Author: Donald Wood

UFC 183 Start Time: Full Card, TV Info, Live Stream and Predictions

The UFC 183 pay-per-view is headlined by the marquee fight between the returning Anderson Silva and Nick Diaz, and the excitement heading into Saturday’s event has the mixed martial arts world on edge.
Not only is Silva fighting Diaz in what could be a…

The UFC 183 pay-per-view is headlined by the marquee fight between the returning Anderson Silva and Nick Diaz, and the excitement heading into Saturday’s event has the mixed martial arts world on edge.

Not only is Silva fighting Diaz in what could be an incredible battle, but there are also several marquee undercard matches on PPV and television that could steal the show if the main event doesn‘t live up to the expectations.

Here is the full UFC 183 card, viewing information, live stream, the predicted winners and a breakdown of the most underrated fight of the night.

 

Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas

When: Saturday, January 31

Start Time: UFC Fight Pass prelims start at 7 p.m. ET; Fox Sports 1 preliminary card starts at 8 p.m. ET; main pay-per-view card starts at 10 p.m. ET

Watch: Pay-per-view

Live Stream: UFC.TV; Fox Sports Go (preliminary card)

 

Most Underrated Fight of the Night: Miesha Tate vs. Sara McMann

There are several matches that could potentially steal the show, but the women’s bantamweight battle between Miesha Tate and Sara McMann in the main event of the preliminary card will be a war.

Both Tate and McMann lost in their championship attempts at Ronda Rousey, but the two women are squaring off, with the winner possibly getting a title shot in the future. If Rousey goes on to beat Cat Zingano at UFC 184, the winner of Saturday’s fight would have a case to be the new No. 1 contender.

When asked about the UFC 184 matchup between Rousey and Zingano, Tate told Damon Martin of Fox Sports how it will affect her and the winner of Saturday night’s preliminary card main event:

I have a lot of vested interest in that fight and I really have mixed feelings about who I would prefer to win. I think if Zingano beats Rousey, it’s a much faster road to the title for myself so there’s a benefit there for me. The fact that our first fight had a lot of fireworks to it — it was a very exciting fight. I won the first two rounds and I just feel it was stopped too quickly in the third round, but it is what it is. If Cat wins, there’s a big argument why I would get the next title shot. Especially on a three fight win streak if I beat Sara McMann, that puts a huge notch on my belt.

MMA Infographics provided even more insight into Tate and her recent success:

Since back-to-back losses to Zingano and Rousey in 2013, Tate has refocused her training and racked up two straight decision victories over Liz Carmouche and Rin Nakai, successfully climbing back into the title picture.

On the other hand, McMann has lost only one time in her career, and that was to Rousey. After failing to take the belt from the champion, McMann bounced back against Lauren Murphy and earned a hard-fought decision win.

While McMann has the edge in wrestling ability, Tate is one of the hardest hitting and most fearless women in the division. The ability to take Rousey to the third round did not go unnoticed, and there are many who believe she could beat the current champion with the right game plan.

On Saturday, Tate will run through McMann in convincing fashion and send a message to UFC President Dana White, Rousey and the entire women’s bantamweight division that “Cupcake” means business.

Predicted Winner: Tate def. McMann via unanimous decision.

 

*Stats via UFC.com.

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Silva vs. Diaz: Latest Predictions Before Anticipated UFC 183 Main Event

There are several potentially entertaining bouts on the UFC 183 fight card, but the biggest storyline coming into the pay-per-view is the return of former middleweight champion Anderson Silva from a broken leg.
Silva will square off with former Strike…

There are several potentially entertaining bouts on the UFC 183 fight card, but the biggest storyline coming into the pay-per-view is the return of former middleweight champion Anderson Silva from a broken leg.

Silva will square off with former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz in one of the most anticipated matchups imaginable. With neither man shying away from talking trash and showing his arrogance in the Octagon, this has the potential to be a wild night.

Here is the full UFC 183 fight card, the predicted winners and a breakdown of the main event.

 

Breaking Down Silva vs. Diaz

On paper, the matchup between Silva and Diaz is one of the most unique and intriguing battles imaginable.

While many mixed martial arts fans thought the UFC would feed Silva an easy opponent after returning from a broken leg, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Diaz is one of the most unpredictable fighters in the sport and will not be afraid of Silva’s mystique.

Diaz will be looking to cement his legacy by taking The Spider down.

Silva last fought at UFC 168 in December 2013. During his rematch against Chris Weidman, he broke both his left fibula and tibia bones, and the fight was immediately stopped. After months of rehab and training, Silva has ignored those who said his career was over and has made his triumphant return.

