A loss inside the Octagon has a tendency to change things about a fighter.When everything is going smoothly and notches are piling up in the win column, there is no reason to make big adjustments in training. But when the first setback comes, and a fig…
A loss inside the Octagon has a tendency to change things about a fighter.
When everything is going smoothly and notches are piling up in the win column, there is no reason to make big adjustments in training. But when the first setback comes, and a fighter watches his opponent’s hand raised in victory, confidence is either shaken to the core, or the fires of determination are fueled.
In the latter case, there becomes a greater drive to prove the last performance was a temporary setback on the road to greater things.
And this will be exactly what Travis Browne will be aiming at on Saturday night when he steps in against Gabriel Gonzaga at The Ultimate Fighter 17 finale in Las Vegas.
After suffering the first loss of his professional career to Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva at UFC on FX 5 last October, “Hapa” is looking at his matchup with the Brazilian submission ace as a way to get back into the divisional title race.
“I’m definitely ready to go,” Browne said. “I’m more motivated than I’ve ever been. I’m more confident than I’ve ever been. I’m going out there to make a statement.
“Coming off a loss and a disappointing performance like my last fight, you really want to get out there and show people what you are really capable of. I want to make a statement in this fight and show the rest of the heavyweights in the division that I’m better than my last performance and show them what I’m all about.”
While Browne is looking to get back on the winning track, his opponent on Saturday also knows a few things about resurgence.
After years spent as one of the top heavyweights under the UFC banner, “Napao” was released by the promotion following a two-fight skid.
The 33-year-old former No. 1 contender has made the best of a second chance with the UFC thus far as Gonzaga has earned back-to-back victories since his return to the Octagon.
That being said, there is a bit of “gatekeeper” stigma which follows Gonzaga around as the fighters who have defeated him have gone on to upper-tier status, while those how have lost have slowly faded into heavyweight obscurity.
While Browne doesn’t necessarily agree with the “Gonzaga Theory,” he does see the bout as an excellent opportunity to validate his place in the divisional hierarchy.
“I think this is a great fight to prove I belong with the best in the division,” Browne said. “I don’t really agree with the idea that the guys he’s beaten aren’t ready to be top-tier fighters because he has some solid wins under his belt. Also, I think he’s back to his old form and in a good way. He’s not just a one-dimensional fighter. He stands up with guys and then tries to take the down. He has been mixing it up and I’m really looking forward to the competition.
“I’m coming into this fight in old form. I’m coming forward and being aggressive. I’m definitely going back to some of my roots and coming out and pushing forward. I’m going to try to knock his head off.”
From a stylistic standpoint, the matchup between Browne and Gonzaga appears to be a classic striker versus grappler tilt. In past bouts under the UFC banner, the 30-year-old Hawaiian has displayed put away power as he’s pounded out the opposition on several occasions.
On the other side of the coin, Gonzaga brings top-level jiu-jitsu skills to the table but is also proven to have knockout power as well.
There hasn’t been one of Gonzaga’s 14 Octagon appearances that have gone to the judges cards. In fact, despite having one of the best ground games in the heavyweight division, Gonzaga has more TKO/KO finishes than submissions during his time with the UFC.
That type of diverse resume has Browne ready for anything that comes his way and he believes Gonzaga will be a great test to every aspect of his skill set.
“I think this fight has the capability to go anywhere,” Browne said. “[Gonzaga] could definitely get a takedown, but at the same time, I could stuff his take downs as well. We are going to be prepared and ready for wherever this fight goes.
“I’ve been doing a lot of training from off my back and training from inside the guard. I’ve done a lot of work with Frank Mir, Andrei Arlovski, Jon Jones, and all of those guys at Jackson’s. They have all helped me prepare for any of the bad positions I could be put in. I’m more than confident I will get it done on Saturday night.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
The injury bug has become a mainstay in the current era of mixed martial arts.Fighting by itself is taxing on the body, but the six to eight weeks of rigorous gym time invested to prepare for an upcoming bout is on an entirely different level of physic…
The injury bug has become a mainstay in the current era of mixed martial arts.
