When the next wave of mixed martial artists or future superstars are mentioned, Rory MacDonald’s name will be found at the top of the list.The Tri-Star fighter has steamrolled his way through one of the UFC’s most competitive divisions and in the proce…
When the next wave of mixed martial artists or future superstars are mentioned, Rory MacDonald’s name will be found at the top of the list.
The Tri-Star fighter has steamrolled his way through one of the UFC‘s most competitive divisions and in the process of doing so, raised his stock in the 170-pound weight class.
While a higher profile and acclaim may be things most fighters pursue, the 23-year-old MacDonald doesn’t concern himself with those matters. His only focus is continued improvement inside the cage and everything else outside of his personal evolution is dismissed.
On Saturday night MacDonald will step in against former two-divisional champion B.J. Penn at UFC on Fox 5 in Seattle WA,. The matchup is one of the most anticipated bouts on a stacked Fox card.
Despite the biggest fight of his career against an MMA legend looming around the corner and taking place on a high profile Fox event, MacDonald remains stoic and unaffected by the increased attention.
“It doesn’t matter,” MacDonald said. “It means nothing to me. Zero. This fight could not even be televised and I wouldn’t care.”
“I’m not trying to be a legend or make a name for myself at this moment in time. I enjoy fighting and I think this is a great fight. I think B.J. is a great fighter and I have a lot of respect for him. Fighting a guy as talented as him really excites me. I’m really not in this sport for status. I just like to fight.”
“I’m just going to be myself in there. I really don’t carry a new mindset for each new opponent I face. I just try to be me. If I beat him because of who I am and the way I practice—then great. If I don’t, then he is the better man. I know everyone says this but I feel that I’ve improved a lot. I am going to be myself but people are going to see the improvements I have made.”
When it comes to MacDonald’s preparation for his bout with “The Prodigy,” there is no better person to have in his corner than trainer FirasZhabi. The Tri-Star leader has successfully game planned for Penn on two occasions as Zhabi‘s star pupil Georges St. Pierre has defeated the Hawaiian both times they squared off.
While the road to victory against Penn has previously been navigated, Zhabi doesn’t discredit the difficulty of the task at hand.
“It always helps to know your opponent,” Zhabi said. “It definitely helps but I wouldn’t say it is easy. It is going to be a tough fight. It’s an advantage to have been down that road but it’s a tough road to go down. I know how tough it is. I’ve seen Georges fight him and the preparation that has gone into fighting B.J. Penn. He’ s a tough guy and Rory is an extremely tough guy; that is why I’m so excited to see this fight.”
“Rory has more surprises to show. He has done a lot of things in practice he hasn’t been able to show in his fights. I think the surprises in this fight are going to come from Rory’s end because there is so much unknown about him. He is relentless in his preparation. He is completely dedicated to performing. He’s punching the clock, putting in the hours at the gym, and he reminds me a lot of the way Georges prepares.”
Over the past two years MacDonald’s momentum has been halted by injury on several occasions. He recently vocalized his intention to compete as often as possible, and heading into Seattle and the road beyond, his focus will be fixed on continuing his progression.”
“That has always been the plan,” MacDonald said about staying active. “I fought Nate Diaz and fought Mike Pyle a couple months later. I was scheduled to fight Brian Ebersole but had to withdraw because of a knee injury. Then I was matched up with Che [Mills] but that fight was pushed back because of issues with the card. After I fought Mills I had this fight scheduled with Penn a few months later but the eye injury happened.”
“Those have been bumps in the road. It wasn’t scheduled on my behalf to take that much time off. It is just the way it played out and I’m trying my best to eliminate those issues.”
Duane Finley is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained firsthand.
Mixed martial arts is a sport filled with interesting paradoxes. Many consider MMA to be a young man’s game, but at the same time, experience inside the cage is regarded as one of the most valuable assets a fighter can possess. It is an ever-evolving c…
Mixed martial arts is a sport filled with interesting paradoxes. Many consider MMA to be a young man’s game, but at the same time, experience inside the cage is regarded as one of the most valuable assets a fighter can possess. It is an ever-evolving craft where the the expansion of skill is crucial, and while fighters must progress in order to keep pace, they must also stay true to the core discipline which set their career motion.
A decade ago, fighters who were able to branch off from their original strengths quickly rose to the top of the sport. Things are much different in today’s game, as a well-rounded skill set is a necessity for fighters looking to be competitive. The changing tides have opened the doors for a new breed of fighter to emerge, and surging welterweight Rory MacDonald is leading the charge.
The 23-year-old British Columbia native has used a unique blend of wrestling and brutal ground and pound to become one of the UFC’s most touted prospects. With victories in four of his five Octagon showings and impressive performances against Nate Diaz, Mike Pyle and Che Mills, “Ares” has positioned himself on the doorstep of the welterweight division’s upper tier.
In order for the Tri-Star product to cross over from prospect to contender, he will need a definitive win against a high-profile opponent. It is a step MacDonald has been longing to take, and that opportunity will come front and center next Saturday night when he faces former two-divisional champion B.J. Penn at UFC on Fox 5 in Seattle WA,.
“The Prodigy” represents the young Canadian’s biggest challenge to date. Should he find success against the MMA legend, MacDonald will firmly plant himself amongst the best in the weight class.
