It has been a hectic week leading up to Saturday’s card for UFC on Fuel TV 9 in Stockholm, Sweden. When one-half of the original main event, Alexander Gustafsson, suffered a cut about his left eye, speculation spread like wildfire through the MMA…
It has been a hectic week leading up to Saturday’s card for UFC on Fuel TV 9 in Stockholm, Sweden. When one-half of the original main event, Alexander Gustafsson, suffered a cut about his left eye, speculation spread like wildfire through the MMA community about whether “The Mauler” would be able to make the bout against GegardMousasi.
Once Gustafsson‘s cut was reviewed by the Swedish Mixed Martial Arts Federation on Tuesday, the commission deemed the injury too severe to let the fight go on. With the Team Alliance fighter now off the card, the UFC scrambled to find a replacement just four days away from fight night.
That is when IlirLatifi‘s phone rang. And several moments later, “The Sledgehammer” was set to face Mousasi in the main event on Saturday.
Suddenly, the 29-year-old Swedish-born fighter went from training in the gym and dreaming making his name to having the opportunity to do so.
Latifi told Bleacher Report:
I was overwhelmed and shocked that they gave me the chance. It’s a good scenario to make an impression. My dream has always been to fight in the UFC and be a UFC champion.This isn’t the debut most people thought it would be, but life doesn’t give you many chances like this. When they come you have to take them. You have to prepare to make the most of them and that is what I plan to do.
While Latifi may be the lesser-known fighter in the matchup with Mousasi, the former Swedish National Team wrestler is an accomplished grappler. In addition to his wrestling credentials, Latifi also carries a three-fight win streak into the fight with Mousasi, as he’s built up momentum on the regional MMA scene.
While it is no secret that the bout is a high-risk fight for Mousasi, Latifi believes both men will feel pressure on fight night—just of a different variety.
“There is pressure on both of us, but the pressure is different. He’s fighting an underdog and somebody that is unknown. There is pressure on me because I want to achieve. I want to win this fight,” Latifi said.
“He prepared for a different kind of fighter. With me having a different kind of style, that changes his game plan a little bit.”
Duane Finley is a featured writer for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Brian Stann is approaching a crossroads in his mixed martial arts career.The 32-year-old former Marine and Silver Star medal recipient has been trading leather inside the cage for the better part of a decade, garnering acclaim for his knockout power an…
Brian Stann is approaching a crossroads in his mixed martial arts career.
The 32-year-old former Marine and Silver Star medal recipient has been trading leather inside the cage for the better part of a decade, garnering acclaim for his knockout power and tenacity along the way. While the former WEC light heavyweight champion struggled to gain traction under the UFC banner after dropping down into the middleweight division, “The All-American” worked his way to contender status in the 185-pound weight class.
Stann made his way up the divisional ladder by winning three consecutive bouts, two of which came by way of stoppage over the likes of Chris Leben and journeyman Jorge Santiago. Unfortunately for the Pennsylvania-based fighter, that momentum would come to a halt in his next outing against ChaelSonnen at UFC 136 in Houston.
Despite getting back into the win column by knocking out AlessioSakara in his next showing, Stann would see his position in the upper tier of the middleweight division fade as he suffered back-to-back losses to Michael Bisping and Wanderlei Silva.
While his most recent bout against “The Axe Murderer” was an instant classic and “Fight of the Year” candidate, another notch in the loss column was a difficult blow for the ultra-competitive Stann to handle, and has brought him to a place in his career where a decision has to be made.
That being said, Stann believes there is plenty of time to assess the future of his mixed martial arts career. And while those decisions will undoubtedly come in the future, Stann has shifted his focus to the here and now, which is his position as an analyst for the UFC for the promotion’s events on Fox and Fuel TV.
Since joining the broadcast team, Stann‘s easy presentation and educated delivery has been warmly received by the UFC fan base. He will resume those duties this weekend when UFC on Fuel TV 9 kicks off from Stockholm, Sweden, where he hopes to deliver another solid performance.
While the role is certainly a departure from mixing it up with the world’s best fighters inside the cage, the position presents plenty of interesting challenges for Stann.
