If this is the beginning of the Renan Barao era, he absolutely must win on Saturday night. No ifs, ands or buts about it. He has to defeat Michael McDonald.
Many think Barao is going to redefine bantamweight greatness. While that sounds like tremendous hype, folks have to take into account that the Brazilian monster hasn’t lost in his last 32 professional fights.
He has only competed 33 times as a professional. That is one heck of a winning streak.
The 32-fight run makes Barao the hottest fighter in the UFC. His latest effort was the complete domination of former champion and WEC poster boy Urijah Faber. The bout won Barao a share of the 135-pound title and solidified him as a force to be reckoned with in the UFC.
In terms of styles, Barao prefers to stand and strike, particularly early. Yet, he has never won by knockout in the UFC. One would never assume that fact after watching him fight because Barao swings from his heels all day every day. He also happens to be one of the biggest, strongest bantamweights in the world, so he has scored his share of knoc downs. None of those have translated into a knockout, however. Not yet, at least.
Instead, the Brazilian prefers to rely on his elite-level Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu once the fight hits the canvas. Or at least dominate the action in an anaconda-like fashion en route to a judges’ decision.
Slugger on the feet. Tactician on the ground. That sounds like someone with an identity crisis. But it works for Barao. He happens to be just about equally effective at each part of the game, despite the fact that he rarely finishes with his fists. That is what makes him such a dangerous opponent.
Of course, McDonald loves to scrap on the feet. He will plant his feet and trade with anyone. That is one of the great aspects of this fight.
Not to mention that McDonald is attempting to become the youngest champion in UFC history. If he wins on Saturday night, he will break Jon Jones’ record in that regard.
That alone makes this an interesting fight. The fact that these two are going stand and bang with each other makes it must-see TV.
There isn’t much else in terms of breaking down this fight. Barao is the rightful favorite, one who should be able to find a way to win, if he is the champion that most believe him to be. Why? He has more tools in his toolbox. Pure and simple.
And he might be the very best 135-pound fighter in the world, reigning – but sidelined – champion Dominick Cruz included.
But McDonald is a very live underdog. He is just a few weeks after his 22nd birthday, so he still has that sense of invincibility ingrained in his DNA. The fact that he has a loss on his record is irrelevant. McDonald avenged the loss with a particularly brutal knockout win over his lone career conqueror. He has the confidence of an undefeated youth. Trust me on that one.
Will he pull off the upset? I don’t know. It’s tough for me to pick against Barao in this one. But I’ve been wrong before. Am I wrong again?
You tell me. I’ll be reading the comments below, as always.
QUICK FACTS:
Renan Barao • 31-1, 1 NC • 25 years old (turns 26 on February 27) • 5’6, 135 pounds • 70-inch reach • 32-fight unbeaten streak • First defense of interim UFC Bantamweight Championship • 50% of UFC/WEC wins by submission • 50% of UFC/WEC wins by decision • No UFC/WEC wins by KO/TKO • Only career loss by decision • UFC Fight of the Night once • Current layoff of 210 days is the longest of his career
Michael McDonald • 15-1 • 5’9, 135 pounds • 70-inch reach • 22 years old • 8 consecutive wins • 60.0% of wins by KO/TKO • 26.7% of wins by submission • 13.3% of wins by decision • Only career loss by TKO • 2-1 versus current or former champions • 2 post-fight awards (Knockout of the Night; Fight of the Night) • Current layoff of 201 days is the longest of his career
Let’s cut right to the chase.
If this is the beginning of the Renan Barao era, he absolutely must win on Saturday night. No ifs, ands or buts about it. He has to defeat Michael McDonald.
Many think Barao is going to redefine bantamweight greatness. While that sounds like tremendous hype, folks have to take into account that the Brazilian monster hasn’t lost in his last 32 professional fights.
He has only competed 33 times as a professional. That is one heck of a winning streak.
The 32-fight run makes Barao the hottest fighter in the UFC. His latest effort was the complete domination of former champion and WEC poster boy Urijah Faber. The bout won Barao a share of the 135-pound title and solidified him as a force to be reckoned with in the UFC.
In terms of styles, Barao prefers to stand and strike, particularly early. Yet, he has never won by knockout in the UFC. One would never assume that fact after watching him fight because Barao swings from his heels all day every day. He also happens to be one of the biggest, strongest bantamweights in the world, so he has scored his share of knoc downs. None of those have translated into a knockout, however. Not yet, at least.
Instead, the Brazilian prefers to rely on his elite-level Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu once the fight hits the canvas. Or at least dominate the action in an anaconda-like fashion en route to a judges’ decision.
Slugger on the feet. Tactician on the ground. That sounds like someone with an identity crisis. But it works for Barao. He happens to be just about equally effective at each part of the game, despite the fact that he rarely finishes with his fists. That is what makes him such a dangerous opponent.
Of course, McDonald loves to scrap on the feet. He will plant his feet and trade with anyone. That is one of the great aspects of this fight.
Not to mention that McDonald is attempting to become the youngest champion in UFC history. If he wins on Saturday night, he will break Jon Jones’ record in that regard.
That alone makes this an interesting fight. The fact that these two are going stand and bang with each other makes it must-see TV.
There isn’t much else in terms of breaking down this fight. Barao is the rightful favorite, one who should be able to find a way to win, if he is the champion that most believe him to be. Why? He has more tools in his toolbox. Pure and simple.
And he might be the very best 135-pound fighter in the world, reigning – but sidelined – champion Dominick Cruz included.
But McDonald is a very live underdog. He is just a few weeks after his 22nd birthday, so he still has that sense of invincibility ingrained in his DNA. The fact that he has a loss on his record is irrelevant. McDonald avenged the loss with a particularly brutal knockout win over his lone career conqueror. He has the confidence of an undefeated youth. Trust me on that one.
Will he pull off the upset? I don’t know. It’s tough for me to pick against Barao in this one. But I’ve been wrong before. Am I wrong again?
You tell me. I’ll be reading the comments below, as always.
QUICK FACTS:
Renan Barao • 31-1, 1 NC • 25 years old (turns 26 on February 27) • 5’6, 135 pounds • 70-inch reach • 32-fight unbeaten streak • First defense of interim UFC Bantamweight Championship • 50% of UFC/WEC wins by submission • 50% of UFC/WEC wins by decision • No UFC/WEC wins by KO/TKO • Only career loss by decision • UFC Fight of the Night once • Current layoff of 210 days is the longest of his career
Michael McDonald • 15-1 • 5’9, 135 pounds • 70-inch reach • 22 years old • 8 consecutive wins • 60.0% of wins by KO/TKO • 26.7% of wins by submission • 13.3% of wins by decision • Only career loss by TKO • 2-1 versus current or former champions • 2 post-fight awards (Knockout of the Night; Fight of the Night) • Current layoff of 201 days is the longest of his career
On paper, at least, former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar appeared to be the toughest challenge of Jose Aldo’s career to date.
Nope.
Aldo handled Edgar no differently than he did Kenny Florian, Urijah Faber, Mike Brown and all the others who have faced him in the UFC and WEC. In fact, Saturday night was his 15th consecutive win. That is a remarkable streak in a sport where parity is the order of the day.
At this point, Aldo has completely cleaned out the featherweight division. Granted, I believe that Dustin Poirier is the guy I’ve got my eye on as the future of the division. But he recently lost to the “Korean Zombie,” Chan Sung Jung, so a title challenge isn’t imminent.
Dominating the division like Aldo has over the last few years leaves no doubt that he is among the very best in the sport, across all weight classes. He is so good that I literally don’t give any other featherweight much of a chance at defeating him in the near future, if I’m being honest.
Shortly after Aldo’s big win, top lightweight competitor and former 155-pound WEC champion Anthony Pettis claimed that he would drop down a weight class if the UFC would give him a shot at the champ. That is an extremely interesting matchup.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet. It wasn’t that long ago that Edgar was viewed as a clear top-five pound-for-pound candidate. That makes Aldo’s win that much more impressive. He should enjoy the moment and then ask himself whether he wants to face Pettis at featherweight or possibly move up to lightweight and try to become the first man in the history of the UFC to simultaneously hold two championships.
THE REEM LEARNS A HARSH LESSON; THE REST OF THE SPORT LEARNS A VALUABLE ONE
Alistair Overeem was dominating Antonio Silva through two rounds with technical brilliance. He was making the fight look just as easy as he claimed it would be in the weeks leading up to the bout. Overeem was not shy about referring to “Bigfoot” as a warm-up bout. The Brazilian was nothing more than a way to shake off the cage rust after 13 months out of action before “The Reem” faced Cain Velasquez for the heavyweight crown.
Then, Silva came out and turned the third round into a bar fight. Twenty-five seconds later, Overeem lay slumped on the canvas. It was his first loss since September 17, 2007, and undoubtedly the most costly loss of his professional career.
There will be no bout with Velasquez around the corner. Overeem now needs to rehabilitate his status among the very best, something I’m sure he will do with a devastating win or two. After all, the last time Overeem lost, he was knocked out. It took nearly six years for it to happen again.
Conversely, Silva is now extremely relevant in the heavyweight division, something that was a pretty farfetched thought after he got obliterated by Velasquez in his UFC debut. The problem, of course, is Velasquez’s win over him was so dominant that it is tough to imagine a rematch unfolding any differently, though a few more wins and the UFC will have no choice but to grant him that wish.
Rankings aside, the way Overeem-Silva ended should be a very vivid teaching lesson to everyone in the UFC—literally everyone.