Early Success and Lessons Learned
After earning nine consecutive victories on the regional scene, complete with a King of the Cage title, MacDonald made his UFC debut in January of 2010. In his initial showing inside the Octagon, he squared off with veteran Mike Guymon. After getting dropped in the early goings of the bout, MacDonald was able to regain his footing and submitted “Joker” with an armbar late in the first round.
Earning a victory on the sport’s biggest stage provided a boost of confidence as MacDonald made a proper introduction to the UFC fanbase.
The next challenge would take place on his home turf of Vancouver, British Columbia, as he stepped in against former WEC welterweight champion Carlos Condit at UFC 115. From the opening bell MacDonald jumped out to an impressive start as he imposed his will on “The Natural Born Killer,” using his wrestling advantage to put Condit on the canvas.
After two rounds MacDonald found himself in control of the fight, but the Albuquerque native cranked up the intensity in the final frame. Condit‘s attack eventually overwhelmed a fading MacDonald as he pounded out the stoppage victory in the final seconds of the bout.
Despite both men earning “Fight of the Night” honors and the battle being one of the year’s best, the loss was a tough pill for the Canadian to swallow. It was the first setback of MacDonald’s career, and it provided added motivation for him to get back on track in his next outing. That opportunity would come against Stockton “badboy” Nate Diaz at UFC 129, and MacDonald was eager to find redemption.
The Waterboy No More; Enter the God of War
While there was a buzz building around MacDonald for his performance in the Condit fight, the loss ultimately left a bad taste in his mouth. In order to get things back on track, he would need a strong showing against Diaz in Toronto, and MacDonald wasted no time getting down to business.
Over three rounds he out-worked, out-muscled, and simply out-classed the Season 5 The Ultimate Fighter winner in route to a lopsided decision victory. It wasn’t the first time the younger Diaz had been defeated inside the Octagon, but the fashion in which the Caesar Gracie-trained fighter was dominated, cemented MacDonald as a fighter to watch in the welterweight ranks.
His performance created a sense that change was coming to the 170-pound weight class. For his next bout with veteran Mike Pyle, MacDonald instituted some change of his own.
Up until that point of his mixed martial arts career, MacDonald had carried a nickname he wasn’t all too fond of. With his game rapidly developing and his career switching gears, he decided to drop “The Waterboy” tag and took up a moniker he felt was better suited for his fighting style.
When MacDonald stepped in against Pyle at UFC 133, he did so as “Ares,” and the performance which followed bolstered the decision. MacDonald landed a huge shot with Pyle on the canvas and proceeded to pound out the Xtreme Couture fighter in route to a TKO victory.
Following his win over Pyle, MacDonald suffered an injury that would put him on the shelf for the next eight months. When he was cleared to return, he did so against Che Mills in the co-main event of UFC 145 in Atlanta, and it didn’t take long for MacDonald to return to form.
After taking a handful of shots in the opening exchanges, MacDonald was able to put Mills on his back and wasted no time getting to work. With a brutal form of ground and pound that has become his signature, MacDonald thrashed Mills from top position as he bloodied the British striker for the rest of the opening round.
When the second frame got underway, it was more of the same as MacDonald once again put Mills on the deck and dropped hammers from the top. With each shot doing heavy damage, Mills eventually folded in the middle of the round, and MacDonald earned his third consecutive victory.
Creating His Own Path
Over the past two years, MacDonald’s stock has steadily risen in the UFC. With each victory comes more acclaim, and the manner in which he’s handled the increase in popularity has been an interesting study.
The current trend of endless self-promotion and constant trash-talking blazing through mixed martial arts appears to be something MacDonald chooses to avoid at every turn. Even when he does get involved in the occasional Twitter feud, he does so in a minimalist fashion that leads you to believe he could truly care less.
When asked about the rankings and things of that nature, MacDonald speaks in a tone that reveals his annoyance with the idea a fighter would have to verbally sell you on his skills rather than prove his talents inside of the cage. It is a refreshing perspective from a fighter who could easily be singing his own praises any time a mic or recorder is placed before him.
Fighting is what matters to MacDonald and everything outside of that subject is simple “everything else.”
This is also a category where he places all the talk about Tri-Star teammate and welterweight king Georges St. Pierre. If MacDonald is not being asked about a potential show down with GSP further down the road, he is being asked about St. Pierre’s influence on his training for the upcoming Penn fight. When the questions arise, MacDonald’s already stoic demeanor hardens, and he passes through the inquiry without providing any specific details.
If there is anything obvious about MacDonald outside of his talent, it is desire to create his own path through the sport. There has never been a lack of respect or appreciation on his behalf towards his team at Tri-Star, but MacDonald is intent on forging ahead on his own unique journey.
While his performance against Penn will undoubtedly be compared to St. Pierre’s two dust-ups with the Hawaiian, the fight next Saturday night is a necessary step in the right direction.
MacDonald is still working his way through the rankings and defining who he is as a fighter. It is his goal to become the best welterweight in the world. While that destination may rest further out on the horizon, defeating Penn brings him that much closer to everything he wants to be.
Rising to the top of mixed martial arts is a daunting task by all measures. With every step, a fighter pushes himself through the rigors of training in the hopes he will emerge with a better version of himself and will be more prepared to face the next…
Rising to the top of mixed martial arts is a daunting task by all measures. With every step, a fighter pushes himself through the rigors of training in the hopes he will emerge with a better version of himself and will be more prepared to face the next challenge. All of this is done because he knows that the countless hours of hard work will be put to the ultimate test inside the Octagon.
