Author: By Michael DiSanto

SECOND TIME IS THE CHARM FOR “MIGHTY MOUSE”

Styles make fights. I believe that to my core. Demetrious Johnson and Ian McCall have styles that mesh perfectly for a close, action-packed bout. If these two fought 20 times, I think one guy would win by a razor-thin margin each time.

Sure, one of the three judges on Friday night scored the bout a shutout for Johnson. But the fight was closer than that. Each round was close. Just like the first time they fought. The only difference was Johnson did a little more this time to ensure victory.

If the pair ever fight again, I wouldn’t be shocked to see McCall edge out a win. These guys are that well suited for each other.
   
I’m not sure that Johnson matches up as well with Joseph Benavidez, the man he will next face, in the UFC’s inaugural 125-pound championship bout.  The difference may come down to wrestling and physical strength. I think Benavidez wins both of those areas by a wide margin. Johnson certainly as the skills to win, but I think he will open as a healthy underdog.

MCCALL SHOULD CAMPAIGN FOR A BOUT WITH URUSHITANI

“Uncle Creepy” lost to Johnson. The judges didn’t get the bout wrong. But it was close nonetheless. It was close enough that it is tough to argue that McCall should fall outside of the UFC 125-pound title picture. Of course, Benavidez and Johnson will fight for the title sometime later this year. But there needs to be someone standing in the wings as the number one contender. I’d like to see McCall and Yashuhiro Urushitani square off to decide that issue.

For those who have forgotten, Urushitani was the guy who Benavidez conquered to earn a shot at the title. But just like with McCall, Urushitani remains one of the very best flyweights in the world. It makes sense – in my mind, at least – to have McCall and Urushitani battle for the next shot at gold, particularly if Benavidez is able to get past Johnson.

SILVA MIGHT BE A RELATIVE UNKNOWN AMONG FANS, BUT HE CERTAINLY ISN’T AMONG FIGHTERS

Erick Silva is one of the best welterweights in the world—period. This guy is a monster. There is no denying that fact. His brutal first round submission win over Charlie Brenneman was a vivid remainder of that notion.

Fans need to remember that, while Silva is only 2-1 in his UFC career, that lone loss was the result of an illegal punch to the back of his opponent’s head. In other words, he wasn’t beaten in that fight. He lost due to his own mistake.

It’s time to put this guy into a marquee matchup. We need to find out if he is really the scary Brazilian monster that I think he is. Any number of names would help determine the answer to that question. The first that comes to mind is Johny Hendricks, a man who is standing close to the door of the current title picture, and banging loudly on that door. I think that would be a spectacular fight. Hendricks is the better wrestler and is probably physically stronger. Silva is the better submission artist and possibly the more technically precise striker. I think that makes for one heck of a matchup.

PYLE MOVES CLOSER

Mike Pyle is a grizzled veteran of the sport. This guy made his debut nearly 13 years ago against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson a couple of weight classes to the north. He lost by decision in a hard-fought fight. He then drew Jon Fitch in his second career fight. He won that one by submission.

That is a crazy journey, if you think about it. He faced two of the best fighters on the planet in his first two bouts, splitting the outcomes. Yet, he wasn’t able to make his way to the UFC until late in 2009. Thus, much like with Erick Silva, Pyle is a relative unknown among casual UFC fans. But he is far from an unknown among fight cognoscenti.

The one thing that he has lacked in his UFC career, however, is a marquee win. Friday’s knockout win over Josh Neer takes him one step closer to that goal. That isn’t to suggest that Neer isn’t a great fighter. He is a tremendously tough guy in terms durability and grit. But he isn’t a top 10 guy. Not at this point, at least.

Still, the way Pyle put away Neer made a statement. It screamed that he, like Silva, is ready for a step up in competition. Unlike with Silva, though, Pyle has had opportunities against top UFC welterweights, and he has yet to come out on top in one of those matchups. Maybe this is his time to step up his game and start to fulfill some of the tremendous promise that he has shown over the course of his career.

WINELAND MUST BE CELEBRATING RIGHT ABOUT NOW

Eddie Wineland’s first two UFC bouts were certainly no walks in the park. Both Urijah Faber and Joseph Benavidez defeated him by unanimous decision. When UFC matchmaker Joe Silva called to inform him that his third opportunity inside the Octagon would come against Scott Jorgensen, Wineland probably thought that the promotion had it out for him – not literally, just figuratively, because those are three savage beasts. To his credit, Wineland didn’t shrink from the challenge, and this time, he found a way to come out on top in a thrilling back-and-forth war that ended with a spectacular knockout.