First, Overeem’s hubris is what cost him the fight. Silva seemed like nothing more than a sparring partner when Overeem relied on his technical skills. The minute Silva devolved the action into a brawl, the worm didn’t just turn. It turned and bit with the jaws of a great white shark.
Had Overeem shunned the invitation to plant and swing in barroom fashion, he would be thinking about his upcoming bout with Velasquez right now.
The obvious lesson to learn is to never shun technique in favor of a rock-em, sock-em exchange when winning the fight.
Second, Silva’s heart is what won him the fight. He knew he was down on the scorecards entering the third and final round. He had no chance of winning, absent a knockout or submission. What did he do? He rushed to the center of the cage and fought like a wild man.
Silva punked Overeem into brawling with him by challenging his manhood, both with words and his actions. Overeem took the bait hook, line and sinker. But for Silva’s decision to throw caution completely to the wind, his bank account would be much lighter right now, and his record would have one more loss on it.
Lots of fighters know they are down on the cards, with no chance of winning a decision, when the final round begins. Few truly do anything about it. Even fewer really let it all hang out, risking getting knocked out themselves, in search of a dramatic, come-from-behind victory.
The obvious lesson to learn is to embrace the old adage “with great risk comes great reward.”
EVANS CONTINUES TO BAFFLE
Rashad Evans is one of the most talented fighters in the sport. From his athleticism to his technical skill to his amazing fighting IQ, this guy doesn’t have many peers. Yet, he has been underperforming since he won the UFC 205-pound title back in 2008.
Evans started his career in the UFC as a heavyweight who didn’t have much chance at stopping the big fellas, so he fought to survive and win at the same time. He carried that mentality with him when he dropped to the light heavyweight class. A split decision win over Sam Hoger and then a majority decision win over Stephan Bonnar. Those are good results, but they don’t suggest a future champion.
Out of nowhere, everything changed.
He followed those sleepy wins with a knockout over the then-highly touted Jason Lambert. It was a spectacular finish, one that turned around Evans’ career path. He went from sleepy victor to must-see TV overnight.
Four fights later, Evans turned in a Knockout of the Century performance against Chuck Liddell to earn a shot at the UFC title. “Suga” won the title by knockout in his next fight, making him one of the top stars in the sport.
Then, everything changed again. This time, however, they changed for the worse.
Evans lost the title by sudden, dramatic knockout to Lyoto Machida in his first defense. He has never been the same since. Sure, he is 4-2 since losing the title, but his only stoppage win was against a faded, over-the-hill Tito Ortiz. Each of the other bouts saw a safety-first Evans do what was necessary to win, but not really press for a finish. He went from must-see TV to, well, less than thrilling.
Evans lost on Saturday night to Rogerio Nogueira in a fight that probably could have gone either way. But it was the same sort of sleepy effort, where the former champion seemed unable to pull the trigger, that has plagued him in recent years.
Could the loss turn out to be a good thing? I don’t know. Something needs to change for Evans. He is far, far too good to turn in performances like he did on Saturday night, where he appears hesitant and defensive.
Where is the knockout king? We need to put out an APB, because the world is dying to see that Evans step into the cage. If Evans would commit to aggressively letting his hands go, like he did back in 2007 and 2008, he would be a handful for anyone in the world. That is the guy who can win a title, whether at 205 or 185 pounds. Bring that guy back, please.
ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION GSP?
Demian Maia is now 3-0 after dropping to the welterweight division. He has looked better and better in each of those three bouts, culminating in a career-best performance againt Jon Fitch.
If anyone claims they knew Maia would be able to take down Fitch, they are lying. Period. Hard stop.
Fitch is one of the most effective wrestlers in the sport. Yet, he repeatedly found himself on the canvas trying to survive Maia’s ground wizardry. Make no mistake about it. Fitch trained extensively on keeping the fight on the feet, and he still couldn’t do anything to prevent Maia from putting him in the one position he wanted to avoid at all costs.
I personally think Maia is now easily positioned among the top five or six guys in the division. And I think his skills may present the single biggest test for champion Georges St-Pierre among the current crop of contenders.
That may sound crazy, since Maia has only competed three times in the division. But fans must remember that Maia was once the top contender at middleweight. His skills have long been on display inside the Octagon. We know precisely what he brings to the table.
What does he bring? The best BJJ in the sport.
Before Saturday night, I would have completely discounted Maia’s ground game as a significant factor in a matchup with GSP because I didn’t believe he had the ability to take the action to the ground. After watching him repeatedly put Fitch on his back, I’m not so sure anymore.
Eliminating takedowns from GSP’s game, because the champ wants no part of dealing with Maia’s offensive guard, trust me on that one, changes the effectiveness of GSP’s standup. Adding the possibility of the Brazilian scoring a takedown completely changes the entire complexion of a matchup between these two.
Of course, GSP has to get past Nick Diaz before anyone should spend too much time talking about GSP-Maia. A win over Diaz is far from guaranteed. But if the champ does survive the brash Stockton native, then a bout with Maia presents some intriguing possibilities.
In my opinion, Johny Hendricks is the number one contender at welterweight. Maia shouldn’t jump him in line, unless he stumbles against Jake Ellenberger next month.
And there is also some guy named Anderson Silva hanging out background, as well, as a possible future opponent for the champion in a bout that would likely be the biggest event in the history of the sport.
I think the perfect next fight for Maia to establish his place in the pecking order would be the winner of the upcoming bout between Rory MacDonald and Carlos Condit. That matchup would tell us all we need to know about Maia’s proper place in the championship queue.
ALDO CEMENTS HIS PLACE AMONG THE ACTIVE GREATS
On paper, at least, former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar appeared to be the toughest challenge of Jose Aldo’s career to date.
Nope.
Aldo handled Edgar no differently than he did Kenny Florian, Urijah Faber, Mike Brown and all the others who have faced him in the UFC and WEC. In fact, Saturday night was his 15th consecutive win. That is a remarkable streak in a sport where parity is the order of the day.
At this point, Aldo has completely cleaned out the featherweight division. Granted, I believe that Dustin Poirier is the guy I’ve got my eye on as the future of the division. But he recently lost to the “Korean Zombie,” Chan Sung Jung, so a title challenge isn’t imminent.
Dominating the division like Aldo has over the last few years leaves no doubt that he is among the very best in the sport, across all weight classes. He is so good that I literally don’t give any other featherweight much of a chance at defeating him in the near future, if I’m being honest.
Shortly after Aldo’s big win, top lightweight competitor and former 155-pound WEC champion Anthony Pettis claimed that he would drop down a weight class if the UFC would give him a shot at the champ. That is an extremely interesting matchup.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet. It wasn’t that long ago that Edgar was viewed as a clear top-five pound-for-pound candidate. That makes Aldo’s win that much more impressive. He should enjoy the moment and then ask himself whether he wants to face Pettis at featherweight or possibly move up to lightweight and try to become the first man in the history of the UFC to simultaneously hold two championships.
THE REEM LEARNS A HARSH LESSON; THE REST OF THE SPORT LEARNS A VALUABLE ONE
Alistair Overeem was dominating Antonio Silva through two rounds with technical brilliance. He was making the fight look just as easy as he claimed it would be in the weeks leading up to the bout. Overeem was not shy about referring to “Bigfoot” as a warm-up bout. The Brazilian was nothing more than a way to shake off the cage rust after 13 months out of action before “The Reem” faced Cain Velasquez for the heavyweight crown.
Then, Silva came out and turned the third round into a bar fight. Twenty-five seconds later, Overeem lay slumped on the canvas. It was his first loss since September 17, 2007, and undoubtedly the most costly loss of his professional career.
There will be no bout with Velasquez around the corner. Overeem now needs to rehabilitate his status among the very best, something I’m sure he will do with a devastating win or two. After all, the last time Overeem lost, he was knocked out. It took nearly six years for it to happen again.
Conversely, Silva is now extremely relevant in the heavyweight division, something that was a pretty farfetched thought after he got obliterated by Velasquez in his UFC debut. The problem, of course, is Velasquez’s win over him was so dominant that it is tough to imagine a rematch unfolding any differently, though a few more wins and the UFC will have no choice but to grant him that wish.
Rankings aside, the way Overeem-Silva ended should be a very vivid teaching lesson to everyone in the UFC—literally everyone.
First, Overeem’s hubris is what cost him the fight. Silva seemed like nothing more than a sparring partner when Overeem relied on his technical skills. The minute Silva devolved the action into a brawl, the worm didn’t just turn. It turned and bit with the jaws of a great white shark.
Had Overeem shunned the invitation to plant and swing in barroom fashion, he would be thinking about his upcoming bout with Velasquez right now.
The obvious lesson to learn is to never shun technique in favor of a rock-em, sock-em exchange when winning the fight.
Second, Silva’s heart is what won him the fight. He knew he was down on the scorecards entering the third and final round. He had no chance of winning, absent a knockout or submission. What did he do? He rushed to the center of the cage and fought like a wild man.
Silva punked Overeem into brawling with him by challenging his manhood, both with words and his actions. Overeem took the bait hook, line and sinker. But for Silva’s decision to throw caution completely to the wind, his bank account would be much lighter right now, and his record would have one more loss on it.
Lots of fighters know they are down on the cards, with no chance of winning a decision, when the final round begins. Few truly do anything about it. Even fewer really let it all hang out, risking getting knocked out themselves, in search of a dramatic, come-from-behind victory.
The obvious lesson to learn is to embrace the old adage “with great risk comes great reward.”
