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UFC on Fox 10: Keys to Victory for Benson Henderson

At UFC on Fox 10, at the United Center in Chicago on Saturday, Benson Henderson will attempt to defeat a game opponent in Josh Thomson and solidify himself as the lightweight division’s No. 1 contender.
Thomson earned the right to face Hende…

Thomson earned the right to face Henderson after his crushing knockout defeat over Nick Diaz at UFC on Fox 7. The win was so impressive that it caught the eye of UFC president Dana White.

In fact, according to Matt Erickson of MMA Junkie, at a media event in Chicago, White confirmed that Thomson would be granted a title shot upon his win at UFC on Fox 10. The UFC president exclaimed, “Here’s the reality: If Thomson wins, he’s the next in line (for a title shot).”

However, despite his most recent loss and relinquishing of the lightweight belt, Henderson has plans to remain the No. 1 contender and ultimately defeat the champion who has bested him twice in their last two outings—Anthony Pettis. Henderson has made a career out of remaining elusive in the Octagon and has outworked many of his foes in the area of grappling.

The latter has led Henderson on a 7-1 run in his past eight fights and represents his keys to victory at UFC on Fox 10.

The Stand-Up: Elusiveness

Henderson is an intelligent fighter. He has sustained little damage throughout his career. The Washington native is able to dole out a barrage of blows to his opponents and swiftly retreat before being struck.

His footwork and speed are perplexing to many of his adversaries. In that, the former champion has never been knocked out and has only lost one bout by decision.

Grappling: Wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Henderson is a former two-time NCIA All-American wrestler and a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. He has the ability to take down his opponents and submit them on the ground. In fact, according to UFC.com, Henderson boasts a 51 percent takedown rate and has submitted almost half of his foes en route to victory.

Although Henderson is able to grapple at the highest levels, he has, on occasion, carelessly left himself open to elementary submission attempts. The 30-year-old has fought out of many submission holds and has only lost twice in this fashion. At the same time, one of the bouts (UFC 164) in which Henderson lost via armbar cost him the UFC lightweight title.

However, the former champion remains undeterred in his resolve to face the champion for a third time. At a media event promoting UFC on Fox 10, according to the Associated Press (h/t Newsday), Henderson stated:

Every guy UFC would give a title shot to, send them my way. I’ll go down the entire list of the top 10. I will beat everybody. Let’s do that. When he (Pettis) is healthy, when he does come back then I’ll be waiting.

Overall, the former champion is well-rounded and experienced, and he sports a respectable record of 19-3. At UFC on Fox 10, Henderson will square off against the former Strikeforce lightweight champion in Thomson and attempt to defeat all comers thereafter to earn his way to a shot at Pettis and another world title.

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Pretender or Contender? Sorting Out the UFC Middleweight Division

At UFC 162, Chris Weidman viciously knocked out the longest-reigning UFC champion of all time, Anderson Silva. In their second matchup, the Brazilian lost once more, triggering a permanent changing of the guard in the middleweight division.
Silva will …

Silva will be out of action until, at least, the latter part of 2014, due to a broken leg suffered in his last bout. The injury provides a prime opportunity for other contenders to shine in a division that was previously dominated by Silva for six and a half years.

The following gives light to the UFC’s middleweight top-10 contenders, analyzes their past performances and separates the pretenders from the actual contenders in the deeply stacked 185-pound division.

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UFC on Fox 9: Keys to Victory for Urijah Faber

On Saturday, December 14, 2013, mixed martial arts veteran Urijah Faber will face off against a game opponent in Michael McDonald. Although McDonald is considerably younger and sports a 16-2 record, Faber is a seasoned and technical fighter who has grinded out many of his opponents on his way to becoming a two-year World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) champion and a UFC pioneer.

According to UFC.com, Faber is the No. 2 ranked bantamweight in the world. A win over McDonald (No. 3) at UFC on Fox 9 will most likely earn the California native another title shot. Faber lost to the current bantamweight champion, Dominick Cruz, and the interim champion, Renan Barao, via unanimous decision at UFC 132 and UFC 149, respectively.

However, Faber has put together a three-fight win streak and is confident in his ability to secure the victory over McDonald. In an interview with USA Today Sports (via MMA Junkie), he stated:

….he’s gone to a decision before with guys. There’s guys he hasn’t knocked out. There’s guys that he’s lost to – guys that I’ve fought that he’s lost to….

I’m going to put my will on him. That’s what I’m going to do.

Regarding his opponent at UFC on Fox 9, Faber’s high-level grappling and profound in-Octagon experience should guide him to victory, and to yet another title shot in 2014.

Grappling

Faber is a former NCAA Division I wrestler and has consistently used his superior grappling and takedowns to stifle his opponents. The latter, combined with his advanced Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills, has garnered him 16 career submission wins. In fact, Faber’s list of high-profile submission victims includes Scott Jorgensen, Brian Bowles, Jens Pulver, Jeff Curran and Cruz.