The win reaffirms Wineland as a top bantamweight, a status he enjoyed during his WEC days even if his first two UFC bouts left that status in question. Those questions are gone now. I hope Wineland takes a moment to enjoy the victory because when he comes back, I’m quite sure another tough matchup awaits him. The UFC 135-pound division is filled with closely matched fighters.

KAMPMANN FINALLY TAKES IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

I’ve always thought of Martin Kampmann as an amazingly talented fighter who, for whatever reason, has never been able to win the proverbial big one. He certainly took one step closer to fulfilling his tremendous potential by blasting out the brutally tough Jake Ellenberger in Saturday night’s main event.

Kampmann is now on a three-fight winning streak. Rick Story. Thiago Alves. And now Jake Ellenberger.

It’s time to start talking about Kampmann as a title challenger, which is something those close to him have been expecting for quite a while now.

CHIESA FINISHES THE FAIRYTALE

Anyone who watched this season of TUF knows that Michael Chiesa lost his father shortly after arriving in Las Vegas for the historic first live season of the hit UFC reality show. That had to be an absolutely devastating experience for him. I honestly don’t know how he held it together mentally for 13 weeks. But that is exactly what he did, once he decided to continue pursuing his dream in his father’s memory, rather than dropping out of the show.

Chiesa will forever look back at that decision with a smile because he is now “The Ultimate Fighter.”

I don’t care if you are an Al Iaquinta fan — I know I certainly enjoy watching him fight. It had to be tough for anyone outside of Iaquinta’s inner circle to be pulling against Chiesa. This was one of the best “feel good” stories in recent UFC times. And the raw emotion he showed after the victory summed it all up for me.

Congratulations, Michael. I know your father would be extremely proud of you right about now.

OLIVEIRA SHOWS THE BEAUTY OF JIU-JITSU

Jonathan Brookins was performing quite well against Charles Oliveira through the first half of the fight. I thought he won the first round fairly comfortably. His foe was getting bloodied and battered. But all the Brazilian needed was a single opening to forever alter the outcome of the fight.

The choke Oliveira threw on Brookins showed just how good this guy is on the ground. That was high-level stuff. There is no doubt about it. He needs to continue to improve on the feet, but this guy is an absolute savage on the ground. I think he will make big waves in the featherweight division over the next 12 to 18 months.

NOT A BAD BELATED BIRTHDAY PRESENT

Justin Lawrence turned 22 years old just a couple of weeks ago. For the first two rounds, it appeared that he was still fighting off post-birthday effects. He looked flat and a bit listless against John Cofer in the televised opener.

Then, it all changed.

Lawrence threw a picture-perfect cleanup high kick seconds into the final round that left his foe in an unconscious heap. It was an explosive win for the phenom’s UFC debut. He is a phenom because this guy has been training for this moment since he was six years old, literally.

The UFC is a tough place to learn the trade. This guy is only 4-0 as a professional. Normally, I wouldn’t give him much of a chance to stick around for very long. But this guy has the amateur pedigree to possibly be the exception.

Surprisingly, Lawrence isn’t the youngest fighter on the UFC roster. That distinction belongs to the man who fought right after him, 20-year-old Max Holloway, who is a wunderkind in his own right.

SPEAKING OF HOLLOWAY…

The Hawaiian sensation handed Pat Schilling a serious beating. It was a great way to recover from the submission loss he suffered in his UFC debut less than four months ago.
This time around, Holloway avoided going to the ground with his opponent, something that cost him a win in his debut. That was a bit surprising because Schilling is a former collegiate wrestler, and Holloway’s long, lean frame looks ripe for takedowns. But he showed tremendous takedown defense and balance.

This kid is an interesting featherweight prospect. He has a ton of spirit, as do most Hawaiian fighters. I know that is a gross over-generalization; it is what it is. I’d like to see him add a bit of muscle to his frame, but that is being extremely nitpicky. After all, this guy isn’t even old enough to buy a beer yet.

JDS GETS VELASQUEZ NEXT
 
I’ve written it again and again. Excellent fighters may win a title, but only truly great ones actually successfully defend their title.
 
Move Junior dos Santos into the “great” category because he not only successfully defended his title. He did it in thoroughly dominant fashion against one of the best heavyweights the world. Two title fights. Two knockouts against amazing opponents. Yes, JDS is a great heavyweight.
 