EVANS CONTINUES TO BAFFLE
Rashad Evans is one of the most talented fighters in the sport. From his athleticism to his technical skill to his amazing fighting IQ, this guy doesn’t have many peers. Yet, he has been underperforming since he won the UFC 205-pound title back in 2008.
Evans started his career in the UFC as a heavyweight who didn’t have much chance at stopping the big fellas, so he fought to survive and win at the same time. He carried that mentality with him when he dropped to the light heavyweight class. A split decision win over Sam Hoger and then a majority decision win over Stephan Bonnar. Those are good results, but they don’t suggest a future champion.
Out of nowhere, everything changed.
He followed those sleepy wins with a knockout over the then-highly touted Jason Lambert. It was a spectacular finish, one that turned around Evans’ career path. He went from sleepy victor to must-see TV overnight.
Four fights later, Evans turned in a Knockout of the Century performance against Chuck Liddell to earn a shot at the UFC title. “Suga” won the title by knockout in his next fight, making him one of the top stars in the sport.
Then, everything changed again. This time, however, they changed for the worse.
Evans lost the title by sudden, dramatic knockout to Lyoto Machida in his first defense. He has never been the same since. Sure, he is 4-2 since losing the title, but his only stoppage win was against a faded, over-the-hill Tito Ortiz. Each of the other bouts saw a safety-first Evans do what was necessary to win, but not really press for a finish. He went from must-see TV to, well, less than thrilling.
Evans lost on Saturday night to Rogerio Nogueira in a fight that probably could have gone either way. But it was the same sort of sleepy effort, where the former champion seemed unable to pull the trigger, that has plagued him in recent years.
Could the loss turn out to be a good thing? I don’t know. Something needs to change for Evans. He is far, far too good to turn in performances like he did on Saturday night, where he appears hesitant and defensive.
Where is the knockout king? We need to put out an APB, because the world is dying to see that Evans step into the cage. If Evans would commit to aggressively letting his hands go, like he did back in 2007 and 2008, he would be a handful for anyone in the world. That is the guy who can win a title, whether at 205 or 185 pounds. Bring that guy back, please.
ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION GSP?
Demian Maia is now 3-0 after dropping to the welterweight division. He has looked better and better in each of those three bouts, culminating in a career-best performance againt Jon Fitch.
If anyone claims they knew Maia would be able to take down Fitch, they are lying. Period. Hard stop.
Fitch is one of the most effective wrestlers in the sport. Yet, he repeatedly found himself on the canvas trying to survive Maia’s ground wizardry. Make no mistake about it. Fitch trained extensively on keeping the fight on the feet, and he still couldn’t do anything to prevent Maia from putting him in the one position he wanted to avoid at all costs.
I personally think Maia is now easily positioned among the top five or six guys in the division. And I think his skills may present the single biggest test for champion Georges St-Pierre among the current crop of contenders.
That may sound crazy, since Maia has only competed three times in the division. But fans must remember that Maia was once the top contender at middleweight. His skills have long been on display inside the Octagon. We know precisely what he brings to the table.
What does he bring? The best BJJ in the sport.
Before Saturday night, I would have completely discounted Maia’s ground game as a significant factor in a matchup with GSP because I didn’t believe he had the ability to take the action to the ground. After watching him repeatedly put Fitch on his back, I’m not so sure anymore.
Eliminating takedowns from GSP’s game, because the champ wants no part of dealing with Maia’s offensive guard, trust me on that one, changes the effectiveness of GSP’s standup. Adding the possibility of the Brazilian scoring a takedown completely changes the entire complexion of a matchup between these two.
Of course, GSP has to get past Nick Diaz before anyone should spend too much time talking about GSP-Maia. A win over Diaz is far from guaranteed. But if the champ does survive the brash Stockton native, then a bout with Maia presents some intriguing possibilities.
In my opinion, Johny Hendricks is the number one contender at welterweight. Maia shouldn’t jump him in line, unless he stumbles against Jake Ellenberger next month.
And there is also some guy named Anderson Silva hanging out background, as well, as a possible future opponent for the champion in a bout that would likely be the biggest event in the history of the sport.
I think the perfect next fight for Maia to establish his place in the pecking order would be the winner of the upcoming bout between Rory MacDonald and Carlos Condit. That matchup would tell us all we need to know about Maia’s proper place in the championship queue.
The newly slimmed down version (call him Edgar 2.0) is the former UFC lightweight champion. He is the man who dethroned legendary champion BJ Penn, and then dominated the all-time great in an immediate rematch. He is a guy who, after 18 professional fights, only has one true conqueror—reigning champion Benson Henderson. The only other man to defeat him, Gray Maynard, got crushed in their third bout. It was the Knockout of the Night and could have been Knockout of the Year.
The interesting thing about Edgar’s drop to featherweight is the fact that he has always been a natural featherweight. He is one of the few champions in recent UFC history, outside of heavyweights, of course, who didn’t cut weight for his bouts. As a result, he often faced guys who weighed 10 or more pounds heavier than him come fight time, including Penn.
That feat, in and of itself, qualifies Edgar for pound-for-pound greatness.
After back-to-back losses to the significantly larger Henderson, Edgar will finally make his debut 10 pounds to the south. It is a weight class that he should have been competing in since it was first established in the UFC. The weight cut won’t be difficult. In fact, he will probably still be the smaller man come fight time. But at least the size differential won’t be as extreme as what he is used to.
By all accounts, Edgar’s featherweight debut should be an easier proposition than the life he faced competing at lightweight.
The only problem, of course, is his debut is coming against Jose Aldo.
The reigning featherweight champ sits firmly among the top four pound-for-pound fighters in the sport today, alongside unquestioned king Anderson Silva, close second Georges St-Pierre, and heir apparent Jon Jones. Aldo’s relative ranking against those names is open for debate. His presence in the discussion is not.
Now it is Edgar’s turn. For the second time in his last three fights, Aldo will face a man who recently dropped down to featherweight from one division to the north in an attempt to find UFC gold. The last man, Kenny Florian, suffered a solid beating.
Will Edgar suffer the same fate?
The best game plan for Aldo on Saturday night is the same one he used against Faber back in 2010, which means dishing out a heavy dose of kicks.
Aldo is a master at using kicks to both control the distance and exact damage. He knew that he needed to avoid the takedown against Faber in order to maximize his chances at defeating the former collegiate wrestling star. While Edgar is also an extremely strong wrestler, he uses it more defensively than offensively in his fights. I don’t expect that to change on Saturday night.
Instead, Edgar will come out fighting just like he always does, which means a ton of lateral movement as he hunts and pecks throughout the fight. Aldo needs to use heavy leg kicks and lightning-fast kicks to the body to help slow Edgar’s movement to present a more hittable target.
Aldo’s lower body attack was so effective against Faber that he actually scored multiple knockdowns from leg kicks, something rarely seen at the highest level of MMA. He can do the same thing against Edgar.
Aldo delivers his kicks with such insane speed that they are unbelievably difficult to time and catch. Edgar probably assumes that is the best way to defend that strike, possibly using the move to take the fight to the ground. That means he will stay in the pocket, at least initially, to see if he can catch a kick. That decision will prove futile against the best leg striker in the division.
Moreover, Edgar dropping his hands in an unsuccessful attempt to catch an Aldo kick opens the door for a one-punch knockout loss.
Not only is Aldo the best puncher in the division; he is one of the best in the sport. He has true show-stopping power in his fists, particularly his nuclear right hand. What makes his right hand so effective is his ability to feint with a kick and then unleash a right hand bomb in seamless succession.
That reality will keep Edgar guessing when Aldo throws a kick. Sure, Edgar can merely lift his left leg to check the strike while putting his hands over his face in defense. But that basically turns him into a heavy bag, since he is completely out of position to counter.
Plus, covering up in that fashion isn’t foolproof. One can’t protect all areas at the same time. Instantly covering up when a kick is coming means Edgar must guess correctly. Is Aldo shooting the punch down the center? Is he looping it a bit to the jaw? Is it aimed for his temple? Or is it a left hook?
Any one of those can turn out the lights.
Once Aldo’s kicks start to land, Edgar will become more and more stationary, which creates more and more opportunities to land big punches. And that, of course, increases the odds of a win by knockout or a terrific beating en route to a unanimous decision.
That is the fight in a nutshell from Aldo’s perspective, but there are two sides to every coin. Edgar isn’t showing up as a sparring partner. He is coming to win, so he has his own keys to victory.
For Edgar, the fight begins and ends with remaining unpredictable. That is his single key to victory.
On the feet, he needs to continually change up his angles of attack and punch combinations. Dart in with a single jab before rolling out to the right. Dart in with a one-two combination before exiting left. Lots of head movement. No kicks, not unless they finish fistic combinations. Aldo is too good at countering kicks.
But most importantly, Edgar needs to convince Aldo that he is looking for a firefight on the feet and use that to get the fight to the ground.
Let’s not forget that, as good as Aldo is in defending takedowns, Mark Hominick scored multiple takedowns against him in their bout. He was able to succeed where others failed because of his willingness to stand in the pocket and trade with the champion.
Hominick is an expert striker, so standing and trading with Aldo wasn’t a crazy idea. Edgar is nowhere close to Hominick in terms of his ability to stand and trade with standup killers. Doing that with Aldo is nothing short of career suicide. But he is equally good at executing a hunt-and-peck strategy.