If the formula is correct, the sacrifices made will yield incredible results.
Benson Henderson knows what it takes to become a champion. Over the past three years, the former WEC and current UFC lightweight title holder has been on a tear to the top of the ladder. In that stretch, the 29-year-old has claimed victory in 10 of his last 11 outings and has earned the position as the No. 1 ranked 155-pound fighter in the world. Acclaim garnered and recognition as the world’s top lightweight fighter are certainly aspects “Smooth” appreciates, but ambition and a pursuit of greatness continue to push him further.
Henderson’s ultimate goal is to be known as the greatest fighter of all-time, and the next step of his journey comes on December 8th, when he squares off with No. 1 contender Nate Diaz at UFC on Fox 5 in Seattle WA,.
“Awhile ago, I reached a point in my career where every fight I have is the biggest fight of my life and a career defining moment for me,” Henderson told Bleacher Report. “Right now, I’m at that next moment of my career, with Nate Diaz standing in front of me. I’m in the gym everyday working out and busting my butt. This is a lifestyle for me. I don’t just go to the gym for an hour, then go home. I live the gym and live training. It will show in my fight against Nate and all my fights after. Hopefully, it ends with my hand being raised. Then it goes to the next step on that ladder to being the best ever. That is my ultimate goal. I want to be the best ever; no ifs, ands, or buts about it. I don’t want to be one of the best or a Top 10 in the world fighter; I want to be the best.
“When Michael Jordan stepped on the court, it didn’t matter who else was on the court with him—everyone knew he was the best. Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, and Scottie Pippen were all great players, but when Michael Jordan stepped on the court, they all acknowledged he was the best. They all knew. Larry Bird could be there and he would say, ‘that guy wearing the number 23 jersey over there, he is the best.’ That is amazing. To have guys of that high caliber and that talent level give him that recognition is astounding. To consider the egos those other guys have and were still able to admit that is amazing. I want to be that guy for MMA.”
Following 10 rounds of battle and two close victories over Frankie Edgar, Henderson is looking to take his title reign to the next step. Standing in his way will be the scrappy Stockton native, who has been on a tear of his own since returning to the 155-pound division.
While Diaz has shredded through a collection of top lightweights on the strength of his improved boxing skills, Henderson believes the keys to defeating the Season 5 TUF winner have already been shown inside the Octagon. That being said, he will still need to execute the plan to claim victory, and Henderson is looking forward to the challenge.
“Anytime there is a blueprint or a gameplan to beat an opponent, you have to pay attention to it,” Henderson said. “There are times when someone gets knocked out by a big overhand right seven seconds into the fight. While that is a good win and one I’ll take, it’s something of a fluke. Someone gets caught by a flying triangle in the first round it is like, ‘wow – there you have it.’ But anytime someone loses by decisions or repeatedly in the same manner; that tends to lend itself to a blueprint or game plan. Anytime there is a blueprint or a game plan on how to beat that fighter it is just a matter of having enough skills or being good enough to implement that game plan. Hopefully, I’m good enough to do that against Nate.”
The days of single discipline fighters are a thing of the past, and both Henderson and Diaz are strong examples of the multi-faceted skills required to compete at the sport’s highest level. Both men possess diverse skill sets with the ability to take the action to every inch of the Octagon. Diaz brings a slick submission game, backed by a high-output and extremely accurate striking attack, where Henderson has relied on his wrestling pedigree and unlimited cardio to find success.
Constant progression is a necessity, and the MMA Lab product takes great pride in his continued development. Through hard work and a dedication to improve, Henderson has become one of the most difficult fighters to categorize in the skills department.
“I started out as a wrestler,” Henderson said. “That was my base. I went from wrestling to my ground game and I worked a lot on my jiu-jitsu for the first few years of my career. From there, I branched out; I worked on my boxing, Muay Thai, and more traditional martial arts for a bit. It’s all about being well balanced and being good at everything. You hear people talk about fighters like, ‘oh he’s a wrestler with a little bit of hands’ or ‘he’s a boxer with a little bit of wrestling.’ I think the best guys are the ones who are good at a little bit of everything.
“The new breed of MMA fighters, in my opinion, are the guys who started doing MMA for the sake of MMA. They didn’t start out doing wrestling like I did. The new breed of guys are kids who are 14 or 15 who started out doing everything. Those are the guys who are going to have the belts for a long, long time. I’d like to be on the forefront of that wave and be known for being great in all areas and aspects of MMA.”
Less than a year ago, Henderson was looking at the throne from Diaz‘s perspective. While an opportunity to fight for the title may provide fuel for his opposition, defending the gold against all comers provides its own motivation.
When Henderson steps into the Octagon against Diaz next Saturday night, the champion will lay it all on the line. He will come out full-throttle to mix it up with a surging contender, and when the battle comes to an end, Henderson will be looking to have his hand raised in victory once again.
“I’m bringing the same as always,” Henderson said. “I’m giving 100% and coming in well prepared. I open up my heart out there. Most fighters have a hard time opening up their hearts and letting people see who they truly are in their soul and in their heart of hearts. When I go out there I open my heart to the fans in that cage. I let them see deep down who I am, how hard I’ve been training, and the lifestyle I live. I live MMA in all aspects. This isn’t a hobby to me and I let people see how committed I am. I let them experience it. I try to do that in all my fights. I don’t hold anything back and I’m going to do the same thing on Dec. 8th.”
