Author: Damon Martin

Dustin Poirier: With Win over Cub Swanson ‘I’m at the Top of the Division’

They say fortune favors the bold. It’s a philosophy that UFC featherweight Dustin Poirier embraces because it’s not everyday a top ranked fighter will step up on short notice to fill a slot against another contender, especially in this division without…

They say fortune favors the bold.

It’s a philosophy that UFC featherweight Dustin Poirier embraces because it’s not everyday a top ranked fighter will step up on short notice to fill a slot against another contender, especially in this division without a full training camp to prepare.

That’s exactly what he did however when Dennis Siver suffered an injury ahead of this weekend’s UFC on Fuel 7 card. When Poirier got the call to face knockout artist Cub Swanson he didn’t hesitate to say yes.

Poirier knows that the fast track to a title shot is to step up when the UFC needs you, and beating a contender like Swanson is even better. It was the perfect recipe for success, and Poirier knew just the right ingredients.

“If I get my hand raised against Cub Swanson, there’s no doubt about it that I’m at the top of the division.  Maybe a rematch with the (Korean) Zombie (Chan Sung Jung) is in the future, or whatever the UFC has, but I come out on short notice, two wins in a row that would put me at 6-1 in the featherweight division. There’s no denying it,” Poirier told Bleacher Report in an exclusive interview.

Poirier isn’t detached from reality so he knows even with a victory at UFC on Fuel 7, he will likely have to take another fight later this year. That’s because the next featherweight title fight is already set and it doesn’t happen until August. 

Former lightweight contender Anthony Pettis will drop down to 145 pounds and face champion Jose Aldo in a big matchup later this year.  There was some backlash from the contenders already fighting at featherweight that complained about a fighter who had never even tested the weight class getting a title shot on day one.

Don’t count Poirier among those detractors.

“It really doesn’t bother me.  I know I’m sure a lot of guys are pissed off in the division, but I’m going to get my chance, I’m going to get my crack at the belt when the time’s right.  Anthony Pettis is a great fighter, he’s on a great run, if he can make the weight make that super fight happen,” said Poirier.

“Maybe down the line I’ll switch weight classes and get a big fight, hopefully.  It doesn’t bother me.”

To get closer to his own shot at the belt, Poirier first has to stop a charging bull named Cub Swanson, who has been on an absolute tear of late.  He’s stormed through his last three opponents, stopping all of them by knockout or TKO, and it’s resulted in Swanson’s name being mentioned as a title contender in 2013.

But that kind of momentum can backfire, according to Poirier, who says it’s nice to be on a run like that but sometimes overconfidence can easily be your downfall.

“Guys who get on a big streak like that let it get to their head or kind of start looking at everything they’re doing right and stop thinking about what they’re doing wrong sometimes.  It’s good for fighters, but it can also be bad depending on the type of fighter,” Poirier stated.

Poirier is taking nothing away from Swanson though because he’s aware just how dangerous the UFC and WEC veteran can be. Underestimating him would be a big mistake, one he doesn’t intend to make.

“He’s finishing guys, I see maybe a little more confidence in his hands, he’s letting his hands go and he’s always had that style where he throws a lot of punches and kicks, good footwork, good boxing, he’s always done that.  Maybe he’s just really been in a zone these last couple of fights.  He’s looked awesome, he’s looked real good,” said Poirier.

With a co-main event slot on the UFC on Fuel 7 card, Poirier is happy to have the entire world watching and he plans on showcasing why he believes the winner of this fight deserves to be sitting alone at the top of the contender’s race.

“The winner of this fight is definitely out there at the top,” said Poirier.

He will certainly get his chance to prove that on Saturday in England.

Damon Martin is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained first hand unless otherwise noted.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Lyoto Machida Believes He Should Earn a Title Shot with a Win at UFC 157

Lyoto Machida and Dan Henderson will battle it out in the UFC 157 co-main event, and a lot is on the line for both fighters as they look to climb the ranks of the light heavyweight division. The fight between Machida and Henderson features the two figh…

Lyoto Machida and Dan Henderson will battle it out in the UFC 157 co-main event, and a lot is on the line for both fighters as they look to climb the ranks of the light heavyweight division.

The fight between Machida and Henderson features the two fighters ranked second and third in the recent UFC fighter rankings, just below champion Jon Jones. 

