Ryan Bader is flat-out fired up. The surging contender has his sights set on a bout with newly crowned light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier, and he’s going to keep pressing until he gets what he wants.
Friction between the two men has contin…
Ryan Bader is flat-out fired up. The surging contender has his sights set on a bout with newly crowned light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier, and he’s going to keep pressing until he gets what he wants.
Friction between the two men has continued to build in recent months, but the animosity between the Phoenix-based powerhouse and Cormier hit a fever pitch at the post-fight press conference for UFC 187 on Saturday night. Bader was in attendance hoping to speak with UFC President Dana White about what could come next on his road through the ranks of the 205-pound fold, and he believes his presence inspired the newly minted title holder to launch some shots in his direction.
Those taunts enraged the Power MMA leader, and a heated exchange quickly followed.
(Warning: Language in video not safe for work.)
“I was there with my wife to enjoy the fights, and then I was meeting my manager Dave Martin at the press conference because I thought maybe Dana White would be there, and I would be able to talk to him about what is next for me,” Bader said in an exclusive interview. “I went in there and all of a sudden Cormier and I kind of locked eyes a little bit, then all of a sudden I get called out by D.C. He started saying I was being disrespectful and all that stuff, and he had a microphone up on the stage and kept going on and on.
“He called me the easiest fight in the 205-pound division. I didn’t have a mic so I was shouting at him, and I was fired up. The next thing I know I’m walking towards the podium, and I just wanted to slap that dude right then and there. That’s what happened there at the press conference. I didn’t think anything like that would happen, but it did.”
While the verbal sparring between the two made headlines throughout the MMA community, the Power MMA leader suggests that tensions existed long before their verbal dustup this past weekend in Las Vegas. The former Arizona State University wrestling standout and the former two-time Olympian have been paired up to scrap on two previous occasions, but circumstances arose that stunted their eventual collision.
Their most recent scheduled meeting in the main event at Fight Night 68 in New Orleans was scratched due to the AKA representative being tapped to replace Jon Jones against Anthony Johnson for the vacant light heavyweight crown at UFC 187. And while Bader understands why Cormier wouldn’t turn down that caliber of opportunity, he’s not entirely sure the exact reason why he was the recipient in the first place.
With the Louisiana native having just been defeated by Bones in his most recent outing, and having what Bader considers one of the weakest resumes in the division, the 31-year-old season eight winner of The Ultimate Fighter believes Cormier has enjoyed a comfortable journey to the top of the 205-pound collective. Nevertheless, he’s determined to make sure he’s the next challenger on deck and feels mixing it up with Cormier has been a long time in the making.
“We were scheduled to fight, and I’ve been watching tape on this guy and thinking about fighting him forever,” Bader said. “Right after I beat Phil Davis I knew we were going to fight, and I started thinking about him then. That was back in January, and we were supposed to fight another time before that. We had the bout agreement signed and everything, and then he went and fought Dan Henderson.
“He’s had the easiest road and a lot of luck getting this title. He fought Patrick Cummins and then fought a middleweight in Dan Henderson. Then he gets a shot and loses to the guy who rightfully had the belt and is still in a lot of people’s mind the champion in Jon Jones. Then he lucks out and gets another shot against somebody else. For me, the logical next step is to fight Cormier, and it’s something I want more than anything.”
While Bader is currently pleading his case to be granted the next shot at the light heavyweight strap, the current landscape of the divisional title race and his recent string of successful outings give him a solid case for making that happen. Bader has won four consecutive bouts, and the only other top-ranked fighter with a winning streak at the current time is an opponent he recently defeated in Ovince Saint Preux.
The heavy-handed veteran believes a bout with Cormier is the only logical step for the UFC take, and that belief is further bolstered with the champion also stating it’s the fight he wants next. Therefore, Bader feels the UFC has an easy decision to make and wants it to make the showdown official in quick fashion.
“Cormier went in there and won, so that’s awesome. Congrats to him, but now it’s time to do what was originally slated and make our fight happen,” Bader said. “I’m ranked No. 3 right now, and I’m on a four-fight winning streak. None of the other fighters in the top five can say that. He even said he wanted to fight me and said, ‘Let’s do this,’ so what is the UFC waiting for? Let’s book this thing, get a date and we can start getting after it. This fight is the only logical thing.
“I’m not backing off on this because this is the only fight that makes sense,” he added. “I would love to go in there and fight him in August or September, but that decision is in his court because he’s obviously the champion. I don’t care when it happens—I just want that fight.”
While the potential to become the next UFC light heavyweight champion is certainly part of Bader‘s motivation, he’s also quick to admit there are personal motives at play as well. The tension that was on display at the post-fight press conference for UFC 187 was a very real situation and something that has been bubbling up for quite some time between the two men.
While Bader is eager to step into the cage and trade leather with Cormier, he’s equally just as fired up to have the opportunity to make the 36-year-old California transplant eat his words. The Nevada native has grown tired of what he sees as Cormier running off at the mouth, and he intends to do everything he can to silence him once and for all.
