Author: Dan Hiergesell

Anthony Pettis Expected to Be Sidelined 6 to 8 Months, Hopes for Nate Diaz

On the heels of an impressive victory to capture the UFC lightweight throne, current champion Anthony Pettis has come down with the injury bug, again.
As good as Pettis is and as good as he was opposite Benson Henderson back in August, “Showtime” has o…

On the heels of an impressive victory to capture the UFC lightweight throne, current champion Anthony Pettis has come down with the injury bug, again.

As good as Pettis is and as good as he was opposite Benson Henderson back in August, “Showtime” has only fought three times since 2011.

Remember, he was scheduled to take on pound-for-pound phenom and featherweight king Jose Aldo back at UFC 163 but ultimately had to pull out because of a knee injury.

Now, after securing a first-round submission to win the belt and with worthy contenders waiting in limbo, Pettis has once again hit the sidelines.

“The doctor said six to eight months, so I’m hoping six months,” Pettis told UFC Tonight about his impending Dec. 12 surgery to repair a torn posterior cruciate ligament, originally reported by Jeff Cain of MMA Weekly.  “I want to be back by summertime.  Hope to get a July fight.”

The unfortunate news regarding surgery around the holidays wasn’t the only bomb the 26-year-old dropped.  As a matter of fact, the Duke Roufus product can’t wait to get back to defend his belt against none other than Nate Diaz.

“Nate Diaz has been talking so much,” added Pettis.  “And his last fight, he actually looked pretty decent, but it’s hard to judge against Gray Maynard.  I hope Nate works his way up, and we get to fight.”

Now it’s difficult to imagine that Diaz would leapfrog prominent contenders like TJ Grant, Gilbert Melendez and Josh Thomson, especially since Thomson knocked him out back in April, but it’s good to see the lightweight division creating buzz in the absence of its champ.

As for Pettis’ health moving forward, we can only hope that his perennial knee problems cease to exist.  He’s too young and too entertaining to fight only once a year.

Not to mention, the 155-pound crop heap has recreated itself since the departure of Frankie Edgar and Clay Guida.  This just isn’t a good time to sit out.

 

For more UFC news and coverage, .

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

5 Elite Wrestlers Who Need to Evolve as Strikers

Wrestling is one of the most useful and strong foundations any mixed martial artist can possess.
It helps fighters maintain their sense of balance, creates worlds of opportunities on the open canvas and instills fear into unsuspecting strikers.
However…

Wrestling is one of the most useful and strong foundations any mixed martial artist can possess.

It helps fighters maintain their sense of balance, creates worlds of opportunities on the open canvas and instills fear into unsuspecting strikers.

However, as hard as it is to defend shots from world-class takedown machines, it’s just as hard for them to leave their comfort zones and let their repertoires blossom.

Here are five elite wrestlers who must craft their striking in order to maintain success, longevity and popularity in today’s sport.

Begin Slideshow

Roy Jones Jr. Taking Tune Up Fight in Moscow for Anderson

For years, fight fans have been eager to watch a world-class boxer vs. mixed martial artist grudge match play out.
It’s a question of combat superiority that will never be answered until that infamous throwdown ensues.
We got a taste of this unheralded…

For years, fight fans have been eager to watch a world-class boxer vs. mixed martial artist grudge match play out.

It’s a question of combat superiority that will never be answered until that infamous throwdown ensues.

We got a taste of this unheralded square-off when Randy Couture beat down James Toney a few years back, but that was more saddening than competitive.  Plus, it was sanctioned as a MMA bout inside the ruthless chain-link cage of the UFC’s Octagon.

Now, on the eve of a potential 2014 boxing match between legendary Roy Jones Jr. and pound-for-pound MMA wizard Anderson Silva, the reality of our deepest fight fantasy playing out is all but certain.

ESPN’s Dan Rafael reported that Jones Jr. has decided to fight Zine Eddine Benmakhlouf in Moscow, Russia, in order to tune-up for the aforementioned bout opposite Silva.  The former boxing standout was scheduled to fight Bobby Green at cruiserweight later this month, but that is no more and Jones Jr. instead opted for a Russian slug fest.