Fighting by itself is taxing on the body, but the six to eight weeks of rigorous gym time invested to prepare for an upcoming bout is on an entirely different level of physical demand. The sport—and fighters involved—become more competitive day in and day out, and the push for the athletes in MMA to continue their progression in order to keep up with the rising tide is a sacrifice that has to be met.
While a great training camp can lead to favorable results on fight night, the process comes with a large amount of risk. In order to perform at top levels, a fighter needs to train at top levels, and oftentimes the rigors of training can lead to accidental setbacks in the gym.
The possibility of injury is a reality every fighter faces, and every session spent sparring or rolling on the mats comes with a fair share of risk.
In 2012, the UFC was plagued by fighters falling out of scheduled bouts due to injury, as numerous cards were shaken up—with one event flat-out cancelled—due to the combatants being able to perform.
This has led to trainers across the sport tweaking their respective regiments in hopes of keeping their fighters safe and prolonging the careers of the athletes involved. That being said, the process is far from perfect, and fighters will continue to prepare for their next challenge with the threat of injury hanging overhead.
On this week’s installment of Bleacher Report’s Ultimate Show, “The Fight Doctor” Jonathan Gelber takes a look at shoulder injuries.
The month of April is as action-packed as they come under the UFC banner.A solid mixture of championship tilts, grudge matches and bouts that have the potential to affect divisional pictures are set to hit the Octagon every remaining weekend of the mon…
The month of April is as action-packed as they come under the UFC banner.
A solid mixture of championship tilts, grudge matches and bouts that have the potential to affect divisional pictures are set to hit the Octagon every remaining weekend of the month. Despite the chaos that surrounded UFC on Fuel TV 9, the UFC’s second visit to Sweden delivered on all fronts and set the tone for would should be a fantastic run of fights.
Benson Henderson squares off with Gilbert Melendez in a “champion versus champion” scrap. Light heavyweight phenom Jon Jones puts his title on the line as ChaelSonnen will look to derail the “Bones” train.
Michael Bisping and Alan Belcher will bring two months of beef to an end when they trade face punches in Newark. The highly-touted former Olympian Daniel Cormier will also make his long-awaited UFC debut when he locks up with two-time former heavyweight champion Frank Mir in San Jose.
If this mixture of high-profile fights weren’t enough, this run will also see the 17th winner of The Ultimate Fighter crowned and Miesha Tate and Cat Zigano will become the second-ever women’s bout to take place in the UFC.
To sweeten the deal for the UFC fanbase, every card with the exception of UFC 159 will take place on free television, making April an unofficial “fan appreciation” month for the promotion.
While the bouts listed above will undoubtedly get the majority share of the attention, there are three fights remaining on the dockets I believe are “can’t miss” and certainly worth checking out.
All three bouts standout for different reasons in my mind. Whether these dust-ups will produce a title shot, prove which fighter belongs in the divisional upper-tier or is going to be stylistic ruckus, fans need to keep an eye on them over the next few weeks.
All the attention these days seems to be focused on the title picture in the heavyweight division, so it comes as no surprise the clash between Browne and Gonzaga isn’t generating much buzz around the MMA community.
The 30-year-old Hawaiian had plenty of steam behind him heading into his bout with Antonio “Big Foot” Silva last October at UFC on FX 5. The Jackson’s MMA-trained fighter was undefeated his first five showings under the UFC banner, with the only blemish coming from a draw against Cheick Kongo at UFC 120.
Unfortunately, Browne’s run of success would take a detour against the Strikeforce convert, as a highlight-reel worthy knockout cooled the heat surrounding “Hapa” for the time being.
A victory over Silva would have removed the prospect label Browne had been carrying and put him into the title picture in the heavyweight division. While the loss to the Brazilian was certainly a setback, if Browne is able to get back into the win column in impressive fashion against Gonzaga, it would serve to make up for the ground he lost in defeat.
Another interesting note in the matchup is the stigma which surrounds “Napao.” The former No. 1 contender to the heavyweight crown has proven to be the definitive “gatekeeper” in the weight class. The fighters who have defeated Gonzaga (Fabricio Werdum, Junior dos Santos, Shane Carwin) have either gone on to fight for the title or positioned themselves at the top of the divisional hierarchy. On the other hand, those who have come out on the business end of their fights against Gonzaga have drifted away into heavyweight obscurity.