“The guy doesn’t shut up,” Bader said. “He loves to hear himself talk. You saw that right away on Saturday because he comes to the press conference and demands to be addressed as ‘the champ’ and not D.C. or Daniel. He was saying all that goofy stuff, and things just kind of went on from there. To be honest, I just want to fight Cormier. It’s awesome that it would be for a title, but I just want to go in there and shut his big mouth. He’s the most arrogant champ and the least deserving in my opinion.
“Cormier already said he wants to fight me, so what are we waiting for? Let’s go in there and settle this. I guarantee the UFC and the fans I am going to go out there and lay it all on the line. I’m going to make it an exciting fight, and I’m going to look to stop D.C. and earn the respect of everybody because I don’t want anyone saying I don’t deserve this or that. I want people to know I’m the champ for a reason because I went in there and took it away from Cormier.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
It’s been four years since anyone other than Jon Jones held the UFC light heavyweight title, but a new chapter in the division began at UFC 187 on Saturday night.
After legal troubles forced the promotion to strip the pound-for-pound phenom of his…
It’s been four years since anyone other than Jon Jones held the UFC light heavyweight title, but a new chapter in the division began at UFC 187 on Saturday night.
After legal troubles forced the promotion to strip the pound-for-pound phenom of his long-held title and an indefinite suspension took him out of his bout with Anthony Johnson, there was a sudden shift in the landscape of the 205-pound ranks. Where Rumble was already lined up for a championship opportunity, Daniel Cormier became the fortunate recipient of a rare second chance to compete for the light heavyweight strap that eluded him at UFC 182 back in January.
There was history to be made Saturday night in Las Vegas, and anticipation was high to see if it would be Johnson’s devastating knockout power or Cormier’s outstanding wrestling pedigree that made the difference. With a new champion to be crowned and potential redemption hovering over the main event tilt, the stakes were high.
Despite early adversity, it was Cormier’s night to shine.
Even though Rumble floored Cormier in the opening seconds of the fight, the Louisiana native weathered the storm and implemented his wrestling-heavy game plan. The Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix winner closed the distance at every possible opportunity and was able to control the Team Blackzilians powerhouse on the canvas.
Once Cormier got in the driver’s seat, he never let off the gas and ground out Johnson until he secured the rear-naked choke in the third round to become the new UFC light heavyweight champion.
While the light heavyweight title was settled in the premier bout on the card, there was also business to be settled atop the middleweight collective. Chris Weidman and Vitor Belfort had been circling each other for more than a year, and on Saturday night the champion and challenger stepped into the Octagon with the 185-pound crown on the line.
The tension between the two men hit a fever pitch at the pre-fight weigh-ins on Friday, with Weidman stating he was going to make The Phenom pay for cheating allegations that have continued to follow the Brazilian knockout artist throughout the most recent chapter of his career.
There was no more talking once the co-main event bout got underway, and it was a shootout for as long as it lasted. Belfort rocked Weidman early with a flurry of big shots, but The All-American stunted the surge with a perfectly timed takedown. Once the action hit the mat, it was all Weidman as he pounded out the stoppage from full mount midway through the opening frame to retain his middleweight crown.
Let’s take a look at all the insanity that went into the good, bad and strange from UFC 187.
The Good
Redemption is a difficult thing to find in combat sports because there is no guarantee a second chance is ever going to come around. Daniel Cormier made the most of his second opportunity to become champion, and his diligence and determination helped him weather the storm to derail Anthony Johnson to become the new titleholder in the 205-pound division.
While Johnson’s power appeared as if it was going to end things early, Cormier found his way through the onslaught and used his wrestling to turn the tide of the fight in his favor. With DC being a two-time former Olympic wrestler, his grappling was simply too much for Johnson to handle, and the Florida transplant wilted under the pressure.
Johnson was in desperation mode going into the third round and stayed that way until Cormier locked on the fight-ending rear-naked choke to secure the victory.
With his goal now reached and the light heavyweight championship around his waist, Cormier will now set his sights on redemption of a different kind. Jon Jones is the only man to defeat him inside the Octagon, and there is no doubt Bones will be looking to reclaim his title when his suspension is lifted. That sets the stage for a highly anticipated rematch, and it was all made possible by Cormier’s gritty performance at UFC 187.
*** The lack of recognition Chris Weidman has received since becoming middleweight champion may be coming to an end after his performance Saturday night. The undefeated champion who had twice bested Anderson Silva and beat former light heavyweight titleholder Lyoto Machida added another Brazilian legend to his resume.
He pummeled Vitor Belfort to retain his crown at UFC 187. It was another impressive performance for Weidman and one where he showed yet again he can handle adversity inside the Octagon.
While the Serra-Longo standout wanted to take the fight to the canvas from the onset, Belfort was able to keep the fight standing and put some punishment on the New York native. Weidman was rocked by several big shots, but he kept his composure and hit a takedown when he needed it the most.
Once he had top position, Weidman rained down elbows and punches until referee Herb Dean stepped in to stop the fight. With the win, he has three successful title defenses and will be waiting for Luke Rockhold or Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, depending on who gets the call.
*** No fighter on the current lightweight roster is hotter than Donald Cerrone right now. Cowboy was originally slated to put his seven-fight winning streak on the line against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 187, but when the undefeated Dagestani fell out due to injury, the Colorado native had a decision to make.
