Rashad Evans has forged a remarkable career in mixed martial arts, but it hasn’t been one free of hardship and adversity. In some ways, even in times of success, there have always been twists and turns, but Evans has always found a way to endure and ab…
Rashad Evans has forged a remarkable career in mixed martial arts, but it hasn’t been one free of hardship and adversity. In some ways, even in times of success, there have always been twists and turns, but Evans has always found a way to endure and absorb the lessons at hand.
Despite winning the second installment of The Ultimate Fighter as a heavyweight, “Suga” found himself on the opposite end of fan appreciation as he made his way up the ranks of the 205-pound division. The Chicago transplant became the fighter fans loved to hate, and never was that dynamic more obvious than when he was paired against light heavyweight legend Chuck Liddell at UFC 88 in Atlanta, Georgia.
“The Iceman,” who was fresh off an action-packed tilt with Wanderlei Silva, was supposed to be on the road back to reclaiming his title, but a swift and devastating counter right hand demolished those plans in one rapid-fire moment. It was one vicious shot that passed the torch in an unforgettable fashion.
Evans would go on to win the light heavyweight title, then drop it in his next outing and spend the next three years working his way back to another title shot. While that eventually came against former friend turned rival Jon Jones at UFC 145 in 2012, it was originally slated to happen a year prior against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. It was a turn that created a tremendous rift between Evans and his longtime camp at Jackson/Winkeljohn’s in Albuquerque, as Jones stepped up to replace an injured Evans and defeated the former Pride standout to become the youngest light heavyweight champion in UFC history.
Yet, despite his split from Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn and dropping a unanimous decision to Jones in Atlanta, Evans carried on. While he’s never hesitated to admit that there was a great deal of personal baggage the bout with Jones put on his shoulders, the 36-year-old contender has also never lacked perseverance. Evans would go on to win his next two outings until a knee injury forced him out of his showdown with Daniel Cormier at UFC 170 and it is an affliction that still lingers to this day.
While he’s been linked to several other matchups over the past year, Evans’ knee still hasn’t returned to form. Even though his layoff has undoubtedly come with frustration, Evans has kept his emotions in check. He knows he still has a lot to offer inside the Octagon, and he’s patiently waiting for his chance to explode back onto the light heavyweight scene he helped to build.
“I’ve had to be really patient about things because I have to let everything heal correctly, but I’m really looking forward to getting back in there to fight,” Evans told Bleacher Report. “My passion to compete is hotter than ever. I look at everything that happens in life and there is always a lesson to be learned. It may be hard and difficult to understand at first, but the lesson and message is always going to be there to be found. From this whole thing I’ve gone through I’ve learned a better appreciation for the sport.
“Sometimes you are involved in something for so long you start to kind of take things for granted. You just go through the motions. I think this break in my career and the time off I’ve had has helped me get back to the why…Why do I do this? Why did I start this in the first place? And that has helped me appreciate my career and regain the love I had for MMA when I first got started.
“Having a lot of time to think about fighting in life the way I’ve had can be a great thing,” he added. “You can really examine the highs and lows and being in this position has opened my mind up in a way that wouldn’t have happened had the injury not happened when it did.”
While parting ways from the camp and team with whom he rose through the ranks wasn’t an easy decision to make, it was also the first step Evans took toward creating an entirely new faction in BocaRaton, Florida. Although there wasn’t a concrete name for the collective in the early days of the team that was forming around Evans, the Blackzilians moniker would arise and stick from there on out.
In the three years since the Blackzilians were founded by Evans and Glenn Robinson, the squad has grown to become one of the most dominant forces in MMA. The team boasts current title challengers Anthony Johnson and VitorBelfort and a collection of notable talents that includes lightweights Michael Johnson, former Bellator champion Eddie Alvarez and surging grappling phenom Gilbert Burns. In addition to the most recognizable names on the team, the faction consists of battle-hungry athletes waiting for their opportunities to break through.
Some of these fighters will be on display when the current season of The Ultimate Fighter: American Top Team vs. Blackzilians airs Wednesday nights on Fox Sports 1. Rather than put a collection of fighters in one house, all vying for the coveted six-figure contract, this season will pit two of the most prominent MMA teams in South Florida against one another. As the Blackzilians‘ front man, Evans’ role further allowed him to appreciate a major contribution he’s made to the sport he loves.
Therefore, in what hardship and friction started, Evans has yet again forged a positive out of a grim situation.