Therefore, on December 14, it would benefit the “California Kid” to utilize his high-level wrestling and out-grapple McDonald. Submitting and/or grinding out his opponent to a decision victory at UFC on Fox 9 will solidify Faber’s position at the top of his weight class and most likely grant him another shot at the bantamweight title.

Experience

Bringing a wealth of experience to the Octagon, Faber has amassed an MMA record of 29-6, having fought professionally 35 times in all. He has been competing in MMA for a little over 10 years, capturing the King of the Cage (KOTC) Bantamweight title in 2004. Under the KOTC banner, Faber remained undefeated and vacated his title as champion.

Then, Faber went on to win the WEC Featherweight Championship in 2006. During his four-year stint with the WEC, the California native only lost to two competitors—Mike Brown and the current UFC featherweight champion, Jose Aldo.

Regarding Faber’s opponent on December 14, nine out of 16 of McDonald’s wins have come by way of knockout. He hits hard and has knocked out the likes of former WEC champion Miguel Torres and a formidable Manny Tapia. However, Faber’s ability to put together combinations and utilize a wide array of his arsenal makes him a dangerous opponent. His experience in longer bouts and against more talented opponents will assist in his victory at UFC on Fox 9.

Urijah Faber’s Dubious Future

Despite his current three-fight win streak, Faber’s last five defeats have come in UFC or WEC championship matchups—losing to Barao, Cruz, Aldo and Brown (twice). Although a trailblazer in the sport of MMA, at 34 years old, time is not on the California Kid’s side. His age, accompanied by Faber’s last four failed attempts to secure a championship title, leaves him on the verge of gatekeeper status.

Therefore, Faber should have no problem being motivated for this fight. He will still have his eyes on the title, much like any fighter with his history in the sport would. A win on Saturday night keeps him in the conversation for the belt.

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Jon Jones: What 2014 Could Have in Store for the Light Heavyweight Champion

Jon Jones is not only the UFC’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, he is also the organization’s long-reigning light heavyweight champion. Leading up to UFC 165, Jones had destroyed every foe in his path. He consistently made many seasoned fighters appear unworthy in their attempts to defeat the current champion. Some of Jones’ victims included former world champions in the form of Vitor Belfort, Rashad Evans, Lyoto Machida, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.

Jones is virtually the only undefeated fighter (his only loss is via disqualification) among the light heavyweight division’s Top 10 contenders. The 26-year-old absolutely demolished the majority of his opponents—until his meeting with Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165.

Jones’ bout against Gustafsson on Sept. 21, 2013, was one of epic proportions. It was a back-and-forth battle in which the champion retained his title via unanimous decision. However, the matchup exposed weaknesses on the part of Jones and illustrated a blueprint to beating the champion.

Recently, Jones spoke of moving to the heavyweight division. However, given a much-desired rematch between Jones and Gustafsson, accompanied by the talent of other viable light heavyweights, 2014 already appears quite eventful for the champion and MMA fans alike.

The following highlights a variety of high-octane matchups on the horizon for the light heavyweight champion in 2014.

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Johny Hendricks: What Will 2014 Hold for the UFC’s No. 1 Welterweight Contender?

On November 16, 2013, at UFC 167, Johny Hendricks shocked the world of MMA with his performance against the reigning and six-year welterweight champion, Georges St-Pierre. “Bigg Rigg” took down, beat up and damaged the champion’s face beyond recognition. Yet, at the end of the two combatants’ epic matchup, to the disbelief of mostly every spectator who witnessed the bout, St-Pierre was granted the split-decision victory.

Almost immediately, the crowd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., was in an uproar. However, no one appeared more disgruntled with the decision than UFC president Dana White. After the fight, he exclaimed (per Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports):

I’m blown away that Georges St-Pierre won that fight. Listen: I’m a promoter. He’s the biggest pay-per-view star on the [expletive] planet tonight for me, and I still don’t think he won that fight. I want what’s fair and that wasn’t fair.

However, despite the heart-wrenching loss, Hendricks’ future has never seemed so bright. In fact, according to White, 2014 will most likely bear witness to a St-Pierre/Hendricks rematch of even higher stakes. At the UFC 167 post-fight media scrum, the UFC president stated, according to John Morgan of USA Today, “There needs to be a rematch. Johny deserves this rematch.”

All things being equal, Hendricks’ rematch against St-Pierre will most probably be immediate. St-Pierre/Hendricks II will occur, not only because the UFC president deems it so, but simply because it is logically sound. A No. 1 contender’s matchup between Hendricks and anyone else in the division is void of reason and lacks rationale.

And Then There Were None

The UFC’s No. 2 welterweight contender is Carlos Condit. “The Natural Born Killer” lost to Hendricks at UFC 158 and is currently scheduled to face Matt Brown (No. 8) at UFC on Fox 9, on December 14. Five of the next seven welterweight contenders—Rory MacDonald, Jake Ellenberger, Demian Maia, Martin Kampmann and Nick Diaz—have lost their most recent matchups.