In typical Cerrone fashion he chose to remain on the card and fought Canadian powerhouse John Makdessi. In a fight where there was little to gain, Cerrone still showed up and did his thing, as he scored a blistering head-kick knockout in the final round to pick up his eighth consecutive victory.
While Makdessi wasn’t ranked in the upper tier of the crowded lightweight fold, that detail doesn’t really matter at this point. What does is the fact Cerrone has been cutting like a buzz saw through top-level competition.
The logical next step is a shot at Rafael dos Anjos. RDA won their first meeting back in 2013, but that loss ignited something fierce in the hard-charging striker, and the time is now for Cerrone to get his long-awaited shot at the UFC lightweight strap.
***Seven years ago Andrei Arlovski and the UFC parted ways. In his time away from the sport’s biggest stage, The Pit Bull experienced a mixture of success and failure, which left many doubting whether or not his best days were behind him.
They’re not.
Arlovski not only proved he’s still one of the best heavyweights in the world but he’s also able to put out the most dangerous strikers on the planet. The Belarusian striker put a beating on Travis Browne in one of the most action-packed first rounds to ever go down in the heavyweight division.
Arlovski rocked the lengthy Hawaiian early and often but just couldn’t put Hapa away. And just when it seemed as if Arlovski was going to seal the deal, Browne unleashed a big shot that put the Jackson/Winkeljohn-trained fighter on the canvas.
Then as Browne tried to finish, Arlovski found his bearings and swung the fight back in his favor. He was able to finish the fight with a flurry against the cage to pick up his third straight victory inside the Octagon and secure one of the most exciting performances of his storied career in the process.
*** With four of the top-ranked flyweights competing at UFC 187, the pressure was on for the little guys to not only win but to perform in such a fashion where the next title shot would be the reward. While John Dodson and Zach Makovsky had a solid bout that was heavy on mutual respect, Joseph Benavidez and John Moraga went at it like there was a stolen bike involved.
The Team Alpha Male representative and the MMA Lab product let the leather fly fast and furious throughout the 15-minute affair. When the final bell sounded, it was Benavidez who took the nod on the judges’ scorecards to pick up his third consecutive victory and take a strong step back to another title opportunity.
*** Getting back to his winning ways was the primary objective for Dong Hyun Kim at UFC 187, and he accomplished that in strong fashion. Stun Gun locked up with a game Josh Burkman and was able to put The People’s Warrior away with an arm-triangle choke in the third round.
While the savvy veteran rocked the South Korean judoka in the stand-up game on occasion, Kim’s grappling was simply too much for Burkman to handle. With the win, Kim has now found success in five of his last six outings and will remain a staple in the elite level of the welterweight division.
*** The bad blood was pumping in the bout between Rafael Natal and Uriah Hall, but it was Sapo who took the fight on the scorecards. While Prime Time came out sharp and aggressive to win the opening round, the Renzo Gracie-trained fighter got his grappling game working in the second.
It was anyone’s fight going into the final frame, and Natal was able to push the action as Hall’s gas tank faded. Although the fight was close and the split-decision victory was debatable, Natal will return to Brazil a notch up in what is sure to be an ongoing feud.
*** Some amazing talent has come out of Dagestan as of late, and Islam Makhachev became the latest to make a splash on the sport’s biggest stage at UFC 187. The 23-year-old American Kickboxing Academy representative made an impressive debut by dominating Leo Kuntz until he ended the bout via rear-naked choke in the second round.
Makhachev’s lopsided victory not only kept his undefeated record intact but also made a strong statement that he’s going to be a solid addition to the already deep lightweight ranks.
*** After suffering back-to-back losses inside the Octagon, Justin Scoggins’ flyweight prospect card was in serious jeopardy. Granted, those setbacks came against top-level competition, but if the South Carolina native was going to retain any of the hype that surrounded him upon arriving to the UFC, then he needed to get back into the win column on Saturday. That’s exactly what he accomplished, using his full offensive arsenal to best Josh Sampo on the preliminary portion of the card to earn his third victory in the UFC.
The Bad
The prospect label has a shelf life in mixed martial arts, and that is a reality Travis Browne is living in after Saturday night.
The talented Hawaiian striker surged through the heavyweight ranks by leveling his competition in brutal fashion and appeared to be the next big thing in the heavyweight division. That said, a devastating knockout at the hands of Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva starched that run, and he was forced to regather and regroup.
Browne bounced back in strong fashion by putting together a solid three-fight winning streak and was poised once again to break through into title contention until Fabricio Werdum battered him for three rounds at UFC on Fox 11 in April 2014.
Yet, with Browne’s obvious talent and the heavyweight collective thin on contenders, there was still room for him to fulfill his potential and become a contender. A victory over Brendan Schaub in December served to bolster that notion, and he came into his bout at UFC 187 against Andrei Arlovski seemingly only one win away from a title opportunity.
While The Pit Bull came into the bout with some momentum of his own, the bout had the feeling it was Browne’s moment to shine against a former champion.
Nevertheless, the end result was anything but that, as Arlovski scored a first-round knockout in violent fashion. In what was one of the craziest and chaotic displays of scrapping to ever go down in the heavyweight division, Browne was caught early and never truly recovered. Although he leveled the Belarusian with a bomb of his own, the two-time former champion regained his composure and put Browne away shortly thereafter.