If Edgar can remain committed to movement and ever-changing angles, Aldo will get frustrated with his inability to find the former champion. This guy has a thirst for thrilling the crowd in spectacular and explosive fashion. He thrives off utterly destroying an opponent.
If Aldo is struggling to find his opponent, something he really hasn’t experienced in the UFC, the odds are that he will begin to press with harder and harder shots. Personal safety is always an afterthought, because Aldo is the type of fighter who believes that the best defense is non-stop offense, so I don’t see him becoming more technical if the crowd becomes restless. He will become more aggressive.
That is just what the doctor ordered for a takedown. Edgar can dart in like he is about to throw a combination and then change levels under an overly aggressive Aldo counter. That is probably the only way that Edgar gets the fight to the ground, absent a flash knockdown or an uncharacteristic mistake by the champion.
Once the fight hits the ground, Edgar needs to remain busy with his ground and pound in order to keep it there. Aldo is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, but Edgar’s submission defense is so good that he won’t have much to worry about on the ground, other than Aldo working back to his feet.
The one thing Edgar must avoid doing is standing up and diving in with punches, like he did in his first fight with Henderson. Not only does that open the door for Aldo to pop back to his feet. It creates opportunities for an upkick to the grill, something that cost Edgar the fight in his first bout with Henderson.
In addition to remaining unpredictable, Edgar must set a furious pace to the fight. Aldo cuts a tremendous amount of weight, so his ability to fight five hard and fast rounds is always a question. He is just fine over 25 minutes, if he is controlling the pace. But things may be different, if Edgar is the one pushing the action.
Plus, the last time Aldo fought on the heels of an injury, he showed up woefully out of shape because of the difficulty in getting his body down to the 145-pound limit. That is a very real possibility on Saturday night.
In either scenario, it is likely that Edgar will have the conditioning advantage. This guy is among the best in the sport at impersonating the Energizer Bunny. His gas tank is endless, and that is something he can leverage to beat Aldo or anyone else, if he fights the perfect fight.
On the surface, this fight has Aldo written all over it. But I’m not counting out Edgar. He was a tremendous underdog against Penn. That didn’t matter. Grey Maynard should have destroyed him in the rubber match, by all accounts. Nope. Try again.
Why should Saturday night be any different?
Because of Edgar’s ability to rise to the occasion againt seemingly insurmountable odds, I look at this fight as a veritable toss-up. The only outcome that would shock me is a knockout win by Edgar. Anything else is almost equally possible, in my mind.
Yet, if I’m forced to pick, I have to go with the champion. Aldo may very well go down as the greatest featherweight of our generation. He certainly holds that distinction today.
Jose Aldo • 21-1 • 5’7, 145 lbs • 70-inch reach • 26 years old • 14-fight winning streak • Last loss November 26, 2005 • 61.9% of wins by KO/TKO/submission due to strikes • 9.5% of wins by submission • 28.6% of wins by judges’ decision • Lone career loss by submission • 7-0 in championship fights • Fight of the Night in UFC debut against Hominick • Three consecutive successful defenses of UFC title • Current layoff is 385 days is longest of career
Frankie Edgar • 14-3-1 • 5’6, 145 lbs • 68-inch reach • 31 years old • 1-2-1 in last 4 fights (2 of those fights ended in a split verdict) • 21.4% of wins by KO/TKO • 21.4% of wins by submission • 57.2% of wins judges’ decision • 6-3-1 in UFC bouts that lasted the distance (has never been stopped as a pro) • First fight at 145-lbs • Former UFC Lightweight Champion • 6 post-fight awards (Fight of the Night 5x; Knockout of the Night) • Current layoff is 175 days • Longest layoff of career is 182 days
Fighters don’t ordinarily receive a title shot in their debut at a particular weight class.
The newly slimmed down version (call him Edgar 2.0) is the former UFC lightweight champion. He is the man who dethroned legendary champion BJ Penn, and then dominated the all-time great in an immediate rematch. He is a guy who, after 18 professional fights, only has one true conqueror—reigning champion Benson Henderson. The only other man to defeat him, Gray Maynard, got crushed in their third bout. It was the Knockout of the Night and could have been Knockout of the Year.
The interesting thing about Edgar’s drop to featherweight is the fact that he has always been a natural featherweight. He is one of the few champions in recent UFC history, outside of heavyweights, of course, who didn’t cut weight for his bouts. As a result, he often faced guys who weighed 10 or more pounds heavier than him come fight time, including Penn.
That feat, in and of itself, qualifies Edgar for pound-for-pound greatness.
After back-to-back losses to the significantly larger Henderson, Edgar will finally make his debut 10 pounds to the south. It is a weight class that he should have been competing in since it was first established in the UFC. The weight cut won’t be difficult. In fact, he will probably still be the smaller man come fight time. But at least the size differential won’t be as extreme as what he is used to.
By all accounts, Edgar’s featherweight debut should be an easier proposition than the life he faced competing at lightweight.
The only problem, of course, is his debut is coming against Jose Aldo.
The reigning featherweight champ sits firmly among the top four pound-for-pound fighters in the sport today, alongside unquestioned king Anderson Silva, close second Georges St-Pierre, and heir apparent Jon Jones. Aldo’s relative ranking against those names is open for debate. His presence in the discussion is not.
Now it is Edgar’s turn. For the second time in his last three fights, Aldo will face a man who recently dropped down to featherweight from one division to the north in an attempt to find UFC gold. The last man, Kenny Florian, suffered a solid beating.
Will Edgar suffer the same fate?
The best game plan for Aldo on Saturday night is the same one he used against Faber back in 2010, which means dishing out a heavy dose of kicks.
Aldo is a master at using kicks to both control the distance and exact damage. He knew that he needed to avoid the takedown against Faber in order to maximize his chances at defeating the former collegiate wrestling star. While Edgar is also an extremely strong wrestler, he uses it more defensively than offensively in his fights. I don’t expect that to change on Saturday night.
Instead, Edgar will come out fighting just like he always does, which means a ton of lateral movement as he hunts and pecks throughout the fight. Aldo needs to use heavy leg kicks and lightning-fast kicks to the body to help slow Edgar’s movement to present a more hittable target.
Aldo’s lower body attack was so effective against Faber that he actually scored multiple knockdowns from leg kicks, something rarely seen at the highest level of MMA. He can do the same thing against Edgar.
Aldo delivers his kicks with such insane speed that they are unbelievably difficult to time and catch. Edgar probably assumes that is the best way to defend that strike, possibly using the move to take the fight to the ground. That means he will stay in the pocket, at least initially, to see if he can catch a kick. That decision will prove futile against the best leg striker in the division.
Moreover, Edgar dropping his hands in an unsuccessful attempt to catch an Aldo kick opens the door for a one-punch knockout loss.
Not only is Aldo the best puncher in the division; he is one of the best in the sport. He has true show-stopping power in his fists, particularly his nuclear right hand. What makes his right hand so effective is his ability to feint with a kick and then unleash a right hand bomb in seamless succession.
That reality will keep Edgar guessing when Aldo throws a kick. Sure, Edgar can merely lift his left leg to check the strike while putting his hands over his face in defense. But that basically turns him into a heavy bag, since he is completely out of position to counter.
Plus, covering up in that fashion isn’t foolproof. One can’t protect all areas at the same time. Instantly covering up when a kick is coming means Edgar must guess correctly. Is Aldo shooting the punch down the center? Is he looping it a bit to the jaw? Is it aimed for his temple? Or is it a left hook?
Any one of those can turn out the lights.
Once Aldo’s kicks start to land, Edgar will become more and more stationary, which creates more and more opportunities to land big punches. And that, of course, increases the odds of a win by knockout or a terrific beating en route to a unanimous decision.
That is the fight in a nutshell from Aldo’s perspective, but there are two sides to every coin. Edgar isn’t showing up as a sparring partner. He is coming to win, so he has his own keys to victory.
For Edgar, the fight begins and ends with remaining unpredictable. That is his single key to victory.
On the feet, he needs to continually change up his angles of attack and punch combinations. Dart in with a single jab before rolling out to the right. Dart in with a one-two combination before exiting left. Lots of head movement. No kicks, not unless they finish fistic combinations. Aldo is too good at countering kicks.
But most importantly, Edgar needs to convince Aldo that he is looking for a firefight on the feet and use that to get the fight to the ground.
Let’s not forget that, as good as Aldo is in defending takedowns, Mark Hominick scored multiple takedowns against him in their bout. He was able to succeed where others failed because of his willingness to stand in the pocket and trade with the champion.
Hominick is an expert striker, so standing and trading with Aldo wasn’t a crazy idea. Edgar is nowhere close to Hominick in terms of his ability to stand and trade with standup killers. Doing that with Aldo is nothing short of career suicide. But he is equally good at executing a hunt-and-peck strategy.
If Edgar can remain committed to movement and ever-changing angles, Aldo will get frustrated with his inability to find the former champion. This guy has a thirst for thrilling the crowd in spectacular and explosive fashion. He thrives off utterly destroying an opponent.
If Aldo is struggling to find his opponent, something he really hasn’t experienced in the UFC, the odds are that he will begin to press with harder and harder shots. Personal safety is always an afterthought, because Aldo is the type of fighter who believes that the best defense is non-stop offense, so I don’t see him becoming more technical if the crowd becomes restless. He will become more aggressive.
That is just what the doctor ordered for a takedown. Edgar can dart in like he is about to throw a combination and then change levels under an overly aggressive Aldo counter. That is probably the only way that Edgar gets the fight to the ground, absent a flash knockdown or an uncharacteristic mistake by the champion.
