Author: Donald Wood

Frankie Edgar: Breaking Down What’s Next for UFC Star After Another Tough Loss

UFC 156 was one of the best shows of the past year for the company, but another tough loss for veteran fan-favorite Frankie Edgar has many experts questioning what’s next for the former champion.Edgar must go back to the drawing board and find ou…

UFC 156 was one of the best shows of the past year for the company, but another tough loss for veteran fan-favorite Frankie Edgar has many experts questioning what’s next for the former champion.

Edgar must go back to the drawing board and find out which weight class will fit his mix of speed and power; that would likely mean a jump back up to lightweight.

If Edgar squares off with a top-tier talent like Nate Diaz, Edson Barboza or Anthony Pettis and can walk away victorious, there is little doubt that he can once again get a shot at Benson Henderson and the UFC Lightweight Championship.

As great as Edgar was in his prime and still is to this day, the former champion knows he ran into an even more impressive fighter in Henderson for his title, and those two losses forced the switch to the lighter weight class.

Five rounds with Jose Aldo in the featherweight division later, and Edgar realizes he ran into another superior fighter at at UFC 156.

Fuel TV analyst and current UFC fighter Chael Sonnen spoke after the fight (h/t NowBoxing.com) about how this was more about Aldo winning the fight than Edgar losing:

What surprised me about Frankie was that he was fast, but he didn’t have the advantage. Frankie threw punches and some landed, but some didn’t. Jose threw less punches, but they all landed. Jose slowed down in the fight, but he didn’t back down. His accuracy was amazing. Edgar is known for going down, but getting back up. He got hurt, but stood his ground. Jose stuffed most of the takedowns. It was like running into a brick wall. I tell you, I resisted it in the past, but Jose has won me over now. He’s spectacular. Yes, Frankie is resilient. It’s like calling Kate Upton mildly attractive.

Edgar became a star in the UFC after his storied feud with Gray Maynard, but it was the lightweight championship the veteran fighter successfully defended three times that has many fans considering him one of the best in the division’s history.

There is no doubt that Edgar still has plenty of talent and could be the No. 1 contender in two different weight classes, but his inability to get over the championship hump is starting to tarnish the fighter’s legacy.

With a 1-3-1 record over his past five fights, there is nothing overly impressive about how Edgar has finished his bouts. The veteran brawler has been in contention throughout each battle, but the inability to put elite talent away is the star’s ultimate downfall.

A fighter can’t win championships in the UFC without beating the best, and Edgar has proven over the past two years that he has struggled with elite talent since losing the lightweight title.

 

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UFC 155: Junior Dos Santos Has Right Mindset to KO Cain Velasquez

While the heavyweight division hardly ever sees a fight go the full time before someone gets knocked out or submitted, heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos has the right mindset coming into UFC 155 to KO his opponent, Cain Velasquez.The familiarity b…

While the heavyweight division hardly ever sees a fight go the full time before someone gets knocked out or submitted, heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos has the right mindset coming into UFC 155 to KO his opponent, Cain Velasquez.

The familiarity between these two will give each of these fighters an edge coming into this bout, but leaning on that knowledge will not be what wins this matchup.

This fight isn’t about redemption; this is about the UFC World heavyweight Title.

Velasquez was embarrassed on national television the last time these two men squared off, and the former champion will look at this fight as his chance to bring his name back into the good graces of the fans in attendance and the shot-callers in the UFC.

The defending champion has a different outlook.

Dos Santos told ESPN about how he doesn’t view this as a fight as a rematch and how he prepared for this in-ring war:

I think it’s more a rematch for Cain Velasquez than it is for me. For me it’s another fight, and every fight…I take my next fight as my toughest fight ever. So I get very well prepared for all my fights, [and] I that’s how I am now. I am 100 percent [ready] to go there and keep my belt.

As hard as it is to imagine fighting without any emotion, the key to a great MMA fighter is the ability to control their emotions in the Octagon and use them to harness and disperse their power.

When a fighter has vengeance on their mind or is fighting angry, they begin to let their form slip and start to leave themselves open for the potential knockout blow that could be coming at any second.

Velasquez will come at Dos Santos like a bat out of hell, but the calculated demeanor of the current champion will not only weather the former champion’s storm, it will help Dos Santos find the opening Velasquez leaves and knock him out in spectacular fashion.

