Author: Donald Wood

There is not much buzz surrounding the UFC 177 pay-per-view after several marquee fights were removed from the card, and the task of selling the event to casual fans got tougher with the removal of former champion Renan Barao from the main event, according to UFC.com.

UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw will now defend his title against Joe Soto.

This is terrible news for the fight fans who were actually excited about this card. While there is always a chance Soto could stun Dillashaw the same way Barao was stunned in the first fight, there is no mainstream appeal to this card.

Dillashaw vs. Soto is a solid fight, but it’s not worthy of a PPV main event. Here is the full fight card, predicted winners in every fight and a preview of Saturday’s top bout.

 

Breaking Down the Main Event

The main event of UFC 177 should have been the rematch between Dillashaw and Barao for the bantamweight championship, but according to Damon Martin of FoxSports.com, Barao fainted during the weight-cutting portion of the fight prep and his team was forced to call an ambulance.

Barao was taken to the hospital after suffering from “extreme dehydration,” according to Martin, and was removed from the main event. UFC president Dana White also said in the same article that the former champion will not be awarded a title shot when he is cleared to compete again.

MMA fanatic Joe Rogan was adamant about his opinion of the card (some language NSFW):

Former WWE wrestler CM Punk also chimed in on the situation:

Now that Barao is on the sideline, it’s Joe Soto’s time to shine.

Soto is a gifted bantamweight who will be making his debut with the UFC on Saturday night in the main event. The former Bellator featherweight champion was a dominant force in both Bellator and Tachi Palace Fights, going 15-2 during his time in both promotions.

Out of Soto’s 15 victories, eight came via submission and five came via knockout or TKO, making him a legitimate threat to any fighter he steps in the Octagon with. The new challenger currently holds a six-fight winning streak as well.

Even Soto himself took to Twitter to thank the fans for their unwavering support:

The biggest key of the fight will be how Dillashaw reacts to the change in style and game plan. Soto and Barao are different fighters with different strengths and weaknesses. Barao is a striker who possesses a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. For the weeks leading up to this fight, Dillashaw had likely been working on his striking and defending the clinch.

Instead of getting what he expected, Dillashaw will now square off with a challenger with an extensive background in wrestling (Soto went to school with Jon Jones and Cain Velasquez) and a unique mixture of power in his striking and submission prowess.

For Dillashaw, this is an entirely different fight. Fortunately for the champion, he has a wrestling background of his own and has won seven of his 12 career fights by knockout or submission. The defending champion has prepared for this fight and is in elite physical shape, so it’s just a matter of switching up the game plan.

While there is no doubt that Soto could come out and surprise Dillashaw, the champion should be in defense mode for the first several minutes of the fight as he tries to decipher anything he can about his opponent.

The defensive game plan will not make fans happy, but Dillashaw did not prepare to fight Soto and must be cautious of his power and quickness. Soto was a champion in two other companies, and Dillashaw’s camp will quickly develop a scouting report to catch its fighter up to speed.

There are low expectations for this fight after Barao pulled out, but the hope now is that both men engage in a classic fight that involves plenty of back-and-forth action and makes UFC fans forget about the previously scheduled main event.

Predicted Winner: Dillashaw Wins via TKO.

 

Stats via UFC.com.

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Injuries have plagued the UFC 177 fight card during the build-up to the event, and now even former champion and No. 1 contender Renan Barao has pulled out of his rematch with bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw, according to UFC’s official website.

Barao will be replaced with Joe Soto (15-2).

While most MMA fans will be focused on whether Soto can upset Dillashaw the same way the champion upset Barao in their first fight, the most underrated battle of the night could be the women’s bantamweight bout between Bethe Correia and Shayna Baszler.

Here are the predictions for every match on the card and a focus on the undercard match most worthy of casual MMA fans’ attention.

 

 

Undercard Match of the Night: Bethe Correia vs. Shayna Baszler

Everything in the women’s bantamweight division goes through Ronda Rousey, but Dana White and UFC officials are doing everything in their power to build viable contenders to the champion’s throne.

Brazilian fighter Bethe Correia could be a serious threat if she can knock off Shayna Baszler.

Correia is one of the brightest championship contenders in the sport and has been on fire since debuting in the UFC. She has an overall record of 8-0 and has defeated Julie Kedzie and Jessamyn Duke since she joined the world’s top promotion.

As some fans may know, Duke and Baszler are members of Rousey’s Four Horsewomen group, and Correia has made it clear her plan is to take down anyone in her path of gold. By beating all of the fighters closest to Rousey, Correia is building the suspense and anticipation for an eventual bout with the champion.

