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Max Holloway: The UFC Featherweight Division’s Next Rising Star

There is something special about seeing a fighter coming into his own, and Max Holloway is in the midst of making that process a reality.
The 23-year-old Hawaiian scrapper may have struggled to find consistent success in his initial steps onto the bigg…

There is something special about seeing a fighter coming into his own, and Max Holloway is in the midst of making that process a reality.

The 23-year-old Hawaiian scrapper may have struggled to find consistent success in his initial steps onto the biggest stage in mixed martial arts, but the past two years have been a completely different story. Over the course of his past six outings, Blessed has truly found his groove as he’s used an ever-expanding and dangerous skill set to build one of the longest winning streaks currently rolling in the featherweight ranks.

Proof of his evolution has not only come with the notches he’s racked up in the win column, but on the strength of competition he’s defeated as well. The rangy featherweight has bested a collection of established talent during his current run, but no victory has been bigger than his lights-out performance against Cub Swanson at UFC on Fox 15 back in April.

Despite Killer Cub’s renown for being one of the most devastating strikers in the 145-pound fold, Holloway was able to batter the Palm Springs native throughout the tilt until he secured victory with a guillotine choke late in the final round. Defeating the Jackson/Winkeljohn product was undoubtedly the biggest victory of his career, and it only made Holloway that much more hungry to keep climbing the divisional ladder.

“It was amazing to get that win,” Holloway told Bleacher Report. “I actually amazed myself, to be honest with you. It was just a perfect performance and it was my night. I was on and everything went my way. I felt great, everything came together for a really great fight. Everything went the right way.

“Nobody gave me a shot on the feet with Cub and that kind of blew my mind. Everybody said my best luck was on the ground and he’s a black belt in jiu-jitsu. I’m only a blue belt so I’m not really sure what anyone meant with all of that. At the end of the day, it was hard work that allowed me to get the victory that night. It was the grueling training sessions and having to be away from my family that made it possible. It was all the pain, sweat and tears that showed in that fight. I’m just trying to progress and grow with the sport because if you don’t, you get left behind.”

Holloway’s showing in New Jersey was also the most outstanding of his young career. Swanson had been lingering within striking distance of a title shot for the past three years, and the rising Hawaiian talent answered that challenge with relative ease. Domination of the variety Holloway unleashed in Newark sent a clear message to the rest of the elite-level fighters in the division that the surging scrapper is ready to face the best the world has to offer at 145-pounds.

The featherweight strap will be on hold until long-reigning champion Jose Aldo and Irish upstart Conor McGregor settle their business at UFC 189 on July 11 in Las Vegas, but the amount of talent in the upper echelon at 145 means there are plenty of interesting matchups for Holloway to take on the road ahead. A mixture of former title challengers and perennial contenders currently occupies the upper tier of the divisional hierarchy, and Holloway doesn‘t care if he has to work his way through each and every one of them.

He’s determined to create a championship opportunity for himself and will take whatever steps are necessary in order to make that happen.

“If I got the call to fight for the title shot next that would be great, but if that doesn’t happen, it won’t change anything,” Holloway said. “I’m going to keep fighting until I get it. To be the best you have to beat the best and that’s what I want to do. I want to fight guys who people think I don’t stand a chance against and think they are bad matchups for me. I want to fight people I’m supposed to lose against, because overcoming the odds is a great feeling. But there is always going to be someone else.

“I want to fight everyone until there is no one left for me to fight. I want to fight guys that people think I can’t beat or can’t do this or that against like Frankie [Edgar], Chad [Mendes] and [Ricardo] Lamas. I want to fight them all and I just want to be remembered as one of the greatest in this sport. I’ll fight anyone, anywhere, anytime like [Donald] Cowboy [Cerrone] always says. We are fighters and this is what I love to do.”

The amount of success and experience he’s accrued has also served to bolster his confidence inside the Octagon, which is a dangerous attribute in its own right when things go live. A fighter who believes he can handle anything that’s thrown he way is a different type of animal, and Holloway’s confidence has never been higher.

The belief he has in his abilities is what allows him to open up his offense, and the creativity he’s been able to show inside the Octagon has made him a fighter fans want to see.

“I have a lot of confidence in myself,” Holloway said. “I believe I’m the best in the world and I really don’t care what anyone else has to say about that. They can keep talking s–t to me on Twitter and Instagram telling me I’m horrible and that I suck, but it doesn’t matter to me. At the end of the day, it comes down to what I think and believe, and I believe I’m the best fighter in the world. I don’t think I’m just the best fighter at 145—I think I’m the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. That’s just the confidence I have in myself.

“When someone is confident they can do amazing things. When someone really truly believes in themselves, are confident and puts actions behind it, anything can be accomplished. My main goal I try to get out to people is that everyone is great at something. We all have some type of greatness inside of us, but it’s our job to find it and work hard to master it.”

And all of these things build toward Holloway’s ultimate goal. When fans are excited to watch you work—that’s when the big fights come. When you win those high-profile fights—that’s when the title shot is granted to you. Yet, throughout each and every step of that journey the paydays are only going to get bigger and bigger, and that is what Holloway has set his sights on.