“I take the preparation for this job very seriously,” Stann told Bleacher Report. “What I look for when I’m breaking down a fighter is how to convey what is happening in a fight, or what I think is going to happen, in a manner the fans can understand. At the same time, I want to do it in a way that will help to educate the more casual fans who don’t understand that much about technique.
“It kills me when I watch certain fights and I hear fans booing. Or you are in a place and you hear someone say a fight sucks because you know it is actually a great fight. I’m watching it and know it’s going back and forth like a chess match and I want to educate the fans so they can find some of the more technical fights more enjoyable because they will be able to understand what is happening.
“The part that I find most challenging in the entire process is to ensure that I don’t insult any of the fighters you are breaking down. Of course when you are talking sports it never should be that way. But let’s be honest. When you get to this level of the sport and you are fighting in the UFC; you take it very personal. When you hear somebody breaking down your skills, saying you aren’t that good in a certain aspect, no fighter can help becoming a little bit resentful.
“I think that is important because anyone who gets to this level is obviously one of the best in the world at their craft. I think they should be recognized as that. I think there is a way to analyze and breakdown fighters and be honest about their skills while still being respectful.”
In the realm of mixed martial arts, a fighter can develop and progress his skills on a day-to-day basis through rigorous training inside the gym. The conditions are a bit different on the broadcasting side of things, and in some cases, fighters can be a bit shaky when they take up the analyst role.
In that regard Stann hit the ground running. And while he has never had any formal television training, he believes his military career provided all the preparation he needed.
“It hasn’t been that difficult getting used to working in front of a camera,” Stann said. “I certainly can’t say I’m a natural or anything. But I think the reason it comes a little bit easy to me in that regard is because I’ve had to do a ton of public speaking throughout my career in the military.
“The Naval Academy is basically a leadership factory and you are constantly having to talk in front of a crowd. Obviously being a Marine Corps officer every day is public speaking. When you are in command of hundreds of Marines and constantly giving presentations, I think I have a lot of experience in that field and that made it an easier transition when coming into broadcasting and analysis.”
When Stann steps on set to work analysis for UFC on Fuel TV 9, it comes just north of a month since his most recent fight against Silva. Stann squared off with “The Axe Murderer” in an epic, back-and-forth scrap for the ages, with Silva earning the second-round TKO victory.
In his post-fight interview, Stann told Jon Anik he was going to take some time to think about his future in the sport. And while several weeks have passed since the tilt, Stann is in no hurry to determine his future in mixed martial arts.
“I’m probably right in that same status as I was following the fight,” Stann said. “I have a few lingering injuries but I’m still in the gym helping guys train and doing some coaching as well. It’s difficult and I think it is important to disconnect as a fighter because you can make rash and emotional decisions in the moment.
“You see it where a guy will say he’s done fighting or he’s taking time off, but then he’s right back at it. For me, there are a lot of things for me to weigh out. There have been a lot of changes in my life in the last two years. Having to change training camps, not because I wanted to, but because of family issues. My wife is pregnant with what will be our third child and there are a lot of things going on in my personal life where I need some time away from fighting. Time away from training intensely to focus on the things I need to focus on and I will make a decision from there.”
“It was very difficult,” Stann added when he described trying to balance his emotions after the fight. “Even my wife couldn’t understand it when she heard me talk about the fight. It really is nice when fans come up and thank you for putting on a great performance, giving that much effort and saying they were really entertained. That really does mean an awful lot to me.
“But people will say there are no losers in a fight like that and I will remind them that actually there are. I have another loss next to my record and I didn’t get my win bonus. That’s money that is not in my family’s bank account and money that is not going towards the financial goals that I have for my family. Trust me, there are losers in fights like that.
“I haven’t found any more comfort than I would naturally just because it was an exciting fight. A loss is still a loss. I’m glad I was able to put on the type of performance the UFC expects from people they put in main events. That was important to me. When you book me in a main event, that meant something to me and there was no way I was going to go in there and be conservative.”
Whether Stann‘s future involves several more performances inside the Octagon or a career sitting at the broadcast table, he will approach his profession with full focus.
