Author: Donald Wood

UFC 164: Where Saturday’s Biggest Losers Go Moving Forward

Now that UFC 164 is completed, the frenzy over the spectacular night of fights has shifted to what’s next for the Saturday’s biggest losers.
With huge names in the sport handed hard-fought defeats, the talk about what’s next for each fighte…

Now that UFC 164 is completed, the frenzy over the spectacular night of fights has shifted to what’s next for the Saturday’s biggest losers.

With huge names in the sport handed hard-fought defeats, the talk about what’s next for each fighter is imperative to the future success of these brawlers.

 

Benson Henderson

On the biggest stage of his career, former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson was handed yet another tough loss to longtime foe Anthony Pettis via first-round submission (armbar).

This is the second time Pettis has beat Henderson (two of Henderson’s three career losses), and there is no doubt that a rematch must happen eventually. The problem is that both men are dealing with injuries, per UFC’s Twitter account:

Henderson is coming off a seven-fight winning streak and undoubtedly deserves another shot at the championship he formerly held. Depending on how long Pettis is out, though, the UFC must have a backup plan.

If the knee injury for Pettis is serious, Henderson should go one-on-one with the man that was scheduled to fight for the title before, T.J. Grant. With the added caveat of being a title eliminator, this is the kind of marquee fight that could make up for an extended absence from the champion.

 

Clay Guida

There are few fighters that get the kind of reaction from the crowd that Clay Guida has over his UFC career, but the lack of success recently is alarming.

Since beating Pettis during The Ultimate Fighter 13 finale, Guida has watched his career take a steady downward trajectory. He managed a win against Hatsu Hioki in his previous fight, but a tough TKO loss to Chad Mendes Saturday and three losses in his last four fights is a bad omen.

While there are plenty of options in the stacked featherweight division, the veteran’s next fight should come against another man looking for redemption, “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung.

Jung and Guida are both coming off heartbreaking losses, and a matchup of the two experienced brawlers would result in an instant classic and a chance for the winner to resurrect their career.

 

Frank Mir

Frank Mir is the shell of the heavyweight fighter most fans thought he would become, and his loss to Josh Barnett proves the end of the road could be close for the divisional gatekeeper.

Whether Mir feels that he was robbed of his chance at victory or not, the veteran is now on a three-fight losing streak.

The former UFC champion had an illustrious career that has lasted over a decade, but this should be the end of the road.

Mir will always be remembered for his victories over Brock Lesnar, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and others, but unless he walks away from the sport now, the fan favorite could be remembered for the losses to Barnett, Shane Carwin and Junior dos Santos.

 

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Henderson vs. Pettis 2 Results: Showtime Defeats Smooth Via Submission

In the main event of UFC 164 Saturday night, it was Anthony Pettis (17-2) that stunned the world and stole the lightweight championship from longtime for Benson Henderson (19-3) via submission.
 
UPDATE: Sunday, Sept. 1, at 1:15 a.m. ET
From UFC:
…

In the main event of UFC 164 Saturday night, it was Anthony Pettis (17-2) that stunned the world and stole the lightweight championship from longtime for Benson Henderson (19-3) via submission.

 

UPDATE: Sunday, Sept. 1, at 1:15 a.m. ET

From UFC:

—End of update—

 

Pettis had previously won against Henderson via unanimous decision for the WEC Lightweight Championship in the Fight of the Year winning bout, and the challenger was once again able to take the champion to his limit and walk away with the title.

It didn’t take long for Pettis to claim his new belt. In the first round, he turned to his underrated submission game by throwing an arm bar on Henderson after the titleholder took him down. Henderson, despite being known for escaping submissions, couldn’t get out and this one was over.

UFC added this detail:

This stunning victory throws the lightweight division of the UFC into turmoil. Henderson’s three-straight title defenses warrant the first chance at squaring off against Pettis and his new championship.

With talented fighters like T.J. Grant, Gilbert Melendez and more looking to get a shot at the belt, the rubber match in a heated battle between Henderson and Pettis would be a superfight for MMA.

Pettis will be launched into the upper echelon of fighters with the win over Henderson, and the focus on the third in-ring battle between these two fighters would have the sport at a fever pitch.

Henderson must return to the Octagon more focused than ever.

There is no questioning the raw skill and athleticism of the former champion, but Pettis was able to match everything thrown his way. He must change his style and regain the hunger that brought him the title.

The new lightweight champion should undoubtedly celebrate his well-earned victory, but must be back to work almost immediately to prepare for his first UFC title defense.

With Henderson knowing exactly what it takes to win that belt and why he lost before, the third meeting in this battle could be the best yet.

MMA need another great trilogy and it may have found it with the Pettis vs. Henderson feud.

