Author: Damon Martin

Jake Shields Talks Tyron Woodley: ‘He Thinks He’s a Little Better Than He Is’

Former UFC title contender Jake Shields has been stuck between a rock and a hard place for the last few years while juggling his weight to move between the welterweight and middleweight divisions. In 2009, while fighting in Strikeforce, the challenges …

Former UFC title contender Jake Shields has been stuck between a rock and a hard place for the last few years while juggling his weight to move between the welterweight and middleweight divisions.

In 2009, while fighting in Strikeforce, the challenges at welterweight dried up, so Shields decided to try his hand at 185 pounds—just to test himself against a new crop of talent. 

The experiment worked.

Shields not only beat Robbie Lawler and Jason “Mayhem” Miller in consecutive bouts, but he picked up arguably the biggest win of his career when he took out former Pride champion Dan Henderson over the course of five rounds in 2010.

Following the fight with Henderson, Shields exited Strikeforce and was signed to a multi-fight deal with the UFC. There was just one problem—they wanted him back at welterweight, where he had been a force for many years.

So Shields ventured back down to welterweight, and, while he did earn a title shot just one fight later against champion Georges St-Pierre, his body never quite got back in sync after adding so much weight over the previous two years to compete at 185 pounds.

After going 2-2 in his first four fights in the UFC, Shields opted to try one more fight at middleweight. However, his body just wasn’t adjusting to the extra pounds so, for the final time, he decided 170 was the best place for him to call home.

“It’s definitely tough, especially when I started fighting at 185 it took me a couple of fights to feel really comfortable there and you come back down to take a couple of fights.  The back and forth is really tough,” Shields told Bleacher Report.  “I feel like last time I moved up I never really put the weight on, I was only like 192 or 193 so it was easy going back down because I never got big. 

“It took me three or four fights at 185 to really put the weight on properly.  By the time I fought (Dan) Henderson, I started to feel really good, but then they wanted me to drop (back to welterweight) and the drop was tough, so it’s definitely hard on the body going up and down.”

Over the past few months, Shields has gotten his body back in tune for a fight at welterweight and says he only weighs around 185 pounds currently, which is much lighter than when he first came to the UFC and had to shed some serious pounds to make the 170-pound limit. 

Back in the training room, Shields is alive again with more energy and happy with his decision to go back to welterweight.  It even feels like the old days, when he was considered the No. 2 fighter in the world at 170 pounds with the addition of some old friends to his training camp.

With San Jose just about an hour away from his house in the San Francisco Bay area, Shields traveled to American Kickboxing Academy several times during this training camp to bolster his workouts while preparing for his fight at UFC 161 against Tyron Woodley. 

Shields had actually worked at the camp for several years when he was in Strikeforce, but, once he made the move to the UFC, he felt it would be a conflict of interest to train there anymore.

“I hadn’t trained there in about three years because as soon as I signed with the UFC, with (Jon) Fitch and (Josh) Koscheck both being top contenders at 170, I figured there was no way I should train there, but with Koscheck kind of pulled up and left and Fitch leaving the UFC, it kind of made it wide open so I could go down there and train again,” Shields stated.

With his training camp hitting its peak and his body feeling right back at 170 pounds, Shields was ready to jump right back into the deep end of the welterweight division.  His hope was to land a fight with a name like Carlos Condit or Rory MacDonald, but, instead, the UFC opted to give him a former Strikeforce title contender in Woodley.

Woodley recently debuted in the UFC and made quite the first impression with a quick knockout of Jay Hieron. But he wasn’t the name or ranked fighter Shields was hoping to hear when matchmaker Joe Silva offered him his next fight.

“He’s kind of a name, he’s a really tough fighter, he’s got a following, but I would like to fight someone that’s a slightly bigger name, but as far as how good he is, I think he’s a really top fighter,” Shields said about Woodley.  “I think the UFC’s aware of that, so they’re not throwing a name at me that the UFC thinks is a nobody.  He’s a really tough fighter.”

Leading up to UFC 161, Woodley hasn’t been shy when uttering Shields’ name, saying that he’s “on his way out” and he plans to “exploit him and get him out of there.”  This fight is Woodley‘s chance to beat a legitimate UFC welterweight contender, and he’s had no problem explaining to everyone why he’s the superior fighter against Shields.

On the flipside, Shields has never been too much of a fan of trash talk leading into a fight.  He doesn’t do a ton of interviews where he calls his opponents names or tries to get attention based on his words. Shields is more about action, and he plans on giving Woodley a dose of humility come June 15.