The Waianae native wants to put himself into as much big-money action as possible, and if he is able to follow through on the goals he’s set, everything else will take care of itself.

“No matter how much I love this sport, at the end of the day I have a family,” Holloway said. “I have a son and a wife and I have to be realistic about things. We have bills and I want those big paydays. I’ve won a few bonuses and that’s always great, plus I just signed a new contract and I’m getting paid more. It’s getting interesting now and I’m excited for the future.

“I have goals for myself too. I want to be a home owner and I want to pay off my car. As I climb this ladder, everything around me is getting better as well. That’s all I can do, man. I just have to stay on the path. I have to keep my head screwed on to my shoulders and keep working hard. I can’t forget where I came from and where I started, just as I can’t forget all the work it’s taken to get me to the place I am now.”

While there is yet to be an opponent named for his next trip to the Octagon, several of his peers are also coming off strong showings inside the cage. One name in particular that seems to be gaining some traction with the MMA community is grappling ace Charles Oliveira, who is coming off an impressive submission finish over Nik Lentz in their rematch at Fight Night 67 in Goiania, Brazil.

Holloway has consistently expressed his willingness to face anyone the UFC places across from him inside the cage, but he did admit he’s certainly up to mixing it up with Do Bronx should the promotion see fit. Yet his reason for being open to facing the talented young Brazilian have little to do with the stylistic challenges he would present, and everything to do with who Oliveira has faced in the past.

The former prospect turned divisional staple has faced two of the best fighters in the featherweight fold, and one of them, Frankie Edgar, is currently within striking distance of a title shot. If Holloway were to defeat Oliveira and do so in stunning and memorable fashion, perhaps that would put him in the express lane to a title opportunity of his own in the near future.

“I wouldn’t mind fighting Charles [Oliveira],” Holloway said. “Frankie fought him and Cub and defeated both of them and is making a case for a title shot. I just beat Cub, and maybe if I fight and finish Oliveira as well, maybe that gives me a case of my own because I beat both guys, too, but I did just a little bit better against them.

“I’m new in this top-five picture and that makes things interesting, because Jose Aldo has beat everyone else ranked above me, and maybe they let someone new get in there against him to shake it up a little. But I don’t care who I fight as long as I’m staying active and collecting good paychecks. I want to be remembered as one of the greats and the only way to do that is to be out there fighting as often as possible.”

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

The Good, Bad and Strange from Fight Night 68

If mixed martial arts is a young man’s game, then Dan Henderson is certainly the exception to the rule. The 44-year-old former Pride two-divisional champion has been holding his own with the best fighters in the world for the better part of the past tw…

Nevertheless, the former Olympian has struggled to find victory over the past two years, which has created doubt as to whether he still has those special elements he’s carried throughout his storied career. Hendo had dropped five of his last six showings inside the Octagon, and the middleweight knockout artist came into his main event tilt with Tim Boetsch at Fight Night 68 desperate to turn things around.

While there was certainly pressure to get back into the win column on The Barbarian’s side of things, Henderson was the fighter whose elite-level status—and quite possibly his job under the UFC banner—was in jeopardy. The heavy-handed Californian needed to remind the MMA world he was still as dangerous as ever, and he was going to have to do so against a fighter who is as gritty as they come in Boetsch. The stage was set for a high-stakes affair on Saturday night in New Orleans, and it was Henderson who brought the violence.

The former middleweight title challenger landed his trademark “H-Bomb” that sent Boetsch‘s legs on wobble and spelled the beginning of the end for the Pennsylvania-based fighter as Henderson swarmed in to get the finish. And while Boetsch‘s resilience allowed him to hang on for a few moments longer than he probably should have, Henderson’s killer instinct was full throttle as he dropped shots that forced the referee to jump in and stop the fight.

It was a crazy night of action down in NOLA. Let’s take a look at the good, bad and strange from Fight Night 68.

The Good

Throughout his legendary career, Dan Henderson has defeated a who’s who of great fighters, and it appears Father Time wants no part of the storied knockout artist.

While the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion has been in a slump over in recent years, the 44-year-old slugger was determined to prove he was still as dangerous as ever. The former Olympian silenced any doubt about his ability to still launch the “H-Bomb” when he leveled Tim Boetsch in the main event at Fight Night 68 on Saturday.

After a short feeling-out period, the two men began exchanging shots when Henderson came over the top with a right hand that sent The Barbarian reeling. For the last half of his career, Henderson has been a finishing machine, and he swarmed on his wounded opponent to hammer out the stoppage victory. And while Henderson’s victory in New Orleans brings his three-fight skid to an end, it was perhaps the manner in which the win was secured that was more impressive than his success against Boetsch.

Henderson has 18 years of experience under his tires in mixed martial arts, and at Fight Night 68 he showed he can still run with the best of them.

Wacky post-fight interviews aside, Ben Rothwell may have finally found the victory that puts him into contention for the UFC heavyweight title. Big Ben came into his co-main event tilt with Matt Mitrione with back-to-back wins under his belt, and a win over the Indiana native would make his entry into the elite-level of the heavyweight fold hard to deny. The bout was figured to be a rock em’ sock em’ affair, and it was until Mitrione went for an ill-fated takedown that landed him in a brutal Rothwell choke hold. How brutal was the lock? So rapid and vicious Meathead was forced to tap with both hands as Rothwell picked up his third straight victory.