“When you stay patient and keep on track, the great things are going to come to you. This team was formed out of hardship and from an unfortunate situation. I didn’t know how it was going to turn out and it turned out as a huge blessing. I couldn’t be happier. Then, to be on The Ultimate Fighter again, but to be doing a season that is the first of its kind, is amazing.
“Man, I feel so great about this team and what’s going on at our gym. That’s one of those things I look at when I think about what I’ve accomplished and my impact in this sport. I was a big part of starting one of the best teams in the world. We are one of the best teams in the whole entire world and that’s a tremendous feeling. It’s kind of hard to believe at times, but it was just a collection of great things happening at one time. Great things continue to happen for us and everyone is still working together same as it was at the beginning.
“I’m excited for everything that is happening and all of the things the future holds because I can tell you right now my mind has never been so motivated and hungry to get back in there and compete.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
In terms of the famous poem by Robert Frost, the current UFC lightweight contender is a firm subscriber to taking the path less traveled by. His reasons for doing so are not to be adverse by nature, or his eagerness to seek out additional resistance, b…
In terms of the famous poem by Robert Frost, the current UFC lightweight contender is a firm subscriber to taking the path less traveled by. His reasons for doing so are not to be adverse by nature, or his eagerness to seek out additional resistance, but more along the lines that whichever route Cowboy’s heart and mind settle on traversing is always going to be the direction he heads.
It’s simply the way the hard-charging Albuquerque transplant is wired, and following his natural tendencies have carried him to become one of the most popular fighters in a highly competitive sport. Furthermore, MMA is also a realm where true originals are hard to come by, and Donald Cerrone is nothing if not a one of a kind where the mold he came from was shattered long ago.
When Cerrone‘s name is on the fight card there is a guaranteed show on the way, and his willingness to scrap it out with anyone at anytime has become his legitimate calling card. Yet, somewhere along the lines his love for throwing down not only turned into a lucrative business, but also drove him to coveted ranks of being a title contender in the shark tank that is the UFC’s lightweight division.
He does things his way because it’s the only way he knows how to do it. And judging from the success he’s amassed in and out of the cage, Cerrone‘s methods are working out just fine for him. Competing at the highest level of mixed martial arts is a required grind, but he’ll be damned if he’s not going to take time to enjoy the fruits of what his hard work have brought him.
The 32-year-old Colorado native is a man who will push the limits of nature at every turn, and at the same time is a skilled and technical martial artist who looks to do the same against another man inside of a locked cage. In regard to the age-old saying, “Don’t threaten Cerrone with a good time,” because it’s guaranteed he’s going to make the most out of every experience he dives into.
“Oh we are still having fun brother don’t you worry about that,” Cerrone told Bleacher Report in an exclusive interview. “We are definitely having a good time, but I’m not sure what changed. To be honest I quit taking training and fighting so seriously and went back to living my life and having fun. I try to teach that to all the guys who come out here to train and live with me. It’s important to live life and enjoy the moment.
“People get all caught up thinking they have to train a certain way or take a certain approach to things, but there’s so much more to this than fitting into what other people think you are supposed to do. You have to have fun and enjoy what you are doing, otherwise what is it all worth?
“I see fighters get burned out all the time, but it’s funny to me that people think all I do is drink beer and f–k off all day,” he added. “When it’s time to train we get the work done. I wouldn’t be where I’m at today if that weren’t the case. It’s funny to me but people can think whatever they want. I could not care less because I know how much I put into this.”
All the work Cerrone has invested has led him to the pinnacle of what is arguably the most stacked division under the UFC roster, and positioned him within striking distance of a title opportunity. It’s a status he’s reached by putting together the most impressive winning streak of his career as Cerrone has bested seven straight fighters under the bright lights in a variety of fashion. And while he’s certainly no stranger to stringing together lengthy hot streaks, his current run has come against a collection of the best talent currently working in the 155-pound ranks.
That said, the current version of Cerrone is a different animal from days past. While he’s always been that lively scrapper who looks forward to trading leather on a Saturday night, somewhere along the line he felt a shift occur in his mindset toward the fight at hand. Where he was once simply happy to kick, knee, elbow and punch his way to a paycheck, Cerrone has become a dangerous and precise hunter once the cage door closes. That is what he believes is the foundation upon which his current streak is built upon.