When this stigma—along with Browne looking to rebound from his first loss are factored into the equation—it makes this bout with Gonzaga a crucial outing in his career.
The stakes are equally high where the Brazilian is concerned. After back-to-back losses cost the submission ace his job with the UFC, Gonzaga has made the most of his second chance finding success in his two showings since making his return to the organization.
Gonzaga’s most recent performance was a one-sided defeat of veteran Ben Rothwell at UFC on FX 7 in January. After getting the best of “Big Ben” throughout the opening frame, Gonzaga latched onto a fight-ending guillotine choke in the opening minute of the second round to secure the victory.
While two solid victories have sparked talk of a career resurgence for Gonzaga, a win over Browne would carve that notion in stone. Despite a loss in his most recent outing, Browne is a still a highly-touted prospect in the division and a victory in Las Vegas at the TUF Finale would have Gonzaga a step outside of the top 10 rankings in the weight class.
Urijah Faber vs. Scott Jorgensen
It may seem strange Faber is perpetually involved in a UFC title picture, but “The California Kid’s” track record speaks for itself. Despite having lost his past five attempts to claim championship gold under the UFC banner, The Team Alpha Male leader has kept himself within striking distance of yet another title opportunity.
How does Faber continue to get title shots you ask? The long answer would include a brief description of being the most marketable fighter competing in the lower weight classes, but the short answer would be that he absolutely wrecks every opponent he faces outside of title bouts. The most recent example came at the expense of veteran Ivan Menjivar, as Faber needed less than a full round to dispose of the El Salvadorian via rear-naked choke at UFC 156.
The performance could have earned Faber another go at the bantamweight title, but with his defeat against interim champion RenanBarao still fresh in the minds of both the UFC brass and fanbase, it made sense for the 33-year-old to take another step before getting a title shot.
With champion Dominick Cruz still sidelined with a nagging knee injury and RenanBarao slated to defend his interim title this summer against Eddie Wineland, a victory for Faber over Jorgensen will most likely solidify the former WEC featherweight champion earning another opportunity to fight for the title.
The same set of circumstances holds true for Jorgensen, and the bout against Faber certainly carries a large amount of significance. After suffering the first back-to-back defeats of his career, “Young Guns” stopped his backslide cold with a first-round submission victory over John Albert at UFC on Fox 5 in December. Where his win in Seattle put him back on the right track, a victory over Faber would serve to catapult Jorgensen up the divisional rankings.
To be within striking distance of a title shot is not unfamiliar territory to Jorgensen, as the Idaho-based fighter is just north of two years removed from a failed title opportunity against Cruz at WEC 53. In most divisions, two consecutive victories wouldn’t be enough to solidify contender status, but with the 135-pound weight class being somewhat thin, Jorgensen can make a huge move by defeating the Sacramento-native.
In addition to the potential title shot which lingers in the balance, the throwdown between Faber and Jorgensen should be a lights-out affair. Both possess solid wrestling skills and are well known for pressing the action, which should make their collision this Saturday nothing short of explosive. Where Jorgensen may have a slight edge in the power department, Faber’s speed has proven to be difficult to handle.
Outside of the cage, Faber and Jorgensen are personal friends. But this won’t hinder their attempts to plant leather on one another’s faces and get their hand raised at the end of the fight. With a potential title opportunity at stake, this should guarantee the punches, kicks and elbows fly in furious fashion.
Tim Means vs. Jorge Masvidal
Fans will have to look a bit further off the beaten path for the third scrap on the list as Tim Means and Jorge Masvidal will engage in violence on the FX portion of the UFC on Fox 7 card. While this bout holds no bearing on titles or divisional pictures, it is precisely the type of fight that can set the tempo for the rest of a card and is an example of matchmaking at its finest.
Where Masvidal made solid strides in his career fighting for Strikeforce, the upcoming bout with Means will be his first under the UFC banner and will bring a new level of competition. The 155-pound weight class is a shark tank, and the fight with Means in San Jose will be a great gauge as to which talent level of the division Masvidal currently stands. Granted, the 28-year-old recently competed for the Strikeforce lightweight title, but there is no comparison when it comes to the roster depth in the UFC’s 155-pound weight class.