“I’m not going to commit my name to something and not have it be done 100 percent,” Stann said. “Whatever I do, I go all out and do it with everything I have. But I’m not rushing any decisions. Some times you just need to step away from the fight game and take a break. I’m going to spend some time with my family and let the chips fall, but there is no way I’m going to do anything without giving 100 percent.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
The past two years have been a wild ride for Johny Hendricks.The former two-time NCAA Division I national champion wrestler hammered his way through one of the most competitive weight classes under the UFC banner to become one of the best 170-pound fig…
The past two years have been a wild ride for Johny Hendricks.
The former two-time NCAA Division I national champion wrestler hammered his way through one of the most competitive weight classes under the UFC banner to become one of the best 170-pound fighters in mixed martial arts. Throughout his journey to the top of the ladder, “Bigg Rigg” leveled perennial contenders with his sledge of a left hand and defeated a collection of the best welterweight fighters to ever step foot inside the Octagon.
Along with success, the Oklahoma native also experienced a sense of validation as he carved his way through the rankings. Putting together six consecutive victories on the sport’s biggest stage served to be the ultimate confidence boost. And as the success continued, Hendricks was finally able to match the same belief in his talents as his coaches and trainers have been saying for years.
While there were plenty of positives to be taken from the situation, Hendricks also experienced his fair share of frustration along the way, as the title opportunity he was working tirelessly to earn continued to eluded him. But each time a shot at Georges St-Pierre’s championship was pushed further away, Hendricks stepped up and went after it with tenacity.
When Hendricks squared off with Carlos Condit at UFC 158, the moment had finally come for the Team Takedown fighter to capture the opportunity he had been chasing for so long. “The Natural Born Killer” was the final obstacle standing between him and the number one contender position. And when Hendricks had his hand raised at the end of the three-round war, the mission to earn a chance to fight Georges St-Pierre had been accomplished.
By facing Condit, Hendricks put all of his momentum and title hopes on the table. And with a victory at UFC 158, he proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is the true number one contender in the welterweight division.
“Pressure lets you know what kind of person you are,” Hendricks told Bleacher Report in an exclusive interview. “That kind of adversity will show you what you are made of. You see a lot of guys who are told they will be the number one contender if they win the fight in front of them. They have fought a couple of really tough guys to get there, but when the chance is presented to them, something happens in some shape or form and they aren’t able to take it. They end up losing. That was the biggest fear for me.
“I looked at guys who I believe are better fighters than I am and if that happened to them, how was I going to overcome it? The most important part of this fight to me personally was overcoming that adversity. A lot of great fighters weren’t able to reach out and grab that title shot and I’m just glad it didn’t happen to me.”
As one chapter of his has come to a close, the next officially begins. Where Hendricks was once on a quest to earn respect and recognition, those things are now set aside as will attempt to bring in the ultimate prize.
At the post-fight press conference in Montreal, UFC President Dana White addressed the media and declared Hendricks to be the official number one contender in the 170-pound weight class. They were words Hendricks had been waiting to hear for the better part of two years and knowing his long-awaited showdown with St-Pierre would become a reality was instant motivation.
But for as good as that all sounds, the fight is yet to be made official, and that gives Hendricks cause for concern. The pound-for-pound great recently accepted a role in the upcoming Captain America sequel, and while filming the movie will require St-Pierre to be out for a stretch, that isn’t the issue picking at Hendricks.
In a recent interview, Firas Zahabi told Sherdog that St-Pierre is open to moving up a weight class and making the long-awaited “super fight” against Anderson Silva a reality. In the same interview the Tri-Star leader also mentioned the champion was up to fighting Hendricks as well, but wasn’t sure which route they were going to take.
Hendricks has been publicly campaigning for the chance to fight St-Pierre. He believes if the champion finds a way to avoid their clash, it is because St-Pierre is scared of what will happen when they step inside the cage.
If the welterweight king wants to do a movie and add to his back account, that is fine by Hendricks. But he wants the title opportunity he has earned and is willing to wait for as long as it takes.
“If they find a way out of this fight then no one can question why he didn’t fight me,” Hendricks said. “If I don’t get to fight Georges for his next fight, then there is only one explanation. They can say he wanted a bigger money fight, but he has a great competitor sitting right in front of him. I would like the chance to fight GSP, and if that chance doesn’t come, the only explanation would be that either his camp is scared or GSP is.