It wasn’t surprising for the fight to end in a knockout, once it became clear that Mir was not going to be able to get the fight to the ground. I think it was more surprising that Mir lasted well into the second round in what was basically a boxing match.
 
Next up for the champion is a rematch with Cain Velasquez, who made a statement of his own in the co-feature bout – see below. I was salivating over JDS versus Alistair Overeem and was grossly disappointed when “The Reem” wasn’t licensed for the bout. After watching JDS and Cain put their respective stamps on their foes, I think I’m even more excited about JDS-Velasquez II. I’m not sure what will happen when the two lock horns, which will presumably happen later this year barring injury, though I suspect that it will last longer than 64 seconds.
 
DON’T WRITE MIR OFF
 
Frank Mir has competed in five UFC title bouts, making him one of the most accomplished heavyweights in the history of the sport. Sure, he got blasted out in a standup-only affair with JDS. None of that changes his standing in the sport. Mir, like everyone else in the sport, is human. He is beatable. But only a small handful of humans on the planet can claim to hold a victory over him.
 
The former champion is now 7-3 in his last 10 fights. Brock Lesnar. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, twice. Roy Nelson. Mirko Cro Cop, Cheick Kongo. Antoni Hardonk. Look at the breadth of skills across those names. Lesnar, at the time he faced Mir, was probably the best heavyweight wrestler in the promotion. This was before diverticulitis sapped him of his explosiveness. Mir took him out with his amazing ground game. “Minotauro” Nogueira is one of the most well rounded heavyweights in the history of the sport. Mir knocked him out and then broke his arm in a subsequent bout. Nelson, Cro Cop and Kongo each got handled on the feet, and, well, Hardonk just got outclassed.
 
It is rarely pretty when someone loses. Mir’s loss to JDS was no exception. But this guy is far from being at the end of his professional rope, unless, for whatever reason, he chooses to walk away. I don’t see that happening any time soon. At 33 years old, he is now in the prime of his career. I expect to see more great things from Mir over the next couple of years.
 
VELASQUEZ MAKES A STATEMENT
 
If anyone thought that Cain Velasquez was going to turn into a shrinking violet after suffering the first loss of his career, think again. The former champion put on a career-best performance against Antonio Silva in a fight that had to erase the sour taste of defeat that had lingered since his loss to Junior dos Santos six months ago.
 
Velasquez looked extremely motivated to make a statement. Word out of San Jose since his loss has been that Velasquez was training like a savage. He always trains like a savage, but he turned it up a notch after he lost the title. It certainly showed on Saturday night.
 
Silva looked completely outclassed during the fight. Velasquez caught his first kick, used it to take him down, and then proceeded to toss him a major-league whuppin’.
 
Velasquez’s performance put him front and center for a quick title opportunity. As mentioned, he will face JDS next in a rematch for the title that the Brazilian took from Velasquez. I can’t wait to see that one.
 
ROY IS ONE BAD MAN, BEARD AND ALL
 
Roy Nelson doesn’t look like a fighter – the silly full beard and enormous (albeit shrinking over the last couple of fights) belly. But he certainly is a fighter. Belly or not, Nelson is a devastating heavyweight, with extremely heavy hands, an iron jaw underneath those crazy thick whiskers, and an extremely effective ground game. The only thing that stands in the way of greatness for this guy is his size – height (6’0) and weight (254 pounds). The two just don’t go together. In terms of height, he is probably an average middleweight. Yet, he fights the biggest men in the sport night in and night out – and his weight is certainly well above average for a UFC heavyweight.  I’ve written it over and over, so why stop now? I wonder how good Nelson would be if he actually found a four-pack of abs and plied his trade in the land of the light heavies. Of course, that is never going to happen, so I guess I should leave that one in “what if” land. I guess that makes Nelson’s heavyweight successes that much more impressive.
 
LAVAR HAS A “BIG” HOLE IN HIS GAME
 
Lavar Johnson is one of the more entertaining heavyweights in the world – if you like slugfests. He is also one of the most effective in that part of the game. The problem, of course, is that this isn’t boxing or kickboxing. It’s mixed martial arts. And striking is only half the game.
 
Johnson received a rather painful reminder of that reality when he suffered a quick submission loss to Stefan Struve. “Skyscraper” vividly exposed Johnson’s lack of ground game when he pulled guard and quickly transitioned into an armbar for the victory.
 