Fighting inside the Octagon in front of a Louisiana crowd has always been a dream of Dustin Poirier’s, and The Diamond turned that particular opportunity into something special. The former featherweight contender turned surging lightweight laced a tough-as-nails Yancy Medeiros to earn the stoppage victory midway through the opening round of the bout. The Lafayette, Louisiana native poured it on from start to finish as he battered and dropped his Hawaiian opponent with one huge shot after the next to secure the win. And with that win the American Top Team product put the talent-rich 155-pound division on notice that he’s here to stay.

There is a lot of hype surrounding Brian Ortega, and he’s backing it up inside the Octagon. Despite having his debut victory overturned due to testing positive for PEDs, T-City’s first showing in the UFC got people talking. The undefeated 24-year-old fighter mixed it up with seasoned veteran Thiago Tavares in what ended up being a gritty and bloody affair while it lasted. Ortega used elbows to shred the Brazilian’s face in the second round, then he put him away using his rapidly improving striking skills in the final stanza. The former RFA featherweight champion is still new to the UFC fold, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him move up the ladder quickly.

His official promotional debut may not have ended in the fashion he wanted it to, but Anthony Birchak made the most of his second showing inside the Octagon. El Toro pasted recent title challenger Joe Soto in the first round of their tilt on Saturday to pick up his first victory under the UFC banner. The Phoenix native came out of the gates ready to scrap, and he used a well-timed right hand to put Soto on roller skates before he finished the former Bellator champion.

There is violence and there is Francisco Rivera’s brand of violence. Due to the way things shook out in his last bout with Urijah Faber, the scrappy bantamweight came into his bout at Fight Night 68 with a bit of a chip on his shoulder. That said, it took Cisco 21 seconds to exorcise that frustration, as the 33-year-old Californian dusted Alex Caceres with a brutal left hook and followed up with a pair of flush shots that put Bruce Leeroy on ice. In the process of toppling the MMA Lab representative, Rivera not only gets a victory under his belt, but he should line himself up to get one of the bigger names in the 135-pound fold for his next go.

Shawn Jordan gave his home-state crowd something to cheer about on Saturday night, as Savage put away Derrick Lewis in dramatic fashion. The former LSU football player turned mixed martial artist notched a see-it-to-believe-it moment as the heavyweight unleashed a hook kick that knocked the Houston native senseless. Jordan immediately pounced on a dazed Lewis, and the referee stepped in shortly after to stop the action. And while the kick he landed was certainly impressive, the once-struggling Jordan has now collected three straight victories with his win in New Orleans.

There wasn’t anything pretty about the fight, but Omari Akhmedov added the biggest name to his record by defeating Brian Ebersole on Saturday night. While the bout was called when the welterweight veteran couldn’t continue due to a knee injury from an Akhmedov leg kick in the first round, the end result will go down as a TKO victory for the Russian-born Jackson/Winkeljohn product. Furthermore, in doing so Akhmedov became the first fighter over the course of Ebersole‘s 70-fight career to technically finish the scrappy veteran.

The expectation that comes with being a touted prospect can be difficult to carry, but Chris Wade continues to prove he’s the real deal. The 27-year-old picked up his third consecutive victory in as many showings inside the Octagon as he worked Christos Giagos en route to picking up the unanimous-decision victory. While Giagos found some success in the early goings, a perfectly timed standing elbow strike from Wade busted open his opponent’s face and swung the momentum of the fight. Although Wade didn’t have a dominant performance on Saturday, he did show he’s improving from one fight to the next, and that’s what counts at the highest level of the sport.

Despite suffering a setback in his most recent outing, Joe Proctor felt everything was falling into place for him coming into Fight Night 68. The Ultimate Fighter: Live alum had won two of his last three showings and wanted to further cement his progression by getting back into the win column against Justin Edwards on Saturday. And while he struggled to take control throughout the majority of the fight, he only needed the final 10 seconds to get what he came for. The Joe Lauzon protege caught Fast Eddie in a guillotine choke that left Edwards sleeping on the canvas seconds before the final bell sounded to pick up the victory.

The Bad

New Orleans is a city notorious for extreme swings of fortune, and Justin Edwards’ time under the UFC banner most likely will come to an end after Saturday night. Fast Eddie had won only two of his five showings prior to Fight Night 68, and back-to-back losses heading into the Crescent City certainly had the pressure bearing down on him to defeat Joe Proctor. Edwards seemed to be responding to those stakes at hand throughout the fight, but the final moments of the tilt would lead to an unfortunate end for the Ohio native.

Proctor rocked him with a flurry before latching onto the fight-ending choke hold that would leave Edwards napping face down inside the Octagon. While three straight losses isn’t the guaranteed cut it once was, his overall record on the sport’s biggest stage could very well be the reason for his probable release.