“I don’t know what is going on, but something is a little fishy here. I understand him doing the Captain America thing. That is awesome and props to him for being able to venture out and find another way to make money. That’s awesome. But if they sit there and decide not to give me the opportunity to fight him; that would suck.
“Make no mistake about it, I’m waiting for GSP this time. I had to take another fight to prove to the fans that I am the number one contender and that I deserved my shot. I knew I had to do that. But after defeating Carlos Condit, I’ve shown I deserve to have a title shot. I’ve done everything GSP has done. My last five fights, I’ve had the exact same record against the exact same people he has fought out of his last eight opponents. But there are three of them I’ll never get the chance to fight.
“As a competitor, I want to fight GSP,” Hendricks added. “I really do and that is because I want to fight the best. But if he goes up a weight class, the belt is more important to me than GSP. That’s really what it boils down to for me. I have no problem with GSP whatsoever, but he has something around his waist that I want a shot at. That is what is bothering me.”
While it could take months for the situation to come into focus, Hendricks isn’t wasting any time and has already jumped back into the gym to begin his preparation. St-Pierre’s decision is ultimately out of his hands, but Hendricks isn’t allowing that to affect his progression.
The only thing on his mind is becoming a UFC champion and he will do whatever it takes to accomplish that goal. Knowing the opportunity to step in and make all the hard work and sacrifices worthwhile, is all the inspiration Hendricks needs.
“Oh you’re not kidding,” Hendricks responded when asked if getting to fight for the title is the ultimate motivation. “I’m already back in the gym and I’m super-excited to back to work. I worked my boxing today, and that and my kickboxing are two things I’m really going to focus on improving. We were in the gym and running through sparring rounds like nothing.
“We were doing two and a half rounds at a time and I was firing through it because I’m so motivated. Doing 13 minutes of mitt work with a two minute break and I’m excited to do those things because I know what is coming up. I know what I want to get and I know what I have to do to get it.
“You better believe I’m getting that title. I’m going to do everything in my power and train as hard as I can to make sure that 12-pound gold buckle that says UFC on it as somewhere at my house.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
The injury bug that wreaked havoc on the UFC in 2012 has been relatively quiet in the new year. In the first three months of 2013, only one major bout has been affected by injury, with Rory MacDonald being forced out of his rematch with Carlos Condit a…
The injury bug that wreaked havoc on the UFC in 2012 has been relatively quiet in the new year. In the first three months of 2013, only one major bout has been affected by injury, with Rory MacDonald being forced out of his rematch with Carlos Condit at UFC 158. While the talented young Canadian was the first high-profile fighter pushed to the sidelines, he certainly won’t be the last.
When Swedish media outlets Sportspegeln (Kimura.se) and SVT.se reported yesterday that Alexander Gustafsson would be unable to compete in his bout against GegardMousasi due to a cut suffered, it appeared as if another name had been added to the injury list.
The news spread quickly throughout the MMA community, and as the story developed, reports varied regarding whether or not “The Mauler” would be medically cleared in time for his main event showdown at UFC on Fuel TV 9. Several outlets claimed the bout was officially off, while UFC President Dana Whitetold ESPN the scrap between Gustafsson and Mousasi was still intact.
Whether White is biding time, doing damage control or providing fans with an honest update on the situation remains to be seen. But where there is smoke there is typically fire, and the promotion is yet to offer any official information on the matter.
If the scenario does end up being true, and Gustafsson can’t compete this weekend, the UFC will be faced with limited options and a very short amount of time to rectify the situation. It is undoubtedly an unenviable situation to be faced with and one that could certainly occur again down the road as the promotion’s summer schedule ramps up.
A Packed Agenda and Thin Fight Cards
For starters, injuries can occur at any time and are impossible to forecast. While that sounds simplistic and is most likely an understood truth, it is best to get that out of the way from the jump. That being said, fighters becoming injured and pulling out of scheduled bouts has become somewhat commonplace in mixed martial arts, and while these circumstances can’t be avoided entirely, there are things which can be done to ensure the fallout isn’t disastrous.