The fight will be the perfect opportunity for Masvidal to make a first impression to a new fanbase. The Miami-based fighter brings an exciting, striking-based style to the cage and will be looking to finish the bout from jump street.
In the past, Masvidal has benefited from facing opposition who push forward, and if Means stays true to previous outings, the New Mexico-based fighter will be looking to constantly engage from the onset.
If there is one word that describes the way Means conducts business inside the cage, it’s aggressive. “The Dirty Bird” has a Carlos Condit-esque attack where he uses his length and range to set up a brutal assault of punches, knees, elbows and kicks.
The Power MMA-trained fighter has proven put-away power in his striking game as he displayed in his most recent outing against Justin Salas at UFC on FX 3. From the opening bell Means put the smoke on Salas, dropping him several times with heavy shots before closing out the action with a flurry on the canvas.
When Means steps in against Masvidal, it will be a matchup of two aggressive strikers who refuse to play it safe. While victory is the ultimate motivator for both, a mutual love of the scrap will put this tilt on the violence radar.
The current era under the UFC banner is one of dominant champions.Of the nine weight classes currently operating in the organization, at least four of the titles have been in the possession of their respective champions for over two years, with the mid…
The current era under the UFC banner is one of dominant champions.
Of the nine weight classes currently operating in the organization, at least four of the titles have been in the possession of their respective champions for over two years, with the middleweight and welterweight crowns being held for five years or longer.
The UFC’s 185-pound king, Anderson Silva, has destroyed the record books since claiming gold in 2006, putting together an astounding string of 10 successful title defenses. Shortly behind “The Spider” in the realm of consecutive defenses is 170-pound champion Georges St-Pierre, as the Tri-Star-trained fighter has collected eight straight victories with his title on the line and solidified himself as the greatest welterweight fighter of all time.
The championship runs of Silva and St-Pierre have not only served to definite their respective careers, but carved out the legacies of both fighters.
While Silva and St-Pierre are exceptional cases, Jose Aldo and Jon Jones have been displaying dominance in their own right. The 145-pound Brazilian phenom has defended his strap on four occasions under the UFC banner, making a grand total of six when his two defenses as the WEC champion are tallied in.
Jones became the youngest champion in UFC history when he defeated Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 128. This feat alone is a tremendous accomplishment, but when the 25-year-old’s four successful defenses are factored in, it becomes easy to see why “Bones” is highly regarded as the future of mixed martial arts.
In the process of solidifying himself as the man to beat at 205 pounds, Jones also brought to an end a merry-go-round for the light heavyweight title. After defeating LyotoMachida at UFC 140 in December of 2011, Jones became the first fighter since Chuck Liddell to successfully defend the strap more than once.
Nearly five years passed between from “The Iceman” losing his title to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 71 to Jones besting Rua to become champion in April of 2011. Over that stretch, five different fighters (Quinton Jackson, Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans, LyotoMachida and Mauricio Rua) held the title, but none were able to earn more than one successful defense— a song the heavyweight division knows all too well.
Where Jones brought a turbulent run of champions to an end in the 205-pound weight class, the chaos in the heavyweight division has never been subdued. Since Mark Coleman became the organization’s first official heavyweight champion by defeating Dan Severn at UFC 12 in 1997, no title holder has been able to successfully defend the belt on two consecutive occasions.
In the 16 years which have passed since “The Hammer” defeated “The Beast,” 15 different fighters have held either the legitimate title or an interim version of the heavyweight crown. And the situation becomes all the more compounded when the current state of the division is examined.
The Revolving Door of the Heavyweight Title
More so than any previous point in UFC history, the heavyweight division is stacked with high-profile talent, and the weight class is more competitive than it has ever been. With a collection of top-ranked fighters all battling for title opportunities, it would seem the trend of the title changing hands in rapid fashion would continue.
Nevertheless, current belt holder Cain Velasquez is getting ready to begin his second stint as champion when he squares off with Antonio “Big Foot” Silva next month at UFC 160, and the AKA-trained fighter will be looking to establish his dominance in the division.
The 30-year-old’s initial run as champion was stopped after a big right hand from Junior dos Santos found its mark at UFC on Fox 1. But the former Arizona State University wrestling standout found redemption in impressive fashion when he pounded “Cigano” for five rounds in their rematch at UFC 155 last December.