It was obvious what was coming the moment Struve pulled guard. Anyone who pulls guard with a tight overhook on an arm is looking for an armbar. Johnson knows that. Yet, he chose to remain in his opponent’s guard and try to score with some ground-and-pound, rather than pulling out and returning to his feet. He paid a very dear price for that mistake. All the crazy momentum Johnson created with his first two UFC fights – both knockout wins, both won “Knockout of the Night” – is now gone. And it seems pretty obvious that he needs to focus solely on his submission and takedown defense in the short term.

If he can shore up those holes in his game, Johnson will be a beast in the heavyweight division. He already is one for anyone who dares stand and trade with him.
 
WELCOME BACK, OUTLAW
 
924.
 
That is the number of days that elapsed since Dan Hardy last heard his name announced as the winner in a professional fight. Back on November 14, 2009, he shocked the world by announcing his UFC relevance with a shocking win over then-highly touted welterweight contender Mike Swick.
 
Since that date, Georges St-Pierre, Carlos Condit, Anthony Johnson and Chris Lytle each defeated the brash Brit. Four straight losses typically result in a fighter heading to the smaller shows to work out the kinks. Not for Hardy. He worked them out in the gym during a brief hiatus before coming back with the most emphatic win of his career.
 
Knocking out Duane Ludwig is a serious accomplishment because this guy is one of the best strikers in the division. Hardy not only beat him to the punch; he did so with great confidence and technique. He has always had plenty of the former, but often fought without the latter. It looks like his move to Las Vegas to sort out his fighting career was the right decision.
 
Welcome back, “Outlaw.” Welcome back.
 
REMEMBER THIS NAME: GLOVER TEIXEIRA
 
I can’t remember the date for certain. I think it was late 2006. I was talking to John Hackleman, who was then training the baddest man on the planet, Chuck Liddell, at the peak of his reign of terror over the 205-pound division. He said, “Remember this name: Glover Teixeira.”
 
Teixeira was in the WEC at the time. His career record was 4-2. If anyone other than Hackleman had touted the guy, I probably would have ignored the tip. There aren’t many guys sporting a 4-2 record in smaller shows who turn out to be monsters in the UFC. But Hackleman is one of the most respected trainers in the sport, and he is a guy who has always been brutally honest with me – no hyperbole, fluff, just the straight and narrow.

Now I understand what he was talking about. Teixeira is an absolute monster. He masterfully undressed Kyle Kingsbury in his UFC debut, a debut that has been delayed several years due to visa problems. Those problems are gone, and Teixeira is here.
 
Let’s see if he lives up to the hype created by Hackleman nearly six years ago. Saturday night was one heck of a good start.

 

Junior dos Santos will make his first defense of the UFC heavyweight championship on Saturday night.

His original opponent, Alistair Overeem, has not been licensed to fight in Nevada and likely won’t be for quite some time. Thus, UFC President Dana White decided approximately four weeks ago to swap him out with former champion Frank Mir.

Talk about a major shift in preparation.

Overeem is possibly the most dangerous striker on the planet. “Cigano” will take serious umbrage to that statement, but there are lots of experts in the fight game who will co-sign with me on that one. Now, dos Santos must face the best heavyweight submission artist in the game—bar none.

Overeem wanted to take home the champion’s belt by sending his jaw into the fourth row. Mir wants to sit the belt on his living room mantle, alongside dos Santos’ arm or leg.  Like I mentioned, this required a major shift in focus and preparation for the champion, and he had to make that change with only a few weeks remaining before fight time. But, as the old adage goes, it is what it is.

But make no mistake about it. Mir is not going to come out looking to do nothing other than shoot for the takedown. Not by a long shot. He is going to come out looking to kickbox with the champion. If the opportunity for a takedown presents itself, Mir will jump all over it, though this is far from a “takedown or die” type of fight for him.

Mir is probably the most underrated standup fighter in the heavyweight division, and he will definitely come out looking to throw hands with dos Santos. Guaranteed.

The early moments of the fight will be a battle of footwork. Mir, a southpaw, and JDS, a conventional fighter, will jockey to try and establish the outside position with their lead foot. Doing so opens up throwing lanes for lead power shots. It also puts the aggressor in prime position to drive forward for a takedown attempt, if the need arises.

Back in the day, I would have written that any game plan involving Mir standing with JDS was MMA suicide for Mir because JDS is a complete savage on the feet. He can end any fight with a single punch. Just ask former champion Cain Velasquez, who has only a single loss on his record. It occurred courtesy of a single punch from JDS 64 seconds into their fight.