“It’s not an easy thing to pinpoint, but I’d say it’s probably been over the past few years when I started believing in myself more,” Cerrone said. “That caused a big shift in the way I see things. When I fought Benson Henderson for the first time or Jamie Varner it was always like, ‘Oh man…I’m in here fighting these guys. Do I really belong here?’ That’s all changed now. My mentality now is that goddammit I’m here and I’m here to do my thing. My mental game has changed tremendously and I see things completely different now. It used to be, ‘Oh man I’m in there with this guy,’ but now that guy is in there with me.”
The next man who will step inside the Octagon with him will bring a different type of aura along with him as Cerrone will face undefeated phenom KhabibNurmagomedov in a highly anticipated bout at UFC 187 on May 23. In addition to the matchup featuring two of the best 155-pound fighters on the planet, the lightweight tilt has garnered additional attention for the trash talk and social media barbs that have been launched from the talented young Dagestani in the lead up to the fight.
While Cerrone admits those taunts would have gotten a rise out of him a few years back, experience and time served in the fight game have given him the tools to allow his opponent’s jabs to roll off his shoulders without a second thought. The reason being: Cerrone knows no matter what 140-character-limited snipes are targeted in his direction, when the time to dance arrives Nurmagomedov will have to back up everything he’s launched across a multitude of platforms.
And therein lies the payoff for Cerrone. With nearly a decade spent in the fight game he’s been involved in nearly every form of feud or grudge match both personal and for the sake of promoting a fight. He knows no matter what is said, the man across the cage will have to back up those words, and this is where he finds comfort in a place where few comforts exist.
“Two or three years ago trying to get under my skin would have worked,” Cerrone said. “I would have been livid with every tweet he sent out. Calling me a drunk Cowboy or this or that would have pissed me off, but now I just laugh it off. I don’t care. He can promote the fight and say whatever he wants, but on May 23 I’m going to see him and he’ll have nowhere to go. They are going to shut the cage door and he’s stuck in there with me.
“Nothing he says will get in my head because I don’t dwell on that s–t. I just laugh it off and keep my focus on the night where it all matters. And I’m ready, man. I can’t tell you just how ready I am.”
Should Cerrone be the first man to mark a loss on Nurmagomedov‘s record at UFC 187, title talk will immediately ramp up in the aftermath. Yet, there is little regard in that department where Cerrone is concerned, which is a rarity in a sport where championship gold seems to be the constant focus of every fighter who straps on the 4 oz. gloves.
And to make it perfectly clear, it’s not that getting his hands on the lightweight strap isn‘t something Cerrone is motivated to achieve, it’s just that it’s not the primary motivation for why he does what he does. In his mind it’s more about the journey and testing himself at all turns than it is about glory or anything associated with reaching the mountain top.
There have been other times over recent years where he’s been close to landing a title opportunity, but for some reason or another, the best version of Cerrone failed to show up on those nights. While there was a sting that undoubtedly lingered, he’s not the type to carry baggage down the trail all too far. He simply gets on to the next thing and goes where the wind takes him. Fortunately for fight fans those winds continue to carry him into action-packed tilts where the best of what Cerrone has to offer will be put on display.
That’s the entire reason he makes the walk into the cage, and the same reason fight fans love to watch him do what he does best. Whether he’s a champion or should remain a perennial contender, Cerrone always shows up to put everything he has on the line.
“I’m not trying to be anything other than the way I was born and raised,” Cerrone said. “I honestly don’t give a s–t. Everyone talks about the title and they all go crazy for that, but the title isn’t my overall goal. I’m going out there to win every fight because nobody walks out there to get a loss. Fortunately, I know that if I keep beating all of the guys they put in front of me then the title is going to come.
“I don’t wake up every morning thinking I have to beat Khabib because I’ll get the title shot. Nah…I don’t give a s–t about that. I’m going out there to beat him because that’s what I always step in there to do.”
Regardless of where his journey ultimately ends up, be it as a champion or a fighter who always strove to give his best, Cerrone has always taken the road less traveled by and it has made all the difference.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Michael Bisping has never been one to shy away from confrontation.
The brash Brit has made a career out of talking the talk in the lead up to fight night then backing up the bantering when the cage door closes on fight night. The 36-year-old’s unique a…
Michael Bisping has never been one to shy away from confrontation.
