Author: Christopher Heathman

Dana White: 5 Biggest Rants from the UFC President

UFC 167 saw Georges St-Pierre defeat Johny Hendricks via a controversial split decision which UFC President Dana White, and many others, did not agree with.When Dana White strongly disagrees with a decision, though, he tends let everyone know about. La…

UFC 167 saw Georges St-Pierre defeat Johny Hendricks via a controversial split decision which UFC President Dana White, and many others, did not agree with.

When Dana White strongly disagrees with a decision, though, he tends let everyone know about. Last night was no different and at the post-fight press conference he let the attending media know he thought the decision was a disgrace.

White epitomises what it means to wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve, and although sometimes he sensationalises versions of events, like last night, it is always entertaining. It also gives media types the quotes they need to make such post-fight articles worth reading.

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UFC 167: Why Georges St-Pierre Should Retire If He Beats Johny Hendricks

At UFC 167, Georges St-Pierre will face arguably his toughest challenge yet in Johny Hendricks. A win over whom would take his tally to nine title defences since he dethroned Matt Serra back in 2008.His reign as king of the welterweight division is som…

At UFC 167, Georges St-Pierre will face arguably his toughest challenge yet in Johny Hendricks. A win over whom would take his tally to nine title defences since he dethroned Matt Serra back in 2008.

His reign as king of the welterweight division is something to marvel at, even more so if he does conquer Hendricks. What would be more impressive is if he retires after doing so.

To retire is a simple thing to do in principle, yet so many athletes struggle with the decision. You only have to look back through the UFC’s young history for proof. It took both Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture to be knocked unconscious one too many times to finally admit when it was over.

Anderson Silva has a rematch with Chris Weidman booked for December, but if he does fail against the current 185-pound champion again it means another fighter failed to finish on top.

GSP should retire because if he defeats Hendricks, what else there? Yes, he will be just one win short of matching Silva’s record of 10 title defences, but his length of tenure is no match for the quality of opposition the Canadian has fended off during his time at the top of the welterweight division.

If St-Pierre has his hand raised on Saturday night, he will have not just beaten Hendricks, but he would have added another name to the list from a third generation of welterweight contenders.

Starting with the old-guard of Matt Hughes, Matt Serra, Sean Sherk and Frank Trigg, he went on to see off his own generation of Josh Koscheck, Jon Fitch, Thiago Alves and Jake Shields. He is the only UFC champion to do so and there are no questions over the standard of his opponents.

Being able to finish on top, swallow his pride and retire would still be his greatest achievement because it is such a rarity in sports and especially combat sports.

If there is anyone with the right mentality to do so, it is Georges “Rush” St-Pierre. Professional and philosophical in his thinking, GSP is a rare human being which is often taken for granted by some of the more blood thirsty fans of the sport who care only about finishes.

The debate over his retirement has been a constant in the build up to UFC 167, and part of that is because his demeanour has changed. He is more visibly tired of the routine of training camp, obviously frustrated more than usual by the media and affected more by the cuts, bruises and damage caused during a fight.

He has also considered retirement before, admitting during a Primetime episode he was close to phoning UFC President Dana White when recovering from his ACL injury to tell him it is over.

He did not make that phone call, obviously, but once the ‘R’ word has been seriously considered it is not easy to toss it aside and forget about what can become an attractive prospect when one is so close to it. Like a seed it is planted in the brain, and over time it can grow in the subconscious until your heart is not really in it anymore.

Whether that is the case with GSP, only he can know, but it is obvious he is growing tired and there will be no reason to prolong it. The only thing left would be to face friend and welterweight contender Rory MacDonald, if he is also successful in his fight against Robbie Lawler on Saturday night.

He does not want to fight MacDonald, so what would be next? The right decision would be to go out a champion and leave the door open for the next wave of challengers.

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UFC 20th Anniversary: 5 of the Worst Moments in UFC History

The UFC has turned 20 years young this month and like with most anniversaries nostalgia is rife in the MMA community at this time. It is easy to remember the good times. From Royce Gracie’s triumph at UFC 1, to the best knockouts, best submissions…

The UFC has turned 20 years young this month and like with most anniversaries nostalgia is rife in the MMA community at this time. 

It is easy to remember the good times. From Royce Gracie’s triumph at UFC 1, to the best knockouts, best submissions and the best events. A 20th anniversary is a cause for celebration and remembering the good is the best way to do so.

However, with the good comes the bad. Sometimes we can even look back at the bad and just laugh, but other times we try to block them out and forget they ever happened. They’re just as important as the good memories, though. Flaws build character and the UFC has had its bad days, but it would be pretty uninteresting if everything was rosy all of the time.

So here is to the bad times and five of the worst moments in UFC history.

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Jimi Manuwa to Face Alexander Gustafsson When the UFC Visits London

Former title challenger Alexander “The Mauler” Gustafsson will now face Jimi “The Posterboy” Manuwa when the UFC visits London in March.The bout was announced on BT Sport’s “Beyond the Octagon” on UK television by Gareth A. Davies, but the rumour was d…

Former title challenger Alexander “The Mauler” Gustafsson will now face Jimi “The Posterboy” Manuwa when the UFC visits London in March.

The bout was announced on BT Sport’s “Beyond the Octagon” on UK television by Gareth A. Davies, but the rumour was doing the usual Twitter rounds days before.

The Swedish light heavyweight was originally scheduled to face Antônio Rogério Nogueira, but the Brazilian pulled out through injury. British favourite Manuwa now takes his place in what will be the biggest fight of his career in front of his home fans.