Despite Jake Shields’ win at UFC Fight Night 29, many believe that the MMA veteran (No. 7) lost his matchup against Maia in yet another controversial, split-decision bout. Given Hendricks’ controversial loss against the welterweight champion at UFC 167, granting any of the above fighters a shot at the No. 1 contender would represent a gift of grand proportions.

The Dark Horse: Robbie Lawler

Robbie Lawler jumped up to the No. 3-ranked position after his decision win over St-Pierre protégé Rory MacDonald at UFC 167. The Iowa native sports heavy hands, with 18 of his 22 wins coming by way of knockout. With the victory and subsequent ranking, Lawler is just one successful victory removed from challenging for the title. Therefore, a matchup between him and Hendricks would draw great interest, particularly if St-Pierre does not return from his self-inflicted hiatus within a reasonable amount of time—or at all.

St-Pierre/Hendricks II

All in all, no fight makes more sense than a 2014 St-Pierre/Hendricks rematch. A sentiment shared by the UFC president himself, the coming year will, undoubtedly, represent one in which Hendricks challenges for the UFC welterweight title one more time.

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The UFC’s 3 Most Dangerous Threats to the Welterweight Title

The reigning UFC welterweight champion, Georges St-Pierre, has served as the division’s most dominant fighter for almost six years. During that time, he has remained undefeated and has beaten the likes of other former world champions and MMA vete…

However, the talent within the welterweight division is profound. Three fighters, in particular, through their power, methodical fighting style and combatant warrior spirit, pose the greatest threat to the champion’s world title.

Johny Hendricks

On November 16, 2013, at UFC 167, St-Pierre will face the powerhouse that is Johny Hendricks. The Canadian champion has made a career out of effectively utilizing his high-level wrestling talents to neutralize his opponents in the Octagon. St-Pierre has mastered the art of smothering his opponents, preventing any type of major offensive display on their part. The Canadian’s fighting style has stifled his foes time and time again, leading to his astounding 24-2 record.

“Bigg Rigg,” on the other hand, has a tremendous wrestling base. He is a four-time Division I All-American wrestler. Like St-Pierre, Hendricks has the ability to control and nullify his opponents with his grappling as well. However, the Oklahoma native’s power is what sets him apart from most other welterweights, including St-Pierre.

In a combined 58 seconds, Hendricks devastatingly knocked out game contenders in Martin Kampmann and Fitch at UFC 154 and at UFC 141, respectively. These bouts illustrated Bigg Rigg’s power and ability to quickly dispose of top-notch talent within the welterweight division.

Hendricks is one of the most dangerously well-rounded fighters on the UFC roster. At UFC 167, he will attempt to wrest away the championship title from St-Pierre, snap his 11-fight win streak and defeat the greatest welterweight champion in UFC history.

Rory MacDonald

Sooner or later, one of the most logical matchups will include St-Pierre and his teammate, Rory MacDonald. Although both of these fighters have denied the possibility of facing each other, UFC president Dana White disagrees. Recently, he stated:

Those two will fight. I think these guys are handling it like professionals, doing their thing, and when the day comes when they’re there, I guarantee you they’ll fight.

Given their similarly technical fighting styles and success in the Octagon, irrespective of their teammate status, a bout between St-Pierre and MacDonald is logically sound. Both are methodical in their approach to mixed martial arts. At the same time, MacDonald is currently ranked No. 3 in the welterweight division and sports a highly respectable 15-1 MMA record.

Ultimately, an in-Octagon meeting of the two high-profile teammates is inevitable. The fact that these two athletes are friends only heightens the general public’s curiosity and strengthens their desire to witness the fruition of this teammate versus teammate matchup.

The Dark Horse: Matt Brown

Not long ago, Matt Brown rounded out the lower tier of the UFC welterweight roster. More often than not, he fought no-name fighters—many to whom he lost. He sports a lackluster 18-11 record and was rumored to have been fired from the UFC in 2010, as a result of having lost three consecutive fights. However, what Brown lacks in skill and technique, he makes up with pure heart, grit and perseverance.

For the first time in the Ohio native’s career, he has put together a six-fight win streak. His most notable wins have come over MMA veterans Mike Pyle and Mike Swick. Both victories came in the form of knockouts. Suddenly, with Brown’s current win streak and recent highlight-reel finishes, the UFC has taken notice. However, in a recent statement, Brown addressed those who did not believe him to be championship material. He exclaimed:

Just because a bunch of media people don’t believe I’m not good enough for a title shot doesn’t mean that it’s true. I train very hard every day, and I train with some of the best people in the world in all the different martial arts, and I believe that my time is coming. I believe things are coming my way more and more now, and I’m going to be ready for a title shot in the future.

On December 14, 2013, Brown will be faced with the opportunity to illustrate that he is equipped to handle the pressure on a championship-type level. At UFC on Fox 9, Brown meets his most accomplished challenger to date—former two-time world champion Carlos Condit.

Gaining a victory over Condit in any fashion would most likely earn the Ohio native his first shot at a world title and leave him truly “Immortal” in the eyes of many.

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