Staying with rapid swings of fate, Joe Soto could be the poster boy for the movement. The former Bellator champion made headlines around the MMA community when his slated debut against Anthony Birchak at UFC 177 insanely turned into a title shot against champion T.J. Dillashaw when challenger Renan Barao was forced out of the fight. It was a crazy turn to say the least, and Soto gave his best as he fought valiantly until being finished by the Team Alpha Male staple in the later rounds.

Yet with the roller coaster that was UFC 177 behind him, the 28-year-old Californian set his sights on settling into the UFC’s bantamweight division. As it would shake out, the bout with Birchak was rescheduled for Fight Night 68, but there was no redemption to be found in New Orleans. Birchak caught Soto with a right hand in an early exchange then pounded out the stoppage on the canvas.

And while back-to-back losses won’t cost Soto his place on the UFC roster, it is a difficult look for a fighter who was a former Bellator champion and came into the UFC riding a seven-fight winning streak accrued on smaller stages around the sport.

The Strange

If the UFC ever decides to add a “Strange” wing to its Hall of Fame, then there is no possible way Brian Ebersole‘s “hairrow” wouldn’t be a unanimous first-ballot inductee. Honestly…I don’t think there is any need to speak further on the topic. It’s just a strange thing to do, and Ebersole is definitely near the top of that particular pound-for-pound list.

Furthermore, he added another curious wrinkle to his resume on Fight Night 68 as he failed to answer the bell for the second round of his bout with Omari Akhmedov due to a knee injury he suffered during the opening frame. Not that having a knee buckle due to a leg kick is anything far outside of the norm, but keeping it strange is just so Ebersole.

Other than the Bad Boy bringing the weird at Fight Night 68, things were pretty tame down in the bayou. Granted, there was a knockout in a heavyweight fight via hook kick, and despite being popped for steroids in his last fight, Brian Ortega chose to keep the nickname T-City. But otherwise, things were fairly quiet.

Well…except for that Marcus Davis interview with Heidi Androl. The Irish Hand Grenade took a far worse beating in those few minutes then he ever did inside the Octagon. Only thing more painful in New Orleans on Saturday was the attempt Ben Rothwell made at cutting a promo in his post-fight interview. And getting into that disaster would take far too much time.

All in all, with the region’s connection to voodoo, hoodoo or the Saints, I personally expected more of the bizarre to occur during the UFC’s return to New Orleans. That said, what the card lacked in strange happenings the Fight Gods made up for in smitings, as bodies were hitting the floor at a fast and furious pace to make one of the most action-packed cards in recent memory.

Finally, here’s hoping Marcus Davis or Ben Rothwell won’t get near microphones any time soon.

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Tim Boetsch Looking to Topple One of His Heroes at Fight Night 68

With nearly two decades spent competing at the highest level of mixed martial arts, Dan Henderson has impacted multiple generations of fighters coming up in his wake. Of those who have been inspired by Hendo’s work inside the cage, Tim Boetsch is certa…

The former wrestling standout from Maine watched the former Olympian turned knockout artist use his grappling skills and power game to become a success in the MMA world. Knowing he had similar tools to work with, The Barbarian set out to find success of his own, and the results he’s produced have validated his decision to step into the cage in the first place.

Yet things have a funny way of intersecting in the fight game, and in the main event at Fight Night 68 on Saturday, Boetsch will get to test his skills against a fighter he’s admired for years. That said, Boetsch is looking forward to the challenge and is honored to have the opportunity to trade leather with a fighter he considers to be one of the best to have ever done it.

“I have been following Dan for a long time, and he’s a hero of mine to be quite honest,” Boetsch told Bleacher Report. “He’s someone I’ve looked up to for a long time and ever since I started fighting because of his wrestling background. His wrestling pedigree is better than mine since he was an Olympic-level wrestler, but he’s just that gritty, hard-nosed and tough fighter that I always wanted to be. I think I’ve become one of those fighters now.

“I think that makes for a great fight between us. People who understand who is going to be inside the Octagon together on Saturday night know it’s going to be an awesome fight. I think it’s interesting because Dan is a really nice guy outside of the Octagon, but once he gets in there he has that killer instinct. He has that look in his eye, and I think that’s what has me so excited to get in there with him. I know it’s going to be a battle.”

While Boetsch’s immediate focus is locked on defeating Henderson in New Orleans, he also sees the main event tilt as another opportunity in the much larger picture.

Two years ago the 34-year-old Barbarian Combat Sports leader was sitting just beyond the gates of title contention in the middleweight division. He’d climb the 185-pound ranks on the strength of a five-fight winning streak, but a loss against Costas Philippou at UFC 155 brought his momentum to a halt. And while he’s struggled to find consistency in the five fights since his bout with Philippou, the hard-charging powerhouse believes he’s made gains in other areas.

In Boetsch’s mind, the most prominent change in his game has been his ability to re-establish the killer instinct he feels he had lost somewhere along the way. His aggression and win-at-all-cost mentality is what brought him initial success, and he is confident those elements will be the reason he finds victory against Henderson at Fight Night 68.

“I’m definitely on track and on the right path, and I feel like a lot of that has to do with switching camps. I’ve been working with Marcus Davis and really working to get that killer instinct back. I think that’s what people really enjoy seeing from me. They know when I step into the Octagon they are going to see an exciting fight. It’s going to be violent.