The Posterboy has only fought three times in the Octagon, with two bouts ending in unusual circumstances. Both Ryan Jimmo and Cyrille Diabate suffered in fight injuries and Manuwa was awarded the victories. In his debut against Kyle Kingsbury, however, Manuwa displayed his accurate and powerful striking, which he was renowned for in the UK.

Manuwa explained during his appearance on BT Sport, “I got the call about three days ago from my manager, and he put the fight to me.”

“I spoke to my coaches and everything, and we decided to accept the fight, so I’d like to confirm the rumours are all true, and I’ll be kicking off the first of six fights in Europe next year in my hometown of London.”

Gustafsson, though, will be by far the most skilled opponent he has come across. The Mauler is already the heavy favourite, and most, if not all, expect him to come through the bout unscathed and be next in line for another shot at Jon Jones.

UFC Fight Night in London is scheduled for March 8 and will also feature the rematch between Ross Pearson and Melvin Guillard after their first bout ended in a no contest due to a knee to a downed opponent from Guillard.

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Dominick Cruz vs. Renan Barao Will Now Headline UFC 169

The UFC has announced the champion vs. champion bout between Dominick Cruz and Renan Barao. They will headline UFC 169, while Jose Aldo will defend his featherweight crown against Ricardo Lamas in the co-main event.When the two fights were announced fo…

The UFC has announced the champion vs. champion bout between Dominick Cruz and Renan Barao. They will headline UFC 169, while Jose Aldo will defend his featherweight crown against Ricardo Lamas in the co-main event.

When the two fights were announced for the same event, many assumed it would be the 145lbs title fight which would headline.

In normal circumstances, the heavier weight class would be given top billing on a card with two title fights. However, the UFC has decided to go against protocol in favour of the 135lbs title bout, which is the bigger fight of the two.

Cruz’s return to face a seemingly unstoppable Barao in a champion vs. champion encounter will be one of the most eagerly awaited bouts of the new year. Plus, with the bantamweight champion’s regular appearances on Fox broadcasts and the interim champion’s recent successful pay-per-view appearances, both faces are the more familiar to audiences.

UFC 169 takes place on February 1 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey and is the UFC’s annual Super Bowl weekend showpiece. Although usually in Las Vegas, the event is instead taking place alongside the NFL’s curtain closer, which is held the next day at MetLife Stadium.

Bantamweight champion Cruz returns to the Octagon after more than two years out of action. Since the champion’s last title defence against Demetrious Johnson in 2011, his Brazilian opponent beat Urijah Faber to the interim title, defended his belt against Michael McDonald and, most recently, beat Eddie Wineland at UFC 165.

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UFC 162: From Disaster to Champion, Chris Weidman KOs Anderson Silva

At UFC 162 on Saturday, Chris Weidman shocked the MMA world when he knocked out the great Anderson Silva to become the new UFC middleweight champion.The victory not only represented an end of an era in the 185-lb division but also the culmination of a …

At UFC 162 on Saturday, Chris Weidman shocked the MMA world when he knocked out the great Anderson Silva to become the new UFC middleweight champion.

The victory not only represented an end of an era in the 185-lb division but also the culmination of a journey for the newly crowned middleweight king from disaster last October to becoming a world champion just nine months later.

Hurricane Sandy arrived on the Atlantic coast of the United States in October 2012. The 115-mile-per-hour winds destroyed thousands of homes, including Chris Weidman’s. Ariel Helwani famously visited Weidman’s neighbourhood seven days after the storm hit, and everyone could see the scale of devastation.

Such a large-scale disaster might normally deter and derail an individual from his path, but Weidman only became more determined and motivated to reach his goal of becoming the new UFC middleweight champion.

Sport history is full of inspirational stories of glory despite adversity. Whether it is South Africa’s rugby World Cup-winning side of 1995, Iraq claiming the 2007 AFC Asia Cup in the face of war or the New Orleans Saints winning the Super Bowl in 2010 with Hurricane Katrina still in the minds of the players, hardship and disaster have a way of motivating athletes to a point where it seems they cannot be stopped.

Some call this destiny.

Weidman was not carrying the hopes of a nation on his shoulders like South Africa’s ruggers or Iraq’s footballers. This was more of a personal battle, and his drive stemmed from his desire to change the fortunes of his family after the catastrophe.

Weidman was still dealing with the destruction caused by Hurricane Sandy in the run-up to his date with Silva, but this only added fuel to his fire. The hurricane and its aftermath put the prospect of fighting perhaps the greatest of all time into a unique perspective that other contenders had not experienced.

Weidman had faced the worst and had battled it for nine months. A five-round contest with Silva was suddenly a small hurdle in comparison to the second-costliest hurricane in U.S. history.

His focus was undeniable as he entered the Octagon and stood opposite the champion and pound-for-pound king. Silva tried to get under his opponent’s skin, but Weidman also proved his mental steel.

Silva taunted him during the first round, but after the American scored the early takedown and was never really troubled by Silva, it was clear Weidman was ready for the antics. He was focused enough not to lose his chance at UFC middleweight gold the same way that others had before him.

Silva started the second round in the same vein, but this was ultimately his downfall. He was not facing Demian Maia or Thales Leites. Weidman was not just a challenger aiming to win UFC gold—he was so much more.

When Weidman landed the combination that finally dethroned “The Spider” and Dana White wrapped the middleweight title around his waist, it was the symbol of victory not just over Silva but over disaster.

A tearful Weidman told Joe Rogan post fight, “I felt I was destined for this. I still felt it was a little far-fetched but I imagined it a billion times.”

Weidman did what he vowed to and changed the fortunes of his family by becoming world champion. However, with work still to be done in his neighbourhood, you can bet “The All-American” will carry on his work in the recovery from Hurricane Sandy.

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