When asked about a potential title fight if she wins at UFC 177, Correia spoke to Guilherme Cruz of MMAFighting.com regarding what she would do to get a title shot and how no one will keep her from accomplishing her ultimate goal:

I’m not in the UFC to be just another fighter. I will get to the title one way or the other. I will get there. I want a title shot and I will get there by talking or fighting – or both. I want the title and nobody can stop me.

I think I deserve a title shot. I will be 3-0 in the UFC with another win. That’s my dream and that’s what I’m fighting for. Let them decide. If they think I deserve it, I will honor this chance and do a great show.

For Baszler, there is an element of the unknown. She has not fought in the UFC yet and she has a mediocre 15-8 career record. The South Dakota native has gained notoriety as part of Ronda Rousey’s inner circle, but she will need to prove herself in the ring.

Baszler has a background in wrestling and is dangerous on the ground. There are weaknesses in her game, though, as she showed in her submission loss to Alexis Davis in her final fight with Invicta.

On the other hand, Correia is a striker who loves to do her damage standing up. While both fighters have trained in each discipline preparing for this fight, the ultimate winner will be the one who can counter their opponent’s strengths the best.

Correia is the better all-around fighter and will earn the decision win.

 

*Stats via UFC.com.

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There were many who expected Saturday’s UFC 175 pay-per-view to be one of the best shows of the year, and the action in the Octagon lived up to MMA fans’ high expectations.

While many eyes were focused on women’s champion Ronda Rousey as she dominated Alexis Davis via first-round knockout, the best fight of the night featured defending middleweight champion Chris Weidman squaring off against Lyoto Machida.

Here is a full table of the UFC 175 results and a recap of the main event.

 

 

Breaking Down Chris Weidman’s Win Over Lyoto Machida

There are several fighters in the UFC who are part of the exclusive upper echelon, but with a dominant decision victory over Lyoto Machida (49-45, 48-47, 49-46), defending middleweight champion Chris Weidman proved he is a top star.

Machida deserves immense credit for his move to middleweight and the five-round thriller fans were treated to on Saturday, but Weidman’s relentless attack was enough to earn him the victory via the judges’ scorecards.

After years of fighting at light heavyweight, Machida may be better suited at middleweight.

As well as Machida performed, he was no match for the elite wrestling skills and heavy striking of the middleweight champion. Weidman took Machida down five times and landed straight right hands early and often in the bout.

Weidman dominated the first three rounds, but Machida bounced back in the fourth and looked to be in control with his elite kicks and accurate strikes. While the champion was clearly stunned by the punches, he recovered in time and withstood the offensive assault.

Former UFC star Kenny Florian talked about what makes Weidman so dangerous:

The fifth round was the perfect end to the brawl, as both men got in their parting shots before it ultimately went to the judges.

After the victory, Weidman spoke to Brett Okamoto of ESPN.com about his thoughts on Machida and the nonstop chatter about his first two wins over former champion Anderson Silva:

He’s as good as I thought. Quick. When you think he’s going to do something, he does the opposite. He’s real tricky and tough as nails.

I don’t mind having Anderson Silva’s name attached to me as long as it does. He’s the greatest of all time. The more I’m winning, the more people talk about him. I don’t mind him staying in the picture. He deserves it.

While Machida fell to 21-5 for his career, Weidman stayed undefeated (12-0) and proved that he is the top performer in the middleweight division right now. As with most fighters, though, the fans have already started asking what is next.

All signs point to a battle with veteran Vitor Belfort (24-10), according to UFC president Dana White:

For many fans, the idea of Weidman squaring off against Belfort is less than ideal. After being removed from the UFC 173 card due to the outlawing of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), there are many who wonder what kind of fighter Belfort will be without the assistance of drugs.

Since his loss to Jon Jones in 2012, Belfort has earned three wins, all of which have come via knockout and have earned him Knockout of the Night awards. Now that TRT is banned, though, there are questions about what kind of fighter should be expected next time.

Regardless of who Weidman faces or when his next fight is, the American champion is one of the best fighters in the sport and will look to stretch his reign out as long as he can.

 

*Stats via UFC.com.

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There are many UFC shows nowadays, but the UFC 175 pay-per-view featuring both Chris Weidman and Ronda Rousey defending their championships will separate itself as one of the best MMA cards of 2014.

With a card that features Weidman defending the UFC Middleweight Championship against Lyoto Machida and Ronda Rousey battling Alexis Davis for the Women’s Bantamweight Championship, fight fans won’t want to miss this event.

Here is the full match card, predictions for every match and a preview of the most interesting bout on Saturday night.

 

Match of the Night: Ronda Rousey vs. Alexis Davis

While most fans will be focused on the battle between Weidman and Machida, the potential fight of the night could be the co-main event featuring Rousey vs. Davis.