When asked on a recent conference call about how he feels heading into the fight with Diaz, Silva told Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports, “I’m faster, stronger and happier. And UFC is giving me one more chance to show my job and what I can do inside the Octagon. I go to work. [I’m going] to show you, for my fans … my talent.”

Even UFC President Dana White shared his excitement for this matchup:

Not to be outdone, Diaz is making his first in-ring appearance since losing to Georges St-Pierre in March 2013. The 31-year-old fighter is coming back in great shape, and he will look to steal the spotlight from his challenger.

Silva and Diaz have very different styles. While Silva loves to be methodical and pick his challengers apart with precision strikes, Diaz throws an incredible amount of punches and has some of the best endurance in the sport.

Silva must be cautious around the punches and kicks of Diaz after getting knocked out by Chris Weidman for the title, but there is a major power difference. If the former UFC champion is truly focused on his match, Diaz will be in serious trouble.

Predicted Outcome: Silva def. Diaz via third-round TKO.

 

*Stats via UFC.com.

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Jones vs. Cormier: Latest Predictions Before Anticipated UFC 182 Main Event

When UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones squares off against Daniel Cormier on Saturday in the main event of UFC 182, mixed martial arts fans will witness the culmination of months of trash talking.
There are few megafights anymore due to the over…

When UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones squares off against Daniel Cormier on Saturday in the main event of UFC 182, mixed martial arts fans will witness the culmination of months of trash talking.

There are few megafights anymore due to the oversaturation of the UFC product, but hardcore and casual MMA fans alike can get behind the battle between Jones and Cormier. After several pre-fight verbal arguments and a physical confrontation at a press conference, fight fans are ready to see the action in the Octagon.

Here is the full UFC 182 fight card, predictions for each bout and what gives challenger Daniel Cormier the edge in this matchup. 

 

Daniel Cormier’s Biggest Edge

While there is no discounting the wrestling ability of Jon Jones, the advantage Cormier has over the champion is his elite ability on the mat.

From the very beginning of his wrestling career, Cormier was a man to be feared. With three state championships, two National Junior College Athletic Association Championships and a second-place finish at nationals while at Oklahoma State University in 2001, he is one of the most decorated wrestlers in the UFC.

Add in the fact that Cormier joined the Team USA freestyle wrestling team and was on the 2004 and 2008 Olympic teams, and there is no doubt that he is one of the most gifted mat technicians in the sport today.

Jon Anik of Fox Sports 1 revealed Jones’ thoughts on Cormier’s perceived wrestling advantage:

The trash talking has heated up overall, as Jones told Fox Sports 1’s America’s Pregame (h/t MMAJunkie.com) that he’d be ready to fight at the weigh-ins if necessary. Cormier immediately responded to those comments:

I think you have to (keep your emotions in check). What’s the point of fighting on Friday when we’ve got to wait 24 hours to fight on Saturday? Right now, it’s about staying the course and being professional. It will be good to see him in that state.

As Jon says, we take it how it goes. It’s a matter of, “How are we going to do this?” I would prefer to wait until Saturday, but if we had to fight on Friday, it would be OK, I guess.

While Cormier has the edge, Jones is no slouch. Not only did he also win a high school state championship, but he also was able to win a NJCAA Championship in 2006, just as Cormier did.

Jones may not have the extensive college and Olympic wrestling training that Cormier does, but the champion does have more Brazilian jiu-jitsu training and a serious advantage in experience inside the UFC Octagon.

With Cormier’s move from heavyweight to light heavyweight, he has a serious amount of power in his punches and is the kind of challenger who would give Jones trouble. It will be a great main event and fans should be ready to see a new champion crowned.

Predicted Winner: Cormier via fourth-round technical knockout.

 

Stats via UFC.com.

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UFC 182: Full Fight Card and Predictions for Jones vs. Cormier

There have been many pay-per-views this year for the UFC, but few have as much mainstream appeal as Saturday’s UFC 182 event headlined by the Light Heavyweight Championship fight between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier.
Jones and Cormier have a simi…

There have been many pay-per-views this year for the UFC, but few have as much mainstream appeal as Saturday’s UFC 182 event headlined by the Light Heavyweight Championship fight between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier.

Jones and Cormier have a similar background and were friends for many years. After Cormier dropped weight and made it clear he was coming after Jones and the light heavyweight title, the friendship ended and the rivalry began.