“I think he’s a little bit cocky, a little bit arrogant, he thinks he’s a little better than he is,” Shields said. “I want to go out there and put a reality check on him.  I want to go out there and give him a big beating and let him know he’s not ready for the top fights yet.”

By beating Woodley, Shields hopes he also reminds the entire MMA world that it wasn’t long ago he stood at the top of the welterweight class.  He knows the road back there doesn’t stop at Woodley, but he hopes to use this fight as a good first step back to the peak of the division.

“I think a lot of people kind of forgot about me,” Shields commented.  “I want to go out there with a big, exciting finish to show the world that I’m back in a big way and I want to get another shot at that title.”

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

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MMA’s Great Debate Radio: Roy Nelson, Josh Burkman and the Best Debate in MMA

UFC 161 fighter Roy Nelson and World Series of Fighting’s Josh Burkman join today’s show, and there should be plenty of debate surrounding UFC on Fuel 10 and Bellator’s new night for programming. Stepping into help out an ailing UFC 161 on just a coupl…

UFC 161 fighter Roy Nelson and World Series of Fighting’s Josh Burkman join today’s show, and there should be plenty of debate surrounding UFC on Fuel 10 and Bellator‘s new night for programming.

Stepping into help out an ailing UFC 161 on just a couple of weeks notice, Roy Nelson joins the show to talk about why he decided to take the fight, his existing contract with the UFC and whether he plans to return to the Octagon after Saturday night.

Also on the show, World Series of Fighting main event fighter Josh Burkman stops by to discuss his fight against Jon Fitch and why he’s not looking for a return to the UFC right now.

Finally the debate heats up on today’s show as we discuss the events that went down in Brazil on Saturday for UFC on Fuel 10, as well as some other big stories in the MMA world over the last few days, including Bellator‘s new night for programming.

 

Today’s debate topics include

  • Fabricio Werdum said he wants to wait until after Velasquez vs. Dos Santos 3 to decide what’s next. Good move or bad move?
  • Thiago Silva knocks out Rafael Feijao—are you buying him as a legit top-10 fighter now?
  • Bellator will shift programming to Friday nights in September. Will they be as successful on the new night?
  • Jose Aldo says with a win over Anthony Pettis he will move to 155 to challenge for the title there.  Agree or disagree with that decision?

 

This is MMA’s Great Debate Radio for Tuesday, June 11, 2013

(If the embeddable player does not work click HERE.  Don’t forget to subscribe to the show via iTunes or listen on Stitcher Radio).

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Mark Hunt Reveals Graphic Video of Staph Infection That Landed Him in Surgery

UFC 160 fighter Mark Hunt has had a rough few weeks that culminated in the heavyweight ending up in surgery to deal with a nasty staph infection on his leg. Hunt fought in May where he lost by knockout to former UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Sant…

UFC 160 fighter Mark Hunt has had a rough few weeks that culminated in the heavyweight ending up in surgery to deal with a nasty staph infection on his leg.

Hunt fought in May where he lost by knockout to former UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos.  The fight came just days after Hunt was able to get to the United States after having his travel visa delayed by weeks because of a past run in with law enforcement while in America.

Now back at home in New Zealand, Hunt is dealing with a whole new ailment that put him under the doctor’s scalpel, and he is taking several rounds of antibiotics to deal with an infection on his leg that developed after the fight.

Hunt first released the news via his Twitter account stating that he was in the hospital for surgery and still had more operations to go until he was finished.

In a reply to a fan, Hunt revealed that he had an infected hematoma on his leg in addition to a broken toe and joked that he was “a walking infection”.

Hunt then had a friend film a video of him in the hospital, revealing the nasty nature of the staph infection which literally ate through the skin and muscle in his leg.  Be forewarned the video of Hunt’s leg is not for the faint of heart.

Hunt is the latest fighter in the MMA world to suffer from a staph infection, which unfortunately has become somewhat common in the fight industry.

Last year, Bellator light heavyweight contender “King” Mo Lawal dealt with a similar infection that kept him out of action for several months and literally brought him to the brink where his life was on the line.

Other fighters such as Kevin Randleman, Jason “Mayhem” Miller and Drew McFedries have also gone through similar battles with staph infections in the past. 

The worst case of the disease hitting an MMA fighter happened when former WEC and UFC fighter Cole Escovedo was afflicted with a staph infection that caused paralysis and not only almost ended his fighting career, but for a time took away his ability to walk.

It appears Hunt caught the infection in time to deal with it through surgery and treatment, but it doesn’t make the graphic nature of the disease any easier to deal with right now.  At the time of his last Twitter post, Hunt had not updated when he expected to be released from the hospital.

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.