It is a unique case at UFC on Fuel TV 9 because the event was targeted in a specific international region with the card being built around that country’s most popular mixed martial artist. Both events the UFC has held in Sweden have sold out rapidly, and losing Gustafsson less than a week out from the fight would be a problem that could not be easily solved.
The best the UFC could hope to do would be to deliver a solid card despite the main event being scrapped, but a quick look at the lineup reveals the next big issue in the situation.
In the past when the UFC has lost a main event fighter on one of their cards and there hasn’t been enough time to find a suitable replacement, the promotion has bumped the co-main event up into the headlining slot and moved every additional bout on the card up from its previous position.
With this weekend’s event in Sweden, there is no good option outside of Gustafsson and Mousasi. If the promotion cannot find an opponent for the Dutch-Armenian to face, moving TUF alum Ross Pearson and Strikeforce convert Ryan Couture would be a tough sell. Granted, when there are few options available, you have to work with what is in hand, but it would be a difficult pull nevertheless.
In all honesty, when the bout between Gustafsson and Mousasi is stripped away, the lack of depth on the card at UFC on Fuel TV 9 becomes painfully obvious. Two of the bouts feature fighters coming off losses (Mitrione/De Fries and Pickett/Easton), where the remaining two fights involve fighters who lack name recognition.
The issue of depth on this particular fight card could very well be the result of it being a regionally targeted event, but with the UFC beginning to fill out the rest of the calendar year, the promotion will likely face a handful of scenarios where the cards aren’t lined with stars. There simply aren’t enough established names in the sport to guarantee multiple high-profile bouts per card, but a solid co-main event would at least provide a safety net should problems arise.
A New Target for “The Armenian Assassin”?
If Gustafsson is ultimately pulled from the card due to the cut he suffered in training, this would leave Mousasi standing alone at the top of the event’s billing. The task of finding a suitable replacement in high-profile bouts is difficult enough when there is time to spare, and next to impossible to pull off when the clock is ticking.
Mousasi is one of the most dangerous strikers in mixed martial arts and finding an opponent to step in against him without time to prepare is a reach. Not only that, but also finding a matchup that is worth the 27-year-old’s risk has to be factored in as well.
When news of Gustafsson‘s injury hit the headlines yesterday, TUF alum Tom Lawlor took to his Twitter account to announce he would be willing to step up and fight Mousasi. “Filthy” is slated to face Michael Kuiper on the preliminary portion of the card, but the biggest issue at hand is the respective divisional standing of each fighter.
Mousasi has won three consecutive bouts and five out of his last six, while Lawlor came up short in his most recent showing. It is understandable that the promotion has to use what is available, but a potential matchup between Mousasi and Lawlor doesn’t make any sense.
Another issue at hand would be the availability of the other top-ranked light heavyweights under the UFC banner. Every 205-pound fighter with several wins collected or name recognition is either booked up or is just coming off a fight. This makes the possible options to face Mousasi extremely limited.
Another option would be to reschedule the bout between Gustafsson and Mousasi for a later date. The Team Alliance fighter’s cut won’t take long to heal, and when the importance of the bout to the lightweight title picture is factored in, moving the fight to an upcoming card makes tremendous sense.
Then again, this could all work out if Gustafsson is able to fight on Saturday and the event goes off without a hitch. While this scenario would undoubtedly be the best outcome imaginable, the situation has shed light on issues that need to be faced as the year goes on.
Of the nine weight classes currently under the UFC banner, the welterweight division has arguably been the deepest and most competitive for years. Despite having a dominant champion in pound-for-pound great Georges St-Pierre—who has ruled the wei…
Of the nine weight classes currently under the UFC banner, the welterweight division has arguably been the deepest and most competitive for years. Despite having a dominant champion in pound-for-pound great Georges St-Pierre—who has ruled the weight class since 2008—the 170-pound division has produced a steady stream of title contenders and kept the battle for positioning in the upper tier of the class an ongoing situation.
In addition to the action taking place atop the division, the 170-pound weight class has also been able to produce prospects who have battled their way into the title picture.