For months, these two men have torn each other down publicly and now have the chance to prove their points in the Octagon.

Here is the full UFC 182 fight card, the predicted winner for every fight and a quick preview of the main event.

 

Quick Preview of Jones vs. Cormier

The UFC has saved the best for last in 2014. The battle between Jones and Cormier has been brewing for months. Jones was originally supposed to fight Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 178, but he pulled out with an injury and was replaced by Cormier.

Shortly after Cormier was awarded the fight, Jones was forced to pull out with an injury as well.

The fight was rescheduled for Saturday in the UFC 182 main event, but the two men have talked trash since the original fight was made. With over four months of material to build from in video packages, including a brawl at a press conference, hardcore and casual MMA fans alike are intrigued by this potential Fight of the Year candidate.

To show the true animosity between the two men, the trash-talking has even spilled over into the Friday weigh-ins, when Jones fold Fox’s America’s Pregame (h/t MMAJunkie.com) that he’d be ready to fight at the scales if necessary. When Cormier heard those comments, he responded to MMAJunkie.com:

I think you have to (keep your emotions in check). What’s the point of fighting on Friday when we’ve got to wait 24 hours to fight on Saturday? Right now, it’s about staying the course and being professional. It will be good to see him in that state.

As Jon says, we take it how it goes. It’s a matter of, ‘How are we going to do this?’ I would prefer to wait until Saturday, but if we had to fight on Friday, it would be OK, I guess.

Even UFC President Dana White can’t hide his excitement:

As great as the pre-hype for the fight has been, fans are even more excited to finally see the two former friends-turned-enemies step inside the Octagon. Both men have a wrestling background, but Cormier’s wrestling experience is far more impressive.

Add in the fact that Cormier has dropped a considerable amount of excessive fat to move down to the light heavyweight division, and he will be faster than ever while still possessing the same amount of power. Jones didn’t win 11 straight fights without knowing how to avoid his opponents’ biggest strengths, but Cormier knows Jones inside and out.

The two fighters are evenly matched in the Octagon and are intellectual equals. The difference in this fight will be the power Cormier possesses. As a former heavyweight star, Cormier has an incredible amount of strength and force behind his punches, and that will be a serious issue for Jones throughout the bout.

If Cormier catches Jones with one of his huge punches, there is little doubt the champion will find himself in serious trouble. After successfully defending the belt seven times, the end of this championship reign appears to be at hand.

Predicted Winner: Cormier via fourth-round TKO.

 

Stats via UFC.com.

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CM Punk Talks Brock Lesnar, WWE Experience, UFC on ESPN’s MMA Live Extra

Former WWE champion and newly contracted UFC fighter CM Punk was interviewed on ESPN’s MMA Live Extra Wednesday and talked about Brock Lesnar, the transition from WWE to mixed martial arts and more.
Punk has been stealing headlines recently, firs…

Former WWE champion and newly contracted UFC fighter CM Punk was interviewed on ESPN’s MMA Live Extra Wednesday and talked about Brock Lesnar, the transition from WWE to mixed martial arts and more.

Punk has been stealing headlines recently, first with his controversial interview on Colt Cabana’s Art of Wrestling podcast and then with his blockbuster announcement that he will be joining the UFC as a competitor.

While Punk has no traditional fighting background, he has spent the majority of his career as a professional wrestler. Some MMA fighters and fans do not appreciate the hard work that goes into the sport of professional wrestling, but Punk is adamant during the interview about his drive to prove people wrong.

When asked about Brock Lesnar, Punk said that the two men are very similar. Lesnar may have had a better background coming into MMA as a former NCAA wrestling champion, but they both faced resistance to the idea of coming to the UFC, and Punk will now have to prove himself to everyone the same way Lesnar did.

Pro wrestling veteran Lance Storm commented on Punk’s transition to MMA:

The transition to the UFC will not be as jarring for Punk as it is for many novice fighters. The experience of walking out in front of tens of thousands of fans is something he dealt with all the time in WWE, so he will have some experience.

Punk spoke with MMA Live Extra about the pressure he will face heading to the Octagon and how being a retired pro wrestler could ease his nerves:

I think the pressure will be monumental, but it’s nothing I haven’t experienced before. Being in front of that many people. There is something they call, “Octagon Shock”, and you get in there and look around like, ‘I’m really here. I got these gloves on. I’m really about to get punched in the face.’ I think those jitters will be there, but they will be substantially less than somebody who’s never performed in front of almost 90,000 people at one time. I’ll be able to handle and manage the crowd better than most people making their UFC debut.