 

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UFC Fight Night 27: Condit vs. Kampmann 2 Fight Card, TV Info, Predictions, More

While Saturdays are usually reserved for UFC fights, this Wednesday will feature the 27th edition of Fight Night featuring the rematch between Carlos Condit and Martin Kampmann.
This is not the most impressive card the company has ever compiled, but wi…

While Saturdays are usually reserved for UFC fights, this Wednesday will feature the 27th edition of Fight Night featuring the rematch between Carlos Condit and Martin Kampmann.

This is not the most impressive card the company has ever compiled, but with low expectations on the Wednesday event, there is little doubt that this could turn into a very memorable show.

 

When: Wednesday, August 28

Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Ind.

Time and Channel: Facebook (5 p.m. EDT), Fox Sports 2 (6 p.m. EDT), Fox Sports 1 (8 p.m. EDT).

Live Stream: Fox Sports Live 

 

Breaking Down the Main Events

Carlos Condit vs. Martin Kampmann

There is no question that Kampmann deserves immense credit for being one of the toughest fighters in the sport, but he will meet his match Wednesday when Condit walks away with a knockout victory.

Condit is coming off two devastating decision losses against the top two welterweight fighters in the sport (champion Georges St-Pierre and No. 1 contender Johny Hendricks), and getting back on the right track will happen with a dominant win over Kampmann.

Kampmann is coming off a tough knockout loss to Hendricks as well, but it will be Condit’s desire to get revenge for the decision loss he faced against Kampmann in 2009 that helps end this five-round fight early.

Prediction: Condit via KO

 

Donald Cerrone vs. Rafael dos Anjos

There are few fighters in the lightweight division as tough and respected as Donald Cerrone, but he will face a tough test against Rafael dos Anjos this week.

Dos Anjos has won four fights in a row, and the veteran is looking to climb into title consideration by knocking off a fan favorite like Cerrone.

That won’t be easy with the Cowboy fighting for the same purpose. As well as Dos Anjos has been fighting, Cerrone’s experience in big fights will give him the advantage.

Look for the Cowboy to catch his opponent making a mistake and knock him out with an array of stiff kicks and hard punches.

Prediction: Cerrone via KO

 

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UFC 163 Results: Winners Who Need Another Victory Before Title Contention

UFC 163 was a wild night of fights, but there were several big names who were victorious that still need one more victory before they earn a title shot.
While Phil Davis and Ian McCall won their respective bouts, it wasn’t enough to warrant a tit…

UFC 163 was a wild night of fights, but there were several big names who were victorious that still need one more victory before they earn a title shot.

While Phil Davis and Ian McCall won their respective bouts, it wasn’t enough to warrant a title shot. Each must get right back to work and look to earn a chance at a championship with another victory.

 

Phil Davis

While Phil Davis earned the victory on paper Saturday, there are few fans and experts, via MMA Junkie, that watched that bout and honestly believe the American star deserved his unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) victory.

Challenger Lyoto Machida was the cleaner fighter all night, landing the more effective and powerful punches, kicks and knees. While Davis got two takedowns in the waning stages of rounds, the maneuvers came only after Machida stifled eight other shoot attempts, per FightMetric.com.

If Davis wants a shot at Jon Jones and his UFC Light Heavyweight Championship, he should fight Machida again and quiet the critics. The American won’t get a title shot after a controversial win, and with the hype around the bout still high, booking a rematch is a smart choice.

Not only would the UFC get a co-main event that has history and will be a draw on its own, but Davis will also be given the opportunity to prove he deserves a title fight against whoever is holding the belt at that time.

 

Ian McCall

Ian “Uncle Creepy” McCall is one of the most intriguing fighters in MMA. He has an immense following of fans, but has struggled since making the jump to the big leagues, going 0-2-1 in his first three fights in the UFC.

The start couldn’t have been worse, but after clearing up his life outside the Octagon, per Richard Hunter of CBS Radio, his slow rise back to the top of contention in the flyweight division has officially begun with his victory over Iliarde Santos on Saturday.

As great as the bout was—earned Fight of the Night honors—McCall will need another marquee win before being considered for a title chance.

If Uncle Creepy wants his chance at championship redemption, he’ll likely have to fight John Dodson or John Moraga to get to that level. That’s not an easy road back to glory.

 

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UFC 163: Biggest Potential Fights Coming out of Saturday’s PPV

Saturday’s UFC 163 pay-per-view was an entertaining event, but the potential fights that could result from the action should have MMA fans all over the world excited.
All of the following matchups would be marquee bouts the UFC could build PPVs a…

Saturday’s UFC 163 pay-per-view was an entertaining event, but the potential fights that could result from the action should have MMA fans all over the world excited.

All of the following matchups would be marquee bouts the UFC could build PPVs around, and these dream fights must come to fruition.

 

Jose Aldo vs. Benson Henderson

Before it was Chan-Sung Jung whom Jose Aldo was scheduled to fight at UFC 163, it was former WEC star Anthony Pettis originally slated for the title shot. Aldo accepted that fight with the caveat that he would challenge for the lightweight title if he was victorious, per Franklin McNeil of ESPN.com.

