Author: Donald Wood

Aldo vs. Korean Zombie: Predicting Next Fight for Both Stars After UFC 163

When Jose “Junior” Aldo successfully defended his featherweight championship against Chan Sung “The Korean Zombie” Jung Saturday, August 3 in the main event of UFC 163, the decisive TKO victory made it clear there wouldn’t…

When Jose “Junior” Aldo successfully defended his featherweight championship against Chan Sung “The Korean Zombie” Jung Saturday, August 3 in the main event of UFC 163, the decisive TKO victory made it clear there wouldn’t be another chapter in this battle.

With each man moving on to a new opponent, predicting who is the next challenger for Aldo’s title and Jung’s first fight heading toward redemption is the talk of the MMA world.

After an exciting main event, this is the direction moving forward for both fighters.

 

What’s Next for Aldo?

After his seventh-straight title defense and his 16th straight overall victory in his career, it has become abundantly clear that Aldo is one of the toughest pound-for-pound fighters in the world, and finding a worthy opponent will be difficult.

While it should be Anthony Pettis that takes on Aldo next—it was Pettis that was originally slated to fight the champion Saturday before pulling out with an injury—Pettis will now be taking on Benson Henderson for the lightweight title at UFC 164, per John Morgan of MMA Junkie.

There can be a case made for talented fighters like Ricardo Lamas, Frankie Edgar and Cub Swanson to get a shot at Aldo and his title, but no fighter deserves the championship opportunity more than Chad Mendes.

Mendes is currently ranked as the No. 1 challenger in the UFC.com rankings, and as long as he beats Clay Guida at UFC 164, the veteran deserves another shot at Aldo and his title.

After three straight wins since suffering a KO loss to Aldo in January of 2012 (beat Darren Elkins, Yaotzin Meza and Cody McKenzie), Mendes is ready to unseat the divisional king.

 

What’s Next for Korean Zombie?

While this is a tough loss to swallow for a veteran like Jung, the fact that he accepted this fight on late notice and still managed to make it through four rounds before a freak shoulder injury ended any hope of victory proves he is still a legitimate contender in the division.

That’s why the Korean Zombie should be the final test for Ricardo Lamas.

Lamas was originally slated to fight against Jung at UFC 162, per MMA Junkie, but when Pettis was injured and UFC officials put the Korean Zombie in the title match, that left Lamas without a fight.

Aldo teased a possible jump to the lightweight division on Fuel TV after his win, but Lamas—winner of all four fights in his UFC career—deserves a title shot. If Aldo is tied up with Mendes or a move to another division, Jung and Lamas will be on a collision course with the latter earning a title shot with a victory.

The Korean Zombie is a great fighter, but he is starting to become a divisional gatekeeper and a fight against Lamas would only further prove that point.

 

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UFC 163: Breaking Down Night’s Most Exciting Moments

UFC 163 featured a featherweight championship fight between Jose “Junior” Aldo and Chan-Sung “The Korean Zombie” Jung, and many other marquee bouts, but there were several distinct moments that made this event exciting.
While Saturday’s pay-per-v…

UFC 163 featured a featherweight championship fight between Jose “Junior” Aldo and Chan-Sung “The Korean Zombie” Jung, and many other marquee bouts, but there were several distinct moments that made this event exciting.

While Saturday’s pay-per-view wasn’t as spectacular as many MMA fans were hoping, all of the following moments still made this an exciting fight night.

 

Anthony Perosh’s Knockout Victory

There are many UFC fans who missed the Anthony Perosh-Vinny Magalhaes fight because it was relegated to the FX preliminary card, but after a 14-second knockout, even some of the fans watching likely missed it.

There were questions about whether Perosh—a 41-year-old MMA veteran—had enough left in the tank to withstand fighting again, but a devastating knockout win proved all the doubters wrong.

Magalhaes was heralded as one of the top stars in the sport when the UFC signed him in 2012, but after another tough loss, the gamble hasn’t paid off. As exciting as the KO was, the future is now very uncertain for Magalhaes.

 

The Decision Between Phil Davis and Lyoto Machida

The battle between Phil Davis and Lyoto Machida was as uneventful as predicted—Machida’s elusive style was on full display—but the unanimous-decision victory for Davis was a complete shock to most fans and experts around the sport.

Davis had the takedown abilities that stifled his challenger at times, but Machida had no problem countering many of his shoot attempts while mixing in knees, punches and kicks that landed effectively, as shown by FightMetrics.

The two successful takedowns from Davis appeared to be enough to sway the judges, but with Machida in his home country of Brazil and using his normal evasive style to perfection, this was the wrong decision.

 

Ian McCall’s Decision Victory

Call it bias, but watching Ian “Uncle Creepy” McCall win on Saturday night was one of the most exciting moments of UFC 163.

After overcoming a tumultuous personal life and a horrible start to his UFC career (0-2-1), McCall was finally able to snag the much-needed victory to get himself and his career back on the right track.