 

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Dan Henderson and Rashad Evans Face Harsh Realities Ahead of UFC 161

The main event at UFC 161 this weekend not only pits two of the best light heavyweights in the world against one another, but it also showcases opposing competitors at a bit of a crossroad in their respective careers. Former Pride and Strikeforce champ…

The main event at UFC 161 this weekend not only pits two of the best light heavyweights in the world against one another, but it also showcases opposing competitors at a bit of a crossroad in their respective careers.

Former Pride and Strikeforce champion Dan Henderson comes into the bout off of an ugly fight against Lyoto Machida in February.  The entire 15-minute affair came down to Henderson pursuing the big knockout punch, while Machida was elusive and looked to counter attacks but never really mounted any serious offense of his own.

Henderson lost a split decision that night, and with it went his hopes to secure a light heavyweight title shot against champion Jon Jones.

Three weeks prior to Henderson’s stumble against Machida, former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans was sleeping his way to a unanimous decision loss to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC 156.

Normally a very fast fighter with heavy hands, Evans looked slow and out of step during every minute of his fight against Nogueira, and when it was over even he couldn’t excuse his wretched performance.

Now just over three months removed from a pair of fights both would likely rather forget, Henderson meets Evans in the main event of UFC 161 with a dire sense of redemption on the line.

Henderson admits he watched Evans’ last fight against Nogueira but doesn’t expect the same type of performance this time around from the former Michigan State wrestler.

“You can’t chalk that up to how he’s going to fight moving forward.  I’ve had fights where I’m real flat as well, and it doesn’t reflect very well what I’m capable of doing and what I might be doing in my next fight,” Henderson told Bleacher Report recently.  “I watched that and saw it, but I didn’t take that as that’s the Rashad I’m fighting.”

When the book is written about Henderson’s career, he’d probably prefer the chapter about his fight with Machida to be omitted the same way Evans does his bout against Nogueira.  At 42 years of age, however, Henderson knows the clock is ticking on his goal to one day clasp the UFC title, and in this sport it all comes down to your last performance. 

“That’s just the nature of the sport.  You’re only as good as your last fight,” Henderson stated.  “People do judge in that way and don’t look at an overall career, or a two or three fight average. It’s just the way it is and you’ve got to deal with it.”

In this fight there is no gold on the line or even the hope of a title shot with a victory, but what’s at stake could actually be much bigger in terms of their individual careers.

Henderson and Evans enter this fight with the knowledge that another loss would be devastating with far-reaching consequences.  For Evans it would mark his third defeat in a row, and while he’s not likely anywhere near the cut line for losing his job with the UFC, his relevancy in the light heavyweight division would take a major hit.

Evans has commented that he is contemplating a move down to middleweight regardless of the outcome of this fight, but a loss would certainly impact any potential shift and where he stacks up in a new division.

On the other side of the coin for Henderson, a loss to Evans would almost surely signify the end of his run to earn another shot at the UFC lightweight title before his fighting days are over.

Henderson knows full well what this fight means just like he knows that Evans is a good wrestler with knockout power in his hands.   He’s sure Evans is aware of the same thing regarding his skill set and the ramifications of what happens with a loss, but this fight isn’t about ignoring the hard truths staring right back at them in the face.

This fight is about knowing what happens next and attacking it with the same ferocity as any other moment in history. 

“I’m sure he’s expecting me to hit him with my right hand,” Henderson said.   “Am I still going to hit him with it?  Yeah absolutely.”

It’s that kind of no nonsense approach to this fight that gives Henderson the right attitude to come away with the win, because anything less would mean he has to face the reality of a new world where title shots might just be a thing of the past.

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

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Jon Fitch Reveals His Lifetime UFC Pay; States He’s Never Complained About Money

Former UFC welterweight Jon Fitch is breathing new life after leaving his former employer and signing on with upstart promotion World Series of Fighting, where he debuts in the main event this Friday night. Fitch fought for the UFC for just over seven-…

Former UFC welterweight Jon Fitch is breathing new life after leaving his former employer and signing on with upstart promotion World Series of Fighting, where he debuts in the main event this Friday night.

Fitch fought for the UFC for just over seven-and-a-half years, battled for the welterweight title on one occasion, and, in total, fought for the organization 18 times, amassing a 14-3-1 record overall.

Ultimately following a stretch where he went 1-2 over three fights, the UFC opted to release Fitch from the organization despite being ranked No. 9 at the time in the promotion’s own rankings. The decision to release Fitch was met with some shock, but he moved on quickly to sign with a new promotion and start phase two of his career.