The UFC star treats all of his fights the same way, and it’s no wonder why they all end the same way, too. Dos Santos is a knockout machine, and he’ll add another to his resume.

 

Check back for more on Mixed Martial Arts as it comes, and don’t miss Bleacher Report’s UFC page or listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot topics.

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Henderson vs. Diaz Results: What Win Means for Benson Henderson

When UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson (18-2) defeated Nate Diaz (16-8) via unanimous decision to retain his title at UFC on Fox 5, it became very obvious that the company had a bona fide superstar on its hands. Henderson is a MMA star on the s…

When UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson (18-2) defeated Nate Diaz (16-8) via unanimous decision to retain his title at UFC on Fox 5, it became very obvious that the company had a bona fide superstar on its hands.

Henderson is a MMA star on the same level as Anderson Silva, Jon Jones and Georges St-Pierre.

After working his way through the lightweight division in UFC and winning the title from Frankie Edgar, Henderson is blooming as an elite fighter, and he has become one of the pound-for-pound toughest men in the sport.

With a star like Diaz—a fighter known for his excellent cardio and brawling style—unable to stop the reign of Bendo, the questions will naturally turn to what’s next for the UFC champion.

In a stacked lightweight division, the possibilities of who could be next for Henderson are endless; from proven stars like Clay Guida, Gray Maynard and Donald Cerrone to a younger star like Edson Barboza, there is no shortage of worthy opponents.

There is only one fight that UFC president Dana White should be setting up, though, and that’s between Henderson and UFC newcomer Anthony Pettis.

While Pettis only has three fights with the company—including a loss in his debut to Guida—the young star beat Henderson in WEC for the Lightweight Championship in what was called the fight of the year for 2010.

The UFC would have plenty of history to build off for a fight between the defending champion and Pettis, and this is a redemption bout many MMA fans would be very interested in.

For now, Henderson should just enjoy this huge victory over a very worthy Diaz.

 

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UFC 154 Fight Card: Top MMA Fighters to Watch for on Saturday Night

When UFC 154 goes live Saturday night from the Bell Centre in Montreal, the excitement over one of the biggest MMA events of 2012 will have the sports world ready for action.Led by the star power of welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre and interim w…

When UFC 154 goes live Saturday night from the Bell Centre in Montreal, the excitement over one of the biggest MMA events of 2012 will have the sports world ready for action.

Led by the star power of welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre and interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit, there is a plethora of great fighters that adorn this card.

The UFC truly has blown this event out after a recent string of mediocre or cancelled events.

Even if you are just a casual MMA fan, this is the kind of main-event super fight that could go down in history as one of the greatest of all time. When we look back through the annals of time, UFC fans will want the opportunity to say they saw this event as it happened.

Don’t be one of the few people in the world to miss this spectacular card and main event.

 

Where: Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada

When: Saturday, November 17 

Watch: Main Card Fights start at 10:00 p.m. ET on Pay-Per-View; Preliminary Card Fights start at 8:00 p.m. ET on FX at 8:00 p.m. ET; Facebook Preliminary Fights start at 6:00 p.m. ET

 

MAIN CARD FIGHTS
 Welterweight Championship: Georges St-Pierre vs. Carlos Condit
 Welterweight Bout: Martin Kampmann vs. Johny Hendricks
 Middleweight Bout: Francis Carmont vs. Tom Lawlor
 Middleweight Bout: Nick Ring vs. Costa Philippou
 Featherweight Bout: Mark Hominick vs. Pablo Garza

 

FX PRELIMINARY FIGHTS
 Middleweight Bout: Patrick Cote vs. Alessio Sakara
 Light Heavyweight Bout: Cyrille Diabate vs. Chad Griggs
 Lightweight Bout: Mark Bocek vs. Rafael dos Anjos
 Lightweight Bout: Sam Stout vs. John Makdessi

 

FACEBOOK PRELIMINARY FIGHTS
 Featherweight Bout: Antonio Carvalho vs. Rodrigo Damm
 Welterweight Bout: Matthew Riddle vs. John Maguire
 Bantamweight Bout: Ivan Menjivar vs. Azamat Gashimov
 Featherweight Bout: Steven Siler vs. Darren Elkins

 

Top MMA Fighters to Watch

Georges St-Pierre (22–2)

As the six-time defending welterweight champion, Georges St-Pierre is one of the most dominant fighters of all time and one of the pound-for-pound toughest men in the world. After almost a year off recovering from ACL surgery, the MMA star is ready to return to the Octagon.