JDS can do that to anyone, including Mir, but that possibility won’t cause hesitation in the former champion. He will stand and strike with anyone. We have learned that much over the last few years as Mir has morphed his game from a 245-lb submission phenom with little else to offer to a 260-lb polished striker with the best heavyweight submission game in the world.

Mir’s game plan will be simple. He will look to pot shot JDS with his straight left hand while circling to his own right. He needs to move in that direction to stay away from the champion’s bazooka-like right hand. Circling right also helps maintain the outside position with his lead foot to keep his throwing lanes open.

Mir should mix in hard outside leg kicks, particularly on the end of fistic combinations. He has absolutely no fear whatsoever of being taken down by JDS. Granted, the champion is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu in his own right. But, as I’ve written many times, there are black belts, and then there are BLACK belts. Mir is a BLACK belt. He beats JDS every day, all day in a submission grappling match.

Mir can also use lead outside leg kicks to transition into a left cross. That combination is dangerous because JDS will be looking to catch kicks and bring the fight to an instant end with a counter right hand. But Mir can still score with it from time to time, if he keeps changing up his attacks.

The former champion needs to remain keenly focused on his footwork and head movement throughout the fight. He is a polished striker, but hasn’t really shown the same sort of devastating show-stopping power in his punches as dos Santos. That means Mir must be prepared to go five hard rounds, if the fight remains standing. Sure, Mir has plenty of power to knock out JDS, but it probably won’t happen early from a single strike.

Standup exchanges will undoubtedly open the door for clinches. That is where Mir will look to take the fight to the ground. He isn’t a great single- or double-leg guy. He is much better with trips and throws.

On the ground, Mir will bang away with a ground-and-pound attack, while looking for his foe to make a fight-ending mistake. Once the opening presents itself, Mir will attack with his transition jiu-jitsu skills like there is no tomorrow. This guy is so insanely talented and physically strong that he can turn what seems to be a near-miss submission into a finish. There are several UFC fighters who can attest to that after finding themselves in a cast for a couple of months following a loss to Mir.

JDS will do his best never to find if his BJJ skills are sufficient enough to survive on the ground with Mir. He wants to keep this and every other fight standing from start to finish. That is typically a great game plan for the champion, and this fight is no different.

JDS is probably the best boxer in the heavyweight division. He stands in traditional boxing style, with his legs far apart and his body almost perpendicular to his foe. That allows him to generate tremendous power in his shots because he can fully rotate his hips with his right hand. It also gives him the proper foundation for his most effective weapon – the right uppercut.

“Cigano” has a right uppercut reminiscent of former boxing heavyweight champion Mike Tyson. It is one of his go-to strikes, both as the second part of a two-piece combination and also as a lead. If he connects cleanly, it will likely mean a lullaby for Mir.

I’m not suggesting that JDS is a one-handed fighter. That is far from the truth. He probably has the best jab in the division, which could be a major key against Mir because I have no doubt that the former champion will be circling away from JDS’s right all night.

JDS snaps his jab as a professional boxer, and unlike with most boxers, it is a jackhammer that causes very real damage, rather than just serving as a range finder. But I don’t necessarily think that he should be focused on landing it squarely on Mir’s nose. I think he should instead use the shot as more of a corralling strike by throwing it at the right side of Mir’s face.

Outside jabs and lead left hooks will help force Mir to move to his left, right into JDS’s right hand. JDS can also jab and quickly fire a right uppercut up the middle or even double up on the jab or throw one of his slick jab-left hook combinations before immediately cleaning up with his money punch.

Those combinations should be particularly effective because Mir, like JDS’s last opponent, does not retreat straight back in the face of incoming fire, like most mixed martial artists. He instead stays in the pocket and moves his head and upper body like a pendulum to slip shots.

Mir returns to center after slipping a shot, just like a pendulum. That means he could well be front and center by the time the cleanup uppercut arrives.

But that isn’t the end of the champion’s options with his favorite strike. He can also lead with the right uppercut. I know that is an unconventional way to attack, but JDS is extremely effective leading with his right uppercut, mostly because he commits to the punch and also because he possesses elite hand speed.