UFC officials have made it clear that the rankings aren’t there solely for the sake of matchmaking, but it would be hard to deny either Machida or Henderson a title shot after UFC 157 is concluded.

Henderson was already supposed to have had a title shot in 2012, but a knee injury forced him out of UFC 151 and his scheduled bout against Jones.

Machida was also promised a shot at the belt after defeating Ryan Bader at UFC on Fox 4 last August, but following Henderson’s injury he was offered the fight on short notice to face Jones at UFC 152 but ultimately had had to turn it down without proper time to prepare.

Now the two contenders hope to solidify their place atop the division with the fight at UFC 157.

“I believe that out of this fight whoever wins should definitely be the contender for the title,” Machida said during a UFC media conference call on Tuesday.   “If we’re No. 1 and No. 2, then the title shot’s definitely on the line in this fight.”

Machida has only fought once since losing to Jon Jones at UFC 140 in December 2011, the victory over Bader in August.

While he wishes that he could have taken the opportunity  to face the champion last September, Machida knows he wouldn’t have been at his best.  A second loss to Jones, even on short notice, would have also all but eradicated Machida from a future title shot so long as Jones held the belt.

“I obviously wanted a title shot a lot, but it wasn’t the right situation. I had about 20 days to prepare for the fight and Jon Jones had been training for two or three months.  So it wasn’t the right time to do it,” Machida explained.

“I was upset, but everything happens for a reason, and hopefully (I’ll) get back on top this year.”

If Machida can beat Henderson, then it would go a long way to putting him back into title contention. 

Jon Jones has said in the past that he didn’t have a lot of interest in a rematch with Machida after defeating him so emphatically with a second round guillotine choke in their last match-up.

Machida could force his hand however if he beats Henderson and stands alone as the top contender at 205lbs.

 

Damon Martin is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained first hand unless otherwise noted.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Ronda Rousey Says Cris Cyborg Is Quickly ‘Fading into Being Irrelevant’

Ronda Rousey has a lot on her mind these days–UFC 157, Liz Carmouche, being the first women’s champion in UFC history–but one thing she’s not worried about is a potential fight with former Strikeforce champion, Cris “Cyborg” Santos. The two…

Ronda Rousey has a lot on her mind these days–UFC 157, Liz Carmouche, being the first women’s champion in UFC history–but one thing she’s not worried about is a potential fight with former Strikeforce champion, Cris “Cyborg” Santos.

The two fighters have been intertwined together for a big part of the last year as Rousey made her meteoric rise up the women’s ranks and eventually became champion. They also began sparring in a verbal chess match through social media and interviews about a potential fight with each other.

Unfortunately, as of now, it appears that fight won’t be happening any time soon—if ever.

Cris “Cyborg” Santos, who sat out all of 2012 after testing positive for banned substances in her last fight with Strikeforce, has stated adamantly that she cannot make the cut from 145 pounds to 135 pounds, thus eliminating her from joining the UFC’s lone division for women’s MMA.

As of last week, Cyborg’s manager, former UFC champion Tito Ortiz, stated that he’s hopeful his client will exit the UFC and pursue other options away from the Octagon.

For her part, Ronda Rousey isn’t worried about whether Santos ever fights in the UFC or not.  She believes all of the talk about weight classes, signing with the UFC or not signing with the UFC and the splashy statements by her manager are all an attempt to keep her in the spotlight, despite the fact that she hasn’t won a fight since June 2010 (her last fight in Strikeforce was ruled a no-contest after Cyborg tested positive for banned substances).

“No, not really at all,” Rousey answered, when asked if she was disappointed that a fight with Cyborg was all but off the table, when speaking to media on a UFC conference cell held Tuesday.

“I think that she’s just kind of making a lot of noise, and trying to get attention because she’s kind of fading into being irrelevant.  She hasn’t a recorded win in what about two years? She needs to have people going on TV and making a big fuss so people will even remember her name.”

Rousey believes that she has plenty of fighters to face in the UFC, and none of them have to be named Cris Cyborg.  On the flip side, however, Rousey knows that the former 145-pound Strikeforce champion only has one real choice in her career, making the move down to bantamweight and facing her in the Octagon.