“My natural ability to get after it is what first got me started and was the key to my initial success in this sport, and I have definitely reconnected with what motivates me. I’m getting back to that raw and violent fighting style people expect from me. Saturday night is going to be another example of that. My performance is going to show what I’ve been working on and where I’m heading.

“A win in this fight would be huge for me,” he added. “It would be a major achievement for my career. It would also let me know I’m on the right path and shows everyone I’m a guy to watch out for. A win here puts me heading back toward the top of the division, and that’s where I want to be.”

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

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Dan Henderson Ready to Brawl with Tim Boetsch at Fight Night 68

Few fighters in the MMA realm appreciate toe-to-toe ruckus more than Dan Henderson.
The former two-divisional Pride champion has built a storied career on his ability to leave elite-level competitors staring up at the lights at fight’s end. Where the e…

Few fighters in the MMA realm appreciate toe-to-toe ruckus more than Dan Henderson.

The former two-divisional Pride champion has built a storied career on his ability to leave elite-level competitors staring up at the lights at fight’s end. Where the early stages of the former Olympian’s career saw him go to his wrestling pedigree to find success, the power in his hands has been making the difference for the better part of the past decade.

Time and time again Hendo has let his signature H-Bomb overhand right fly to devastating results, and the MMA legend will be looking to add to his highlight reel on Saturday night in New Orleans. The California-based knockout artist will face fellow powerhouse Tim Boetsch in the main event at Fight Night 68 and intends to put on a show for the passionate MMA fanbase.

“I think this fight has a lot of potential to be very exciting for the fans,” Henderson told Bleacher Report. “We both move forward and are aggressive. We are both wrestlers who have a lot of power in our hands. I think there are some holes in his game I should be able to exploit, but he’s a tough fighter. He’s not going to be easy to beat, but I’m excited to get out there and bang with him.”

While Henderson’s resume is among the best to ever compete inside the cage, the former middleweight title challenger has experienced a rough run over the past two years. He has found victory in just one of his last six fights, with his sole win over this time coming in his highly anticipated rematch with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at Fight Night 38 back in March 2014.

And even though Henderson has struggled to enter the win column as of late, the level of competition he’s tangled with has been a collection of former champions and title challengers. Nevertheless, he has continued to test himself against the best fighters in the world.

In those challenges he finds the spark that keeps him moving forward in his fighting career, because his experience has taught him glory cannot be found under the bright lights unless the love for the fight is alive and well.

“Getting paid to do what I do and that job be something I enjoy so much is nice to have, but it wouldn’t be possible to keep my career going if I wasn’t motivated,” Henderson said. “You have to be motivated to get through the work it takes to get ready, and if that work isn’t done, it’s going to show on fight night. I’m still excited to get in there and face new challenges every time. That motivates me and I’m ready to go.”

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Carlos Condit Big Game Hunting Following Victory at Fight Night 68

Any questions concerning Carlos Condit’s ability to still bring his signature brand of destruction were certainly answered at Fight Night 68.
The Natural Born Killer has long held his status as one the most prolific finishers in the history of the UFC’…

Any questions concerning Carlos Condit‘s ability to still bring his signature brand of destruction were certainly answered at Fight Night 68.

The Natural Born Killer has long held his status as one the most prolific finishers in the history of the UFC’s welterweight division, but his return from a lengthy 14-month stint on the sidelines recovering from a knee injury brought some uncertainty.

That said, any doubt that hovered was silenced as the former WEC and interim UFC 170-pound champion blistered Brazilian powerhouse Thiago Alves en route to a TKO finish via doctor stoppage in Goiania, Brazil.

After more than a year of diligent work to recover in which he was forced to harness and control the intensity that drives him, Condit was able to carve out a technical masterpiece against the American Top Team staple. Furthermore, the victory over Pitbull was not only another impressive addition to Condit’s resume, but the brutality unleashed inside the Octagon served as certifiable proof positive that Condit is back to form.

“It felt great to go out there and perform the way I did,” Condit told Bleacher Report. “Obviously that kind of goes without saying, but after every fight, win or lose, there is always a sense of relief like all the pressure just got let out. It’s over. All the hard work and everything you’ve done, all the excitement, nerves, dread, fear, anticipation…all of it is finally over with. And when it goes as well as it did the other night it’s awesome. But it does take a little while for it to really set in. I’m still kind of processing it to be honest.”

When two fighters who pride themselves on technique are paired together inside the cage, there is going to be a feeling-out process. And that’s exactly what unfolded in the opening round between Condit and Alves. The rangy striker came out looking to establish distance and timing while the muay thai wrecking machine was attempting to find the routes he could travel to eliminate his reach disadvantage and get close enough to use his power.

That was the dance that unfolded in the opening frame of the main event at Fight Night 68. Alves used his signature leg kicks in an effort to slow Condit down, while the Albuquerque native worked to find the openings he would later use to turn the tide of the fight. Yet, once things got underway inside the Octagon, the only thing on Condit’s mind was putting his opponent away.