People have wondered why the 44-year-old hasn’t decided to hang them up in the twilight of an illustrious career, but that hasn’t deterred the former champ’s mindset of fighting a MMA superman. Per Rafael’s report: 

“I want to be ready for Anderson Silva in case he beats [Chris] Weidman,” Jones told ESPN.com back in October. “Silva has made it clear that if he wins, he wants me next.  I’m here for him.  That’s a fight that intrigues a lot of people, but I can’t fight Anderson Silva coming off such a long layoff.  So I needed to get a fight first.  If it wasn’t for Anderson Silva calling me out, I wouldn’t be fighting this fight.”

Now it has yet to be determined as to what kind of promotional role the UFC would have in such a superfight and whether or not the public intrigue will sustain itself if Silva is unable to recapture middleweight gold when he fights Weidman on Dec. 28.

Regardless, it’s good to see that Jones Jr. is dead set on polishing his rusty pedigree before taking on arguably the greatest fighter in MMA history.

 

For more UFC news and coverage,

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Power Ranking Each UFC Weight Class Based on Depth and Excitement

With unparalleled access to international talent and in-cage matchmaking, the UFC has exponentially expanded over the years.
This has created an influx of not only Octagon excitement on the heels of budding prospects and key contenders, but also unfath…

With unparalleled access to international talent and in-cage matchmaking, the UFC has exponentially expanded over the years.

This has created an influx of not only Octagon excitement on the heels of budding prospects and key contenders, but also unfathomable depth unseen in the promotion before.

Now even though each of the UFC’s nine weight classes supports itself from within, the landscape of any division evolves as frequently as the fighters competing within them.

That’s just the way it goes.

With that said, here is a well-rounded power ranking sourcing depth and excitement to calculate which UFC division takes the cake.

Begin Slideshow

UFC Fight Night 33: 5 Reasons to Watch

Another week, another handful of tantalizing UFC bouts for the public eye.
While many fans snicker at the idea of creating these types of cards, especially ones that lack depth, I’m looking forward to some free fights Friday night.
From Antonio “Bigfoo…

Another week, another handful of tantalizing UFC bouts for the public eye.

While many fans snicker at the idea of creating these types of cards, especially ones that lack depth, I’m looking forward to some free fights Friday night.

From Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva vs. Mark Hunt to Australia’s own James Te Huna vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, UFC Fight Night 33 packs an unassuming punch.

Here are five reasons you should tune in and watch some good old-fashioned Down Under brutality.

Begin Slideshow

UFC 168: Herb Dean to Ref Chris Weidman-Anderson Silva Rematch

During a time when closely knit split decisions and highly contested point systems rule the world of mixed martial arts, the sight of a trustworthy referee often expels exuberance.
For fans who have been watching the UFC since its rebirth, they know ex…

During a time when closely knit split decisions and highly contested point systems rule the world of mixed martial arts, the sight of a trustworthy referee often expels exuberance.

For fans who have been watching the UFC since its rebirth, they know exactly how hard it is to find that one special ref.

For new fans, many of whom don’t know that the UFC has nothing to do with the selection of Octagon officials, spotting a good ref may be harder than ever.

But through all of the recent bad stoppages and miscalculations inside the cage, Herb Dean is one of the only referees left who still commands optimal respect and professional gratitude.

That’s why Dana White and Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Keith Kizer push for Dean to call some of the biggest fights of the year.

Luckily for them, the commission has approved Kizer’s recommendation for Dean to officiate an upcoming rematch between UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman and pound-for-pound legend Anderson Silva later this month at UFC 168, which may be the greatest grudge match of all time.

“The first fight was quite strange, and I normally don’t recommend the same ref for the rematch, but here, I think it would actually be very appropriate,” Kizer said on Monday, originally reported by MMA Junkie.

Dean’s stoppage early into the second round of Weidman and Silva’s first championship showdown this past July was mere perfection.  He did what he was trained to do and allowed the challenger to decisively defeat the champ.

This is a good sign to see considering how many times NSAC-appointed referees stumble when the spotlight is brightest.  Dean is one of the best around and should officiate one hell of a rematch.

For more UFC news and coverage,

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com