“To be honest, I have a lot of options ahead of me.  I have a lot of girls I could fight, and she doesn’t really have any other options besides me.  So they can run around and make a bunch of noise and be a big ‘Cry-borg’ as much as she wants, but at some point she’s going to have to come around and take the only fight that’s really available for her,” said Rousey.

“In the meantime, I’m going to take the plenty of options that are available to me.”

Those options now include her former opponent Miesha Tate and newcomer Cat Zingano, who square off in April as part of The Ultimate Fighter finale show.  The UFC also announced on Tuesday that former Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann and Strikeforce veteran Alexis Davis have been added to the growing women’s roster.

All things considered, Rousey has plenty to focus on, including her UFC 157 opponent Liz Carmouche, and she doesn’t need to fret about Cris Cyborg one ounce at all.

“No, I’m not really putting any of my time worrying about her,” said Rousey.   “Because Liz Carmouche is 100-percent of my attention right now, and ‘Cy-Roid’ is not worth my time at the moment.”

Damon Martin is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained first hand unless otherwise noted.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Olympic Silver Medalist Sara McMann and Alexis Davis Officially Sign with UFC

The UFC is staying committed to women’s MMA, and they have added two more top 135-pound fighters to the fray. UFC officials confirmed to Bleacher Report during a media conference call that both Alexis Davis and Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann have …

The UFC is staying committed to women’s MMA, and they have added two more top 135-pound fighters to the fray.

UFC officials confirmed to Bleacher Report during a media conference call that both Alexis Davis and Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann have been signed under contract to the promotion.

Davis and McMann are added to the growing roster of women’s fighters that includes UFC 157 headliners Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche as well as former Strikeforce champion Miesha Tate and undefeated prospect Cat Zingano.

Alexis Davis comes to the UFC on a two-fight win streak and as one of the top contenders in the women’s bantamweight division. With a 5-1 record in her last six fights, Davis has most recently competed under the Invicta FC banner, where she recorded wins over both Hitomi Akano and Shayna Baszler.

The Canadian fighter also competed for several fights with Strikeforce while they were under ownership from Zuffa (UFC parent company) and now becomes one of the new women’s fighters joining the UFC roster.

Sara McMann also joins the UFC as an undefeated fighter as well as an Olympic silver medalist. McMann won the medal during the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

Since transitioning to mixed martial arts, McMann has a flawless 6-0 record. Like Davis, McMann‘s last two wins have also come over Hitomi Akano and Shayna Baszler while fighting for Invicta FC.

McMann is a blue-chip prospect in the women’s bantamweight division with her Olympic wrestling experience.

There’s been no word yet on when Davis or McMann will debut in the UFC or whether they could face each other following the announcement that both are signed to the promotion.

Davis and McMann will be present, along with Miesha Tate and Cat Zingano, at UFC 157 next week to meet with media ahead of the scheduled fights in Anaheim where Ronda Rousey will face Liz Carmouche in the first-ever women’s fight in UFC history.

Damon Martin is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Chad Mendes Draws Clay Guida at UFC on Fox 7 in Featherweight Showdown

Chad Mendes won’t get the chance to compete at next weekend’s UFC 157, but he finally gets his shot at a top-named opponent as he now faces Clay Guida at UFC on Fox 7 in April. The two featherweights have agreed to face off as part of the upcoming show…

Chad Mendes won’t get the chance to compete at next weekend’s UFC 157, but he finally gets his shot at a top-named opponent as he now faces Clay Guida at UFC on Fox 7 in April.

The two featherweights have agreed to face off as part of the upcoming show landing in San Jose on April 20.

USA Today reported the fight with confirmation from UFC President Dana White, and additionally, representatives from Mendes‘ camp confirmed the bout to Bleacher Report Tuesday.

Mendes has not had an easy time finding fights lately with several opponents dropping out due to injury, while others have just flat out turned down the fight with him when offered.

“We’ve tried to set up a few fights, my last three fights, and people have either said just straight up no or stuff has fallen through, injuries have happened, the list goes on.  Who knows what’s really happening, but this is our job.  This is what we train to do, this is what we get paid to do.  I don’t know why any of these guys would not want to fight. That’s how we make money,” Mendes told Bleacher Report prior to the fight announcement.

Mendes will get a chance to face a proven contender now with a former 155-pound title challenger stepping up to face him at UFC on Fox 7.