There are legitimate questions about the veteran’s knee and how it will hold up under the conditions of a UFC brawl, but there are also questions about how much the effect of ring rust will hamper his efforts Saturday. With so much on the line, expect a great GSP.

 

Carlos Condit (28-5)

While St-Pierre is the current welterweight champion, the interim champion in his absence is now Carlos Condit after a tough decision win over Nick Diaz. With Condit looking as good as he ever has in his career, GSP will be in for the fight of his life against the interim champion.

Besides a controversial loss to Martin Kampmann—only controversial because Condit should have won—Condit hasn’t lost a fight since June 2006. With the momentum of winning the interim title on his side, Condit will be ready to claim the title of undisputed champion.

 

Martin Kampmann (20–5)

While many fans remember Martin Kampmann as the fighter that stole a win from Carlos Condit in his UFC debut, this is a MMA veteran that has been involved in some of the best brawls in history.

Despite losing three of his last eight fights, Kampmann is refocused and putting together a healthy winning streak—three straight wins over solid competition. While the welterweight will be squaring off with his toughest test in years—Johny Hendricks—this will be the ultimate proving ground to see how much Kampmann has left in the tank.

 

Mark Hominick (20–11)

Mark Hominick is a Canadian fighter that will have the advantage of being back in his home country for UFC 154, but this event is very serious for the 30-year-old brawler. With three-straight losses, Hominick—who may be better known as the victim of a gruesome head injury sustained against Jose Aldo—may be fighting for his UFC career.

While Pablo Garza isn’t in the top-tier of fighters in the featherweight division, he is a very strong fighter with great fundamentals. If Hominick attacks Garza recklessly like he tried against Chan-Sung Jung, the Canadian star will suffer yet another knockout

 

Check back for more on Mixed Martial Arts as it comes, and don’t miss Bleacher Report’s UFC page or listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot topics.

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The Ultimate Fighter 17: Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen Will Be Must-Watch TV

When the UFC announced that light heavyweight champion Jon Jones would square off against perennial loudmouth Chael Sonnen as the coaches for The Ultimate Fighter 17, the excitement in the MMA world was through the roof.This is the kind of announcement…

When the UFC announced that light heavyweight champion Jon Jones would square off against perennial loudmouth Chael Sonnen as the coaches for The Ultimate Fighter 17, the excitement in the MMA world was through the roof.

This is the kind of announcement that could change the perception of the stale show.

Jones and Sonnen are perfect for each other because their personalities are so contrasting. While the UFC champion has been embroiled in controversy as he becomes the face of the company, Sonnen has continued to raise hell with his words.

Together with their teams of fighters, these men will tear up the Ultimate Fighter house and then each other on a yet-to-be-determined live event.

The Ultimate Fighter 17 is going to be amazing.

 

 

The Personalities

As much as the premise of the show and the antics of the participants has grown stale and predictable, the interactions between the coaches and the un-signed fighters will be one of the most intriguing parts of The Ultimate Fighter 17.

Jones and Sonnen are great fighters, but they both have egos and working with this much unpolished talent may be too much for them to stand. It will be interesting to see if these men have any real patience.

It is always great to meet the next crop of young fighters, but there is no question that the focus of this season will be on Jones and Sonnen and how their personalities clash with their teams and with each other.

 

 

The Trash Talking

Every season of The Ultimate Fighter is filled with enough trash talk to satisfy even the biggest meathead, but this edition will be different. The trash talk will be relevant, real and cut to the bone.

Sonnen and Jones will not only use their own words to chop each other down, they will teach their teams the same; season 17 is going to be heated!

With a culminating match between the duo after the TV show is done airing, the war of words on The Ultimate Fighter this time will be the best in the history of the show.

As we saw in Sonnen’s pre-fight antics with Anderson Silva, the Oregon native brings the best out in people. Or the worst.

 

 

The Payoff

While the show itself will be fun to watch again, this is all just the appetizer to the actual fight between Jones and Sonnen. Whether the title is on the line or not, there is little doubt that the UFC champion will walk away victorious.

Jones is the better fighter, but Sonnen will jack up the hype for the PPV with all of his trash talking and publicity stunts. That’s exactly what a faltering UFC needs right now.