While his loss at UFC 187 won’t send him tumbling down the divisional hierarchy, it will make it hard for Browne to recover the buzz that once surrounded him.
Another fighter who knows about expectations is Uriah Hall. The New York-based knockout artist created a monster buzz on Season 17 of The Ultimate Fighter, and in those circumstances, any and all errors are going to be magnified.
That was certainly the case when Hall dropped his first two official bouts under the UFC banner, as it seemed every bit of hype surrounding the Jamaican-born striker had been deflated. Nevertheless, he was able to bounce back and notch three consecutive victories, but his bout with Rafael Natal on Saturday night came at a crucial juncture of his career.
UFC 187 was Hall’s opportunity to prove he is ready to face the next level of talent in the middleweight fold, but coming out on the business end of a split-decision loss will do him zero favors in that regard.
While the fight was close and the decision could have gone either way, Hall’s lack of urgency as the fight hit the homestretch was apparent. He had the speed advantage in the matchup, but that all but evaporated when his gas tank started to deplete in the third round.
While his loss on Saturday night won’t do any major damage to his current standing in the 185-pound fold, the dialogue in regard to his failure to meet expectations will amplify. Hall’s skills and talent are obvious to anyone who has seen him fight, but his continued failure to fight a complete bout from start to finish will haunt him.
The Strange
With the Jones incident kicking open the strange vault before UFC 187 even got underway, the expectations were high for some unusual happenings to take place Saturday night in Las Vegas. That notion was validated in the hours leading up to the event when Nina Ansaroff fell victim to an unfortunate flu virus that led to her bout with Rose Namajunas being cancelled.
Having to pull out of the bout put the cap on what was already a bad trip to Nevada for the 29-year-old strawweight. She came in four pounds over the allowed weight limit at Friday’s weigh-ins, which cost her 20 percent of her fight purse under the guidelines of the Nevada State Athletic Commission. The Florida native made no attempt to cut any further weight and willingly handed over a chunk of her earnings to Namajunas.
While the UFC has its consistency issues in other areas when it comes to disciplining fighters, one avenue the promotion has never took kindly to is missing weight. The events that took place in the lead-up to UFC 187 are a bad look for Ansaroff, who was attempting to get back into the win column after losing to Juliana Lima in her promotional debut back in November.
And even though the strange was thin for the majority of the undercard for UFC 187, it doubled up in the bout between John Dodson and Zach Makovsky.
With The Magician and the Firas Zahabi-trained fighter both in the hunt for the next shot at Demetrious Johnson’s flyweight title, the action was figured to be full throttle from start to finish. Yet, since the fighters are friends and have trained together in the past, there was also the potential there would be plenty of shared smiles and “bro hugs” given throughout the fight.
And on that front there was no disappointment. While there were solid stretches of action between the former title challenger and the former Bellator champion, the bout also appeared to be a sparring session at times. The biggest supporting element to this notion came when Dodson extended his hand to help Makovsky off the canvas, where Fun Size was fending off the Albuquerque, New Mexico, native’s power shots just moments earlier.
While there doesn’t have to be bad blood between fighters to make things exciting, when there is too much respect or a personal relationship connecting them, it erases the prospect of something ferocious happening inside the Octagon.
Even though Dodson took the victory on the judges’ scorecards to mark a successful return to action following a knee injury that kept him on the shelf for nearly a year, it may not have been enough to secure another crack at Mighty Mouse in his next outing.
Then again, with the lack of depth in the flyweight ranks, Dodson well could have secured the second title shot he’s been chasing since Johnson bested him at UFC on Fox 6 back in January 2013. It’s also quite possible the UFC is trying to get fight fans to get behind Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo by showing his face in places he doesn’t even belong.
Perhaps someone in the production truck will get that timeout John Makdessi was trying to call in his fight.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
When Dominick Cruz steps into the Octagon to do his thing, something special happens. The fleet-footed bantamweight ruled the 135-pound ranks of both the WEC and the UFC until a nasty series of knee injuries put his career on the shelf for the better p…
When Dominick Cruz steps into the Octagon to do his thing, something special happens. The fleet-footed bantamweight ruled the 135-pound ranks of both the WEC and the UFC until a nasty series of knee injuries put his career on the shelf for the better part of three years.
While it was certainly an unfortunate turn for the San Diego resident, “The Dominator” stayed on his hustle and forged a bulletproof mental game that allowed him to make an impressive return to action when he starched savvy veteran Takeya Mizugaki at UFC 178 in September 2014.
In the aftermath of his win in Las Vegas, Cruz appeared ready to reclaim his place atop the bantamweight division, but another knee injury would force him to the sidelines once again.
Nevertheless, throughout all his trials and tribulations on the fighting side of his career, Cruz has used his time away from the cage to flourish in another avenue.
The former champion has become one of the premier analysts in the MMA game, and his work behind the Fox Sports 1 desk is proof of that notion. He approaches the analyst side of the fight with the same cerebral style he’s used throughout his career at the highest level of the sport.
The insight he provides on fight night is top-notch. We corralled Cruz to get his take on the action coming up this weekend at UFC 187.