Once the fight hits the ground, Edgar needs to remain busy with his ground and pound in order to keep it there. Aldo is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, but Edgar’s submission defense is so good that he won’t have much to worry about on the ground, other than Aldo working back to his feet.
The one thing Edgar must avoid doing is standing up and diving in with punches, like he did in his first fight with Henderson. Not only does that open the door for Aldo to pop back to his feet. It creates opportunities for an upkick to the grill, something that cost Edgar the fight in his first bout with Henderson.
In addition to remaining unpredictable, Edgar must set a furious pace to the fight. Aldo cuts a tremendous amount of weight, so his ability to fight five hard and fast rounds is always a question. He is just fine over 25 minutes, if he is controlling the pace. But things may be different, if Edgar is the one pushing the action.
Plus, the last time Aldo fought on the heels of an injury, he showed up woefully out of shape because of the difficulty in getting his body down to the 145-pound limit. That is a very real possibility on Saturday night.
In either scenario, it is likely that Edgar will have the conditioning advantage. This guy is among the best in the sport at impersonating the Energizer Bunny. His gas tank is endless, and that is something he can leverage to beat Aldo or anyone else, if he fights the perfect fight.
On the surface, this fight has Aldo written all over it. But I’m not counting out Edgar. He was a tremendous underdog against Penn. That didn’t matter. Grey Maynard should have destroyed him in the rubber match, by all accounts. Nope. Try again.
Why should Saturday night be any different?
Because of Edgar’s ability to rise to the occasion againt seemingly insurmountable odds, I look at this fight as a veritable toss-up. The only outcome that would shock me is a knockout win by Edgar. Anything else is almost equally possible, in my mind.
Yet, if I’m forced to pick, I have to go with the champion. Aldo may very well go down as the greatest featherweight of our generation. He certainly holds that distinction today.
Jose Aldo • 21-1 • 5’7, 145 lbs • 70-inch reach • 26 years old • 14-fight winning streak • Last loss November 26, 2005 • 61.9% of wins by KO/TKO/submission due to strikes • 9.5% of wins by submission • 28.6% of wins by judges’ decision • Lone career loss by submission • 7-0 in championship fights • Fight of the Night in UFC debut against Hominick • Three consecutive successful defenses of UFC title • Current layoff is 385 days is longest of career
Frankie Edgar • 14-3-1 • 5’6, 145 lbs • 68-inch reach • 31 years old • 1-2-1 in last 4 fights (2 of those fights ended in a split verdict) • 21.4% of wins by KO/TKO • 21.4% of wins by submission • 57.2% of wins judges’ decision • 6-3-1 in UFC bouts that lasted the distance (has never been stopped as a pro) • First fight at 145-lbs • Former UFC Lightweight Champion • 6 post-fight awards (Fight of the Night 5x; Knockout of the Night) • Current layoff is 175 days • Longest layoff of career is 182 days
Johnson has now beaten the other three over the last three fights. Has he cleaned out the division so soon after its creation? Sure, there are others out there who certainly qualify as contenders. Guys like John Moraga, Jussier Formiga, Louis Gaudinot, and John Lineker, among others, fit the bill. But after watching Johnson dismantle Dodson on the heels of his wins over Benavidez and McCall, does anyone give any of those guys a legitimate chance of unseating the champion, if he remains focused and committed to continual improvement?
Dodson may have rendered the sport’s newest male division irrelevant, in an Anderson Silva sort of way. That is the biggest compliment I can possibly give him.
TEIXEIRA SCORES BIGGEST WIN OF CAREER
Glover Teixeira has long been one of the best unknown light heavies in the world. Visa issues forced him to spend the last several years of his career competing in relative anonymity in his homeland of Brazil. But that doesn’t change the fact that his guy has sick skills.
Those skills were finally on display against a true A-list opponent on Saturday night. There is no doubt whatsoever that Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is both the biggest name and the best fighter he has ever faced. Yet, Teixeira made things look relatively easy on Saturday night.
I’ve written it before; I’ll write it again. Teixeira is a scary opponent for any light heavy in the world. This guy has big, strong punches, and his submission game is not to be messed with, except for the best in the world. The win over Rampage places him right in the middle of the 205-pound mix.
If, indeed, Saturday night was Rampage’s last trip to the Octagon, I’m quite sure that he will eventually look back on his UFC career with great inner conflict. The same inner conflict that he feels when he looks back at his PRIDE days.
On one hand, Jackson was once one of the most talented fighters the sport has ever seen. His punching power was second to none. His physical strength, evident by his crowd-pleasing slams back in his Japan days, was awe-inspiring. His jaw was sturdy and trustworthy. And his ability to thrill the crowd with his spectacular skills earned him untold millions.
But there was another side to Rampage’s career, as well. One that wasn’t quite so pretty. His warrior spirit was unquestioned, but he often slipped out of the bushido lifestyle in between fights. Whether due to hubris, apathy toward continual improvement or simply his love of life outside of the sport, he allowed himself long stretches out of the gym. His weight would balloon. Training camps became as much about losing weight as honing his skills. Not to mention decisions he will forever question, like fasting before his rematch with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.
The inner conflict will eventually hit him when he realizes that he could have set the standard for 205-pound greatness. Chuck Liddell defined the light heavyweight division during his iconic UFC championship reign. Wanderlei Silva will forever be remembered as the greatest 205-pound fighter in PRIDE history. Jon Jones is trying to one-up both of those guys by becoming the greatest light heavyweight in history.
Rampage could have been part of those same discussions. The potential was there. He fell just a bit short.
Make no mistake about it. Rampage deserves to be a Hall of Famer at some point. He was the first fighter to ever unify the UFC and PRIDE belts. He did that by defeating Dan Henderson, the reigning PRIDE 205-pound champion, in his first defense of the UFC crown he earned by brutally knocking out Liddell during the height of his championship reign. Nobody will ever be able to take that record from him.
Now, after six years and 12 fights as part of the UFC, Rampage has made it perfectly clear that we have seen the last of him inside the Octagon. Maybe a change of scenery is just what the doctor ordered. The 34-year-old fighter is in the midst of the first three-fight losing streak of his career. Something is clearly off with him.
Maybe he is on the downside of his tremendous career. Maybe his life outside of fighting is taking precedence. Or maybe he is just uninspired, for whatever reason. Whatever the case, Rampage needs a shot of adrenaline in his career. For one, I certainly hope it happens.
If goodbyes are really in order, then I’d like to preface my goodbye with a heartfelt “thank you.”
Thank you for everything, Champ. You will forever be remembered as one of the great stars of the UFC and PRIDE.
PETTIS ERASES ANY DOUBT
Anthony Pettis expected his UFC career to start off far differently than it did. After all, he won the WEC lightweight championship in his final pre-UFC bout. He defeated reigning UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson in one of the best fights that I witnessed that year.
Yet, Henderson went on to win the UFC crown four fights later, while Pettis was relegated back to the middle of the UFC pack due to a smothering loss to Clay Guida in his promotional debut. Since the loss to Guida, Pettis has been focused on earning a title shot that he feels should have rightfully been his when transitioning into the UFC as the WEC champion.
Three wins later, he may be on the verge of just that opportunity. Sure, Gilbert Melendez’s future title shot throws a wrench into the mix. But I think Pettis has certainly earned the right to be next in line. His win over Donald Cerrone on Saturday night established his place in the pecking order.
Say what you will about Melendez, but the fact remains that he has yet to compete in the UFC. His recent run of success, while impressive, came in another promotion, where the competition wasn’t quite the same. If we have learned anything over the last five years, it is the fact that success in smaller promotions does not necessarily translate into similar success in the UFC.
See Jake Shields for definitive proof of that statement.
Unlike Melendez, Pettis now has three consecutive wins over top lightweights. He was impressive in each of the three wins. The most recent, however, borders on career defining.
Keep in mind that, heading into UFC on FOX 6, Cerrone has never been knocked out exactly in 53 professional mixed martial arts and kickboxing matches. Pettis accomplished that feat in less than a round. By a series of body shots, no less.
The bad taste of the Guida loss, which really was a case of simply being outwrestled, is long gone. The three consecutive wins over Jeremy Stephens, Joe Lauzon and Cerrone, the last two coming in Knockout of the Night performances, leaves him atop the 155-pound heap.
We will see if he receives the title shot he so desperately wants.
Johnson has now beaten the other three over the last three fights. Has he cleaned out the division so soon after its creation? Sure, there are others out there who certainly qualify as contenders. Guys like John Moraga, Jussier Formiga, Louis Gaudinot, and John Lineker, among others, fit the bill. But after watching Johnson dismantle Dodson on the heels of his wins over Benavidez and McCall, does anyone give any of those guys a legitimate chance of unseating the champion, if he remains focused and committed to continual improvement?
Dodson may have rendered the sport’s newest male division irrelevant, in an Anderson Silva sort of way. That is the biggest compliment I can possibly give him.
TEIXEIRA SCORES BIGGEST WIN OF CAREER
Glover Teixeira has long been one of the best unknown light heavies in the world. Visa issues forced him to spend the last several years of his career competing in relative anonymity in his homeland of Brazil. But that doesn’t change the fact that his guy has sick skills.
Those skills were finally on display against a true A-list opponent on Saturday night. There is no doubt whatsoever that Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is both the biggest name and the best fighter he has ever faced. Yet, Teixeira made things look relatively easy on Saturday night.