Not only will the television ratings for The Ultimate Fighter 17 be through the roof, the buys for a PPV featuring Sonnen vs. Jones after a whole season of trash talk will be on the same level as a Brock Lesnar fight.

While a million buys is a bit optimistic, if the show gets as wild as it has the potential to, this could be the shot in the arm the sport needs.

 

Check back for more on Mixed Martial Arts as it comes, and don’t miss Bleacher Report’s UFC page or listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot topics.

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UFC 153: Latest News and Updates Surrounding Pay-Per-View

While the UFC has been struggling with drawing in fans to their live events and pay-per-views, the reason issues have arisen with UFC 153 is because the injury bug continues to devastate the roster.The company will travel to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on O…

While the UFC has been struggling with drawing in fans to their live events and pay-per-views, the reason issues have arisen with UFC 153 is because the injury bug continues to devastate the roster.

The company will travel to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Oct. 13 for their latest PPV, but the hype around a card featuring Anderson Silva is nowhere near where it should be.

Dana White and UFC officials are trying their best to put together a product that MMA fans can get behind, but too many main events have been ruined due to injuries for the company to be considered reliable.

With just a few days until the big event, the UFC is doing their best to build as much hype in this short time period, but so far it has been very unsuccessful.

If Anderson Silva can’t draw a substantial increase in viewers on short notice, no fighter in the UFC will be able to do so.

 

Full PPV Fight Card

Anderson Silva vs. Stephan Bonnar

Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Dave Herman

Glover Teixeira vs. Fabio Maldonado

Erick Silva vs. Jon Fitch

Wagner Prado vs. Phil Davis

Demian Maia vs. Rick Story

 

Fighters That Pulled Out

Vitor Belfort—The former UFC Champion was pulled out of his scheduled fight (h/t MMA Junkie) with Alan Belcher to fight Jon Jones for the light heavyweight title at UFC 152. Belfort lost in his title shot, but fans can’t blame him for stepping up to fight a champion when asked by the UFC.

Alan Belcher—While there is no doubt the fans wanted to see Alan Belcher and Vitor Belfort, the UFC’s choice to break up this match was a blessing in disguise. Soon after Belcher was told he would not fight Belfort, the MMA veteran announced he had a fractured spine (h/t Belcher’s Twitter).

Quinton Jackson—After being scheduled to face Glover Teixeira at UFC 153, the MMA veteran was forced to pull out of the event due to an undisclosed injury (h/t MMA Junkie).

Rashad Evans—After Quinton Jackson was pulled from the PPV, Dana White and UFC officials asked former champion Rashad Evans if he would be interested in taking the fight against Glover Teixeira, but turned it down due to lack of time to prepare (h/t Rashad Evans’ Twitter).

Geronimo dos Santos—UFC officials announced Geronimo dos Santos would not fight at UFC 153 after being injured, but the company went no further with their explanation (h/t MMA Junkie).

Gabriel Gonzaga—While there was nothing medically wrong with Gabriel Gonzaga, the fight was scratched all together after Geronimo dos Santos pulled out and a viable opponent wasn’t found in time (h/t MMA Junkie).

Erik Koch—After being scheduled to fight UFC Featherweight champion José Aldo at UFC 153, Koch was forced to pull out of the event with an undisclosed injury (h/t USA Today).

Frankie Edgar—With Koch out of the main event, the UFC pushed Frankie Edgar to the title fight, but the veteran was also forced out of the fight (h/t MMA Junkie). These injuries are what caused the hastily thrown together main event we have now.

 

Main Event Prediction

UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva vs. Stephan Bonnar

While many fans weren’t expecting to see Anderson Silva headline this Brazilian card, that is the steps that a veteran will take to keep the business that has treated him so well going.

Other top-tier fighters such as Jon Jones and Rashad Evans have turned down mega-fights that could have saved cards because of lack of preparation time, but Silva was willing to put in the extra work to give the MMA fans what they want.

More fighters need to step up just as Silva has done for UFC 153.

With that said being though, more fighters would step up if the caliber of fighter they were scheduled to face was that of Stephan Bonnar. While the former Ultimate Fighter runner-up has been a crowd favorite since Day 1, he doesn’t stand a chance against the much more versatile Silva.

If Bonnar stands and trades shots with Silva, the challenger will find himself knocked out by the end of the first round. Since that is Bonnar’s offensive attack in a nutshell, this fight won’t go very long.

Final Word: Anderson Silva wins via first-round TKO

 

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