While you are working the pre- and post-fight shows this weekend for Fox Sports 1, you have also been involved in a multitude of shows for the network. Are things as busy as they seem for Dominick Cruz these days?
I really enjoy doing this kind of work, and it has been a learning experience. It’s been just another step in my life for me to evolve. Everything in my life happens for a reason, and I’m going to choose this chapter to continue my growth. That’s the way I look at it. It’s a job and it’s work, but thank God I have Fox giving me work because I can’t make money fighting.
We all know that if you aren’t making money prizefighting, then you better have a job somewhere to bring money in. And if it wasn’t for Fox, then I would have to go get a job somewhere around San Diego because everything is different when you are hurt the way I am. I look at this as a must-have job.
Having an analyst role on television comes with a wide variety of requirements. One of the biggest is being able to deliver quality information in a manner that is easily digested by the masses. During your time behind the desk, you’ve shown the ability to provide indepth analysis and insight, all the while still speaking in terms the casual fight fan can understand. Was this a major goal in your initial approach to the job?
To share information in a way that is easy to understand is something I strive for, but it’s also kind of something I’m just able to do. I really believe God gave me a gift to do this because I really had no other option.
I blew my knee out, and there went my form of income. It was sink or swim in this situation, so I got to work. I’ve put everything I can into getting better. I’ve approached this with the same championship mindset I used in fighting. I just put on a different hat and used that same intensity to learn how to break down fights.
I remember when I was coming up and I brought this style analysts didn’t have a clue at beginning to explain. So they just called it weird and awkward when it was neither of those things. Now, I’m in the position where it doesn’t matter what the style is; I know how to break it down.
I’m a professional fighter who can do every element of mixed martial arts, and whenever a new style comes in I can break down every aspect of it. Instead of fighters coming up and having their styles called weird or whatever, I’m glad I can be there to be able to analyze them and call things what they really are.
Let’s turn our attention to the action this Saturday at UFC 187, and we’ll start with the main event bout between Anthony Johnson and Daniel Cormier for the vacant light heavyweight crown. The details regarding how this fight came to be have been well-documented, and it’s hard to deny the fact the absence of Jon Jones is something that is hanging over this fight.
You also have Cormier coming off a title loss to Jones—the first of his professional career—and Johnson having the chance to rise to championship status despite being released from the organization several years ago.
What do you think is going on in both men’s heads as they are heading into their showdown on Saturday night in Las Vegas?
I honestly don’t think redemption or any of those other things are on their minds right now. Daniel and Rumble are just thinking about going out there and fighting the man in front of them. That’s the thing about fighters people don’t really understand.
When we are getting ready for a fight, we try to keep things as basic and bland as possible for our brains. You shut out everything that doesn’t matter and only focus on the things that do. And if I’m D.C. or Anthony, the only thing I’m thinking about is the style of the fighter that is going to be in front of me.
People’s opinions or people saying the winner of this fight won’t be the true champion because they didn’t beat Jon Jones…none of that really matters. All that matters is Cormier knowing Rumble Johnson throws heat, and he’s gonna want to take my head off. He has a good right high kick but stays pretty stationary.
On Johnson’s side he’s thinking about D.C. having good head movement and strong underhooks, so he’s going to have to keep my elbows in. Things like that because they are worried about the fight. That’s it.
The co-main event at UFC 187 will feature the long-awaited bout between middleweight champion Chris Weidman and No. 1 contender Vitor Belfort.
This is an interesting situation because this fight was supposed to happen on a number of occasions, but Belfort backing out after the Nevada State Athletic Commission banned TRT and Weidman getting hurt twice has kept this collision from happening.
All the waiting will be over on Saturday night, and what is it like for these fighters to have to go through the start, stop then start again process?
That’s part of the fight game. Look at the positions I’ve been in. I was supposed to fight like three different times, but I had to pull out due to injury. That sucks, but I can’t just give up because I happened to get injured again. I had to keep my mind strong, and then I came out and won in my return fight. These guys are thinking the same way.
Like I said, none of that other stuff matters. None of the past injuries or the dates that were set and fell apart matter to these guys right now. The only thing that matters is they are fighting now and doing what it takes to stay healthy, peaked, sharped and perfect on fight night.
That is what they are thinking about right now, and I can guarantee you they don’t care about any of the other things that came before. I guarantee it.
Vitor Belfort is obviously well-known for his striking, but Chris Weidman has some underrated skills in that department in his own right. They both have strong ground games as well, so how do you see this fight playing out stylistically?
I see Weidman taking Belfort down and Vitor wanting to close his guard because he’s very confident in his black belt in jiu-jitsu. I see Weidman being able ride out Vitor for a long time because of the habits Belfort has with his Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Now, that’s just saying Vitor believes in his ground game that much that he stays on his back, keeps closed guard and tries for submissions from his back, while Weidman is punching and controlling the top position. If things play out this way, I don’t see Vitor having a lot of success.
If Vitor comes out and does what he’s done with a lot of people, then he will strike and strike and strike, and that is where he’ll have the best chance to beat Weidman. Then again, there are times when Vitor gets taken down where he’ll use submission attempts to get back to his feet.
He’ll go for an armbar to create space, and then after he misses the armbar his feet come back down to the hips, and he kicks you away, turns into a single and then stands up. This is the type of stuff Vitor must do in this fight. He has to rely on some of his wrestling at least to get up because Weidman will take him down at least once.