I’ve written it before; I’ll write it again. Teixeira is a scary opponent for any light heavy in the world. This guy has big, strong punches, and his submission game is not to be messed with, except for the best in the world. The win over Rampage places him right in the middle of the 205-pound mix.
If, indeed, Saturday night was Rampage’s last trip to the Octagon, I’m quite sure that he will eventually look back on his UFC career with great inner conflict. The same inner conflict that he feels when he looks back at his PRIDE days.
On one hand, Jackson was once one of the most talented fighters the sport has ever seen. His punching power was second to none. His physical strength, evident by his crowd-pleasing slams back in his Japan days, was awe-inspiring. His jaw was sturdy and trustworthy. And his ability to thrill the crowd with his spectacular skills earned him untold millions.
But there was another side to Rampage’s career, as well. One that wasn’t quite so pretty. His warrior spirit was unquestioned, but he often slipped out of the bushido lifestyle in between fights. Whether due to hubris, apathy toward continual improvement or simply his love of life outside of the sport, he allowed himself long stretches out of the gym. His weight would balloon. Training camps became as much about losing weight as honing his skills. Not to mention decisions he will forever question, like fasting before his rematch with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.
The inner conflict will eventually hit him when he realizes that he could have set the standard for 205-pound greatness. Chuck Liddell defined the light heavyweight division during his iconic UFC championship reign. Wanderlei Silva will forever be remembered as the greatest 205-pound fighter in PRIDE history. Jon Jones is trying to one-up both of those guys by becoming the greatest light heavyweight in history.
Rampage could have been part of those same discussions. The potential was there. He fell just a bit short.
Make no mistake about it. Rampage deserves to be a Hall of Famer at some point. He was the first fighter to ever unify the UFC and PRIDE belts. He did that by defeating Dan Henderson, the reigning PRIDE 205-pound champion, in his first defense of the UFC crown he earned by brutally knocking out Liddell during the height of his championship reign. Nobody will ever be able to take that record from him.
Now, after six years and 12 fights as part of the UFC, Rampage has made it perfectly clear that we have seen the last of him inside the Octagon. Maybe a change of scenery is just what the doctor ordered. The 34-year-old fighter is in the midst of the first three-fight losing streak of his career. Something is clearly off with him.
Maybe he is on the downside of his tremendous career. Maybe his life outside of fighting is taking precedence. Or maybe he is just uninspired, for whatever reason. Whatever the case, Rampage needs a shot of adrenaline in his career. For one, I certainly hope it happens.
If goodbyes are really in order, then I’d like to preface my goodbye with a heartfelt “thank you.”
Thank you for everything, Champ. You will forever be remembered as one of the great stars of the UFC and PRIDE.
PETTIS ERASES ANY DOUBT
Anthony Pettis expected his UFC career to start off far differently than it did. After all, he won the WEC lightweight championship in his final pre-UFC bout. He defeated reigning UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson in one of the best fights that I witnessed that year.
Yet, Henderson went on to win the UFC crown four fights later, while Pettis was relegated back to the middle of the UFC pack due to a smothering loss to Clay Guida in his promotional debut. Since the loss to Guida, Pettis has been focused on earning a title shot that he feels should have rightfully been his when transitioning into the UFC as the WEC champion.
Three wins later, he may be on the verge of just that opportunity. Sure, Gilbert Melendez’s future title shot throws a wrench into the mix. But I think Pettis has certainly earned the right to be next in line. His win over Donald Cerrone on Saturday night established his place in the pecking order.
Say what you will about Melendez, but the fact remains that he has yet to compete in the UFC. His recent run of success, while impressive, came in another promotion, where the competition wasn’t quite the same. If we have learned anything over the last five years, it is the fact that success in smaller promotions does not necessarily translate into similar success in the UFC.
See Jake Shields for definitive proof of that statement.
Unlike Melendez, Pettis now has three consecutive wins over top lightweights. He was impressive in each of the three wins. The most recent, however, borders on career defining.
Keep in mind that, heading into UFC on FOX 6, Cerrone has never been knocked out exactly in 53 professional mixed martial arts and kickboxing matches. Pettis accomplished that feat in less than a round. By a series of body shots, no less.
The bad taste of the Guida loss, which really was a case of simply being outwrestled, is long gone. The three consecutive wins over Jeremy Stephens, Joe Lauzon and Cerrone, the last two coming in Knockout of the Night performances, leaves him atop the 155-pound heap.
We will see if he receives the title shot he so desperately wants.
There is no doubt that Vitor Belfort is at his very best when he competes south of the light heavyweight division. His second-round knockout win over Michael Bisping was his sixth win in seven fights contested at 197 pounds or less, including three straight. All six of those wins ended inside the distance.
What is unique about Belfort’s run is he appears to be getting better each time out—the loss to Anderson Silva being the lone exception. He no longer relies solely on his fists, something that has hindered him for long stretches of his 16-plus-year professional career.
Belfort unveiled kickboxing skills on Saturday night that we haven’t really seen since his razor-close loss to Chuck Liddell a decade ago. He used a devastating kick to the body to disguise a high kick that ended the fight. I don’t know if that was part of his game plan coming into the fight, something that he noticed on the fly or just an instinctive series of moves. Whatever the case, it was the difference maker in the fight.
Belfort’s kickboxing display was fresh off of back-to-back fights where he relied heavily on his offensive ground game, something that he has all but ignored in his UFC career. He hurt the ultra-talented Anthony Johnson with his fists and then chose to take the fight to the ground and win by choke, rather than continuing to hammer away with his fists. He also continually pulled guard against Jon Jones with the hope of catching a submission, something that just about happened, since he knew that the light heavyweight champion’s length was too much to contend with on the feet.
Belfort’s willingness to evolve his approach makes him far more dangerous than days of old when he relied solely on his boxing. If he keeps that up, his desire for a championship rematch may happen sooner rather than later.
CALLING OUT JONES IS A CURIOUS CHOICE
Speaking of rematches, I was shocked when I heard Belfort ask for another shot at 205-pound champion Jon Jones, rather than a rematch with 185-pound champion Anderson Silva. I’m not sure what to make of that request.
Belfort obviously fared better against Jones. He came within inches of winning the fight with a surprise first-round armbar. Other than that moment, he was dominated by a guy who many believe will ultimately shatter all championship records.
By contrast, he was doing just fine against Silva until a highlight-reel front kick crumbled him to the canvas. It was a sudden, violent end to the fight. But the outcome didn’t feel as dominant to me as the masterpiece that Jones unveiled.
Does Belfort want to face Jones because he came closer to victory? Does he prefer to fight at light heavy? Or was there something about the Silva fight that makes Belfort think twice about a rematch?
The last of those questions is the one I doubt the most. Belfort has proven that he will fight anyone on the drop of a hat. There is no way that he fears a rematch with Silva—none whatsoever.
I think he stands a better chance at upsetting Silva than he does upsetting Jones. Simply put, Jones’ stylistic approach and skills present a bigger mountain to climb for Belfort. That isn’t to suggest that Jones is better than Silva. Styles make fights.
BISPING RETURNS TO THE MIDDLE OF THE PACK
Michael Bisping has competed in three title elimination bouts, with Saturday being the most recent. He is now 0-3 in those fights.
For the record, I remain firmly convinced that he beat Chael Sonnen back on January 28, 2012. Nobody can change my mind. But that doesn’t change the fact that the fight will forever go down as a loss, and it prevented him from facing Silva for the title.
Remove those three fights from his resume and Bisping is 9-1 in the UFC middleweight division. His lone loss was via decision to Wanderlei Silva in a fight he was winning until getting rocked late by one of the Brazilian’s wild haymakers.
Bisping has to be looking in the mirror and asking “why me?” He is only a couple of fights away from breaking the record for most fights in the UFC without a title shot. That is a dubious distinction. On the one hand, it means he has been extremely good for quite a long time. On the other hand, quite good isn’t good enough.
That has to be frustrating. There is no need to mince words.
With two losses in his last three fights, something tells me that Bisping is now in the middle of the 185-pound pack.
GONZAGA QUIETLY PUTTING A NICE RUN TOGETHER
I’m sure Gabriel Gonzaga wants to forget 2009 and 2010. He lost three of his four UFC fights during that 24-month period and found himself out of a job.
Just over two years later, Gonzaga is now 3-0 since the calendar flipped to 2011. Each of those wins occurred by some form of choke.
Gonzaga’s run of success has definitely made him relevant in the heavyweight division. No, he has not yet performed well enough to be considered a title contender. Guys like Alistair Overeem, Junior dos Santos, Fabricio Werdum, Daniel Cormier, Frank Mir, and Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira are clearly in that category above Gonzaga. But I think he has done enough to justify a bout against one of those guys in an attempt to join that elite club.
I GUESS I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO SPELL THIS GUY’S NAME
I’ll be honest. I have no idea how to spell Khabib Abdulmanapovich Nurmagomedov. I had to use the “cut and paste” function in order to put those words on the screen. I tried to spell it from memory. Twice, in fact. But I got it wrong both times.
After watching him destroy Thiago Tavares with a ridiculously show-stopping attack, I have a feeling that I’m going to need to get very comfortable with the spelling of his name because this kid isn’t going anywhere any time soon.
Nurmagomedov has the potential to be a great. His wrestling, physical strength, deep gas tank and show-stopping punching power present a tough puzzle for any lightweight to solve. Plus, at 24 years old, he is just a baby in the sport. If he keeps working hard to improve and round out his game, the sky is the limit for this guy.
