Just hours removed from her third-round submission victory over Miesha Tate at UFC 168, women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey was thrown right back into the fire.
At the post-fight press conference it was announced that undefeated wrestling specia…
Just hours removed from her third-round submission victory over Miesha Tate at UFC 168, women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey was thrown right back into the fire.
At the post-fight press conference it was announced that undefeated wrestling specialist and fellow Olympian Sara McMann will be next in line to challenge Rousey at UFC 170 in late February. But that hasn’t stopped other girls from going after the champ, following her eighth consecutive finish.
Former Strikeforce standout and current Invicta featherweight champion Cris “Cyborg” Santos was eager to give her two cents, tweeting the following last night after UFC 168 (originally reported by MMA Underground):
Santos has been ridiculed in the past for testing positive for anabolic steroids back in 2011, following a 16-second TKO victory over Hiroko Yamanaka. But she has since been clean and has never looked more dominant.
Regarded as one of the very best female fighters in the sport, one who is known for her vicious striking, Santos has compiled 10 knockouts in 14 fights spanning eight years.
If she were to fight Rousey, assuming Invicta would let her walk, Santos would give the UFC champ a variety of problems. She’s bigger, more athletic, stronger, more aggressive than anybody Rousey has ever faced and is great on the ground even though she prefers to stand.
If she can somehow cut weight and get down to 135 pounds, then a future 2014 showdown with Rousey has to be in the cards.
At least we can hope so. A bout between the two would produce unworldly publicity and hype.
Ronda Rousey is one of the most outspoken competitors in mixed martial arts today.
She fuses superior grappling skills with an ironclad bravado to dominate every woman who was brave enough to step inside the cage with her.
But when she refused to shake…
Ronda Rousey is one of the most outspoken competitors in mixed martial arts today.
She fuses superior grappling skills with an ironclad bravado to dominate every woman who was brave enough to step inside the cage with her.
But when she refused to shake Miesha Tate’s hand after a brutal three-round war at UFC 168 this Saturday, fans took notice.
Here’s the champ’s explanation as to why she displayed such a lack of sportsmanship under the brightest of spotlights.
Rarely do we see fighters break onto the scene to defeat a mixed martial arts icon in succession.
Rarely are we witness to the impossible, whether it be an illustrious knockout or unbearably painful leg break.
Rarely can we point our finger at a young …
Rarely do we see fighters break onto the scene to defeat a mixed martial arts icon in succession.
Rarely are we witness to the impossible, whether it be an illustrious knockout or unbearably painful leg break.
Rarely can we point our finger at a young champion with only 11 professional fights under his belt and say, “That guy is the real deal.”
Well, on the heels of beating the GOAT for the second time this year, it’s officially time to consider Chris Weidman the real deal.
Saturday night’s unfathomable destruction of Anderson Silva was not only an exclamation mark to the champ’s unheralded upset at UFC 162, but it represented Weidman‘s gleaming potential moving forward.
As a wrestler with the discipline to check kicks like he was brushing his teeth, along with powerful hands that can drop any unsuspecting middleweight, “The All-American” has a future that any true fan would be proud of.
But what makes Weidman even more distinguished among his peers is his ability to understand the moment. He knows what to throw, when to throw it, when not to throw it and how to look unflappable while doing so.
Not to mention he continuously displays the incumbent class and respect that other professional fighters only dream of.
What Weidman has become is, for the lack of a better title, the perfect champion. He’s humble and hard working; he understands his role in the sport and keeps his mind on greater things.
At no point has he ever seem overwhelmed by any of this. Even as a young kid trying to shed the doom of Hurricane Sandy and unwanted shoulder issues prior to UFC 162, Weidman remained resilient. Even as a champion with little public support trying to end a legend of combat, Weidman remained resilient.
It is that resiliency and determination that has led him to his new role as middleweight king. Because in a time when long-tenured gods like Georges St-Pierre and Anderson Silva have either stepped down or lost their footing, the UFC needs new faces.
Weidman seems to be that new poster boy as he aims to defend his hard-earned championship opposite VitorBelfort sometime next year.
Age in mixed martial arts is always a factor.
It often plays a role in training, performing inside the cage and possessing the mental determination to keep doing what you love.
Now whether or not age is a factor for 36-year-old Josh Barnett has y…
Age in mixed martial arts is always a factor.
It often plays a role in training, performing inside the cage and possessing the mental determination to keep doing what you love.
Now whether or not age is a factor for 36-year-old Josh Barnett has yet to be determined, but if his first-round collapse opposite Travis Browne showed us anything, it’s that “The Warmaster” has a ways to go before challenging for a heavyweight title.
That leaves him in limbo amongst aging UFC veterans and rising prospects who have tried their best to make one of the shallowest divisions in the promotion look pretty.
So, on the heels of his first UFC loss since 2001, here are three fights Barnett should gear up for next.