The past 14 months of rebuilding his knee and the mounting pressure to perform all faded away, and the killer instinct his career has been built upon emerged.

“I was locked in right off the bat,” Condit said. “I went out there and initially you’re pretty tense. I just gave a big in-and-out breath, remembered to relax and got to work. I immediately started to find my range and things happened quickly. Honestly, he gave me the opportunity to get in there and get comfortable by the way he came out.”

“I wanted to see how he was going to come out initially. I wanted to see if he was coming out guns a-blazing, which he didn’t,” Condit continued. “He was really kind of measured and was trying to build his fight by chopping down my legs because he wanted to limit my movement. But while he was doing that I was finding out what range I was going to be able to come in and out of.

“I really didn’t think about [the knee],” he added. “I mean, I wouldn’t want to take leg kicks from that guy regardless whether I was coming off of knee surgery or not. The game plan was to avoid or to at least minimize the damage he was looking to do with his leg kicks. He landed some stuff, but it was mostly slapping, so no damage was done.”

Where the opening frame saw Alves pressing the action and landing several shots, the second round belonged entirely to the New Mexico native. Condit caught Alves with a perfectly timed short elbow that put Pitbull on the canvas and immediately forced the former title challenger into desperation mode. True to form, Condit swarmed in to take advantage of the situation, but the savvy Brazilian veteran fought valiantly to weather the storm.

And even though Alves would survive the flurries and make it out of the second round, the damage he suffered to his nose forced the cageside physician to call a stop to the fight. Even though he was unable to put Alves away in the fashion he would have preferred, Condit was more than happy with his performance at Fight Night 68.

“As I started warming up in the dressing room I was feeling it,” Condit said. “Leading up to the fight is always kind of an emotional roller coaster, but I started feeling really good getting ready in the back. I knew it was going to be my night.”

“There are a lot of different things we have in the tool box in every different fight, but depending on the matchup we decide what we are going to take out and kind of play with,” he explained. “And for this fight the elbows were super effective. I threw it—and even though we have a bunch of different things we use to transition off of it—I didn’t have to use anything else because I dropped him with the rising elbow.”

“From the way Thiago went down I could tell he was hurt,” he added in regard to the elbow strike that spelled the beginning of the end for Alves. “It wasn’t just a slip or an off balance sort of thing. The sensation I felt hitting him with the elbow, I knew he was in a lot of trouble. I jumped in to finish, was hitting him clean, but realized he was still moving and defending. I knew I had to be patient and not get too crazy or emotional because I’ve been that guy. When I fought GSP and knocked him down I got really excited and punched myself out. This time though I kept a good pace and kept putting good shots on him.”

In addition to earning the victory in his comeback fight against Alves, the perennial welterweight contender also once again found himself in the familiar position of wearing his opponent’s blood at fight’s end. While it may be difficult to imagine ever getting comfortable in those circumstances, the 170-pound knockout artist has come to see it as something that comes with a night’s work inside the Octagon.

“It really doesn’t bother me,” Condit replied. “At least in this fight it didn’t anyway. I’ve had some fights where it’s made me a bit queasy, but that’s back when I was a youngin’. I’m used to it now and to the point where blood doesn’t bother me much.”

His win at Fight Night 68 put Condit right back into the thick of things in the race for a shot at the welterweight crown, and the divisional title is exactly what he’s aiming at. In the aftermath of his victory, the versatile striker stated he’d like to face the winner of the upcoming title tilt between champion Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald after they settle their business at UFC 189 on July 11.

The current state of affairs in the upper tier of the welterweight fold is a crowded picture, and his comments evoked a reaction from fellow potential contender and former opponent Tyron Woodley, who has also been hunting down a championship opportunity of his own. Yet, despite any pushback Condit has received in the aftermath of calling for a title shot, nothing has changed in the way he views things.

He wants to be in the biggest fights available, and he’s going to do whatever is necessary to make that happen.

“They asked me the question about who I wanted to fight next and I answered honestly,” Condit said. “I don’t necessarily expect to get the next title shot, but if you ask me, then I’m going to tell you, ‘Hell yeah I want the next title shot.’ The big fight intrigues me and that’s the biggest fight I could get.”

“I really want the biggest fights available. Those are the situations I want to be in,” he continued. “There’s the title fight, but there are also crazy superfight matchups I’d really love to be in. Fights that are kind of Silva vs. Diaz-esque…those would be exciting for me. I really haven’t had a chance to think about where I sit in the division and those things will become a bit more clear in the coming weeks, but I’m going to shoot for that big fight, and I don’t think anyone, including Tyron Woodley, can blame me for it.”

“It’s not even so much about being the champion; it’s about getting big fights,” he clarified. “It’s about getting the big-money fights. Being the champion is cool, but the payday is really what I’m interested in. Don’t get me wrong, I love what I do, and I’m not just fighting for the money, but anymore I’m looking for the biggest paycheck I can get.”