At the end of the day, JDS is the rightful betting favorite entering Saturday night’s fight. His strength is his striking. Some may argue that he is the best heavyweight striker in the UFC, though Overeem will vehemently argue otherwise. Best or second best, all five of Mir’s career losses have come inside the distance via strikes. The fact remains that the last truly devastating striker in his prime who also happened to possess elite takedown defense that Mir faced was Shane Carwin, and Mir got blasted out with punches in under four minutes.

Those are telling data points that cause many to believe that JDS will win the fight. I’m not so sure. JDS and Carwin are completely different standup fighters. Carwin used his size and brute strength to force Mir up against the cage, and then relied on dirty boxing to turn out the lights. JDS fights more in the center of the cage, where Mir is much more comfortable and effective.

I’m not arguing that Mir should be the favorite. Not at all. The point I’m trying to make is that Mir is being vastly underrated in this fight. Do I expect him to win? I don’t know. But I wouldn’t be surprised to see it happen.

QUICK FACTS

Junior “Cigano” dos Santos
•    28 years old
•    6’4, 240 lbs
•    14-1 overall
•    9-fight winning streak
•    Hasn’t lost since November 10, 2007
•    First defense of UFC heavyweight championship
•    71.4% of wins ended by strikes
•    14.3% of wins by submission, other than from strikes
•    14.3% of wins by decision
•    62.5% of UFC fights ended in the first round
•    Current layoff is 196 days
•    Career long layoff is 308 days
•    Knockout of the Night three times

Frank Mir
•    33 years old by fight night
•    6’3, 260 lbs
•    16-5 overall
•    Former UFC heavyweight champion (was later stripped of the title due to a motorcycle accident; never beaten as champion)
•    Former interim UFC heavyweight champion
•    2-2 in title fights (includes interim title fights)
•    4-1 in last 5
•    7-3 in last 10
•    89.5% UFC fights ended inside the distance
•    68.4% UFC fights ended in the first round
•    2-0 in UFC fights that have lasted the distance
•    All 5 losses have ended inside the distance via strikes
•    Current layoff is 168 days Longest layoff of UFC career is 565 days
•    Submission of the Night twice

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JUNG “COWBOYS” UP, BIG TIME

Chan Sung Jung was a huge underdog heading into his main event bout with Dustin Poirier. That was an understandable situation. After all, this is the same guy who lost three of his last four bouts before coming to the UFC.

Since that time, however, Jung has been nothing short of a monster. Three UFC fights. Three wins. Each occurred inside the distance. Each won a post-fight award.

“The Korean Zombie” has gone from from wondering if he would have a job much longer to legitimately talking about his UFC championship aspirations. Not a bad restart to his featherweight career.

I’ve got to be honest. I don’t know what has changed for Jung since joining the UFC. He certainly hasn’t taken a step backward in quality of opponents. His three previous losses came courtesy of Manasori Kanehara, Leonard Garcia and George Roop. His three UFC wins came against Garcia, Mark Hominick and now Poirier. Nothing against Kanehara and Roop, both of whom are very talented fighters, but Hominick and Poirier are a step up, not a step backward. Yet, Jung raised his game to meet the challenge.

We are certainly premature in beginning to break down a potential bout with featherweight ruler Jose Aldo, since the champion is currently preoccupied preparing for a title defense against Erik Koch on July 21. But let’s have some fun anyway. Aldo will truly turn Jung into a Zombie on the feet – an unconscious zombie. Jung certainly appears to enjoy an edge over the champion on the ground. I’m more convinced of that notion after watching him control Poirier on the mat. The question, however, will be whether Jung can actually take Aldo to the canvas and keep him there for any material length of time. That is easier said than done.

SADOLLAH FAILS TO IMPRESS, BUT KEEPS ON KEEPIN’ ON

Amir Sadollah is an affable fighter. His self-deprecating personality is very reminiscent of Forrest Griffin, a man most of the fight world adores.  His effort on Tuesday night, however, was not at all reminiscent of the former UFC champion. That isn’t all Sadollah’s fault. It takes two to truly create what Joe Rogan has described as a beautiful ballet of violence, and Jorge Lopez was more interested in grinding than taking risks. The same can be said for Sadollah.

Let’s face it. Not every fight is going to be thrilling. Styles make fights, and these guys didn’t make for the most explosive matchup. But it seemed to me that both men were embracing a bit of the “fighting not to lose” approach.

Sleepy or not, a win is a win. Sadollah righted the ship after losing his last bout. He will now look to continue his on-the-job learning in the UFC. People often forget that this guy has fought all of his professional fights in the Octagon.