The victory over Dos Santos proved a healthy Velasquez is an absolute beast, as he worked the former champion in every aspect for 25 minutes. Velasquez used his wrestling to repeatedly dump Dos Santos on the canvas, then relied on his legendary cardio to keep relentless pressure on the heavy-handed Brazilian.
The end result was a lopsided, unanimous-decision victory over a fighter who had barely been challenged throughout his first nine showings inside the Octagon. To sweeten the pot, not only did Velasquez reclaim the title “JDS” took from him a year earlier, but redeemed the only loss of his professional career at the same time.
While Velasquez’s brutal beating of Dos Santos was certainly impressive, does it hold any bearing on whether or not the champion’s second title reign will be any different than his first? Will Velasquez become the division’s first dominant title holder, or is he simply taking his turn at holding the belt?
A Puncher’s Chance
A commonly used saying in mixed martial arts is that “one punch can change a fight.” While it might sound cliche, that doesn’t make it any less true, and no weight class highlights this possibility better than the heavyweights.
It only took one well-placed hammer from Dos Santos to put Velasquez on the canvas during their first fight, and the Brazilian slugger is far from the only power puncher in the division. Alistair Overeem, Mark Hunt, Antonio Silva and Roy Nelson all have proven one-shot knockout ability.
Of course, the equation cannot be accurately assessed without taking into consideration the areas of Velasquez’s game where he overshadows the rest of the fighters in the division. But for the sake of the “one punch changes everything” theory, several of the division’s best fighters have the ability to become champion with one bomb.
It also needs to be said that catching a power shot from a knockout artist like Dos Santos doesn’t mean Velasquez is without a chin. Despite there being multiple exchanges that left Velasquez wobbled during a bout earlier in his career against Cheick Kongo, there is no solid evidence which points to the champion being unable to take a punch. But at the same time, therein lies the issue at hand.
With the power and size the elite heavyweights are bringing to the table, one clean shot can end a fight abruptly, and it happens with regular frequency in the heavyweight division.
The possibility of a knockout will always be a factor in any heavyweight tilt, and perhaps this makes the heavyweight division’s lack of having a dominant champion somewhat unfair by comparison. Velasquez has all the physical and mental skills necessary to make a long run as champion, but one punch could neutralize an entire set of attributes in a quick and violent turn.
This is a reality the heavyweight fighters have come to embrace, and a problem with which the lighter weight class doesn’t have to deal. While knockouts can and do happen at every weight class, the severity to which the potential of a big shot landing affects a heavyweight bout is far more than what any of the lighter weight classes experience.
Then again, the hovering potential of a brutal knockout coming at any time is a large part of the heavyweight appeal. It is a difficult stretch to get a grasp on the unpredictable, and a fighter’s failure to do so more than likely plays a large role as to why 16 years have passed without a dominant champion holding court in the UFC heavyweight division.
Whether Velasquez will be the man who breaks the cycle remains to be seen, but he’ll certainly do everything in his power to keep his championship reign alive and carve out his place in the history books.
When an event loses the most anticipated tilt on the card less than a week from fight night, ordinary expectations are thrown out the window.The news of Alexander Gustafsson’s cut and the Swedish Mixed Martial Arts Federation’s refusal to clear him to …
When an event loses the most anticipated tilt on the card less than a week from fight night, ordinary expectations are thrown out the window.
The news of Alexander Gustafsson‘s cut and the Swedish Mixed Martial Arts Federation’s refusal to clear him to fight GegardMousasi put a negative spotlight on UFC on Fuel TV 9. The situation worsened when “The Mauler” was replaced by his training partner IlirLatifi, and “The Armenian Assassin” had four days to prepare to face a relatively unknown opponent in his highly anticipated UFC debut.
While the UFC’s second journey to Sweden had appeared to be cursed, the action that went down Saturday from the Ericsson Globe Arena once again showed how an overlooked card can deliver on all fronts.
Although the event in Stockholm was thin on high-profile fights and names recognizable by the casual fan, these factors didn’t stop the fighters from putting on a show. The event provided the good, the bad and even a dose of the strange for good measure.