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

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The Good, Bad and Strange from Fight Night 67

The UFC’s welterweight division has consistently held its status as one of the deepest collectives under the promotional banner in the Zuffa era, with Carlos Condit and Thiago Alves being staples of the upper echelon of the weight class for the past se…

Yet with both the Natural Born Killer and American Top Team representative being sidelined for lengthy stints in recent years, questions began to hover in regard to their elite-level status. The Pitbull has returned from his two-year hiatus with back-to-back victories that have the Muay Thai wrecking machine looking back to form inside the Octagon. He went into Fight Night 67 looking to officially reclaim his place in the divisional title race and was determined to get the job done in his signature brutal fashion.

Across the cage, Condit was facing uncertainty of his own. More than a year had passed since he suffered a devastating knee injury against Tyron Woodley at UFC 171, and the New Mexico native worked diligently in his time away from action to ensure he’d be ready to go when the next opportunity came to pass. That moment came in Goiania, Brazil on Saturday night, as two of the best finishers in the history of the welterweight division stepped into the cage to handle their business.

The collision between the former champion and the Pitbull figured to be a violent affair, and it certainly delivered. While the opening round had a large feeling out period, the second frame was pure ferocity. Condit dropped Alves with a short elbow on a counter exchange that mangled the Brazilian’s nose. Nevertheless, the former title challenger dug deep and continued throwing heat despite Condit lacing him with huge shots at every turn.

In between the second and third rounds, the cageside doctor called a stop to the fight because of the state of Alves’ nose, and Condit marked a triumphant return with a crisp and devastating performance.

Let’s take a look at the good, bad and strange from Fight Night 67.

The Good

Carlos Condit has been one of the baddest welterweights in the world for the better part of the past decade, but after suffering a tough knee injury that put him out of action for 14 months, it was unclear whether the same Natural Born Killer would ever return.

Those questions were answered at Fight Night 67, as the former interim champion blistered a resurgent Thiago Alves in the main event in Goiania, Brazil. While Pitbull overcame the New Mexico native’s length with his signature leg kicks in the opening frame, the second round saw Condit unleash that killer instinct he has built his career upon.

The Jackson-Winkeljohn-trained fighter ripped Alves with a short elbow in the early goings then proceeded to batter and pound away at the Brazilian powerhouse for the rest of the second frame.

The end result of Condit’s barrage led to Alves suffering a badly broken nose that forced the cageside doctor to call an end to the bout. With the win, Condit not only stamped an impressive return to the heated welterweight ranks but also put himself back on track to climb toward the top of the 170-pound division.

*** There was bad blood brewing between Charles Oliveira and Nik Lentz leading up to their tilt at Fight Night 67, and it’s Do Bronx who got the last laugh. After their initial meeting ended in a “no contest” because of an illegal knee strike from the 25-year-old submission ace back in 2011, they came into their rematch in Goiania looking to settle things once and for all.

It was a back-and-forth affair throughout the initial two rounds, but Oliveira latched onto a guillotine choke in the final round to pick up his fourth consecutive win in the featherweight ranks.

*** Stepping up on short notice is a risky move, but the reward was definitely worthwhile for Alex Oilveira in Goiania. Cowboy stepped in as a replacement to face K.J. Noons and defeated the former Elite XC lightweight champion via rear-naked choke in the first round of the contest. With King Karl’s savvy boxing pedigree, the wiry Brazilian wasted zero time taking his opponent to the floor. Once Oliveira had the former Strikeforce title challenger on the mat, he locked in the choke to earn his first victory under the UFC banner.

*** While there was nothing pretty about the fight between Francisco Trinaldo and Norman Parke, the lightweight tilt did provide an interesting study in how victory can be obtained despite faltering late in the fight. The stocky Brazilian and The Ultimate Fighter winner had a close opening round, but Trinaldo battled back to take a clear lead in the second.

While Parke didn’t show a crazy sense of urgency in the final frame, he certainly did enough to take the round on the judges’ cards. Yet when the final decision was read, two of the judges saw the bout going in Trinaldo’s favor. That’s a tough call because the fight was there for the taking for Parke, but the UK native couldn’t quite find a consistent rhythm.

*** It’s not wise to go to the ground with a guy who has “Jiu-Jitsu” tattooed on his back, and Rony Jason showed Damon Jackson exactly why that is. While the Leech was getting the better of the The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil winner in the early goings, the savvy submission artist hit a brilliant sweep off his back he turned into a triangle choke. Jackson did his best to fight off the lock, but the more he rolled on the mat, the deeper in danger he landed until he was forced to tap.

With the victory, Jason not only gave his home country crowd something to cheer about but picked up his second win in his past three showings inside the Octagon as well.

*** Jussier Formiga is looking to make a run at the flyweight title, and the Nova Uniao fighter took another strong step at Fight Night 67. The resilient Brazilian took it to Wilson Reis on the preliminary portion of the card, as he used his striking, forward pressure and grappling skills to keep the flyweight powerhouse on the defensive. The end result was Formiga picking up his third consecutive win in the 125-pound ranks, and it will be interesting to see what the UFC chooses to do with him.

While it’s doubtful he could leapfrog John Dodson in the race for title contention, he will definitely draw one of the division’s biggest names in his next outing.

*** Making a good first impression on the sport’s biggest stage is a crucial move to make, and both Nicolas Dalby and Elizeu dos Santos showed up to scrap on their respective debuts. The former Cage Warriors champion triumphed in what was a hard-fought tilt from start to finish.