After taking the Korean Zombie down with a fourth-round TKO, Aldo has earned the right to fight Benson Henderson for the lightweight championship in what would be one of the most anticipated UFC fights in years.

Champion vs. champion is always a big deal.

Aldo has 16 straight victories in MMA and seven straight title defenses dating back to his time as WEC champion, but he will face the ultimate test in Henderson if this fight comes to fruition. Bendo has the speed and power to match the Brazilian and push him to his limit.

The current lightweight champion still has to fight Pettis at UFC 164 before ever entertaining the thought of a superfight with Aldo, but the stage has been set for the featherweight champion to make the weight-class jump and fight whoever is holding the belt next.

 

Phil Davis vs. Lyoto Machida II

When the referee raised Phil Davis’ hand and the post-fight announcement revealed that the American had beaten Lyota Machida via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28), the backlash from hardcore and casual fight fans alike made this an extremely controversial ruling.

Dana White and the matchmakers see the frenzy that was stirred up because of this bout, and with the emotion fresh on everyone’s mind, the UFC should book an immediate rematch with the stipulation of it being a title eliminator.

Davis would have to win another fight before earning a shot at Jon Jones and his light heavyweight title anyway, and what better way to prove his worth than by beating Machida in a more convincing manner?

If the Brazilian were to win, though, it would help prove the ineffectiveness of the judges at UFC 163 and would give Machida the title shot he deserved.

 

Ian McCall vs. John Dodson

While beating a journeyman like Iliarde Santos on the FX preliminary card isn’t a career-changing win for most fighters, this was the kind of bout that could get veteran Ian “Uncle Creepy” McCall back into the conversation as a title contender.

Not only is McCall looking to get back on the right track, but with John Dodson also looking for redemption after a loss to featherweight champion Demetrious Johnson, there is no doubt that the two men would be a great match for each other.

Ian McCall vs. John Dodson has all the earmarks of an amazing matchup.

Both fighters have elite speed and knockout ability, and with the added incentive of getting one fight closer to another shot at the title, these men would leave everything they had in the Octagon.

 

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UFC 163: What Failed Fighters Must Do to Resurrect Careers

After a wild night at UFC 163, many of the top names in the sport failed in their attempts to achieve glory and now must resurrect their careers with victories in their next bouts.
With stars like Chan-Sung Jung, Lyoto Machida and Tom Watson all handed…

After a wild night at UFC 163, many of the top names in the sport failed in their attempts to achieve glory and now must resurrect their careers with victories in their next bouts.

With stars like Chan-Sung Jung, Lyoto Machida and Tom Watson all handed devastating losses, how they respond in their comeback fights is pivotal to the long-term success of their respective careers.

All of the following veterans will be looking for redemption and have the chance to find it.

 

Chan-Sung “Korean Zombie” Jung

After beating Dustin Poirier, Mark Hominick and Leonard Garcia in his three previous fights coming into Saturday, Chan-Sung Jung was handed a devastating loss by featherweight champion Jose Aldo.

As hard as it will be to deal with this defeat for the proud fighter, Jung is the consummate professional and will look to bounce back with a strong performance in his next fight.

There are many options for the UFC to make for Jung, but with Ricardo Lamas originally scheduled to fight the Korean star before he was pulled for the fight against Aldo, that fight must come to fruition now.

Lamas vs. the Korean Zombie would be a great chance to prove his worth to the UFC.

 

Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida

Despite the fact that few MMA fans and experts had Phil Davis winning Saturday’s fight, Lyota Machida was handed a tough unanimous decision loss and now must mentally prepare for the road back into title contention.

Machida was likely one win away from a shot at Jon Jones and his light heavyweight championship, but now the Brazilian is forced to the back of the divisional line.

While the light heavyweight rankings have thinned out since Jones’ reign of terror started, the best possible next fight for Machida would be veteran and former champion Rashad Evans.

With a long history with each other—Machida won the title from Evans in 2009—this would be a fight that could easily be a pay-per-view main event.

 

Tom “Kong” Watson

Tom Watson is a talented fighter that dominated the British Association of Mixed Martial Arts as the company’s middleweight champion, but the transition to UFC hasn’t been spectacular, losing two out of three fights thus far.

In addition to being beaten by journeyman Thales Leites in the challenger’s return to the UFC, the fact that Watson came to the Octagon with a gorilla mask on and the Backstreet Boys playing in the background made him an instant enemy to MMA fans everywhere.

While there are many fighters in the middleweight division that could give Watson the chance to redeem himself, the best-case scenario will be fighting the loser of the Tim Boetsch vs. Luke Rockhold fight.

If Watson wins his next fight against a recognizable name, UFC fans will give him another chance—but with the caveat of no more Backstreet Boys.

 

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