Reaching a position where the word “champion” is placed before your name is no easy task under the UFC banner. The feat becomes all the more impressive when such a label is obtained in the dog-eat-dog world of the 155-pound weight class, where over the…
Reaching a position where the word “champion” is placed before your name is no easy task under the UFC banner. The feat becomes all the more impressive when such a label is obtained in the dog-eat-dog world of the 155-pound weight class, where over the past two years, the division has become jam-packed with championship-caliber contenders.
For UFC lightweight titleholder Benson Henderson, it is a position he has zero intentions of giving up any time soon. But despite having held the divisional strap since February, the buzz surrounding Henderson’s remains moderate.
This is due, in large part, to the manner in which he claimed the crown from former champion Frankie Edgar. Over the course of 10 hard-fought rounds, and two close decision victories (one unanimous, one split) Henderson edged out the scrappy, Toms River native to earn and then defend the UFC lightweight title. The end result left “Smooth” claiming top status in the ultra-competitive division, but the feeling of a title reign in process, is seemingly yet to kick in.
While no one disagrees that Henderson has earned his place in the upper echelon of the lightweight division, the way his pair of fights with former champion Frankie Edgar played out, has lead many to wonder if the champion is truly the top fighter in the deep and talented 155-pound ranks.
The 29-year old MMA Lab product will have the perfect opportunity to silence the critics, and establish a dominant reign over the division when he steps into the Octagon against number one contender Nate Diaz at UFC on Fox 5 in Seattle, WA.
Being able to move past the questions is certainly added motivation, but Henderson is not the first lightweight champion to be doubted in the court of public opinion. In fact, to have the MMA world question the legitimacy of your championship, is something the previous belt holder knew all too well.
The Frankie Edgar Effect
Before the days of immediate rematches and underdog champions, the lightweight division was ruled by B.J. Penn. A former welterweight champion turned 155-pound wrecking machine, “The Prodigy” logged the most dominant chapter of his storied career, reigning atop the lightweight division.
After putting a sound thrashing on Diego Sanchez at UFC 107, the list of proven contenders ran thin. For the next challenge, the UFC tapped rising prospect Frankie Edgar for a showdown with Penn at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi. It was a matchup the champion was heavily favored to win, but Edgar executed a near-perfect game plan en route to the upset.
Immediately following the victory over Penn, the biggest moment of Edgar’s career came under fire as portions of the MMA world cried foul.
The noise generated was enough for the UFC to book an immediate rematch and give Penn an opportunity to regain the lightweight title at UFC 118. But rather than Boston being the former two-divisional champion’s night for redemption, it became “The Answers” moment for validation.
Edgar left zero doubt, hanging in the balance, as he routed Penn for five rounds to earn the unanimous decision victory.
Unfortunately for Edgar, this trend would repeat over his next two trips into the Octagon. After a five-round war with Gray Maynard, which resulted in a majority draw at UFC 125, Edgar’s title reign once again came under question.
But after closing the book on their trilogy in decisive fashion at UFC 136, Edgar finally appeared ready to move forward into the next phase of his title reign.
That progress would ultimately be halted by Henderson at UFC 144 in Japan, in a bout where Edgar’s championship fate would be decided on the judge’s cards. It was a great victory for Henderson but the immediate rematch granted to the New Jersey native, cast a shadow on the beginning of his title run, similar to what Edgar experienced following his win in Abu Dhabi.
The situation would only amplify after Henderson’s split-decision victory over Edgar at UFC 150 in Denver. It was a fight where a dominant Henderson performance could have pushed the doubters aside. Instead, a controversial decision echoed through the MMA fanbase, slowing Henderson’s transition into his new role as the man to beat in the lightweight division.
The Road Ahead
There is absolutely zero reason to believe any of the doubt or criticism has affected Henderson in a negative fashion. Since his days as a WEC champion, the Colorado native has consistently operated with both class and confidence as he’s steamrolled his way from the “little blue cage” to the top of the UFC lightweight division.
Henderson’s road to the title came against difficult opposition, and hard-fought victories over the likes of Mark Bocek, Jim Miller, Clay Guida and Frankie Edgar have made for an impressive resume. That being said, the stigma still lingers, and his upcoming bout with Diaz is the perfect opportunity to put a signature stamp on his title run.
The Stockton native is a unique obstacle, but should Henderson emerge with gold intact, the critics chipping at the legitimacy of his title will fall by the wayside. Diaz will be riding the momentum of three impressive performances into the Octagon when the two men throw down in Seattle and a Henderson victory will make a huge statement.
In less than two weeks that moment will come front and center. Henderson will have the opportunity to prove, beyond all doubt, the lightweight title is his for the keeping.
A victory over Diaz will make room for the next contender to emerge, but with his ambition set to challenge Anderson Silva‘s record number of title defenses; Henderson will be looking to keep things moving down the road.
In less than two weeks, the biggest opportunity of Nate Diaz’s fighting career will come front and center.The Stockton, Calif., product will step into the Octagon with current lightweight champion Benson Henderson in the main event of UFC on Fox 5 in S…
In less than two weeks, the biggest opportunity of Nate Diaz‘s fighting career will come front and center.
The Stockton, Calif., product will step into the Octagon with current lightweight champion Benson Henderson in the main event of UFC on Fox 5 in Seattle. He will attempt to capitalize on a hard-earned and long-awaited title shot, which has come as the result of a blistering tear through one of the organization’s most competitive divisions.