MMA Infographics has a great visual comparison between the two fighters:

Rousey comes into this bout as the heavy favorite. She is the four-time defending champion, and no woman has been able to step into the Octagon with her and finish the fight. In nine career bouts, she is undefeated and has only been out of the first round once.

During her undefeated stretch, the champion has eight submission victories and a TKO win.

When asked about her mindset heading into her fight against Davis, Rousey told Michael Huang of ESPNW.com that she is focused on building her legacy and expects greatness when she looks back on her career:

It’s getting to the point where I’ve accomplished so much that I’m really starting to think of what kind of legacy I leave behind. I’m envious of seeing Royce Gracie at the UFC events, and you can see him with a look of contentment and accomplishment. This is something he did. I really want that opportunity in the future to sit and watch women fight in the UFC with regularity and think, ‘Wow, I was part of that.’

There is no doubt that Rousey deserves to be confident as the most decorated female fighter of all time already, but she is still a vicious competitor. She understands that Davis will bring everything she has to the table and will be looking for a war.

Former UFC star Kenny Florian shared on UFC Tonight what Davis needs to beat Rousey:

Even if Davis brings the best jiu-jitsu game she can, it still may not be enough to stop the Olympic-caliber judoka from pushing the pace of the fight and dictating her will on the challenger.

Rousey proved in her three-round bout with Miesha Tate that cardio and endurance won’t be an issue if the fight drags on, but the bad news for Davis came when Rousey destroyed Sara McMann with a knee to the body that ended the fight.

As if Davis didn’t have to prepare enough for Rousey‘s ever-dangerous armbar, now she has to contend with the defending champion’s evolving striking. That’s a task too tall to tame.

Prediction: Rousey via first-round submission

 

*Stats via UFC.com.

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Saturday’s UFC 175 card featuring the middleweight championship bout between Chris Weidman and Lyoto Machida will be one of the most talked about shows of the year.

Add in Ronda Rousey defending her women’s bantamweight championship against Alexis Davis, and this is one of the few shows produced by UFC recently that feels like a true pay-per-view-worthy event.

Here is the full card, predictions for every fight on Saturday and a preview of the main event.

 

Breaking Down Chris Weidman vs. Lyoto Machida

There have been many fans who question the way middleweight champion Chris Weidman defended the title—Anderson Silva broke his leg mid-match—but the American star is looking to silence the doubters on Fourth of July weekend.

Standing in his way is former light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida.

After 11 professional fights (seven in the UFC), Weidman is still undefeated. His last bout was the victory over Silva, but he was originally scheduled to headline UFC 173 against Machida. Weidman was forced to pull out of that main event with a knee injury but is now ready for UFC 175.

Tough Enough fighter Cathal Pendred talked about how excited he was for this fight:

While some will doubt Weidman’s win against Silva in December of 2013, few can claim his shocking upset in July of last year of the then-unstoppable middleweight king was anything but pure talent and mental fortitude.

Weidman stunned Silva by showing no fear and finished him off in decisive fashion.

When asked about his matchup on Saturday with Machida, Weidman had no problem breaking down exactly what his game plan is with The Great MMA Debate podcast, via Yahoo Sports:

Stylistically [Machida‘s] going to be the same as he was at 205. Going down might make him feel a little quicker, a little stronger and maybe give him more confidence. I’m expecting a very confident Lyoto Machida, but I’m going to break his will.

I feel like anyone at middleweight, when I have a full training camp, I’m going to go out there and finish them. That’s my mentality. I won’t stop. The whole fight will be me trying to finish him. If it goes five rounds, I’m not losing the decision because I’m almost finishing him the whole time. I’m always prepared for a war, but I’m looking for the finish the whole time. I won’t be happy unless I finish him.

There is no questioning Weidman’s will to win and physical prowess, but he will be taking on one of the most decorated and unique fighters in MMA history. Machida is a light heavyweight powerhouse who has taken on bigger competition for years.

Questions about the drop in weight and what it will do to his power have been raised, but he should be able to gain speed at a lighter weight which could be a major factor for a fighter that needs his quickness to stop Weidman.

Since making his debut at middleweight, Machida has knocked off the likes of Gegard Mousasi and Mark Munoz. Fortunately for Weidman, the Brazilian moved down a weight class due to his struggles against the elite competition at light heavyweight.

Using an elite mixture of wrestling, jiu-jitsu and striking, Weidman will prove to be too strong and too fast for Machida. Expect the defending champion to force the referee to step in and call for the early stoppage.

Predicted Winner: Weidman via Second-Round TKO.

 

*Stats via UFC.com.

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