Following a long career as an undersized lightweight, Guida made the move down to featherweight with his last fight at UFC on Fox 6, where he took on perennial top-10 fighter Hatsu Hioki.

The fight was a back-and-forth affair and closely contested throughout, but when it was over, Guida won a decision thus kicking off his featherweight run on a good note.

Throughout his UFC career, Guida has faced some of the stiffest competition the lightweight division could throw at him and it appears there will be no difference when it comes to his time as a featherweight.

Guida faces Mendes with a chance to jump right into the deep waters of the featherweight title race with both fighters eyeing a potential shot at the gold in the next 12 months.

Damon Martin is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained first hand unless otherwise noted.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Is Chad Mendes the Fighter All UFC Featherweights Fear?

If there’s one fighter in the UFC featherweight division that nobody seems to want to face these days, it’s former title contender Chad Mendes. The former NCAA All-American wrestler has struggled to find top opponents in his last few fights, not includ…

If there’s one fighter in the UFC featherweight division that nobody seems to want to face these days, it’s former title contender Chad Mendes.

The former NCAA All-American wrestler has struggled to find top opponents in his last few fights, not including the latest incident that saw former Ultimate Fighter finalist Manny Gamburyan drop out of their bout at UFC 157 due to injury. No other fighter could be found by UFC officials to step in on two weeks notice to face Mendes.

Now Mendes finds himself off the upcoming card and waiting word on an opponent who is willing to step up to face him. 

It’s a tough spot for one of the division’s best fighters, who was ranked No. 1 in the recent UFC fighter rankings, just below featherweight champion Jose Aldo.  Mendes isn’t sure why the best of the best at 145 lbs aren’t willing to face him, but if recent history is any lesson, he’s just not on the top of the list for any top fighter to challenge.

“We’ve tried to set up a few fights, my last three fights, and people have either said just straight up no or stuff has fallen through, injuries have happened, the list goes on.  Who knows what’s really happening, but this is our job.  This is what we train to do, this is what we get paid to do.  I don’t know why any of these guys would not want to fight. That’s how we make money,” Mendes told Bleacher Report.

Mendes isn’t asking for sympathy when it comes to the contender’s race for the featherweight title because he got his shot a year ago and came up short against Jose Aldo at UFC 142.  That doesn’t mean that he doesn’t want to plot a course back to the belt, but to get there it takes facing top notch competition and he’s not finding many challengers to fit that bill lately.

Truth be told, Mendes loves the way he matches up with most of the top fighters vying for the gold at 145 lbs right now.  The key is getting one of them to face him in the Octagon.

Is Chad Mendes simply the most dangerous featherweight not holding the belt right now?

“Not to sound cocky or over confident but I believe exactly what you just said,” Mendes responded when asked that question.   “Ricardo (Lamas) is a tough guy but I think stylistically I would match up just great with the guy.  He doesn’t have a whole lot of super dangerous stuff on his feet.  He’s not long overly powerful or anything and relies a lot on wrestling, which is kind of my bread and butter.  I think stylistically that would be a good match-up for me.

“The Korean Zombie (Chan Sung Jung) obviously we’ve training together, I know a lot of stuff that the guy has and I’ll just say I’m very confident going against the Zombie.  He’s a good guy and everything, but I feel like I am the No. 2 guy right now. Obviously it’s up to the UFC where and when I’m going to fight, if I do, for the belt next.  Basically my job is just to keep getting in there and beating whoever they put in front of me.”

As of right now, Ricardo Lamas says he’s locked up for a potential bout that’s yet to be announced for May, and most assume it will be a fight against Chan Sung Jung.  Meanwhile, UFC champion Jose Aldo is facing lightweight transfer Anthony Pettis in August.

The most logical choice for Mendes‘ next fight would seemingly fall to two possibilities – former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar or newly minted featherweight Clay Guida.   Edgar just went five rounds with the champion in a closely contested bout, and there might not be a quicker path back to the belt for either fighter than facing off with each other.

Clay Guida has always been a top contender and a very well known fighter in the UFC, so his entry to featherweight and willingness to face tough competitors could bode well for Mendes.

Whoever it ends up being, Mendes is putting the featherweight division on notice that 2013 will be a big year for him, and when the calendar comes to a close, he hopes there’s a title shot looming to start the New Year.

Damon Martin is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained first hand unless otherwise noted.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com