Over a three-fight run that has included dominant victories over TakanoriGomi, Donald Cerrone and Jim Miller, Diaz has become the man to beat at 155 pounds. The victory over Miller at UFC on Fox 3 earned the younger Diaz brother the next shot at the lightweight strap on Dec. 8, and the meeting with Henderson is one of the year’s most anticipated fights.
For Diaz, the bout has the potential to be the crowning moment of a career that has experienced its fair share of twists and turns, and winning the title would cap one of the most impressive about-faces in UFC history.
No Answers to Be Found at Welterweight
Nearly two years ago, Diaz teetered on the cusp of irrelevancy.
His decision to try his hand in the welterweight division was not producing significant results. Granted, he found victory in his first two efforts against seasoned veterans and journeymen Rory Markham and Marcus Davis, but when it came time to jump into the flow of contention, Diaz saw his momentum brought to a halt.
A tough outing against Dong Hyun Kim handed the 27-year-old his first loss in the 170-pound weight class, but it was his next bout which would turn the tide.
For the better part of three rounds, Diaz was rag-dolled by rising prospect Rory MacDonald at UFC 129 as the young Canadian controlled, suplexed and outworked his counterpart, en route to a lopsided, unanimous decision victory.
In the aftermath of the fight, the typically brash Diaz persona appeared deflated, as he had no answer for what MacDonald brought to the table. It was a difficult loss for Diaz, not only because it was his second consecutive, but because it came in a fashion with which he wasn’t used to dealing.
Throughout his young career, Diaz had certainly been on the losing side of the judges’ cards in previous efforts, but he had never been dominated in the fashion in which MacDonald dominated him.
It was time for Diaz to make a decision, and rerouting his course back into lightweight waters proved to be a brilliant one.
Rise to the Top of the Division
In his return bout in the 155-pound weight class, Diaz faced Japanese bomber TakanoriGomi. “The Fireball Kid” had been unable to gain any footing under the UFC banner, and their bout at UFC 135 appeared to be a make-or-break point for both fighters.
Unfortunately for Gomi, the new and improved version of Diaz that appeared in Denver proved far too much for the former Pride star to handle. The season-five TUF winner took the action to Gomi‘s wheelhouse, as he chose to stand and trade, rocking the Japanese fighter to the head and body. Once the action hit the ground, it was just a matter of time, as Diaz hit a slick transition from triangle to armbar to secure the victory.
It was the caliber of performance that made the MMA world sit up and take notice. By no means would anyone consider Gomi an easy out, and Diaz completely steamrolled him in just one round of work.
While buzz began to grow around Diaz‘s performance at UFC 135, it would be his next showing against Donald Cerrone that would amplify the sound to a deafening level.
The matchup between Diaz and Cerrone became one of 2011’s most anticipated affairs. The buildup to the fight was filled with nasty verbal exchanges, classic Diaz mean-mugging and a faceoff for the ages in which “Cowboy’s” signature Stetson became the recipient of the “Stockton-swat.”
It was one of the best buildups in recent memory, and when the action got underway, Diaz unleashed a storm on Cerrone. From the opening bell, Diaz used his range to back Cerrone against the cage and batter him from the outside. Using nasty combinations, Diaz snapped the Colorado native’s head back repeatedly, leaving Cerrone‘s face marked and bleeding at the end of Round 1.
It would be a trend repeated over the next two frames, as Diaz imposed his will on a fading opponent.
The only reprieve Cerrone could offer came through sweeping leg kicks that put Diaz on his back, but an unwillingness to go to the mat with the Cesar Gracie student allowed Diaz to get back to his feet and continue the onslaught.
When the final bell sounded, the judges’ cards read a unanimous decision for Diaz, and he immediately rose into title contention.
With Benson Henderson and Frankie Edgar sorting out their situation in the championship tier of the division, Diaz found himself in the position to face fellow contender Jim Miller in his next outing. The victory over Cerrone made a strong case for a title shot, but a win over the gritty Miller would cement his place in the rankings.
Once again, Diaz proved his point in impressive fashion.
Following nearly two rounds in which Miller had zero answers to Diaz‘s striking attack, the AMA-trained fighter attempted to take the action to the canvas late in the second frame. In the process of doing so, Diaz caught a guillotine choke and ultimately forced the black belt to tap.
It was his third consecutive victory over quality opposition, and following his performance in New Jersey, UFC president Dana White officially said that Diaz would get the next shot at the lightweight title.
That would put Diaz on the sidelines while Henderson and Edgar went to war in their rematch.
A Showdown with Smooth
After 10 rounds of back-and-forth competition, Henderson ultimately emerged as the undisputed lightweight champion. While there was no lack of controversy concerning both decisions, “Smooth” walked away from UFC 150 with a clean grasp of the title and a future bout with Diaz to prepare for.
The matchup between Henderson and Diaz presents several interesting angles, as both men sit on polar-opposite sides of public presentation. The former WEC champion turned UFC strap-holder takes a confident yet humble approach to competition, while Diaz makes no secret of the fact that he is coming to break you down.
Neither man has played into the pre-fight hype game thus far, but when fight week arrives and both men are in the same location, the likelihood of Diaz ratcheting up the intensity levels is fairly high.
The fight becomes all the more interesting when you look at the approaches of the two fighters from a stylistic viewpoint.