While beating a journeyman like Iliarde Santos is not the greatest victory, the fan favorite is getting his life together, and this is a great start. With a focus on MMA and reaching the level most believe he still can, Uncle Creepy’s rise to the top has begun once again.

 

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Anderson Silva’s Rematch with Chris Weidman Will Be Toughest Test

When Anderson Silva (33-5) squares off against Chris Weidman (10-0) for the middleweight championship at UFC 168 in Las Vegas on Dec. 28, it will be the toughest fight of Silva’s life.
Silva has been in mental and physical control of every battle…

When Anderson Silva (33-5) squares off against Chris Weidman (10-0) for the middleweight championship at UFC 168 in Las Vegas on Dec. 28, it will be the toughest fight of Silva’s life.

Silva has been in mental and physical control of every battle that he has faced in the UFC, but Weidman has a confidence coming into the rematch that no fighter has ever possessed against the former champion.

Instead of being chased for the title, Silva will be the challenger for the first time since 2006. That change in strategy and preparation will be tough for a veteran fighter who has become accustomed to his certain style in the UFC.

Silva’s antics in the Octagon helped build the aura around his career, but while they frustrate most fighters, Weidman proved to be unflappable. In the rematch scheduled for later this year, the Brazilian should expect the new champion to be even more focused.

Weidman’s coach, Ray Longo, talked to Shameless Radio (via MMAWeekly.com) about the lack of surprise that his fighter won against Silva:

With Weidman, anybody that’s been in the gym with him, or who has sparred with him or rolled with him, I don’t think one guy thought that was an upset.

This kid is for real. I think that’s why the pros were picking him. I think that grapevine was all over the place. The pros have a nice grapevine. I think GSP trained with him a little bit. He was at least in the room with him. Once one guy says one thing, it’s that whole telephone line; it starts going down the line. Anybody that’s trained or been in the room with him, this kid is a beast.

Every champion understands that it’s much harder to defend the title than it is to win it in the first place, and Weidman will be training harder than ever to avoid any hangover from his victory celebration.

That newly inspired commitment from the man who already beat Silva once should have “The Spider” understanding the caliber of competition he will be squaring off against. He has to dig deeper than he has at any point in his career if he wants to come out of this next battle on top.

Silva had won 16 consecutive fights and successfully defended his title 10 times before his loss to Weidman, and the manner in which the champion lost his title—antagonizing the challenger with taunts—has many believing that he was complacent with the championship.

If the Brazilian legend was looking for a reason to fight, Silva will have his honor and legacy on the line along with the middleweight championship in his rematch with Weidman.

 

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Anderson Silva Must Beat Chris Weidman in Rematch to Save Legacy

If Anderson Silva wants to avenge his loss to middleweight champion Chris Weidman and cement his legacy as a fighter, he has to emerge victorious in their scheduled rematch.
UFC president Dana White has confirmed that the anticipated rematch between Si…

If Anderson Silva wants to avenge his loss to middleweight champion Chris Weidman and cement his legacy as a fighter, he has to emerge victorious in their scheduled rematch.

UFC president Dana White has confirmed that the anticipated rematch between Silva (33-5) and Weidman (10-0) will indeed take place at UFC 168 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Dec. 28, according to MMA Junkie via USA Today.

Despite Silva’s immediate comments telling the media that he didn’t want a rematch, per Franklin McNeil of ESPN.com, White was able to convince everyone involved that this was the best course of action.

Silva himself released a video to ESPN claiming that he was back.

While Silva is already one of the greatest fighters of all time, the former champion must walk out of the pay-per-view victorious or risk tarnishing his legacy. Weidman proved to be the better fighter at UFC 162, but a loss in his first defense against Silva would prove it was just a fluke victory.

If Silva were to lose, though, the former champion would be viewed as a shell of the champion that once ruled the middleweight division with an iron fist.

Weidman proved that he is a strong wrestler and can push through the mental frustration of being stifled by Silva. As much as The Spider’s tactics in the Octagon are unorthodox and rub many fans the wrong way, they helped the former champion amass 16 consecutive wins and 10 title defenses.

Instead of Silva changing his style for the rematch in order to win, he must study the strengths of Weidman more closely and formulate a game plan that can frustrate the American.

As much as the Brazilian is the overall better fighter, Weidman has proved that he is not afraid of taking a beating to land the shots it takes to walk away victorious.

With Silva refocused and determined to get his title back and Weidman preparing to defend the belt he worked his whole life to win, the battle this time will be much more intense.

The Spider will continue to use his cocky in-ring mannerisms to frustrate his opponent, but expect them to be noticeably toned down to avoid another knockout defeat.

Weidman proved to Silva and the world that he was capable of winning the championship, and now it’s the former champion’s time to prove how great he really is.

If Silva loses, there will always be a dark cloud over the end of his title reign, and that will tarnish his overall legacy in MMA.