Let’s take a look at what went down at UFC on Fuel TV 9.
The Good
Outside of the chaos surrounding the main event, the running theme was the all-important UFC debut. Many fighters over the years have found success competing in different MMA organizations but struggled when they traded leather for the first time on the sport’s biggest stage in the UFC.
In a rare occurrence due to the last-minute change of opponent, the main event featured two fighters who were both stepping into the Octagon for the first time.
Latifi had the chance of a lifetime. “The Sledgehammer” not only picked up a UFC contract but was given the chance to knock off a ranked opponent in the light heavyweight division.
This scenario made the bout risky for Mousasi, but much like the Dutch-Armenian’s nonplussed demeanor, he handled the fight—and the circumstances at hand—with cold, calculated precision.
For 15 minutes, Mousasi took care of business as he flick-jabbed Latifi back into obscurity. While the victory will not catapult the 27-year-old into the title picture, leaving Sweden with a win will allow Mousasi to keep his place in the Top 10 rankings at 205 pounds, where a loss would have been disastrous.
While Mousasi‘s debut may have lacked drama, ConorMcGregor gave a first impression that will keep the MMA world talking for the next several days.
A solid buzz surrounded the Irish featherweight’s first showing under the UFC banner, and he delivered in brutal fashion. “Notorious” badgered Marcus Brimage with heavy shots en route to a 67-second knockout victory in the first round of their tilt on the undercard in Stockholm.
The victory announced McGregor‘s arrival to the UFC and will most likely earn the heavy-handed Irishman a marquee opponent in his next outing.
Outside of the collection of competitors making their debuts at UFC on Fuel TV 9, several other fighters had solid showings in Stockholm. Diego Brandao showed composure and patience with a first-round submission victory over Pablo Garza. The win over “The Scarecrow” marks back-to-back victories for the 25-year-old and makes him successful in five of his last six outings.
Brad Pickett fought his way back into the win column by besting Mike Easton in the event’s best scrap. “One Punch” came out on top of the judge’s scorecards, earning a split-decision victory over “The Hulk.” The win over the Team Alliance fighter was a solid rebound for Pickett after he had come up short against Eddie Wineland at UFC 155.
While the ending was as strange as endings come, Matt Mitrione‘s victory over Phil De Fries pulled his head off the chopping block for the time being. The win halted the former NFL defensive tackle’s two-fight skid and will ensure “Meathead” lives to see another day under the UFC banner.
The Bad
For a card that could have taken the fast route down the drain, there wasn’t a lot of bad.
The one glaring point came in how the card was put together. While the event delivered action, the drama surrounding Gustafsson‘s removal highlighted the lack of star power. A solid co-main would have mitigated the chaos.
This is what should have happened in a perfect world: Gustafsson goes out. The bout with Mousasi is kept intact and moved to a later date. And the co-main event is bumped up to the headlining slot.
With Ross Pearson and Ryan Couture sitting in the co-main event slot, this wasn’t a suitable option, and the UFC was forced to match up Mousasi with an unknown replacement in Latifi.
In terms of bad performances, the one competitor who comes to mind is Michael Johnson. After putting together a solid three-fight win streak, “The Menace” suddenly finds himself with his back against the wall. Despite getting off to a good start against RezaMadadi, the Blackzilians fighter couldn’t hold off the “Mad Dog’s” comeback and was submitted in the third round.
The loss to Madadi makes it back-to-back losses for Johnson and puts the 26-year-old in an unenviable position. The lightweight division is one of the most competitive weight classes, and one more loss could result in a pink slip for Johnson.
The Strange
While it’s difficult to imagine, the strangest thing about this event had nothing to do with the merry-go-round main event shuffle. Phil De Fries ran away with the honors at UFC on Fuel TV 9.
Like his heavyweight counterpart, the British submission specialist was in a must-win situation coming into Sweden. Unfortunately for the Team Alliance fighter, not only did he lose, but he managed to do so in incredibly awkward fashion.
After his first attempt to shoot for Mitrione‘s legs failed, De Fries wasted no time in trying another takedown. But on his second attempt, a collision with Mitrione‘s hips knocked De Fries for a loop and left him lying helpless on the canvas. With his opponent dazed, Mitrione pounced, unleashing a flurry of shots to earn the TKO victory.