The Danish striker jumped used his aggression to claim the opening frame, but dos Santos upped his output and was able to turn the tide. While the fight could have easily gone either way, it was Dalby who pulled out the split-decision victory on the judges’ scorecards.

*** Mirsad Bektic simply isn’t messing around, and he furthered that notion against Lucas Martins at Fight Night 67. The 24-year-old Bosnian scrapper dominated Minero from the jump until he pounded out the stoppage victory in the second round.

With his victory on Saturday, the American Top Team product not only keeps his undefeated record intact but has now collected three consecutive victories under the UFC banner. The featherweight division is only growing more competitive, and Bektic could very well be poised to do big things in the 145-pound fold.

The Bad

While it would seem unlikely that K.J. Noons would be released from his UFC contract after submitting to Alex Oliveira on Saturday night, there does seem to be something amiss with the California-based fighter.

His bout with Cowboy at Fight Night 67 was to be his third as a welterweight under the UFC banner, and there just wasn’t anything that looked right about him once he stepped into the cage. Commentator Jon Anik mentioned that Noons has changed up his training pattern, putting more focus on giving his body ample time to rest. While his gas tank was never tested against Oliveira, his preparation was, as the rangy Brazilian was able to get Noons down and submit him with relative ease.

While the loss is nothing to write Noons off about, it’s clear he’s not fighting with the same intensity and urgency upon which he made his name. The fighter who has stepped in to compete in recent outings is a far cry from the high-volume striker that went toe-to-toe with Nick Diaz in a pair of memorable matchups several years back.

Simply put: Noons just doesn’t seem to be fully invested in what he’s doing at the present time, and the cracks are beginning to show. If he wants to turn things around, he’s going to need that fire from the days of old. Only time will tell if he ever recaptures that drive.

The Strange

The best part of writing this article while covering cards in Brazil is there is just so much strange to be found. Whether the frenzied crowd keeps their passionate and threatening chants cranked up to full volume from the opening bout until the main event or chaos spills out in the physical form for all to see inside the Octagon, things have simply been known to get weird in the place widely regarded as the birthplace of mixed martial arts.

That trend continued at Fight Night 67 in Goiania on Saturday, and fight fans didn’t have to wait long for the curious happenings to present themselves.

The initial wacky turn came from the cageside judges during the women’s strawweight bout between Juliana Lima and Ericka Almeida in the second fight of the night. While Lima scored with a solid takedown, she was allowed to ride out top control for lengthy stints without doing any major damage or working toward a submission finish. Furthermore, while Almeida was on her back for most of the fight, she was able to defend herself well despite being in a compromising position.

All in all, it was a difficult fight to watch. One of the judges apparently shared that sentiment, as they handed in a 30-25 card in favor of Lima. When 10-8 rounds are scored, there is normally a lopsided beating handed out or one of the fighters is clearly dominated to the point of nearly being put away. The judge who scored two of those rounds as such either saw things playing out that way or fell asleep, which would be understandable in this particular case.

And what would complement strange scoring and questionable standups better than a bit of mystery? Thank goodness Darren Till was on hand to provide the fighting faithful with the necessary bit of intrigue it takes to get through a six-fight main card. The debuting welterweight’s left arm is adorned by a portrait tattoo of a woman who some in the MMA community believe strikes a solid resemblance to surging strawweight star Paige VanZant.

While that’s probably not the case, it’s still a far better look than Alan Belcher’s ill-fated Johny Cash tattoo. No offense to the legendary Man in Black, but the ink on Belcher’s arm looks like the late country star pulled through a dough press. On the other hand, Till’s artwork looks well done and served as a solid complement to finish he scored after after blistering Wendell Oliveira with a buffet of ground shots to earn the second-round knockout.

It took Till time to get comfortable under the bright lights, but once he settled, he—as he so eloquently put in his post-fight interview—”elbowed his opponent’s face off.” It was a job well done by Till and an impressive first showing inside the Octagon.

With murder having been addressed in the last paragraph, it’s a fine segue to get into what happened to Ryan Jimmo at Fight Night 67.

The former MFC champ turned struggling UFC light heavyweight came into his bout against Francimar Barroso in desperate need of a victory, as the Big Deal had dropped all but one of his past three showings inside the cage. And while Jimmo came out determined and aggressive, those energies were quickly zapped from his bulky frame courtesy of a brutal groin kick.

While low blows and eye pokes are common in MMA, rarely do fans ever get to see the puke bucket brought out. Any time a shot downstairs induces vomiting, it’s a sure guarantee that shot to the pills was of the vicious variety. After throwing up and regaining his bearings, Jimmo continued, but he never recovered from the illegal blaster that floored him.

Some illegal shots are simply an unfortunate effect of where fighters are throwing strikes from, but they are illegal nonetheless. What Barroso did certainly had an impact on the fight and should have resulted in a deduction because it broke the rules. However, it’s a rare sight to see a referee take a point on the first offense of the fight, and that gray area certainly played out in the Brazilian’s favor on Saturday night.

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com