Henderson has risen to become champion behind his physical strength, unstoppable cardio and willingness to take risks. It is not uncommon to see Henderson locked in a bad position, but past oppositions’ inability to keep him there has resulted in Henderson gaining tactical advantages on the ground. It has been a formula which has rarely failed the champion, and it will be interesting to see if he takes this approach in Seattle.
For Diaz, the bout with Henderson has the opportunity to be the culmination of years spent on the grindstone. When he steps into the Octagon next Saturday night, it will be his 17th appearance in just under six years in the UFC. There have been times when he has looked ready to live up to his potential, and others when he’s appeared far from reaching what people have expected him to become.
Not that any of this even registers with Diaz.
He marches to the beat of his own drum, and it’s a rhythm which has found an increased intensity over the past 15 months. Since making the decision to return to the lightweight division, the Cesar Gracie black belt has set the weight class on fire, and he will have the opportunity to take the next step against Henderson.
Whether or not Diaz becomes the new lightweight champion remains to be seen. But the one sure-fire guarantee is that Diaz is going to show up to fight.
And lately that has been a brand of scrap no one seems to have an answer for.
The lives of professional fighters are filled with uncertainty; their successes and failures play out in the public eye for all to see. When the cage door closes and the battle of wills begin, it becomes a matter of opportunity. One walks away victorio…
The lives of professional fighters are filled with uncertainty; their successes and failures play out in the public eye for all to see.
When the cage door closes and the battle of wills begin, it becomes a matter of opportunity. One walks away victorious, the other defeated, the outcome sometimes determined by only the slightest of margins.
What happens under the bright lights is what the fans are left to debate, but rarely are they given a glimpse into what it takes to make the walk to the cage in the first place.
This is what the climb looks like. This is The Fighting Life.
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Change is a constant in the life of a professional athlete. Whether it is the city-to-city jump of the free agency era or the progression of the sport itself; modern athletes must be able to quickly adapt to shifting tides.
There is little doubt mixed martial arts is a more insulated environment in comparison to the major sports which currently rule the landscape, but this does not mean fighters aren’t faced with similar obstacles.
In fact, inside the cages of MMA, circumstances tilt in the blink of an eye. Decisions made under fire can produce phenomenal results or become the catalyst to a downfall that plays out in devastating fashion.
UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub has a unique perspective when it comes to the peaks and valleys of professional sports. He invested years pursuing the dream of becoming a professional football player and eventually reached the NFL as a member of the Buffalo Bills practice squad.
But when the momentum of his career began to dwindle, Schaub left the gridiron behind and started down the path to become a mixed martial artist.
The Colorado native has experienced first-hand just how unstable the floor beneath can be when you are attempting to make you way in an ever-changing environment. He knows what it feels like to look in the mirror and realize something you’ve worked your entire life to achieve, is no longer a path you can travel.
Those situations provide a unique blend of adversity impossible to measure by any standard. That being said, those are also the gut-check moments that provide Schaub the confidence to proceed without fear. The 29-year-old not only understands there are going to be setbacks along the way but embraces them for the lessons they provide.
“Here is the thing, man,” Schaub told Bleacher Report. “The most successful people I know, whether it is a quarterback for the New York Jets or a Forbes List-ranked CEO, have all experienced failure in their lives. The guys who succeed have at some point failed in what they were trying to do. It’s going to happen. All you can do is learn from it and move on.
“You can’t dwell on setbacks. If a quarterback throws an interception or makes a bad decision, as long as he learns from that and moves forward, he is going to be just fine. The guys who can’t find the lesson to learn and make the same mistakes, those are the guys who won’t last long.
“I’m a successful person. I feel like I could go into any situation and become successful because I’ve been competing all my life. That being said, I’ve lost before, man. I’ve lost big. But in the bigger picture I’ve won more than I’ve lost, but I make sure to take something away from every time I’ve come up short. I take those lessons and move on. It is all a part of the growth process for me.”
For Schaub, the process he speaks of has come fast and furious. He has only been competing professionally just north of four years. Over that time, he has gone from a former football player competing on a UFC reality show to potential title contender to a fighter attempting to stop the backslide of consecutive losses.
His career as a mixed martial artist hit the fast track following his time on The Ultimate Fighter. On the program’s 10th season, Schaub found himself mixed into an eclectic group of fighters, all with varying levels of experience.
He would battle his way to the finale but ultimately come up short in his bout with Roy Nelson. The loss to “Big Country” was a disappointment for Schaub, but he appreciated the experience of being able to compete amongst on one of the most unique seasons of TUFto date.
“A lot of guys who have been on the show talk about the stigma of being a reality-show fighter but I didn’t feel that way,” Schaub said. “When I was on the show it was different because our season was filled with monsters and guys with a lot of experience outside the UFC.
“I’m not saying the competition level is watered down now because there are a lot of talented guys, but our season was different. We had guys like Roy Nelson who is a former world champion. Mike Wessel and Scott Junk both fought in the UFC previously, and our season was a unique mixture.
“The Ultimate Fighter is normally for guys who are up and coming or guys who have three or four professional fights looking to make a name and get that contract. My season was a little different.
“There were some of us who only had a handful of fights under their belt and there were others who had competed in the UFC before. I think a lot of us came off the show more credible than past seasons because the level of competition was higher.”
“The Hybrid” refused to dwell on what went wrong in the Nelson fight and immediately set about getting back into the Octagon. He wanted to get things moving in a positive direction and two first-round stoppage victories over Chase Gormley and Chris Tuchscherer helped him gain his footing.