The brash Brit has made a career out of talking the talk in the lead up to fight night then backing up the bantering when the cage door closes on fight night. The 36-year-old’s unique approach has made him one of the most captivating fighters on the UFC roster for nearly a decade, and made The Ultimate Fighter season-three winner a popular target for call outs from his fellow fighters in the middleweight fold.
That particular trend continued last week when surging contender Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza‘s manager did an interview where he claimedBisping had turned down the chance to face the Brazilian grappling machine at UFC on Fox 15 in Newark, New Jersey. The former Strikeforce champion’s original opponent Yoel Romero was forced off the card with injury one week out from the event, which forced the promotion to scramble to find an 11th-hour replacement.
The UFC would go on to tap veteran Chris Camozzi to fill in for the American Top Team product, but Souza‘s manager suggested this only came to pass when Bisping—who is slated to face C.B. Dollaway at UFC 186 on April 25—declined the fight. Shortly after the news spread throughout the MMA community The Count took to social media to debunk the story and shared his thoughts on the matter at hand.
The perennial middleweight contender was sure to make clear that although his focus is and has always been on The Doberman in the lead-up to their tilt in Montreal, he would be more than happy to slate settling his business with Souza as the next item on his agenda.
“I found it kind of funny that here I am fighting C.B. Dollaway, and it’s been no secret that this card has taken its knocks,” Bisping told Bleacher Report. “Why would the UFC want to remove the co-main event from a card that has already endured its fair share of setbacks? The UFC never came to me. They never offered me the fight and I certainly never turned it down. I’m focused on C.B. Dollaway, but let’s be honest both Jacare and his manager did provide a little distraction.
“If they think for one second I’m intimidated by Jacare, they are crazy. I’m going to smoke C.B. Dollaway in Montreal and if the UFC wants to book it, I’m down for a quick turnaround and I’ll shut that Brazilian up.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
It’s still going to be a bit before Tyron Woodley is back to fighting form, but he’s already eyeing the matchup he wants when he returns to action inside the Octagon.
“The Chosen One” is in the process of rehabilitating a foot injury suffered during hi…
It’s still going to be a bit before Tyron Woodley is back to fighting form, but he’s already eyeing the matchup he wants when he returns to action inside the Octagon.
“The Chosen One” is in the process of rehabilitating a foot injury suffered during his split-decision victory over Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 183 back in January. The former wrestling standout from the University of Missouri broke his right foot in several places in the opening round of the bout and battled through to edge out Gastelum on the judges’ scorecards. His victory over The Ultimate Fighter winner was the fourth time in his past five outings where he emerged from the fray with his hand raised.
The 33-year-old St. Louis-based fighter’s win in Las Vegas made it two straight in the heated ranks of the UFC’s welterweight division, and he’s eager to keep his push toward the top rolling once he’s medically cleared to return. In order to do that the American Top Team representative is going to need a high-profile opponent, and he believes Johny Hendricks would be the ideal option.
The former welterweight champion defeated Matt Brown via unanimous decision at UFC 185 in his first bout since dropping the title to Robbie Lawler at UFC 181 back in December. “Bigg Rigg” has been vocal about wanting to get another shot to reclaim the belt he once held, but with Rory MacDonald set to face “Ruthless” at UFC 189 on July 11, that leaves a stretch of time where the Texas transplant could very well take another fight.
Should that come to pass, Woodley wants to be first in line to tangle with Hendricks. The two fighters crossed paths on Saturday night backstage at UFC on Fox 15, and Woodley admitted he wouldn’t be opposed to seeing a matchup with Hendricks come to fruition. Although he has the utmost respect for the former welterweight champion, the surging contender has goals of his own to accomplish.
“I’m not against that fight at all,” Woodley told Bleacher Report in regard to a potential bout with Hendricks. “Johny knows I respect him and he respects me. We talked about this fight at the UFC’s 20th anniversary, and he was like, ‘Man, you are coming for me next.’ I told him I’m not really coming for anybody. I’m coming for that world title and to be the best in the world. A lot of guys want that title shot, but I want the opportunity to prove I’m the best fighter in the world because I believe I am.
“I believe I’m the strongest and the fastest. I also believe I’m a well-rounded fighter. I don’t know if this fight fits in his time plan, or it is what he has in his plans for his future, but it’s the fight I want. It’s nothing personal. It’s not like I’m calling him out because I don’t like him. Johny knows how I feel about him, but he is the person that can get me to that title. And that’s what I want.”