There is no doubt that Punk oozes confidence, but he openly admitted that it will take time to get into the proper shape to fight. He was noncommittal on a training team and where he will prepare, but he did say he was willing to relocate for the right opportunity.

Punk needs great trainers and he needs them to teach him like he is just another fighter; no special treatment. In the interview, Punk discussed a possible timetable for a debut that would have him fight for the first time in late 2015, somewhere between the fall and the end of the year.

With no previous experience in MMA, sans sporadic classes with jiu-jitsu coach Rener Gracie, Punk will need all the time he can get to prepare for a tough matchup, regardless of who he eventually squares off against.

Any fighter who makes it to the UFC likely has years of experience in one form of martial arts or another, and that will put Punk at an instant disadvantage. There is no denying the physical ability Punk displayed during his WWE career, but the Octagon is a whole different ball game.

Punk is smart to not get too far ahead of himself. The fact that he is taking this all very serious and truly entering UFC with a rookie mentality could help him train harder and possibly even win his first few fights.

Eventually, though, his lack of experience and long-term training will come back to hurt him.

 

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CM Punk’s UFC Career as Active Fighter Will Be Short-Lived

At 36 years old and with limited mixed martial arts experience, former WWE champion CM Punk’s run as an active competitor in the UFC will be short-lived.
Punk announced Saturday during the UFC 181 pay-per-view that he will be joining the UFC and …

At 36 years old and with limited mixed martial arts experience, former WWE champion CM Punk’s run as an active competitor in the UFC will be short-lived.

Punk announced Saturday during the UFC 181 pay-per-view that he will be joining the UFC and will make his Octagon debut in 2015:

Many hardcore UFC fans are concerned that Punk will be out of his element in the company, and one of the main reasons is a lack of formal training. Punk has worked with jiu-jitsu coach Rener Gracie over the past several years on a limited schedule, but even Gracie will admit he is still very new to the sport.

When asked about Punk’s transition to MMA, Gracie told Chuck Mindenhall of MMA Fighting:

CM Punk is a very unique individual in that he obsesses with things very easily and when he commits and he obsesses with something he goes for it 100 percent. Like we’ve seen over the years with his success in the WWE, when he applies himself he finds a way to make it work.

In MMA? I don’t know—I’ve only been working jiu-jitsu with him, and he’s still very new to jiu-jitsu.

There is no doubting the physical skill and toughness needed to be a professional wrestler, but fighting in the UFC requires an entirely different set of skills and knowledge.

Punk has the tenacity and natural ability to be a force when he steps into the Octagon, but at 36 years old, he is just beginning a journey that takes many top fighters several years to complete.

Despite Punk telling Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting that he wouldn’t mind fighting into his 40s, it’s easy to question the viability of this statement. While a fighter like Randy Couture was able to fight into his 40s, he had years of in-ring experience and was a seasoned veteran at that time.

Before Punk can ever get in the Octagon, he must go through several months of serious training leading up to a fight with another relative novice.

While UFC will love the draw of having Punk under contract, it takes a long time to develop a style and skill set in the sport, and the process could be difficult.

If he fights once in 2015 and twice each year until he is 40 yards old, he will have just seven fights under his belt and would just be breaking into title contention if his record remains unblemished.

Punk will make mistakes and learn the hard way what a fighter can and can’t do in the Octagon, and the setbacks he is likely to face along the way will be costly for a fighter with a very limited shelf life.

This isn’t Brock Lesnar. Lesnar was a national champion in wrestling and a former football player with innate skills. Punk has athletic abilities, but he has been a professional wrestler for most of his life. Getting into the Octagon is an entirely different ballgame.

Another major issue is the injuries Punk has suffered over the years. As he revealed in his interview with Colt Cabana on the Art of Wrestling, he has dealt with everything from knee injuries to broken ribs to multiple concussions during his wrestling career.

In a sport as violent as MMA, Punk is starting at a disadvantage due to his injury history as well.

With Punk’s history of concussions, Dana White and the UFC also have to be careful.

There is no discounting the ability of Punk to dedicate himself to something and become the best in the world at the feat. As we saw during his wrestling career, Punk was one of the top performers in the WWE and one of the best athletes in the ring.

On the other hand, he has never ventured into the Octagon.

With limited training, a history of injuries and the disadvantage of starting his career at 36 years old, it’s likely Punk’s in-ring career in the UFC won’t last very long.

 

For more wrestling talk, listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot topics or catch the latest episode in the player below (some language NSFW).

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