Sadollah is now a veteran of 10 professional bouts. That isn’t much in the way of total career experience, but it is enough for him to be considered a legitimate UFC veteran at this point. Not an overly experienced one, but a veteran nonetheless.

I think it is time for Sadollah to step up his game to see what he is truly made of. We need to know whether he is going to be just another welterweight, or if this guy has legitimate top-of-the-heap staying power. I’m not sure where I think he will ultimately net out. But it is time to find out.

CERRONE RETURNS TO HIS FORMER TACTICAL SELF

Donald Cerrone is one of the most decorated post-fight award guys in the UFC. He fights with an all-action, come-forward style. Jeremy Stephens is a walking bucket of C-4. Mix those two together and their fight should have been an epic war.

It was epic, all right. But it wasn’t an epic war. It was an epic beatdown courtesy of the “Cowboy.”

Cerrone completely neutralized Stephens’ power, using his legs to control the distance and exact damage. Kicks to the legs. Kicks to the body. Kicks to the head. And, of course, flying knees. He mixed in punches to complete the systematic undressing of an exceedingly dangerous striker. But the fight was controlled first and foremost by Cerrone’s legs.

Stephens valiantly tried to devolve the action into a knockdown, drag-out slugfest. But he had no answer for Cerrone’s legs. He kept wildly swinging away from well outside of effective punching range to no avail. Cerrone completely controlled him by setting the distance and then putting on a technical striking clinic. It was clear very early that the fight was going to be a one-sided affair, and Cowboy never lost focus for the full 15 minutes. It was a stark contrast to his last performance, where Cerrone was the recipient of a similarly thorough beatdown thanks to Nate Diaz.

If Cerrone can dispatch with the emotion that led him astray against Diaz and remain focused on beating opponents with technique, this guy could find his way to the top of the 155-lb kingdom. Cerrone asked for a fight with Anthony Pettis next. I think that is just what the doctor ordered to help separate one of those two from the current pack of championship contenders.

HAPPY FILTHY BIRTHDAY!

Tom Lawlor was in the midst of a rough patch entering his bout with Jason MacDonald, having lost three of his last four bouts. A fourth loss in five fights could have been disastrous for his short-term job security. It suffices to say, “Filthy” Tom was facing a lot of pressure heading into Tuesday night’s bout.

Yet, the former collegiate wrestler was able to ignore the intense pressure and put forth a career-best performance in the television walkout bout. His knockout win over MacDonald was something was a thing of beauty. Not only was he a serious underdog in the standup arena, in my opinion, but MacDonald was a guy who hadn’t been truly knocked out – I don’t mean stopped by strikes; I mean knocked unconscious – ever in his career. And Lawlor hadn’t scored a knockout win in nearly five years.

I’d call that a career-best performance, one that occurred on his 29th birthday. It isn’t one that will put him into contention just yet. But it is one that he will be telling his kids and grandkids about for decades to come. And it is one heck of a birthday present.

 
 

FUEL TV is rapidly becoming the perfect platform to help market some of the UFC’s lesser-known, but extremely skilled, talent. Tuesday night’s card in Fairfax, Virginia is no different.

The six fight main card is headlined by Chan Sung Jung versus Dustin Poirier, a match pitting two featherweights hoping to fight their way into a title shot in a division still seeking a full embrace from the viewing public.

Jung seemed like he was on his way to featherweight anonymity 18 months ago. After starting his career with nine straight wins, “The Korean Zombie” fell short in three out of his next four fights. That tough stretch culminated with a vicious knockout loss via head kick to George Roop in September of 2010.

The loss left Jung at a crossroads in his career. One more loss and he would undoubtedly be sent packing to the mid-major shows to reinvent himself. His next opponent was a man who had defeated him one year earlier, Leonard Garcia, a whirlwind offensive fighter with one of the sturdiest chins in the division.

Jung put forth what I think was a career-best effort against Garcia in the rematch. He not only beat Gracia; he did it via twister, becoming the first man in UFC history to end a fight with the Eddie Bravo invention. The Zombie followed that with a stunning seven-second knockout win over Mark Hominick in a bout most thought was a mere formality for the one-time title challenger. The knockout win was the second fastest in UFC history, just short of Duane Ludwig’s record.

Those two wins put Zombie right back into the 145-pound mix.

Poirier enters Tuesday’s fight with no such recent hiccups. He has never lost three out of four at any point in his career. In fact, he hasn’t lost three times as a professional. Poirier has only lost once and has since put together a five-fight winning streak, making him one of the entrenched featherweight contenders.

