Author: By E. Spencer Kyte

Saturday night is a championship homecoming for heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic, the first professional athlete in more than 50 years to bring a title back to Cleveland, accomplishing twin dreams he often discussed with one perfectly placed punch back in May at UFC 198.While this weekend’s UFC debut in “The Land” is capped by the city’s native son defending his title for the first time against Alistair Overeem and features a collection of seasoned veterans stepping into the Octagon, there are also three newcomers that are capable of making waves and stealing some of t … Read the Full Article Here

 
//
The wait is just about over. Next weekend – nearly two years after his signing was announced and six months from the time they shook hands and shared pleasantries inside the Octagon – former WWE superstar CM Punk will finally step into the Octagon for the first time, squaring off with Mickey Gall, the ambitious upstart who turned Dana White’s attendance at his professional debut into a golden ticket to the UFC. Easily one of the most-high profile bouts between competitors with two combined fights to their name, the anticipation and scrutiny surrounding this … Read the Full Article Here

 
//
Over the last three years, Alexander Gustafsson has taken part in a pair of epic battles for the UFC light heavyweight title.In close encounters with Jon Jones (UFC 165) and Daniel Cormier (UFC 192), the 29-year-old Swedish standout has proven himself as one of the elite talents in the 205-pound ranks; a fighter not only deserving of his place in those championship contests, but someone who rises to the occasion when UFC gold is on the line.Of course, he’s come up short in both instances, leaving Gustafsson no choice but to laugh at the positive designation that has em … Read the Full Article Here

As the scorching heat of the summer begins to wane and the leaves start to change colors, things in the UFC keep moving along at torrid clip as the arrival of September brings four consecutive weekends with live action for your viewing enjoyment.While this month doesn’t feature a historic Pay-Per-View like UFC 200 or an epic rematch like the one between Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz that headlined last month’s biggest event, the line-up for the next four events boasts a champion defending his title at home, familiar names returning to action, potential contenders jockeying for posit … Read the Full Article Here

Fall is usually the time when things start to slow down – the kids go back to school, the days get a little shorter, the temperature falls – but in the UFC, the action just keeps motoring along as hot and heavy it did throughout the summer with fight cards every weekend in September, starting with Saturday’s card in Hamburg, Germany.Headlined by veteran heavyweights Andrei Arlovski and Josh Barnett and featuring recognizable talent from the light heavyweight division in featured matchups, this is one of those cards that should close with a bang, but as with every event, the … Read the Full Article Here

In this age of hustling prospects into difficult matchups and passing judgment on them before they’ve accumulated enough fights to form a real opinion about where they stand, Charles Oliveira is an example of giving young talents time to find themselves inside the Octagon.Make no mistake about it: Oliveira was hustled into the deep end of the talent pool early on in his UFC career, as a rough stretch where he went 2-4 (with one no contest) was made up of losses to Jim Miller, Donald Cerrone, Cub Swanson and Frankie Edgar; veteran talents with infinitely more experience than the energetic … Read the Full Article Here