Current No. 1 contender Johny Hendricks shed his prospect label as he tore through the divisional rankings on his way to a title opportunity. And while “Bigg Rigg” may currently be sitting at the front of the pack, Jake Ellenberger and Rory MacDonald have played roles in ushering “new blood” into the race for title contention as well.
While this process may seem to be the natural order of how a weight class should operate, few other divisions have experienced this rhythm. In fact, even with St-Pierre being sidelined due to an injury and the UFC implementing an interim title, the welterweight division continued to move despite GSP’s absence.
Carlos Condit defeated Nick Diaz to become the interim welterweight champion at UFC 143, and perennial contenders such as Jon Fitch, Josh Koscheck and BJ Penn were all pushed out of the title picture during St-Pierre’s time on the sidelines.
With St-Pierre back at the helm and the unofficial welterweight tournament that was UFC 158 in the books, the weight class is once again operating at full steam. The best fighters in the division are within striking distance of a potential title opportunity, and a new wave of up-and-coming talent look to take the next step in their development.
The current batch of welterweight prospects have crucial bouts on the horizon. If they are able to find success in their next outings, they will break through into the next tier of the division.
Let’s take a look at some of those matchups.
Jordan Mein vs. Matt Brown
It would be difficult to find a better word to describe Jordan Mein‘s Octagon debut than “impressive.”
The 23-year-old put on a light’s out performance at UFC 158, when he scored a first-round TKO over gritty veteran Dan Miller in Montreal. While it was the “Young Gun’s” first victory under the UFC banner, the victory over the New Jersey native was Mein‘s third consecutive win, making him successful in nine of his last 10 outings.
The talented young Canadian’s showing at UFC 158 garnered well-deserved attention and solidified him as a fighter to watch in the division, but a strange turn of events has presented an opportunity for Mein to ascend the 170-pound rankings more rapidly.
When heavy-handed slugger Dan Hardy was forced out of his bout with Matt Brown at UFC on Fox 7 due to a heart condition, Mein stepped up to fill the void left by the former No. 1 contender.
Brown turned his career around in 2012, when the TUFalum racked up four consecutive victories. The Ohio-based fighter scored a blistering knockout over veteran Mike Swick in his most recent outing at UFC on Fox 5 in Seattle and is on the cusp of solidifying Top 10 status in the division.
If Mein can derail “The Immortal’s” momentum and earn the victory in San Jose, his status as a prospect will be short lived.
TyronWoodley vs. Jake Shields
If Jordan Mein‘s UFC debut sent a message to the welterweight division, TyronWoodley‘s inaugural showing kicked down the doors. The former Missouri University wrestling standout marked his arrival to the sport’s biggest stage with a 36-second starching of veteran Jay Hieron at UFC 156. The 30-year-old demolished the Xtreme Couture product with a monstrous right hand.
Following the victory, Woodley used his post-fight mic time to inform UFC president Dana White that he would be ready to go if one of the top-ranked welterweights competing at UFC 158 were to fall out with an injury.
While Rory MacDonald was forced to withdraw from his bout with Carlos Condit and the organization tapped Nate Marquardt to step into the vacancy, Woodley didn’t have to wait long before an opportunity was brought his way.
The former All-American wrestler will face former Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields at UFC 161 in June. The bout against the former No. 1 contender is the perfect opportunity for Woodley to prove he belongs with the best in the division, and a victory over the Cesar Gracie Team fighter would carve that notion in stone.
“T-Wood” has won 10 of his 11 outings as a professional mixed martial artist, with his only setback coming against Nate Marquardt when they squared off for the Strikeforce welterweight title last July. While Woodley is at the far end of the prospect spectrum, his role as a UFC title contender is yet to be defined. A victory over Shields would clear up the issue in quick fashion.
The St. Louis-based fighter will welcome Shields back to the 170-pound weight class after he had a brief stint as a middleweight. Shields will be looking to gain some traction under the UFC banner, as he’s gone 1-2-1 since coming over from Strikeforce.