If Vitor closes his guard and accepts that takedown then Weidman is just going to keep punching, and the chances of him being able to submit Weidman are much slimmer than him being able to knock Weidman out in my opinion.
Moving down the card, let’s talk about Donald Cerrone. “Cowboy” is currently riding a seven-fight winning streak and has consistently looked better each and every time out during this current run. What have you seen in Cerrone’s game as of late as opposed to the Cerrone from just a few years back?
More than anything I believe Donald just found his peace. He found out the way his own brain works is what I see. He knows all of the sports and activities he does before his fights are coping mechanisms.
Some people stay quiet and do nothing, but Donald Cerrone goes and uses adrenaline throughout every single thing he does. He uses it to cut weight, stay mentally sharp and to feel larger-than-life. He uses it as a tool to get ready for the fight that is coming up. He does it to keep his mind off how much he needs to fight.
It’s just another day to him, and that’s how he makes peace with it. He knows he’s going to have to get in there and fight, but he’s still going to go wakeboarding or jump a dirt bike. He takes out the importance of the fight in his brain and makes it just another fun thing he’s doing. That’s what I think has really changed for Cerrone.
He found peace and also narrowed the biggest hole in his game in his wrestling. He’s worked on. He didn’t just try to make his other areas stronger to avoid that part of his game; he brought in wrestlers that could manhandle him. He took his lickings, and now he’s a little bit better at it. Fixing his wrestling and getting his mind together are two of the big things that have made all the difference in his style.
There is a heavyweight fight on the card between Travis Browne and Andrei Arlovski, and this fight is interesting for several reasons. First and foremost the winner could be poised to get the next shot at the heavyweight crown, but these two fighters are also very familiar with one another due to being former training partners. In your experience, what is it like to compete against someone you have trained with and know on a personal level?
For some people it’s a good thing, and they like to be friends with the person they are fighting because it gives them this feeling of a safe zone or peace because they are friends with the person. As far as Travis and Arlovski go….I’m not sure exactly. I don’t know what they know. They may have trained together a while ago, but who knows how long ago that was or how the training sessions went?
We also don’t know how their respective camps went. Therefore training together a few years ago could mean very little other than maybe remembering some details about who was stronger or faster in sparring. Getting a little confidence one way or the other is the only thing I really see having to do with their past training in this fight.
In your opinion where does this fight sit in the run for the next shot at the heavyweight title?
I think the UFC is dying for stars in the heavyweight division and a lot of other divisions because we are doing so many shows. If the winner of this fight got the next title shot, I wouldn’t be surprised or upset because they both bring it.
We really need to get some more title fights going. We need as many title fights as we can get just as we need as many promising potential contenders as we can get as well. The winner of this fight getting a shot wouldn’t bother me one bit.
Let’s close things up talking about that exact scenario in the flyweight division. There are a pair of high-profile fights at UFC 187 as Joseph Benavidez faces John Moraga to kick off the pay-per-view portion of the event, and John Dodson faces Zach Makovsky in the showcase fight on Fox Sports 1.
With everything being so closely contested in the 125-pound ranks, does it come down to the fighter who wins the most impressively on Saturday night getting the next crack at Demetrious Johnson’s flyweight strap?
I think that’s very possible. I mean why not? Demetrious has been dominating everyone he’s faced and has pretty much cleaned out the division, so anyone they can scrape up at this point is sounding pretty good. I could definitely see the fighter who wins in the most impressive fashion getting the next title shot or maybe another title shot for some of the fighters involved.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Second chances are few and far between at the highest level of any sport, and Daniel Cormier’s shot at redemption appeared when he least expected it.
The former Olympic wrestler was preparing for his June 6 bout with Ryan Bader at Fight Night 68&…
Second chances are few and far between at the highest level of any sport, and Daniel Cormier‘s shot at redemption appeared when he least expected it.
The former Olympic wrestler was preparing for his June 6 bout with Ryan Bader at Fight Night 68 when word came from UFC brass that he would step in to fight for the suddenly vacant light heavyweight title due to a legal situation created by Jon Jones.
Back in January, the American Kickboxing Academy representative Cormier had been handed the first loss of his professional career when he faced the pound-for-pound phenom at UFC 182. Cormier figured it would it would take a few wins before he was able to get another shot at the light heavyweight strap.
Nevertheless, once the UFC stripped Jones of his title and suspended him indefinitely, an opening appeared opposite Anthony “Rumble” Johnson in the main event at UFC 187 on Saturday. While that date was a few weeks earlier than what he was originally preparing for, nothing was going to hold “D.C.” back from another crack at championship gold.
Suddenly, the chance to shake off the sting of defeat and disappointment was going to come front and center, and Cormier is no stranger to having to dig deep when the chips don’t fall his way initially.
Above all the talent he possesses, there is a resilience inside the Louisiana native that allows him to keep moving forward, despite whatever twists and turns come his way. Cormier is determined to become a champion under the UFC banner, and the only thing standing between him and that goal is a heavy-handed knockout artist on his own path toward redemption.