BELFORT CONTINUES MIDDLEWEIGHT RUN
There is no doubt that Vitor Belfort is at his very best when he competes south of the light heavyweight division. His second-round knockout win over Michael Bisping was his sixth win in seven fights contested at 197 pounds or less, including three straight. All six of those wins ended inside the distance.
What is unique about Belfort’s run is he appears to be getting better each time out—the loss to Anderson Silva being the lone exception. He no longer relies solely on his fists, something that has hindered him for long stretches of his 16-plus-year professional career.
Belfort unveiled kickboxing skills on Saturday night that we haven’t really seen since his razor-close loss to Chuck Liddell a decade ago. He used a devastating kick to the body to disguise a high kick that ended the fight. I don’t know if that was part of his game plan coming into the fight, something that he noticed on the fly or just an instinctive series of moves. Whatever the case, it was the difference maker in the fight.
Belfort’s kickboxing display was fresh off of back-to-back fights where he relied heavily on his offensive ground game, something that he has all but ignored in his UFC career. He hurt the ultra-talented Anthony Johnson with his fists and then chose to take the fight to the ground and win by choke, rather than continuing to hammer away with his fists. He also continually pulled guard against Jon Jones with the hope of catching a submission, something that just about happened, since he knew that the light heavyweight champion’s length was too much to contend with on the feet.
Belfort’s willingness to evolve his approach makes him far more dangerous than days of old when he relied solely on his boxing. If he keeps that up, his desire for a championship rematch may happen sooner rather than later.
CALLING OUT JONES IS A CURIOUS CHOICE
Speaking of rematches, I was shocked when I heard Belfort ask for another shot at 205-pound champion Jon Jones, rather than a rematch with 185-pound champion Anderson Silva. I’m not sure what to make of that request.
Belfort obviously fared better against Jones. He came within inches of winning the fight with a surprise first-round armbar. Other than that moment, he was dominated by a guy who many believe will ultimately shatter all championship records.
By contrast, he was doing just fine against Silva until a highlight-reel front kick crumbled him to the canvas. It was a sudden, violent end to the fight. But the outcome didn’t feel as dominant to me as the masterpiece that Jones unveiled.
Does Belfort want to face Jones because he came closer to victory? Does he prefer to fight at light heavy? Or was there something about the Silva fight that makes Belfort think twice about a rematch?
The last of those questions is the one I doubt the most. Belfort has proven that he will fight anyone on the drop of a hat. There is no way that he fears a rematch with Silva—none whatsoever.
I think he stands a better chance at upsetting Silva than he does upsetting Jones. Simply put, Jones’ stylistic approach and skills present a bigger mountain to climb for Belfort. That isn’t to suggest that Jones is better than Silva. Styles make fights.
BISPING RETURNS TO THE MIDDLE OF THE PACK
Michael Bisping has competed in three title elimination bouts, with Saturday being the most recent. He is now 0-3 in those fights.
For the record, I remain firmly convinced that he beat Chael Sonnen back on January 28, 2012. Nobody can change my mind. But that doesn’t change the fact that the fight will forever go down as a loss, and it prevented him from facing Silva for the title.
Remove those three fights from his resume and Bisping is 9-1 in the UFC middleweight division. His lone loss was via decision to Wanderlei Silva in a fight he was winning until getting rocked late by one of the Brazilian’s wild haymakers.
Bisping has to be looking in the mirror and asking “why me?” He is only a couple of fights away from breaking the record for most fights in the UFC without a title shot. That is a dubious distinction. On the one hand, it means he has been extremely good for quite a long time. On the other hand, quite good isn’t good enough.
That has to be frustrating. There is no need to mince words.
With two losses in his last three fights, something tells me that Bisping is now in the middle of the 185-pound pack.
GONZAGA QUIETLY PUTTING A NICE RUN TOGETHER
I’m sure Gabriel Gonzaga wants to forget 2009 and 2010. He lost three of his four UFC fights during that 24-month period and found himself out of a job.
Just over two years later, Gonzaga is now 3-0 since the calendar flipped to 2011. Each of those wins occurred by some form of choke.
Gonzaga’s run of success has definitely made him relevant in the heavyweight division. No, he has not yet performed well enough to be considered a title contender. Guys like Alistair Overeem, Junior dos Santos, Fabricio Werdum, Daniel Cormier, Frank Mir, and Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira are clearly in that category above Gonzaga. But I think he has done enough to justify a bout against one of those guys in an attempt to join that elite club.
I GUESS I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO SPELL THIS GUY’S NAME
I’ll be honest. I have no idea how to spell Khabib Abdulmanapovich Nurmagomedov. I had to use the “cut and paste” function in order to put those words on the screen. I tried to spell it from memory. Twice, in fact. But I got it wrong both times.
After watching him destroy Thiago Tavares with a ridiculously show-stopping attack, I have a feeling that I’m going to need to get very comfortable with the spelling of his name because this kid isn’t going anywhere any time soon.
Nurmagomedov has the potential to be a great. His wrestling, physical strength, deep gas tank and show-stopping punching power present a tough puzzle for any lightweight to solve. Plus, at 24 years old, he is just a baby in the sport. If he keeps working hard to improve and round out his game, the sky is the limit for this guy.
If so, the main event on FX this Saturday night is must-see TV. Vitor Belfort versus Michael Bisping pits two of the UFC’s best 185-pound strikers (not named Anderson Silva) against each other in a championship eliminator, of sorts.
If Bisping wins, he is next in line to face the sport’s apex predator, Anderson Silva, in a middleweight title fight. If Belfort wins, a title shot likely won’t be in his immediate future considering his UFC 126 loss to Silva in 2011. But it probably depends on how dominant he looks, to be quite honest. Whatever the case, it is safe to say that this is a pivotal fight for both men.
This is one of the easiest fights in recent memory to break down. There will be no takedowns. Not unless Belfort wants one, which he won’t. There will be no submission attempts, despite the fact that Belfort has an amazing ground game, one that almost finished off 205-pound champion Jon Jones just a few months ago.
Instead, this will be a standup chess match of the highest order. Why? Because that is how these guys love to fight. More importantly, Bisping doesn’t have the skills to get Belfort to the ground, absent a knockdown. And Belfort has no interest in taking the fight to the ground, win over Anthony Johnson notwithstanding.
The chess match will be decided by which man can execute his game plan. Bisping wants to rip and run. He wins this fight by decision or maybe by late knockout. Belfort will be chin checking off counters. He wins by savage knockout.
It is really that simple.
Bisping is a tremendously skilled mixed martial artist who thrives in the standup realm. He has outstanding cardiovascular conditioning, so he can throw punches in bunches for days. Mix that with his particularly quick hands, and he is a handful for any middleweight in the world, including the reigning champion.
The problem, however, is Bisping doesn’t have home run power. He strikes with very good explosiveness, but he can’t stop the fight with a single blow. That might be his only weakness in the standup game.
As a result, Bisping knows that he needs to put shots together. Two- and three-punch combinations are his best friend. Well, his almost best friend.
Bisping’s true best friend on Saturday night will be his footwork. He needs to rely on his footwork because the Brit’s weakness is Belfort’s biggest strength. He is the king of the middleweight mountain, in terms of show-stopping punching power. A single left hand can end the fight in a split second. Bisping knows that, which is why he will avoid planting his feet and going to war with Belfort at all costs.
As a result, Bisping’s best friend will be his footwork. This guy needs to utilize ever-changing angles, both with his strikes and his feet, if he wants to present an unhittable target to his foe. An unhittable target is his best chance of winning.
Ok, I don’t really mean unhittable. Nobody, not even our Matrix-like champion, is unhittable. Nonetheless, Bisping needs to severely limit Belfort’s opportunities, if he wants to win.
That means working to keep his lead left foot outside of Belfort’s lead right foot. No, this isn’t a waltz. But that sort of footwork is key when an orthodox fighter, like Bisping, wants to defeat a southpaw carrying c-4 in his gloves.
By keeping his lead left foot outside of Belfort’s lead right foot, Bisping will be able to land his straight right hand, while staying relatively clear from Belfort’s straight left. He will also be able to jab while riding his bicycle. Once again, circling away from Belfort’s left.
Since Belfort is an extreme counterstriker, Bisping should be able to rack up points on the cards, if he rips and runs. In other words, he should touch the Brazilian—tap, tap, tap fashion—and then get the heck out of there, before he gets countered with a bomb.
Speaking of bombs, Belfort is the middleweight king of bombs, as mentioned. The Phenom knows that all he needs is to do is touch Bisping’s chin once, and the fight is likely to be over. If he hands one of his trademark flurries, it will absolutely be over. Period. End of sentence.
That means Belfort won’t be out there looking to win a point-style kickboxing boxing bout. He will, instead, embrace what already comes naturally to him—sitting back and countering. Even at 35 years old with nearly 16 years in the sport, Belfort remains one of the fastest fighters in the game – certainly faster than Bisping.
That means waiting for Bisping to lead with a hitched left jab, which he does from time to time, or a telegraphed right hand. Belfort will look to slip either strike, step in and fire like there is no tomorrow. Belfort’s blazing hand speed allows him to land both fists with insane force and velocity. But again, he can also detonate a single fight-ending blow.
Footwork is equally important for Belfort. He needs to win the battle of the lead foot the same way that Bisping needs to win that tactical chess match. It’s not about opening throwing lanes or leaving escape room for Belfort. Keeping his lead right outside of Bisping’s lead left will help force the Brit into his left hand.