Winner of StipeMiocic vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
As arguably the best rising star in the heavyweight division besides the aforementioned Browne, Miocic possesses a lot of momentum heading into his bout with Gonzaga at UFC on Fox 10.
His recent victory over Roy Nelson suggested he’s ready to take on the next level of heavyweights, but we’re just not sure.
A fight opposite a red-hot Gonzaga would give him the notch on his belt he needs to contend with a guy like Barnett come the summer.
As for Gonzaga, who’s riding a two-fight knockout streak and shares Barnett’s misery with a first-round loss to Browne back in April, a victory over both Miocic and Barnett would provide similar divisional momentum as when he knocked out Mirko Filipovic so early in his career.
Alistair Overeem
Overeem is big, tough and still one of the most recognized names in the sport.
The problem is that he hasn’t won a UFC fight since picking apart the already beaten Brock Lesnar in 2011.
That means he has to get past Frank Mir in February or face a potential roster cut in 2014. And by the way, if Mir wins, don’t expect the UFC to make a rematch between him and Barnett. Nobody wants to see that one-sided affair again.
As far as Barnett vs. Overeem, the bout makes perfect sense because Overeem is trying to re-establish himself in a division that’s blowing past him.
Now while Barnett isn’t quite a gatekeeper at this point in his career, he’s a perfect candidate to test Overeem’s overall title potential if he happens to get past Mir.
Not to mention the public banter that would ensue once the fighters sign on the dotted line.
Mark Hunt
After his hellacious battle with a testosterone-fueled Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva earlier this month, Hunt remains one of the biggest heavyweight draws in the world right now.
Fans love him, the UFC loves him, and he never fails to bring it when it counts the most. That’s exactly the type of fighter to test Barnett’s will after such a crushing defeat to Browne.
Hunt is the perfect person to drag Barnett to hell and back. A fight with him would give The Warmaster insight into his own career.
How much does he have left? Can he still contend with the best of the best?
These are questions that are going to be answered in 2014. And what better opponent than Hunt to provide the answers?
Before the leg break heard around the world crippled the greatest of all time, two featherweights went to war.
In a bout contested the night before as Diego Brandao failed to make weight, counter-half Dustin Poirier shined.
Driven by divisional determi…
Before the leg break heard around the world crippled the greatest of all time, two featherweights went to war.
In a bout contested the night before as Diego Brandao failed to make weight, counter-half Dustin Poirier shined.
Driven by divisional determination, evolving striking and world-class moxie, “The Diamond” once again proved that he belongs to be mentioned alongside the best at 145.
But in a division stacked to the brim with elite contenders and future title threats, where exactly does the 24-year-old fit in?
Here are three fights that Poirier should take next en route to a 2014 title run.
NikLentz
Even though Lentz is coming off a heart-wrenching defeat at the hands of Chad Mendes earlier this month, this is still a great matchup for Poirier.
As one of the toughest guys in the division, Lentz offers something that many other featherweights do not. He’s resilient and well-rounded, possesses solid wrestling, loves stirring the media pot and would give Poirier one of the grittiest fights of his career.
Plus, considering each of them just fought, the turnaround wouldn’t be astronomical.
Dennis Siver
As the other top featherweight who excelled at UFC 168, Siver seems like the logical bet to fight Poirier next.
They each share a recent loss to Cub Swanson and are joined at the hip when it comes to divisional ranking.
For Poirier, he’d essentially be padding his resume in an effort to challenge a Top Five fighter in the weight class sometime in mid-2014.
For Siver, he’d have the opportunity to challenge a ranked opponent after outmuscling Manny Gamburyan on Saturday night.
Either way, it would be an explosive showdown and one that would spark any high-interest pay-per-view main card.
Cub Swanson
This is a fight that gets the blood boiling, but it probably isn’t going to be made at this point in time.
With these two already meeting back in February, it’s unlikely that the UFC would book a rematch just one year later.
While their first encounter was an absolute war and arguably much closer than a unanimous-decision victory for Swanson would suggest, the fact remains that Swanson’s five-fight win streak may ultimately close the door on Poirier‘s journey for revenge.
However, with Mendes scheduled to fight the winner of Jose Aldo vs. Ricardo Lamas and Frankie Edgar tied up in The Ultimate Fighter, the UFC could opt to give Swanson one more high-profile contender before considering him title worthy.
Emotions run high before every fight. No matter who you are, it’s difficult to stay grounded through and through.
In Ronda Rousey’s case, mental slip-ups are just part of the game.
Watch the UFC women’s bantamweight champion accidentally swear during a…
Emotions run high before every fight. No matter who you are, it’s difficult to stay grounded through and through.
In Ronda Rousey‘s case, mental slip-ups are just part of the game.
Watch the UFC women’s bantamweight champion accidentally swear during an interview on ESPN’s SportsCenter to promote her upcoming rematch with Miesha Tate this Saturday at UFC 168.
Just hours removed from her third-round submission victory over Miesha Tate at UFC 168, women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey was thrown right back into the fire.