Still the UFC’s name gets brought up to Fitch quite often, and last week during a media conference call he responded by saying working there many times felt like it was a “hostile” environment where he was “not appreciated” and it was a “clear sign of not wanting somebody around.”

It didn’t take long for UFC President Dana White to respond to the ill will claims from Fitch, so in an interview with MMAJunkie.com, he revealed Fitch’s discretionary bonuses, which are not accounted for by the typical fighter salaries released by the state athletic commissions following each fight card. White stated that the company paid Fitch $302,000 in additional bonuses on top of his agreed upon pay structure, and that his complaints of a hostile workplace were “total bulls—t.”

On Monday, Fitch decided to respond with a video explaining how much he was paid by the UFC over the course of his career. He also emphatically stated that he never once complained about the money he made while he was in the company, and his comments were never necessarily about the pay they gave him while he was there.

“There’s been some talk involving money matters and me and some bonuses I’ve made over my career with the UFC,” Fitch stated. “So I wanted to shine some more light on my financial matters to give the fans a better idea the type of money a fighter like me actually makes.

“I’ve never complained about money, I’ve always loved the money that I made from fighting with the UFC and organizations before I fought with the UFC.”

Fitch broke down the numbers for his salary over the years with the UFC, and the amounts largely matched exactly what White stated, at least regarding the bonuses paid on top of his regular show and win money.

“In my 18 fights with the UFC, I was paid $1,020,000—that was show money and win money. I also made about $300,000 in bonuses, two of those bonuses were Fight of the Night bonuses,” Fitch explained. “One was Georges St-Pierre, a $60,000 fight of the night, and the Erick Silva fight, it was a $70,000 bonus. So, in total, I made $1,322,000.

“Sounds like a lot of money, but lets look at that a little bit closer. Out of the 18 fights out of that $1,020,000, I paid 20 percent of that to management and the gym. So if you take that number—$1,322,000—divided by seven-and-a-half years, I was roughly making just over $176,000 a year. Now remember that’s before management and gym fees. You also have other expenses you have to pay for, equipment, stuff like that.”

If Fitch’s numbers are accurate, that means he would have paid around $204,000 to his management and gym at American Kickboxing Academy. While Fitch didn’t discuss this at the time, he also has to pay taxes on that amount of money, which would also reach well over $200,000 based on his original pay of $1,020,000 over 18 fights.

Fitch would have also paid taxes anytime he fought internationally, like his bout against Erick Silva at UFC 153 in Brazil. Whenever fights take place outside of the United States, fighters will routinely be taxed in the country they are visiting before their final pay is given to them by the promotion.

Former UFC lightweight John Cholish recently revealed in an interview with Bleacher Report that when he traveled to Brazil for UFC on FX 8 earlier this year, the country took 27 percent for taxes off his total gross pay. 

All told, Fitch still says he wasn’t complaining about the money he made with the UFC, although when he started breaking down numbers for pay-per-view sales, gates and attendance, he believes the promotion is keeping a lion’s share of the profits.

Once White revealed the bonuses, however, Fitch felt compelled to reveal exactly what he was making over the course of his career with the UFC. Regardless of any numbers tossed around, he still stands by his original point that he was never concerned about the money he made and that’s not what his statement was about.

“Money was never important to me. That wasn’t why I fight, that wasn’t the point of fighting,” Fitch said. “I wanted to be the best in the world and prove that I’m the best in the world. I don’t know why money always gets brought back up with them and it’s not important to me, but I thought it was important for the fans to know what the numbers actually are and to get some kind of perspective what fighters are actually getting paid.”

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report

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Myles Jury Breaks Down Fabricio Werdum’s Armbar Submission at UFC on Fuel 10

At UFC on Fuel 10, two of the best submission artists in the history of the heavyweight division met, but ultimately, it was Fabricio Werdum who came away with the victory.Facing former Pride champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in a rematch from a fight …

At UFC on Fuel 10, two of the best submission artists in the history of the heavyweight division met, but ultimately, it was Fabricio Werdum who came away with the victory.

Facing former Pride champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in a rematch from a fight the pair had all the way back in 2006, Werdum was crafty with his attacks and ultimately put away his old foe with a slick armbar submission.

It’s never easy to catch a submission on a fighter as skilled as Nogueira, but Werdum had no problem taking the fight to the mat and looking to put him away on the ground.

Werdum’s slick submission put Nogueira away in the second round—marking only the second time in his career that Nogueira has been finished on the ground.

Following the fight, undefeated UFC lightweight Myles Jury took to the training room to break down the footage of what happened in the fight between Werdum and Nogueira.

In this step-by-step video, Jury walks through exactly what Werdum did right to catch Nogueira’s arm and put him away.

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