“I was as excited as anyone would be to get that call,” Cormier told Bleacher Report. “You gotta think about the fact that we are guys who get the chance to compete at the highest level, and to get the opportunity I’m getting with another title shot is a blessing.
“After my fight with Jones, I was pretty down in the dumps. I didn’t know what was going to happen, but then I got the fight with Bader and the opportunity to rebuild myself. When this fight came along, it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. No person in their right mind would pass up this opportunity.
“You can look at my career and see my track record and ability to bounce back from adversity. When things are going bad, I pick myself up and rebuild myself. That’s what I said after my fight with Jon. I told everyone I would be better for that happening. That was my intention.
“But now, I get the opportunity to get through that process much quicker than I expected. Before, I thought I would have to fight Jones again to redeem myself. But now, I get the chance to achieve the ultimate goal without that happening.
“It’s just crazy to think that a guy who defended the belt eight different times against eight different people is no longer in that picture right now,” he added. “But that’s on Jon…and I have to take this opportunity for what it is. And that is the chance to make my dream come true. If you’ve followed my career then you have seen that when things are at their lowest, I’ve always found a way to come back better than ever before.”
While additional storylines have floated around in the buildup to UFC 187, the only one that matters to Cormier is being prepared to face the man who will stand across from him inside the Octagon. Where Johnson was once a floundering welterweight who struggled to hit his contracted weight limit on multiple occasions and was released from the promotion because of it, the new and improved version of the Blackzilians is a completely different animal.
Immediately after being cut from the UFC, the Georgia native began to compete in his natural weight class, and the results have been devastating. Johnson has notched nine consecutive victories, with his three most recent wins coming in his return to the biggest stage in MMA. His last outing resulted in a first-round knockout over former title challenger Alexander Gustafsson, as Johnson leveled “The Mauler” in a quick and brutal fashion.
His victory in Sweden earned him the right to fight for the light heavyweight strap, and even though circumstances changed his opponent, Cormier knows Johnson will bring his best. That said, he is confident he will be up to the challenge and plans to make a long-awaited dream come true Saturday night in Las Vegas.
“I know I’m in for a tough fight,” Cormier said. “This is going to be an uphill battle for me against a very dangerous opponent. This is going to be a big challenge, but I’m up for it. I’m up for facing his power punches and putting his wrestling to the test. I’m up for everything Rumble Johnson is going to bring to the table. I know how tough this is going to be, and it’s going to be my determination that is going to pull me through this situation.
“I’m a fighter. I’ve learned over the course of these 16 fights over the past five years that I’m a fighter. I’ll fight no matter the situation. Even in the face of adversity, I’m going to be in there giving my all. I’ll never give up on myself. Even when the fifth round of that fight with Jones came around, I wasn’t giving up on myself. I was in there trying to fight, and I’ll do that every second I’m conscious inside the Octagon.
“The only way to take the fight out of me is to put me out, but as long as I’m up and I have a chance to accomplish this goal, that’s what I’m going to do.
“My resume and work that I’ve done throughout my career has allowed me this opportunity, and I plan on taking advantage of it this time to become the new UFC light heavyweight champion,” he added. “I don’t care who I have to beat to get that belt. The important thing to me is getting that belt strapped around my waist.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand, unless noted otherwise.
There are few fighters in the heavyweight ranks who have a more “been there, done that” mentality than Andrei Arlovski.
The Belarusian striker is a two-time former heavyweight champion under the UFC banner and has maintained his status as one of the el…
There are few fighters in the heavyweight ranks who have a more “been there, done that” mentality than Andrei Arlovski.
The Belarusian striker is a two-time former heavyweight champion under the UFC banner and has maintained his status as one of the elite-level heavyweight fighters across the globe for more than a decade. Yet, Arlovksi in his latest form appears to be aiming to get his hands back on championship gold, and that’s exactly what he’s looking to accomplish on the road ahead.
The Pit Bull has won back-to-back showings since returning to the UFC in 2014, and has run his current winning streak to four straight victories going back to March of 2013. This consistency is concrete proof that the former fleet-footed knockout artist has rediscovered his groove and is firing on all cylinders inside the Octagon.
“I have really been moving well in my recent fights and that’s what I’m going to try to do in my next fight as well,” Arlovski told Bleacher Report. “I am at my best when I use my footwork with my striking and I believe going back to having more movement inside the cage has been a big part of my recent success. We worked it a lot for this camp and I’m ready to go.
His surging confidence will be put to the test on Saturday night when he faces former training partner and fellow potential title hopeful Travis Browne at UFC 187. Where Arlovski is chasing his own redemption under the UFC banner, Hapa is after a similar goal as well. The rangy Hawaiian striker has twice been poised to break through into title contention, but has been turned back sharply in both of those outings.
The heavyweight tilt between Arlovski and Browne will see one man’s dreams dashed for the foreseeable future, while it will keep the other man’s fire raging hot. Arlovski is confident he will be the one who goes on while his opponent is sent to the back of the line in the heavyweight ranks. While that particular scenario could be rough waters on the relationship of the former training partners, Arlovski is quick to cite championship ambitions and the fight business in general leaves little room for friendships.
“I am feeling great,” Arlovski said. “My training has gone very well and I had an incredible camp to prepare me for this fight. I’m ready to face Travis Browne on Saturday and I’m excited for the fight.