But while the victories were a solid boost towards the goals he was looking to accomplish, Schaub didn’t feel his time in the cage was yielding the type of test he was desperately seeking. In order for him to reach the next level, Schaub needed to face tougher competition and he set about making that happen.
“Right after the finale, I get Chase Gormley and Chris Tuchscherer,” Schaub said. “I beat both of those guys in under a minute but that didn’t do anything for me. The fans liked it and the UFC liked it, but as a fighter, I didn’t learn anything from those experiences. After Tuchscherer, I asked for a bigger name in my next fight and the UFC gave me Gabriel Gonzaga.
“With Gonzaga, you can still see it to this day, the guy is a monster. That guy is an absolute nightmare. Going into that fight, I remember thinking to myself that this was going to be the fight where I find out if this sport is truly for me. I was eager to find out if I was actually going to be something in this sport or if I was just going to be another guy. Beating Gonzaga answered a lot of those questions for me. The fight wasn’t even close and I was able to put a striking clinic on the guy.
“After winning that bout, the UFC gave me Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ [Filipovic]. He is a childhood hero of mine and that was my first real fight inside the Octagon. It was a bloody back-and-forth and I ended up knocking him out late in the third round. That was the first fight where I had to use wrestling and other aspects of my skill set and I learned a ton from that fight.
“Those were both great learning experiences for me. I really felt as if I was starting to grow as a fighter and wanted more. Then I called out a guy like Nogueira and that was a huge test for me. When you look at other fighters who have the amount of experience I have, they aren’t jumping in there with these monsters of the sport. “
Following his victory over “Cro Cop” at UFC 128, Schaub’s stock in the UFC rose to new levels. His name began to appear in talk for potential title contention and was possibly a victory or two away from getting a shot at UFC gold. Looking to keep the momentum rolling on his rise to the top, Schaub sought out a fight with former Pride and UFC heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Both men agreed to the fight and the action went down at UFC 134 in Rio deJaneiro, Brazil.
From the opening bell, the leather flew as both men traded heavy punches. Schaub had success early as he found a home on the MMA legend’s chin, but the tide ultimately turned in “Big Nog’s” favor as he backed Schaub into the cage where he scored a knockout. The loss brought all of Schaub’s momentum to a halt. But despite the setback, the opportunity to fight one of the most decorated heavyweights of all time in his home country, was an experience he found positives in.
“Every day, I’m around guys like Shane Carwin, Nate Marquardt, Georges St. Pierre, and Rashad Evans,” Schaub said. “I’m surrounded by the best fighters in the sport. These guys are world champions and I want to be on that fast track. I want in on this special club. I want to be where those guys are at. That is the reason I call out these huge names. I want to be at the top of the sport because I’m surrounded by guys who are there. I see it every day and that provides crazy motivation to reach the level they are at.
“I kind of put my career in hyper-drive in an effort to get myself to the top in the quickest way possible. The downfall is that I don’t have the same experience as a lot of these guys I’m fighting but I’m learning as I go. I’m young in this sport and I see every experience, whether it works out in my favor or not, as an opportunity to learn. Fighting Nogueira in Brazil was crazy for me. It was an awesome experience.”
Following the loss to Nogueira, Schaub once again found himself eager to get back into the win column. That opportunity arose in a fight against Ben Rothwell at UFC 145. In the bout, Schaub attacked Rothwell from the opening bell, landing heavy shots that backed “Big Ben” all the way across the Octagon.
With his opponent dazed and victory seemingly just seconds away, Schaub rushed in for the finish and was caught with a big shot, and the fight ended shortly after.
In a matter of seconds inside the cage where crucial mistakes were made, Schaub suddenly found himself in the uncomfortable position of being on the outside looking in at the divisional elite. For a fighter who had put so much emphasis upon getting to the top of the heap, the slide in position was the most difficult aspect for Schaub to deal with.
In order to swing the momentum back into his favor, it was going to take the type of fight that carried both high risk and reward. Fortunately for Schaub, he was able to find that in knockout artist Lavar Johnson and they will throw down at UFC on Fox 5 on Dec. 8 in Seattle, Wash.
“In every fight, I feel as if my back is against the wall or I could be fired,” Schaub said. “But that is why my fighting style is the way it is. I put on exciting fights and I don’t want there to ever be a fight where people can look back on my career and say, ‘man, that Schaub fight was boring.’ That is not my style and that is why I have the fans I have. I also think that is why the UFC appreciates me the way they do.
“Is there a lot riding on this fight with Lavar? Hell yeah, man. I’m not that naïve to say there isn’t pressure riding on this fight but good things happen to good people. All I can do is train hard, bring my A game, and put it all on the line.
“I think a lot of guys in the heavyweight division are scared of Lavar. He might be the hardest-hitting fighter in the weight class but that is why I called him out. If Lavar and I reach into our tool bags I think he’ll bust out a hammer and maybe a screwdriver. If I bust into mine I have one of those crazy Swiss Army knives and all sorts of tools. That is going to be the difference in this fight. I’m a mixed martial artist and he’s a boxer.
“This fight is for the fans. I’m not going to let them down. The first thing I think about is my family and the fans. When I lose a fight, that feeling of letting everyone down is heavy. I know they want it as bad as I do and this fight is for them. He is going to have to kill me to get me out of the Octagon. I got this one and I’m not going to let anyone down.