Gunnar Nelson vs. Mike Pyle
The prospect label comes with a certain amount of hype, and submission ace Gunnar Nelson entered the UFC carrying his fair share. The Icelandic grappling wizard made his Octagon debut in impressive fashion when he submitted veteran DaMarques Johnson in the first round of their tilt at UFC on Fuel TV 5 in September of last year.
“Gunni” was able to build more momentum when he bested journeyman Jorge Santiago in his next outing in London at UFC on Fuel TV 7. While his initial showing under the UFC banner saw the Renzo Gracie-trained fighter waste no time taking the action to the canvas, Nelson showcased his unorthodox striking style against Santiago, picking up the unanimous-decision victory.
The competition level will take another step up in his next bout, as Nelson will mix it up with Mike Pyle at UFC 160 in May. The Xtreme Couture staple has been on a hot streak lately, as Pyle has positioned himself to break into the next tier of the division with a win over Nelson.
The 37-year-old’s most recent victory came at the expense of James Head at The Ultimate Fighter 16 finale. The Las Vegas-based fighter collected his third consecutive win, making him successful in six of his last seven showings.
While Pyle cannot match the grappling resume Nelson possesses, the veteran fighter has a slick ground game and an ever-improving stand-up attack.
The matchup at UFC 160 will be a solid test for both fighters. Should Nelson defeat Pyle on May 25, the victory would put him one step closer to shedding the prospect label. On the other hand, if Pyle is successful, a four-fight win streak would put him close to breaking into the divisional Top 10.
It is also worth noting that Pyle has faced a surging prospect before. While Pyle derailed the John Hathaway hype train when the two welterweights locked up at UFC 120 in 2010, he came out on the business end of a showdown with Rory MacDonald at UFC 133.
Competing on the most prominent stage in mixed martial arts comes equipped with an automatic amount of pressure.For some, simply stepping into the Octagon is a dream realized and validation for years of hard work spent grinding out victories for s…
Competing on the most prominent stage in mixed martial arts comes equipped with an automatic amount of pressure.
For some, simply stepping into the Octagon is a dream realized and validation for years of hard work spent grinding out victories for smaller promotions, where others are looking to prove they belong competing with the best fighters in the world.
In a realm as competitive as the UFC, the battles come on multiple fronts. The notion of a fighter only being as good as his last showing, while cliche, rings with an element of truth. When a fighter finds himself on a losing skid, the weight of the circumstances at hand become an unavoidable reality.
That being said, each competitor handles pressure differently, and UFC heavyweight Matt Mitrione is prepared to face every aspect of of his current situation head-on.
The former NFL defensive tackle-turned-mixed martial artist will be looking to stop a two-fight skid when he steps in against Phil De Fries next Saturday at UFC on Fuel TV 9 in Stockholm, Sweden, headlined by top light heavyweights Alexander Gustafsson and Gegard Mousasi.
Having his back against the wall is unfamiliar territory for the former Purdue University standout, as he got off to a red-hot start in his first four showings under the UFC banner.
The 34-year-old’s early success positioned him to take a step up in competition. But after coming up short against Cheick Kongo at UFC 137 and suffering a first-round defeat to his former TUF housemate Roy Nelson last December, the urgency and intensity surrounding Mitirone’s career have increased.
The Indiana-based fighter is fully aware of what could be waiting on the other side of a loss in Sweden, but “Meathead” intends to use the pressure as motivation to get the job done against De Fries.
“Oh, for sure there is pressure and my head is definitely on the chopping block here,” Mitrione told Bleacher Report. “I don’t know if it will get cut off or not, or the UFC will pull a Dan Hardy and keep me around, but if I lose then I’m definitely subject to being cut. And I acknowledge that.
“Honestly, it doesn’t really affect me because in the UFC you can have one bad fight and get axed out.
“That is not any additional pressure but it is a realization that I could get cut if I lose. I pride myself with being as honest with myself as possible, and this is a situation where there definitely is peril if I lose this fight. But I’m not going to lose, so I’m not worried about it.
“There are some things I look forward to, and this fight is definitely one of them. My head is on the chopping block, there is a little bit of pressure on externally, and let’s go out there and see what I got. Let’s go out there and see what happens, baby.