But there is more to Belfort’s footwork strategy than just winning the lead foot battle. He must also step forward at an angle with his trailing foot. That will leave him slightly out of position for an immediate counter. That is all right. Belfort should be more concerned with cutting off the cage and forcing Bisping to the fence than worrying about leading with his own shots.
Trust me on this one. If Belfort is stalking, Bisping will be retreating—striking and retreating, but retreating nonetheless—in a calculated and tactical fashion. Again, if he plants and swings, Bisping will wake up after the referee has already waved off the fight. And his first question will be, “what happened?”
Stylistically, this fight has Belfort written all over it. We didn’t dive into the analysis, but Belfort has the far superior ground game. He is also physically stronger with a better clinch game. But neither of those things will play an outcome-determinative role in the fight, in my opinion. This is all about Belfort’s power against Bisping’s tactics.
Of course, Belfort has struggled in the past when faced with career-defining moments. This is exactly that for a fighter who is likely searching for the last shot at UFC gold that he will receive in his career. If Belfort loses to Bisping, it is hard to imagine him earning another title fight before he hangs up the gloves in the next couple of years.
This tendency to fall short in big fights has to leave Bisping filled with confidence. Add to the equation that Belfort tends to run out of gas after a couple of rounds, and Bisping is probably looking to rip and run through two rounds before holding his ground a little more after that point.
With all of that said, I am picking Belfort to win, though I would not be surprised in the least bit to see the Count pull off the ever-so-slight upset.
QUICK FACTS:
Michael Bisping • 33 years old • 6’2, 185 lbs • 76-inch reach • 24-4 overall • 7-3 in last 10 fights • 0-3 against former UFC/PRIDE champions • 5 of last 7 fights lasted the distance • 67% of wins by KO/TKO • 12% of wins by submission • 21% of wins by decision • Three post-fight bonus awards (Fight of the Night 3x) • Current layoff is 119 days • Longest layoff of career is 266 days
Vitor Belfort • 21-10 • 35 years old • 6’0, 185 lbs • 74-inch reach • 7-3 in last 10 fights • 7-0 in his last 7 non-title fights • All 10 UFC wins inside the distance (8 by KO/TKO and 2 by SUB) • 66.67% of career wins by KO/TKO • 14.29% of career wins by SUB • 19.04% of career wins by decision • Former UFC light heavyweight champion • Former UFC heavyweight tournament champion • Knockout of the Night in two of last five fights • Current layoff is 119 days • Longest layoff of his career is 504 days
Do you love standup-only fights?
If so, the main event on FX this Saturday night is must-see TV. Vitor Belfort versus Michael Bisping pits two of the UFC’s best 185-pound strikers (not named Anderson Silva) against each other in a championship eliminator, of sorts.
If Bisping wins, he is next in line to face the sport’s apex predator, Anderson Silva, in a middleweight title fight. If Belfort wins, a title shot likely won’t be in his immediate future considering his UFC 126 loss to Silva in 2011. But it probably depends on how dominant he looks, to be quite honest. Whatever the case, it is safe to say that this is a pivotal fight for both men.
This is one of the easiest fights in recent memory to break down. There will be no takedowns. Not unless Belfort wants one, which he won’t. There will be no submission attempts, despite the fact that Belfort has an amazing ground game, one that almost finished off 205-pound champion Jon Jones just a few months ago.
Instead, this will be a standup chess match of the highest order. Why? Because that is how these guys love to fight. More importantly, Bisping doesn’t have the skills to get Belfort to the ground, absent a knockdown. And Belfort has no interest in taking the fight to the ground, win over Anthony Johnson notwithstanding.
The chess match will be decided by which man can execute his game plan. Bisping wants to rip and run. He wins this fight by decision or maybe by late knockout. Belfort will be chin checking off counters. He wins by savage knockout.
It is really that simple.
Bisping is a tremendously skilled mixed martial artist who thrives in the standup realm. He has outstanding cardiovascular conditioning, so he can throw punches in bunches for days. Mix that with his particularly quick hands, and he is a handful for any middleweight in the world, including the reigning champion.
The problem, however, is Bisping doesn’t have home run power. He strikes with very good explosiveness, but he can’t stop the fight with a single blow. That might be his only weakness in the standup game.
As a result, Bisping knows that he needs to put shots together. Two- and three-punch combinations are his best friend. Well, his almost best friend.
Bisping’s true best friend on Saturday night will be his footwork. He needs to rely on his footwork because the Brit’s weakness is Belfort’s biggest strength. He is the king of the middleweight mountain, in terms of show-stopping punching power. A single left hand can end the fight in a split second. Bisping knows that, which is why he will avoid planting his feet and going to war with Belfort at all costs.
As a result, Bisping’s best friend will be his footwork. This guy needs to utilize ever-changing angles, both with his strikes and his feet, if he wants to present an unhittable target to his foe. An unhittable target is his best chance of winning.
Ok, I don’t really mean unhittable. Nobody, not even our Matrix-like champion, is unhittable. Nonetheless, Bisping needs to severely limit Belfort’s opportunities, if he wants to win.
That means working to keep his lead left foot outside of Belfort’s lead right foot. No, this isn’t a waltz. But that sort of footwork is key when an orthodox fighter, like Bisping, wants to defeat a southpaw carrying c-4 in his gloves.
By keeping his lead left foot outside of Belfort’s lead right foot, Bisping will be able to land his straight right hand, while staying relatively clear from Belfort’s straight left. He will also be able to jab while riding his bicycle. Once again, circling away from Belfort’s left.
Since Belfort is an extreme counterstriker, Bisping should be able to rack up points on the cards, if he rips and runs. In other words, he should touch the Brazilian—tap, tap, tap fashion—and then get the heck out of there, before he gets countered with a bomb.
Speaking of bombs, Belfort is the middleweight king of bombs, as mentioned. The Phenom knows that all he needs is to do is touch Bisping’s chin once, and the fight is likely to be over. If he hands one of his trademark flurries, it will absolutely be over. Period. End of sentence.
That means Belfort won’t be out there looking to win a point-style kickboxing boxing bout. He will, instead, embrace what already comes naturally to him—sitting back and countering. Even at 35 years old with nearly 16 years in the sport, Belfort remains one of the fastest fighters in the game – certainly faster than Bisping.
That means waiting for Bisping to lead with a hitched left jab, which he does from time to time, or a telegraphed right hand. Belfort will look to slip either strike, step in and fire like there is no tomorrow. Belfort’s blazing hand speed allows him to land both fists with insane force and velocity. But again, he can also detonate a single fight-ending blow.
Footwork is equally important for Belfort. He needs to win the battle of the lead foot the same way that Bisping needs to win that tactical chess match. It’s not about opening throwing lanes or leaving escape room for Belfort. Keeping his lead right outside of Bisping’s lead left will help force the Brit into his left hand.
But there is more to Belfort’s footwork strategy than just winning the lead foot battle. He must also step forward at an angle with his trailing foot. That will leave him slightly out of position for an immediate counter. That is all right. Belfort should be more concerned with cutting off the cage and forcing Bisping to the fence than worrying about leading with his own shots.
Trust me on this one. If Belfort is stalking, Bisping will be retreating—striking and retreating, but retreating nonetheless—in a calculated and tactical fashion. Again, if he plants and swings, Bisping will wake up after the referee has already waved off the fight. And his first question will be, “what happened?”
Stylistically, this fight has Belfort written all over it. We didn’t dive into the analysis, but Belfort has the far superior ground game. He is also physically stronger with a better clinch game. But neither of those things will play an outcome-determinative role in the fight, in my opinion. This is all about Belfort’s power against Bisping’s tactics.
Of course, Belfort has struggled in the past when faced with career-defining moments. This is exactly that for a fighter who is likely searching for the last shot at UFC gold that he will receive in his career. If Belfort loses to Bisping, it is hard to imagine him earning another title fight before he hangs up the gloves in the next couple of years.
This tendency to fall short in big fights has to leave Bisping filled with confidence. Add to the equation that Belfort tends to run out of gas after a couple of rounds, and Bisping is probably looking to rip and run through two rounds before holding his ground a little more after that point.
With all of that said, I am picking Belfort to win, though I would not be surprised in the least bit to see the Count pull off the ever-so-slight upset.
QUICK FACTS:
Michael Bisping • 33 years old • 6’2, 185 lbs • 76-inch reach • 24-4 overall • 7-3 in last 10 fights • 0-3 against former UFC/PRIDE champions • 5 of last 7 fights lasted the distance • 67% of wins by KO/TKO • 12% of wins by submission • 21% of wins by decision • Three post-fight bonus awards (Fight of the Night 3x) • Current layoff is 119 days • Longest layoff of career is 266 days
Vitor Belfort • 21-10 • 35 years old • 6’0, 185 lbs • 74-inch reach • 7-3 in last 10 fights • 7-0 in his last 7 non-title fights • All 10 UFC wins inside the distance (8 by KO/TKO and 2 by SUB) • 66.67% of career wins by KO/TKO • 14.29% of career wins by SUB • 19.04% of career wins by decision • Former UFC light heavyweight champion • Former UFC heavyweight tournament champion • Knockout of the Night in two of last five fights • Current layoff is 119 days • Longest layoff of his career is 504 days
Let’s cut right to the chase.
ALDO CEMENTS HIS PLACE AMONG THE ACTIVE GREATS
Fighters don’t ordinarily receive a title shot in their debut at a particular weight class.
JOHNSON PUTS HIS STAMP ON THE DIVISION
BELFORT CONTINUES MIDDLEWEIGHT RUN
Do you love standup-only fights?