“I’m still relatively early into my career and I’m learning every time out. Against Ben Rothwell, my inexperience showed. I rocked him then came in kind of lazy and I paid dearly for it. I’m learning and once I get it all down; I’m telling you, brother, it is going to be a fun ride.”
As his MMA skills continue to evolve, Schaub has also traded the cold Denver weather for an ocean view in Los Angeles. The decision to relocate came from the opportunity to train in the Orange County area, a location considered by many to be the Mecca of American MMA.
Schaub splits his training time between Mark Munoz’s Reign Facility and rolling on the mats with Ryron Gracie at the Gracie Academy. On any given day, some of the best fighters in the world stroll through those gyms and Schaub is excited to learn as much as he can whenever the opportunity arises.
While the benefits of training in Los Angeles have proven perks, when it is time to fine-tune the final stages of his training, he returns to Denver to get into fight mode.
“I live full-time in L.A. and train with Mark Munoz at Reign three or four times a week. It’s about an hour drive up there that I make. The rest of the time when I’m in L.A., I’m at the Gracie Academy with Ryron Gracie. I do my everyday training in Los Angeles and then about five or six weeks out from a fight, I come to Denver and train with the usual suspects.
“I came to L.A. because I needed a change. I kind of put things in cruise control when I was in Denver where I was just going through the motions. I had to address that because it’s not my style. When I say ‘camp’ there is no ‘camp’ for me. This is a lifestyle.
“I could fight this weekend if the UFC asked me to. I’m always in shape, always ready to go, and when I come to Denver, it is to get into that fight preparation mode that’s different from my everyday training. Coming back to Denver is my way of flipping that switch.
“Out in L.A., there are so many different guys to work with and so many different coaches. Training with guys like Mark Munoz and Ryron Gracie every day is crazy. It’s beautiful out there and everything is gorgeous. Personally, I need to be near the water. I hit the gym and train every day, but in a way, going to the ocean helps me clear my head and provides an escape from the grind of training. The ocean helps me disconnect and get away when I need to.”
With the hectic grind of training and the recent rough patch he is experiencing in his career, keeping a positive perspective is crucial for Schaub. Assisting him at every turn is roommate and close friend Tim Tebow. The former Denver Bronco turned New York Jet has experienced one of the most meteoric rises in the current era of professional sports and has remained positive despite the setbacks he’s had to deal with.
“You are who you surround yourself with,” Schaub said. “Tim is one of the most positive, hard-working individuals I know. He’s super-focused, determined, and always looking at the positives in every situation. That is why our friendship works.
“I don’t think I would have made it as far as I have if I didn’t have total belief in myself. There is no one who believes more in me than me. I know I can do this. I know I am going to be the UFC champion one day and it’s only a matter of time. There are going to be bumps in the road, setbacks I have to deal with, but I have learned from the mistakes I’ve made.
“Even in this recent rough patch, things haven’t been that negative around me. They certainly could have been because this sport has a way of focusing on the negatives, but the fact things have remained positive is a testament to the fans I do have.
“If you have haters and people that doubt you means you are doing something right. I’m the most positive person there is. I think the vibe I give out attracts other positive people and I believe that is the main reason I don’t receive all the negative attention.
“Have I made some mistakes in my last two fights? Hell yes, I have. Do people realize I have talent and there is a lot of potential there? I truly think so. I really feel this is the reason fans stick by me. “
At the end of the day, when Schaub assesses everything he’s been through up to this point, it all comes down to the quality of the journey. He knows all the talk of potential and best-laid plans can and will change in the blink of an eye. It is because of his own unique personal experience that he makes sure to appreciate every step along the way.
Schaub knows what it is like to be standing on the other side of the fence and he uses those memories to push further, to work harder, than he ever has before.
“What a lot of people don’t know or may be shocked to find out is five years ago I was that super fan,” Schaub said. “The first UFC was in my hometown of Denver, so I’ve been a fan of the sport since the beginning. I went to a Mr. Olympia show and the UFC had a booth there. I’ll never forget that day because Wanderlei Silva, Josh Koscheck, and Forrest Griffin were there signing autographs.
“I waited in line for over two hours to get an autograph from them. I was the super-fan. I know what it is like to be on the other side of the rope and if you have a bad experience with a fan, it’s a bad thing. They are who makes the sport one of the fastest growing sports in the world.
“We have amazing fans in the UFC. They will wait two hours in a line. I know exactly what they are feeling because not too long ago I was in their shoes. I know what it is like to meet one of your favorite fighters. To be able to shake their hand, get an autograph, and they appreciate you. I’ll always make time for the fans because they make this thing special. It will always be my style.
“It’s totally surreal for me. I know people say it is cliché, but if you set your mind to something and believe it is possible, you can achieve it. I know that sounds corny, but I’m living proof it is possible. A few years back I was in line waiting for autographs, but I took the athletic ability I have, trained my butt off, and now I’m the one sitting at the table signing autographs.
“Someday people are going to look back on my career or at my fight record and say, ‘Remember when Schaub lost to Nogueira and Rothwell? Man that’s crazy.’ People are going to look back at those fights and see they were my launching pad to becoming a UFC champion.
“I’m telling you, man, the changes I’ve made have everything clicking. I’ve taken this time to recognize the mistakes I’ve made and make the adjustments. This is going to be the launching pad to a crazy career inside the Octagon.”
When the next wave of mixed martial artists or future superstars are mentioned, Rory MacDonald’s name will be found at the top of the list.