While replays show De Fries might have been caught by a short right hand on the way in, the bizarre ending did him zero favors where his employment is concerned. De Fries has now dropped two of his last three showings by way of knockout, with his only recent victory coming against Oli Thompson at UFC on Fox 4 last August.
Despite the odd turn of events affecting the headlining bout, Mitrione‘s knockout over De Fries was still the strangest thing to happen in Sweden.
When the UFC announced Ilir Latifi as the official replacement for Alexander Gustafsson in the main event at UFC on Fuel TV 9 in Sweden, the MMA world immediately set about scouring the internet in hopes of answering the question as to just who is the …
When the UFC announced Ilir Latifi as the official replacement for Alexander Gustafsson in the main event at UFC on Fuel TV 9 in Sweden, the MMA world immediately set about scouring the internet in hopes of answering the question as to just who is the man that will be fighting Gegard Mousasi.
To further the point, in addition to the masses trying to find out more information on “The Sledgehammer,” Mousasi’s camp had to be in a similar position.
While the Swedish-born fighter has collected a respectable 8-2-1 record as a professional mixed martial artist, that work has come fighting on smaller stages throughout the sport, making Latifi a relative unknown to those fighting at the highest level of mixed martial arts.
Where the Dutch-Armenian fighter was originally slated to face an opponent who was sitting on the cusp of title contention in Gustafsson, he will now step into the Octagon to trade leather with Latifi—a fighter who brings little to the table where reward is concerned.
In the original scenario against “The Mauler,” Mousasi was the underdog looking to prove he belonged among the top 205-pound fighters in the UFC’s premier weight class. But with the sudden shake-up and change of opponent, now “The Dreamcatcher” will bear the majority of the pressure heading into Saturday’s fight in Stockholm.
Not only will Mousasi face an opponent with a much different physical style than the one he had prepared for, but the circumstances surrounding the fight have changed as well.
If the 27-year-old were to find success against Gustafsson, the victory would have validated him as one of the division’s best and put Mousasi one step closer to a future title opportunity. Not only is that reward off the table in the fight against Latifi, but should Mousasi suffer a defeat against the underdog Latifi, it would be a substantial setback for the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion.
While the scenario is somewhat of a rarity at the highest level of mixed martial arts, last-minute replacement bouts are not uncharted territory. Judging from how the fighters involved handled the situation when it was put on their respective plates, and the aftermath of how their decisions played out, it shows what a tricky and unique situation changing the players involved can be.
Upset in the Steel City
When the bout between Latifi and Mousasi was made official, the first fighter who came to my mind was Charlie Brenneman.
The Pennsylvania-native had gotten off to a solid start in his UFC career by winning two of his first three showings inside the Octagon.
“The Spaniard” was looking to build further momentum when he was slated to square off with Canadian T.J. Grant at UFC on Versus 4. Unfortunately for Brenneman, illness forced Grant to withdraw from the bout, and without an opponent, the AMA-trained fighter was removed from the card as well.
While the news was undoubtedly upsetting for Brenneman, the disappointment wouldn’t last long. In a strange turn of events, Brenneman would be called back into action when Nate Marquardt was pulled for his bout with Rick Story due to failing a pre-fight physical.
Marquardt was removed. Brenneman was in. And 24 hours away from the fight, Rick Story suddenly had a new opponent.
The opportunity was certainly beneficial where Brenneman was concerned, but the stakes of the bout drastically shifted for Story. When the Brave Legion fighter originally took the bout with Marquardt, he was stepping up on short notice to replace an injured Anthony Johnson.
Story was coming fresh off a big victory over Thiago Alves at UFC 130 and was looking to kick his quest for a title shot into hyperdrive by defeating another high-profile opponent in Marquardt.
But with Marquardt gone, and a new fighter standing across from him inside the Octagon, Story was unable to adjust to the chaos of the moment. Despite having a strong wrestling background, Story couldn’t stop Brenneman’s relentless grappling attack and came out on the business end of a unanimous decision on the judge’s scorecards.
