With the UFC trying to mend injury-related issues that occurred last year, Bellator moving to Spike TV to expand their brand and Strikeforce offering a jam-packed farewell card, 2013 is ready to begin with a bang.Multiple title defenses, grudge matches…
With the UFC trying to mend injury-related issues that occurred last year, Bellator moving to Spike TV to expand their brand and Strikeforce offering a jam-packed farewell card, 2013 is ready to begin with a bang.
Multiple title defenses, grudge matches, sneak previews of future championship contenders and more will give MMA fans truly something to cheer about following an inconsistent 2012.
Based on potential, excitement, overall hype and significance, here are 15 must-see fights for the month of January.
If you’re one of those death-defying gamblers who have nothing better to do than burn money, count your winnings.Nobody could have guessed, or imagined, that Cain Velasquez would lay an absolute beatdown on Junior dos Santos for five straight rounds at…
If you’re one of those death-defying gamblers who have nothing better to do than burn money, count your winnings.
Nobody could have guessed, or imagined, that Cain Velasquez would lay an absolute beatdown on Junior dos Santos for five straight rounds at UFC 155.
It was like watching a train derail off of its tracks. It was hard to watch and difficult to understand but was absolutely something that your eyes needed to witness.
Whatever the reason may be for dos Santos producing such an erratic dud on Saturday night, the future is still bright. People are going to make a case for him being overrated and one-dimensional with his boxing, but the fact of the matter is that he’s still the only fighter to ever stop Velasquez in his tracks.
Sure, the new champion got his revenge in a fashion similar to guerrilla warfare, but Velasquez was simply unable to finish dos Santos. The fact that JDS wasn’t finished speaks wonders of his heart and his dedication to the sport.
Not to mention, his chin resembled that of fellow Brazilian Fabio Maldonado.
In any case, despite being thrown around like one of those old wrestler pillows that you used to drop elbows on when you were 10 years old, dos Santos’ career is not in jeopardy. He’s still the guy who deciphered Shane Carwin, Frank Mir, Roy Nelson and Fabricio Werdum. He’s still the guy who won his first nine UFC fights, finishing seven of them in the process.
Whichever way you look at it, this loss is not going to hinder the progress and potential of JDS heading into the future. Fighters often have one fight in their careers that puts their focus and ability into perspective.
This loss to Velasquez is exactly that for dos Santos.
It’s going to make him a stronger fighter, one that is truly focused on revenge and recapturing UFC glory, which is a mentality that has done wonders in the past for some of the best fighters in the world. Velasquez is a perfect example.
So while people will pick apart dos Santos’ game heading into any fight that he has in the future and hint on the notion that once he’s taken down, he’ll never recover, that’s something that I wouldn’t take to heart. It’s simply a belief that should be dumped on your french fries with the other grains of salt.
For what it’s worth, “Cigano” is still at that age when fixing your problems as a fighter could translate into another title run. As long as he can keep his focus, work on his grappling skills and wait in the wings for the loser of Alistair Overeem vs. Antonio Silva, JDS will be back for another shot at Velasquez by the end of 2013.
For the first time in a long time, the UFC’s tenured play-by-play commentator Mike Goldberg was absent from Joe Rogan’s side at a pay-per-view event.For undisclosed reasons, more personally than contractual, Goldberg was ultimately replaced by Jon Anik…
For the first time in a long time, the UFC’s tenured play-by-play commentator Mike Goldberg was absent from Joe Rogan’s side at a pay-per-view event.
For undisclosed reasons, more personally than contractual, Goldberg was ultimately replaced by Jon Anik, who is known for his work as lead announcer for UFC events on FX and Fuel TV.
Anik may be young and relatively new to the world of commentating MMA events, but the former ESPN anchor produced nonetheless at UFC 155.
Whether or not his dominating clutch performance, reminiscent of an around-the-cage Cain Velasquez, will lead to more PPV opportunities has yet to be seen.
After putting together quite possibly the most dominating performance ever in a UFC heavyweight championship bout, Cain Velasquez has in turn transformed into a quintessential untouchable prodigy.Opposite Junior dos Santos, the very man who knocked him…
After putting together quite possibly the most dominating performance ever in a UFC heavyweight championship bout, Cain Velasquez has in turn transformed into a quintessential untouchable prodigy.
Opposite Junior dos Santos, the very man who knocked him out 13 months ago and the very man who people considered unstoppable, Velasquez inflicted as much damage as a fighter could do without securing a finish.
Through five-straight rounds, the 30-year-old demolished dos Santos’ very essence as a punishing boxer. Velasquez beat him on the feet, against the cage, on the ground and in the clinch. More importantly, he beat him mentally.
Here’s an in-depth analysis and review of Velasquez’s dominance at UFC 155 en route to reclaiming the heavyweight title he lost last year.
UFC 155 provided fans with much insight regarding the future of the heavyweight division.But despite Cain Velasquez’s absolutely dominating performance opposite the man who knocked him out on FOX 13 months ago, 2012’s last pay-per-view answered many ot…
UFC 155 provided fans with much insight regarding the future of the heavyweight division.
But despite Cain Velasquez‘s absolutely dominating performance opposite the man who knocked him out on FOX 13 months ago, 2012’s last pay-per-view answered many other questions.
Can Jim Miller stop Joe Lauzon and recapture his right as a top contender?
Will Tim Boetsch be able to stop a superior boxer?
How will Chris Leben fare in his return to the Octagon?
Here’re eight key things to take away from UFC 155 and its rather bloody turnout.
Saturday’s UFC 155 will not only ring in the new year, but it will mark yet another showdown between heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos and former-title holder Cain Velasquez.Many people remember this duo from their historic bout back in November o…
Saturday’s UFC 155 will not only ring in the new year, but it will mark yet another showdown between heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos and former-title holder Cain Velasquez.
Many people remember this duo from their historic bout back in November of 2011 that jump started the UFC’s groundbreaking contract with FOX, in which dos Santos stopped Velasquez early in the first round with one punch.
Now while the aftermath of a rematch may not produce similar results, nothing is impossible. Not to mention the other fascinating matchups set to take place this coming weekend in Las Vegas.
Here are the keys to victory for each main card fighter scheduled to compete at UFC 155.
If you’re one of those death-defying gamblers who have nothing better to do than burn money, count your winnings.