. They briefly break, Tor lands a strong uppercut and they’re back in the tie-up. Josh attempts a judo throw, but Tor winds up on top and the Swede gets in a few strong punches. Josh is able to get Tor off balance with a sweep attempt and uses that opening to return to his feet. On the feet, Josh lands a big knee to the body that forces Tor to break the clinch. Josh doesn’t let him recover, though. He lands a body kick and follows through with a crisp 1-2 combo and earns the first-round TKO.
So far this season, the interactions between the coaches have been surprisingly jovial. Jones admits that he likes to remain aloof from his opponents and doesn’t enjoy talking to them, but acknowledges that the two see each other so much that he can’t really stop it. As Jones and Sonnen make small talk in the hallway, Luke Barnatt puts Bubba on blast. Given the experience gap between Kelvin and Bubba, he calls it “cheap shot” for Bubba to choose such a raw opponent. He predicts that karma will side with Kelvin and he’ll score the KO upset. 
Cut to Chael Sonnen giving a pep talk to the team. He asks the crew, “What emotion will help you inside the cage?” He answers the question for them and tells them that no emotion helps you. The only thing you can count on are your two fists and actions. After making a particularly emotional appeal against emotion, Chael reverts to his old ways and rhymes words together. 
As Bubba and Kelvin weigh in on the scale, other cast mates weigh in on the fight. Adam Cella thinks that the fight is much too one-sided. Josh Samman criticizes Kelvin’s diet, but Luke Barnatt sees Kelvin winning as long as he stays aggressive. Zak Cummings echos with the warning: “don’t sleep on Kelvin.”
Chael calls it the best fight so far and chalks up “one more for the bad guys.” In the locker room, Jon Jones tries to pump Bubba up for his shot at the wildcard and says he’ll be better than ever. The wound is still fresh, though, and Bubba says, “I feel like a failure.” Ronda Rousey calls to congratulate Kelvin and he giggles like a nervous schoolboy.
At the Team Jones training session, we learn that Bones’ strategy for winning resides in Collin’s ground game and cardio. Casey may be more muscular, but Hart’s superior athleticism will lead him to victory. We then hear the Collin Hart story. With a nickname like “The Dick,” one would assume Collin got his start at 
We now move to the Team Sonnen training session, where Kevin talks about his entry into the world of MMA. Involved in martial arts since a child, he took things to a new level when he became friends with Rockson Gracie. After Rockson passed away when he was in college, Kevin dedicated himself to an MMA career. Chael Sonnen sums up Hart’s strategy: Kevin will utilize top control and ground and pound his way to the next round. 
Collin sprints out the gate to begin round one. He jumps at Kevin (Jones later calls it a “ninja move”) and immediately transitions to a single-leg takedown. He easily moves to side control, but fails to do anything with it. Kevin gets his guard back and attempts a guillotine. Collin defends and the two are back on their feet. Kevin initially wins the advantage, but Collin soon backs him down and pushes Casey against the fence. The two trade knees in the clinch and Collin lands the more solid blows. With 20 seconds left in the round, Kevin breaks the tie-up and lands hooks with both fists, but Collin soon ties him back up and the round ends.
The second round begins and Kevin Casey follows orders, finding the mark with a couple of solid left crosses. Collin immediately clinches and puts Kevin — who is now bleeding — against the fence. Collin fails to score the outside trip, but uses the move to transition behind Kevin and take him down with a bodylock. Kevin’s cut appears to open up more as Collin moves to side mount. From this position Collin grinds Kevin down and uses short punches and elbows to batter his opponent. Kevin earns his guard back, but time is now his enemy. He continues to try to set up submissions from his back, but Collin rains down punishment as only 30 seconds remain. Collin stays in the dominant position and Kevin continues to bleed as time expires.
Team Jones has their first win under their belt and control is back on their side. Bubba McDaniel finally gets his chance to fight. His opponent will be the youngest man in TUF history, Kelvin Gastelum. Jon Jones believes Kelvin to be one of the weakest links on the opposing team. Chael Sonnen admits that Bubba is certainly the favorite to win the fight, but, “Kelvin is going to surprise some people.”