This is an intriguing fight because both men really are at their best when mixing it up on the ground in a transition jiu-jitsu battle. When two fighters are extremely evenly matched in one area of the fight, they often cancel each other out in that facet of the game. I expect that to be the case on Tuesday night, which means Zombie and Poirier will likely resolve this one on the feet.

Coming off of his seven-second knockout win, one that earned him “Knockout of the Night” honors, most probably believe that Zombie will enjoy an advantage on the feet, particularly since Poirier has yet to score a knockout win in four UFC bouts. I disagree. I think Poirier is the more technically sound striker. And I think that will be the difference in the fight.

Keep in mind that Hominick basically walked right into the punch that led to his near-record-setting loss. He had absolutely no respect for Zombie’s standup game. That hubris was his downfall. Poirier won’t make that same mistake.

Jung-Poirier is a tremendous matchup, both stylistically and in terms of division relevance, but the most intriguing matchup for my money will happen a couple of fights earlier when Donald Cerrone clashes with Jeremy Stephens in what could turn out to be the Fight of the Year.

Cerrone is nicknamed “Cowboy” because of his drawl, sprawling ranch in Albuquerque, love of boots and his ever-present hat. But this guy fights like a cowboy – a rugged, all-action and fearless warrior looking to tame the Wild West. In his last 13 bouts, Cerrone has won nine post-fight bonuses. Had the UFC-WEC merger occurred earlier, that would leave him one shy of the most all-time.

Anyone who read my pre-fight breakdown of Nate Diaz versus Jim Miller knows how I view post-fight awards. That is the one true gauge of how exciting a fighter is for the casual fan to watch. And Cerrone stands right next to Nate and his older brother Nick as the most exciting combatants in the UFC, in my opinion.

Stephens is no slouch in the excitement category. He was awarded four post-fight bonuses in his last nine fights. Forty-four percent would be an extremely impressive ratio, if he was fighting anyone other than Cerrone and his 69% ratio.

Putting two thrilling combatants like that in a cage together almost always produces amazing results. Tuesday night will not be any different. I guarantee it. Bold statement, I know. But I’m jumping out on a limb because there is one additional layer of intrigue to this matchup. Both men are coming off a loss, which means this fight is ultra important in determining their place in the pecking order of the crazy deep lightweight division. And that means these two will scrap for real, not wanting to take any chances that the judges rip a win from a pair of deserving hands.

In terms of the actual skill matchup, both men are amazing strikers, albeit very different. Cerrone is surgical with his fists, kicks and knees. He is a stick-and-move predator, rather than a foot-planting brawler. He rarely sits down fully on his strikes and throws with full force because it opens him up to unnecessary counters. The exception to that rule is when his opponent is hurt. Cerrone will go full throttle in that situation.

Stephens, on the other hand, doesn’t know how to fight any way other than full throttle with every strike. He is the personification of punches with bad intentions. His arsenal isn’t anywhere near as varied Cerrone’s. But he has very real show-stopping power in his fists, certainly more so than his foe. As a result, Stephens’ idea of “stick and move” is to hammer with bludgeoning blows and step forward with more. His lateral movement is often reserved for chasing his opponent, rather than retreating to reset his angle.

Cerrone needs to put his shots together on the feet to win. Stephens just needs to touch the other guy. That is what makes this such a fun fight.

To finish the skills comparison, Cerrone is the vastly superior ground fighter. He isn’t a great wrestler, so I think he will likely struggle to take the fight to the ground if he finds himself in trouble on the feet. But if it goes there, he has tremendous submission skills. Indeed, most of his wins have come by way of submission, despite the fact that he entered the sport as a striker.

I’m not sure that well-rounded advantage will help Cerrone much in this fight because of his lack of great wrestling. His best chance at using those skills will be to secure a clinch and work his way to his opponent’s back. That is an unlikely outcome, but it seems like his best chance for a submission.

But I don’t think Cerrone really cares about a submission in this fight. I firmly believe he will enter the cage fully intent on outstriking his opponent. He might not have the same juice in his strikes, but he has the skill to outclass Stephens on the feet en route to a unanimous decision win or a stoppage from an accumulation of shots. Then again, all Stephens needs is one opening to bring the action to an abrupt end.

Who will win? I lean toward Cerrone, but I’m not counting Stephens out by any stretch of the imagination.