“I’m no spring chicken and everybody knows that,” Mitrione added. “I started late in the game and I’ve been in the UFC for three and a half years now; it’s time for me to do something. I have seven fights under my belt and it’s sink or swim now. It’s sh** or get off the pot. It’s go time right now and either I do it or I don’t.”
In the matchup with De Fries, Mitrione is facing an opponent in a similar position. The Team Alliance fighter came out on the business end of his most recent outing against powerhouse Todd Duffee, bringing his record to 2-2 under the UFC banner.
On paper, the bout between the British grappler and the heavy-handed slugger would appear to be a classic stylistic tilt. That being said, having learned from past experiences, Mitrione is ready for anything that could possibly come his way.
“From the way it looks, Phil doesn’t have the best chin in the world,” Mitrione said. “I have pretty heavy hands and I’m not afraid to stand in the pocket and trade, and I think from the way it looks to most people, he matches up poorly against me and I match up very well against him.
“But in that same breath, Phil has some takedowns and he is a solid grappler. I feel people will say if the fight goes to the ground, I’ll be in trouble, so it’s vice versa for both of us in a sense. But honestly, I feel my ground game is pretty damn good; I just never show it.
“Even before I came down here to South Florida and trained with Thiago Silva and Braulio Estima, I was training with Coach Neil Melanson. I was training with some really good guys. It is just a matter of time before I get in a spot where I’m grappling during a fight and showing my ground-and-pound, top control and everything else. I’m excited about it.
“My fight IQ is getting better and I’m excited about learning. I made a couple of mistakes in my fight against Roy Nelson. I stopped using my feet, stopped moving around, and said screw it, I’ll just trade off with Roy. I wasn’t afraid of his power and thought f*** it, let’s just see what happens. But the biggest mistake I made was that I got too far over on my front leg and I flared my elbow out on my straight left.
“Roy saw that a couple times and it was something they had practiced quite a bit. He knew I was expecting his overhand right and when I flared out my elbow and had my eyebrow tucked into my bicep; he threw an uppercut.
“It was something I never saw coming and it was because I telegraphed what I did and put too much weight forward. If I would have put my weight on my back foot, like I’m always supposed to, by the time I would have stepped into my punch, his punch would have been six or seven inches short of my face. He never would have thrown it, but I messed up.
“It is things like that I learn the most from. It sucks to say it but you have to lose in order to learn some times. You just have to. If you win, you think you are doing everything right but if you lose, then you see all the dumb sh** you do. It sucks but I feel like my fight IQ. has really increased and I feel like I’ve become a more intelligent fighter because of what happened.
“I would like to think this next fight is a great opportunity to show that progression but Phil could come out there and do something that throws me for a loop,” Mitrione added. “He could do some things I’ve never seen before, put me in a bad spot and win the fight. You never know.
“But I am going to do every thing in my power to make sure that doesn’t happen. I’m going to use everything I’ve been working on in training and you never know what I’m going to do. Hell, I never know what I’m going to do and that’s the fun part of it.”
Despite the circumstances lingering overhead, Mitrione has kept his signature brand of humor intact. The IFA gym owner and Team Blackzillians fighter doesn’t shy away from the reality of his situation, much the same way as he doesn’t back down from trading leather inside the Octagon.
For Mitrione, the fight game is all or nothing, and he intends to give De Fries everything he has next Saturday at Ericsson Globe Arena. Whether that will be enough to earn the victory remains to be seen, but one thing Mitrione can guarantee is that he’s going to bring the ruckus directly to his British counterpart.
“I’m bringing the same old me into this fight. There has never been one fight where I fight harder than any time before it. I’m not brand new and improved. I didn’t go back to the drawing board. I’m just learning the same things I was learning before. I’m going to be the same douchebag who is probably going to smile in the middle of the fight because I enjoy what the hell I do. I’m going to get out there and do work like I always do.
“Another thing fans are going to see for sure is a tan Matt Mitrione. I go to the tanning bed on the regular and while I look a little bit hairy, I’m going to be tan. That’s for damn sure. I also have a beard that I’ve never sported going into a fight before. I’m not going to shave it and I’m going to be grimy and gutter in Sweden. I’m excited about it.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Brian