“This wasn’t my first pick on who I wanted to fight, but at the end of the day it’s business and nothing personal. It is my goal to be champion again one day and I would most likely have to face Travis anyway. We will see what will happen on May 23 and after, but this is just business for me. He accepted the fight as well and I agreed after him. Now we are going to fight and we’ll see what happens.
“I am very happy to be back fighting in the UFC,” he added. “It is the best organization in the world and it is where all the best fighters in the world are. This is where I belong and it is the reason the UFC brought me back. I’m very appreciative to be back and I’m going to/ make the most of my second chance. I’m in my prime so I think my best is still yet to come.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Zach Makovsky’s primary goal throughout his mixed martial arts career has been to prove he’s the best of the best in whatever weight class he chooses to compete in.
While that mentality—in addition to a versatile skill set—has allowed him t…
Zach Makovsky‘s primary goal throughout his mixed martial arts career has been to prove he’s the best of the best in whatever weight class he chooses to compete in.
While that mentality—in addition to a versatile skill set—has allowed him to pick up multiple championships across smaller stages in the sport, he’s yet to reach the pinnacle of becoming a UFC champion.
With that said, “Fun Size” has made solid strides toward making that dream a reality during his time under the UFC banner, as the Pennsylvania native has found victory in all but one of his four showings inside the Octagon.
Furthermore, Makovsky has done so against tough competition, and his efficiency and consistency have made him a major player in the steadily-growing flyweight division.
Yet in order for the FirasZahabi-trained fighter to carve out his place in the divisional title picture, he’s going to need a victory over one of the elite members of the upper tier at 125 pounds. The 32-year-old veteran will get his biggest opportunity to date when he faces former title challenger and flyweight powerhouse John Dodson at UFC 187 on Saturday night in Las Vegas.
Where the natural competitor inside Makovsky allows him to get up for every fight without need for additional motivation, his upcoming tilt with “The Magician” comes with an additional storyline attached, as friendship and mutual respect exist between the two elite-level fighters.
Nevertheless, both are determined to get their hands on championship gold in the UFC and have put all emotions aside going into the fight.
“Honestly I was a little torn because John [Dodson] and I are somewhat friends,” Makovsky told Bleacher Report. “It wasn’t my first choice of opponent, but at the same time, I knew when they offered it how huge of an opportunity it was. I talked to John about it and there are no hard feelings. There’s nothing personal and it’s just part of competing in this sport. This is a huge opportunity for me. He’s the second-ranked flyweight in the world and he’s been in there and fought for the title. It would be a great win for me.”
Makovsky is looking at Dodson as the dangerous threat he is, and the fact that a win on Saturday would put him in the thick of the title hunt is an additional detail to be acknowledged rather than focused upon.
He knows there is an ample amount of risk and reward threaded through his upcoming tilt with the Ultimate Fighter winner, but he’s lending far more attention to what Dodson will bring to the table on fight night, as opposed to what the fruits of his labor could produce in the aftermath.
Granted, there’s nothing he wants more than a chance to compete for the flyweight strap later in the year, but the Pittsburgh-based former Bellator champion knows he needs to be complete in the here and now on fight night—not worried about what could possibly happen down the road.
“I believe I match up very well with John,” Makovsky explained. “I think he’s one of the fastest and most athletic guys in the division. He’s one of the more explosive guys in the entire UFC, and he uses those skills to his advantage. He uses his speed and power to the fullest, and I’m going to do my best to take those things away from him.
“I think overall I have a larger skill set and can do more things MMA-wise. I just can’t get caught up playing his game too much because he’s dangerous. He has been able to pretty much do damage to everyone he’s faced with his left hand, and that’s something i definitely have to be careful of. I need to impose my game and not let him dance around on the outside and throw that left hand.”
While Makovsky is poised to step into the biggest bout of his career at UFC 187 on Saturday night, a large portion of his dream in MMA has already been fulfilled.
Just making it to the ranks of the UFC roster was an ambition forged in the early stages of his career, and it served as his primary motivation up until he made his successful promotional debut by defeating Scott Jorgensen at UFC on Fox 9 in December of 2013.
With one big achievement already marked off his list and a pair of additional wins moving him up the divisional hierarchy, Makovsky is ready to prove he’s a legitimate threat to the flyweight title.
He will need a defeat Dodson to set that status in stone, and that’s precisely what he intends to do at UFC 187.
“It’s been great fighting in the UFC,” Makovsky said. “It is the place you want to be if you are a fighter. There’s no MMA fighter that doesn’t want to fight in the UFC. It’s the highest level of competition and there is no other place that brings as much visibility and attention as the UFC does. It’s also the organization that provides the best chance for a fighter to make a living for themselves.
“Ever since I started in MMA, my goal has been to reach the UFC. It was one of my major goals coming up as a fighter. Now I’m here and I’m a couple of fights [in] and now I’m ready to make a run at the title. I really feel like I’m one big win away from that. He [Dodson] was supposed to fight for the title before he got injured and I think the winner of this fight should get the next title shot.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Ryan Bader is flat-out fired up. The surging contender has his sights set on a bout with newly crowned light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier, and he’s going to keep pressing until he gets what he wants.