While former football players-turned-professional fighters Matt Mitrione and Brendan Schaub were thrust into the heavyweight conversation as a result of their inclusion on Season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter, Shawn Jordan has crept in the back door.Unlike his gridiron brethren, Jordan didn’t get a multi-week introduction to the UFC audience or early access to prime real estate on televised fight cards right out of the gate. Instead, the former LSU fullback migrated to the UFC from Strikeforce with a 12-3 record and very little fanfare, landing opposite former British strongman Oli Thompson as ha … Read the Full Article Here
While former football players-turned-professional fighters Matt Mitrione and Brendan Schaub were thrust into the heavyweight conversation as a result of their inclusion on Season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter, Shawn Jordan has crept in the back door.Unlike his gridiron brethren, Jordan didn’t get a multi-week introduction to the UFC audience or early access to prime real estate on televised fight cards right out of the gate. Instead, the former LSU fullback migrated to the UFC from Strikeforce with a 12-3 record and very little fanfare, landing opposite former British strongman Oli Thompson as ha … Read the Full Article Here
“We’re kind of caught walking this fine line between having it look like a semi-bar fight where we’re throwing leather wildly or making it a little more technical.”Mike Pierce is laughing before he’s done with the sentence, but that doesn’t make the sentiment any less true, especially for someone in his position.The hard-nosed wrestler from Portland, Oregon has spent the last four years building a reputation as a tough out in the UFC welterweight division, amassing a 9-3 record inside the Octagon, including having won his last four outings. Because he’s a former Division I wrestler that employ … Read the Full Article Here
“We’re kind of caught walking this fine line between having it look like a semi-bar fight where we’re throwing leather wildly or making it a little more technical.”Mike Pierce is laughing before he’s done with the sentence, but that doesn’t make the sentiment any less true, especially for someone in his position.The hard-nosed wrestler from Portland, Oregon has spent the last four years building a reputation as a tough out in the UFC welterweight division, amassing a 9-3 record inside the Octagon, including having won his last four outings. Because he’s a former Division I wrestler that employ … Read the Full Article Here
“I hate to steal a saying from a t-shirt,” an excited Joey Beltran begins before pausing to correct himself.“Actually, it started out as the homie Kendall Grove’s tattoo. It says, “Only a fighter knows how it feels,” and it’s true. The only way I feel the most alive, the most at home and safe – as weird as that may sound – the world makes sense when I’m in there fighting. I haven’t had that for a long time, and I’m stumbling over my words right now because that’s how excited I am to go in there and fight.“I’ve never been so excited to get punched in the face.”Wednesday night, Beltran gets the … Read the Full Article Here
“I hate to steal a saying from a t-shirt,” an excited Joey Beltran begins before pausing to correct himself.“Actually, it started out as the homie Kendall Grove’s tattoo. It says, “Only a fighter knows how it feels,” and it’s true. The only way I feel the most alive, the most at home and safe – as weird as that may sound – the world makes sense when I’m in there fighting. I haven’t had that for a long time, and I’m stumbling over my words right now because that’s how excited I am to go in there and fight.“I’ve never been so excited to get punched in the face.”Wednesday night, Beltran gets the … Read the Full Article Here
Officially, the first significant step in TJ Dillashaw’s journey towards the top of the UFC bantamweight division was in the wrong direction.After earning victories in each of his first four professional bouts, and cruising through to the finals of the 135-pound competition on Season 14 of The Ultimate Fighter, the budding Team Alpha Male standout was all set to make an immediate impact on the biggest stage in the sport by joining the fraternity of former winners of the reality TV competition.And then he lost.In less than two minutes, the bouncing, tumbling, crackling ball of kinetic energy kn … Read the Full Article Here
Officially, the first significant step in TJ Dillashaw’s journey towards the top of the UFC bantamweight division was in the wrong direction.After earning victories in each of his first four professional bouts, and cruising through to the finals of the 135-pound competition on Season 14 of The Ultimate Fighter, the budding Team Alpha Male standout was all set to make an immediate impact on the biggest stage in the sport by joining the fraternity of former winners of the reality TV competition.And then he lost.In less than two minutes, the bouncing, tumbling, crackling ball of kinetic energy kn … Read the Full Article Here
Every fighter will tell you they believe – nay, know – they’re going to win their next fight. No matter the odds, no matter the circumstances, they will emerge victorious.Period.Nothing more to be said.But how those words are delivered and the explanation and analysis that usually accompanies them often tells you more than the words themselves. In a sport where everyone says they’re going to win all the time (understandably), there are times where it’s clear that a prediction of victory is more than just talk.They say the quiet ones are the ones you really have to watch out for, and in the UFC … Read the Full Article Here
Every fighter will tell you they believe – nay, know – they’re going to win their next fight. No matter the odds, no matter the circumstances, they will emerge victorious.Period.Nothing more to be said.But how those words are delivered and the explanation and analysis that usually accompanies them often tells you more than the words themselves. In a sport where everyone says they’re going to win all the time (understandably), there are times where it’s clear that a prediction of victory is more than just talk.They say the quiet ones are the ones you really have to watch out for, and in the UFC … Read the Full Article Here
Many of the WEC fighters that have transitioned to the UFC still carry a chip on their shoulders, especially the athletes that competed from lightweight down, when the organization was gaining some attention, but remained buried in the shadow of the biggest company in the sport.Each time they step into the cage, they’re looking to remind everyone watching – and those that doubted the company that used the little blue cage – that competing outside of the UFC is the only thing that was limiting them from being regarded as elite fighters in their respective weight classes.Eddie Wineland’s ties to … Read the Full Article Here
Many of the WEC fighters that have transitioned to the UFC still carry a chip on their shoulders, especially the athletes that competed from lightweight down, when the organization was gaining some attention, but remained buried in the shadow of the biggest company in the sport.Each time they step into the cage, they’re looking to remind everyone watching – and those that doubted the company that used the little blue cage – that competing outside of the UFC is the only thing that was limiting them from being regarded as elite fighters in their respective weight classes.Eddie Wineland’s ties to … Read the Full Article Here