Brenneman’s win in Pittsburgh served to boost him to the front of the MMA media headlines, while the loss extinguished the fires of Story’s surge toward contention. “The Horror” would go on to lose two of his next three outings, and it wasn’t until he scored a victory in his most recent outing against Quinn Mulhern at UFC 158 that the Vancouver-based fighter appeared to finally get back to form.
In the aftermath of the bout with Brenneman, the question serves to be asked just how different Story’s career would have been had he decided not to take the fight. While stepping up to the plate and taking the fight on less than a day’s notice certainly earned him points with the UFC brass, the loss knocked Story’s trajectory off course, and it has taken him the better part of two years to recover.
Bones Says No to Sonnen, Takes Heat for UFC 151 Cancellation
The need for a last-minute replacement in a main event certainly kicks up the panic level for everyone involved in a UFC event, but one fighter who wouldn’t be swayed in those matters was light heavyweight phenom Jon Jones.
The youngest champion in UFC history was put directly under the hot lights when his original opponent, Dan Henderson, suffered a knee injury and was forced out of their dust-up at UFC 151 last September.
With “Hendo” unable to fight, the UFC attempted to find multiple replacements, but those efforts were ultimately fruitless. It appeared that none of the organization’s top 205-pound fighters wanted anything to do with the champion, and the card’s main event looked to be in serious jeopardy.
That was until former middleweight No. 1 contender Chael Sonnen threw in his bid to face Jones for the light heavyweight title, and just like that, a new fight was on the table.
But while a bout between Jones and Sonnen would have made for a solid main event for UFC 151, “Bones” wasn’t willing to face “The Gangster from West Linn” on eight-days notice and decided to turn down the fight. Without a fight to headline the card, for the first time under Zuffa ownership, the UFC made the decision to cancel the event entirely.
The news brought a storm of scorn onto the young champion’s shoulders as UFC President Dana White lashed out at Jones and his camp during a media conference call where he officially announced the cancellation of the event.
White blasted the champion for refusing to face Sonnen and placed the blame for having to cancel the event squarely on Jones’ shoulders. White also famously labeled Greg Jackson as a “sport killer” during the call, for his part in Jones’ decision to pass on fighting Sonnen.
The heat would eventually quiet down, and Jon Jones got back to ruling the light heavyweight division when he defeated Vitor Belfort at UFC 152. After he bested “The Phenom,” Jones agreed to face Sonnen for his next challenge at UFC 159 in addition to both men taking opposing coaching roles for the 17th season of The Ultimate Fighter.
While Jones deciding not to face Sonnen at UFC 151 drew a monsoon of negative press, the champion refused to yield from the fight not being on his terms. Surely, it proved to be an unpopular decision, but ultimately one Jones had the right to make.
Taking a bout against one of the best pure wrestlers in mixed martial arts on short notice is a dangerous roll of the dice. While Jones will take that risk later this month, having time to prepare for Sonnen’s skill set will take away the element of surprise which would have been apparent had they locked up at UFC 151.
Final Thoughts
There are no titles on the line for Saturday’s main event at UFC on Fuel TV 9, but the fight is still Mousasi’s first appearance under the UFC banner.
Despite being recognized as one of the best strikers in mixed martial arts, Mousasi remains largely underappreciated by the UFC fanbase. This is the result of a career spent competing outside of the Octagon, and those fortunes could easily change with a strong showing at tomorrow’s event.
But where facing a surging contender in Gustafsson would have served to catapult Mousasi into the upper tier of the light heavyweight division, now he is in a position where he must win simply to remain on the radar.
Had Mousasi decided to refuse a new opponent, the results would have been disastrous as the card in Sweden is relatively thin and lacking high-profile matchups. On the other hand, with Mousasi remaining on the card and facing an unknown opponent in Latifi, the pressure and risk is now his to carry.
The fight is Mousasi’s opportunity to make a lasting impression on a new fanbase. And if he is able to handle the pressure and risk of the moment, UFC fans will be excited to watch him compete again.
At the same time, should Mousasi wilt under the weight of the moment at hand, the decision to face an unknown opponent on short notice will undoubtedly sting him for some time.
Just how he handles this unique set of circumstances remains to be seen, but the MMA world will have the answer to this question in short order.
A loss inside the Octagon has a tendency to change things about a fighter.