 

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UFC 162: Where Sunday’s Biggest Losers Go Moving Forward

Saturday’s UFC 162 pay-per-view was one of the better cards the company has produced in a long time, but all the headlines after the event were focused on the main event and how Anderson Silva finally lost his title to Chris Weidman.Silva wasn&rs…

Saturday’s UFC 162 pay-per-view was one of the better cards the company has produced in a long time, but all the headlines after the event were focused on the main event and how Anderson Silva finally lost his title to Chris Weidman.

Silva wasn’t the only loser Saturday, though, as many of the top names on the card came up short. Where each goes from here is imperative to their respective careers.

 

Anderson Silva

While Anderson Silva claimed immediately after his loss to new middleweight champion Chris Weidman via KO that he did not want to fight for the championship anymore, per UFC’s YouTube page, there is no doubt that the next bout for the Brazilian must be a rematch.

Weidman is still one of the freshest faces in the division, and with Silva winning 17 fights before his tough defeat Saturday—including 10 successful title defenses—White confirmed via John Morgan of MMAJunkie that he wants this rematch to happen sooner rather than later.

Whether Silva wins or loses the rematch will not impact the long-term view of his reign (he is still arguably the greatest MMA fighter of all time), a second fight against Weidman is what the fans want.

Silva will realize the potential of this bout and eventually agree to the rematch.

 

Roger Gracie

When fans think about the Gracie name in the sport of mixed martial arts, it is filled with legacy and greatness. Roger Gracie did not live up to those expectations on Saturday when he was defeated by Tim Kennedy via unanimous decision.

Gracie was one of the middleweights acquired by UFC when Zuffa closed Strikeforce and was expected to make a run at Silva or whoever was the divisional champion eventually, but he lost in his very first fight with his new employer.

Now Gracie must win his second bout in the UFC.

While there are more than enough names in the middleweight division to square off against next, the right match would be against the loser of the Jacare Souza vs. Yushin Okami bout in September.

It would result in a long layoff for Gracie, but after his tough loss Saturday, that extra time may be exactly what he needs to get back to 100 percent physically and mentally.

 

Chris Leben

There was a time when Chris Leben was one of the most polarizing fighters in the sport, using his trash talking and brutal style to run right at his opponents and give the fans the thrilling fights they wanted.

At 32 years old and the recipient of a devastating split-decision loss to Andrew Craig on the preliminary card, Leben must find a great test in his next bout and come out with a convincing victory.

If he doesn’t, Leben will be looked at as nothing more than a divisional gatekeeper.

Another fighter in Leben’s boat is veteran Tim Boetsch. With both fighters handed a defeat Saturday and their careers going nowhere fast, White should make this bout happen with the caveat that the loser will be let go by the company.

That would raise the stakes on this potential in-ring war.

 

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Silva vs. Weidman II: UFC Officials Must Make This Rematch Happen

When Chris Weidman beat Anderson Silva for the UFC Middleweight Championship in the main event of UFC 162, the mixed martial arts community turned its attention to the inevitable rematch.Despite Silva claiming that he does not want to fight for the tit…

When Chris Weidman beat Anderson Silva for the UFC Middleweight Championship in the main event of UFC 162, the mixed martial arts community turned its attention to the inevitable rematch.

Despite Silva claiming that he does not want to fight for the title again, per Franklin McNeil of ESPN.com, the Brazilian champion was likely just dealing with the emotions of the toughest loss of his career.

Silva was undefeated in the UFC with 16 consecutive wins and 10 successful title defenses, but with nine years since his last loss in MMA, there is no doubt that the shock of getting knocked out clouded his judgment.

For once, UFC president Dana White was the voice of reason in the post-fight press conference, telling Bleacher Report’s Damon Martin about his optimism that Silva and Weidman will face off once again in a middleweight title rematch:

Nobody wants to lose. He doesn’t know how to lose, he doesn’t remember how to lose, it’s been too long since he lost. This one’s going to sink in a couple days after. Like I said, the first thing I hear when we walk in is somebody thinks it’s a fix and all the stupid s—t that people are going to say will start to drive somebody crazy. Everybody knows, I know, everybody knows he’s going to want the rematch.

While many fans didn’t give Weidman a chance to pull out a victory on Saturday night, he proved his mental toughness by working through the typical Silva taunting and asserted his physical dominance like few in the sport ever have against “The Spider.”

In one night, Weidman went from a prospect full of promise to one of the best in the sport.

Silva may be 38 years old, but there is no question that he still possesses enough talent to fight for the middleweight title again. As much as the loss stung at the moment, Silva looked to be fighting well in the Octagon before he was caught by his gifted opponent.

With a newfound respect for Weidman, the refocused Silva would make the next possible chapter one of the most anticipated UFC events in years.

Win or lose the proposed rematch, the fact that the Brazilian star would be chasing the title this time would make this event unique and something fans haven’t seen since he beat Rich Franklin for the title in 2006.

The UFC must do whatever it takes to set up Silva vs. Weidman II. Silva polarizes the fans, and the inevitable rematch will be a huge main event for the company.

 

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