While there is no timeline set for Woodley’s return to action, the welterweight contender is making visible gains where his recovery is concerned. On Saturday night in Newark, New Jersey, Woodley was holding court for the MMA media in attendance, and a plastic walking cast replaced the hard cast he had been wearing post-surgery. He appeared to move around with minimal discomfort.
That said, Woodley’s work ethic has put him back into the gym as well. While there are a lot of MMA training techniques the restrictive cast won’t allow him to do, the Missouri native has found ways to improvise around the situation in order to remain active.
He understands there will be certain physical limitations he has to face due to current circumstances, but Woodley is determined to keep his fighting edge finally tuned during his recovery.
“I had to have surgery on my foot,” Woodley explained. “I think it’s because I walked like two miles on my foot while it was broken, and I didn’t know it so the bones were displaced. Basically there was one bone sitting on top of another one. Had it not been that way it would have healed properly, but they didn’t want it to calcify. If I had bumps on top and bottom I would be walking around feeling like I have rocks in my shoes. They put pins in both of the metatarsals that were broken. I had those in for six weeks, and then I came out of the cast after that.
“Just because I have this injury doesn’t stop me from staying in shape. I wanted to keep active because I wasn’t going to be sitting around on my butt just getting huge. I did gain a few pounds, but I never cracked the 200 mark. I posted one video of me hitting the heavy bag, and all of these companies started sending me different devices. They sent me these rollers, scooters and prosthetic looking attachments, and I thought that was very encouraging. I’ve been boxing and doing a lot of upper-body work to maintain my strength and to make sure I can go out there and do five hard rounds.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
The race for the next shot at the UFC middleweight title is fierce these days, and the main event between Lyoto Machida and Luke Rockhold at UFC on Fox 15 came with high stakes attached.
With current title holder Chris Weidman set to defend his belt ag…
The race for the next shot at the UFC middleweight title is fierce these days, and the main event between Lyoto Machida and Luke Rockhold at UFC on Fox 15 came with high stakes attached.
With current title holder Chris Weidman set to defend his belt against Vitor Belfort in a highly anticipated and long-awaited tilt next month at UFC 187 in Las Vegas, there are several potential contenders jockeying to grab the next championship opportunity.
Both “The Dragon” and the former Strikeforce middleweight champion are front-runners in the pack of talented contenders, and their collision on Saturday night in Newark, New Jersey, definitely had title implications hovering overhead.
While the 36-year-old Brazilian karate master came into the bout just one fight removed from his five-round war with Weidman at UFC 175 last July, he had plenty of momentum at his back coming into his main event matchup with Rockhold.
Despite ultimately getting turned back by the champion in Las Vegas, Machida put on a gritty and impressive performance, then was able to get right back on track in his next outing by drubbing C.B. Dollaway via first-round knockout at Fight Night 58 back in December.
That said, Rockhold had plenty of momentum of his own coming into UFC on Fox 15.
Although he suffered a brutal knockout against Belfort in his official UFC debut back in 2013, the Santa Cruz, California, native pulled off impressive victories over tough competition in his next three outings to put himself within striking distance of a shot at the UFC middleweight strap. Therefore, a victory over Machida on Saturday night would land him his long-awaited shot at UFC gold, and Rockhold was determined to make that happen.
Both men came into the Prudential Center looking to solidify the next shot at the 185-pound strap, but it was Rockhold who brought the noise on Saturday.
After a brief feeling-out period the AKA representative took the action to the mat where he battered and pounded away on Machida for the majority of the opening round. The Brazilian attempted to turn things into a slugfest in the second round, but Rockhold once again put him on the mat, where he forced Machida to tap to a rear-naked choke.
In addition to the win over Machida being the biggest of Rockhold’s career, it should leave zero doubt that he deserves to have the chance to fight the winner of Weidman vs. Belfort later this year.
It was an action-packed night of fights in Newark; let’s take a look at the good, bad and strange from UFC on Fox 15.
The Good
There are few fighters under the UFC banner moving with more momentum at the current time than Luke Rockhold.
While the former Strikeforce middleweight champion wasn’t able to jump directly into a title shot upon touching down in the UFC back in 2013, the Santa Cruz native has used the time since to make up tremendous ground in the hunt for a title opportunity.
Rockhold had won three straight showings coming into his bout with Lyoto Machida on Saturday night and was well aware a victory over “The Dragon” would launch him to the front of the line in the race for a shot at the middleweight title.
There’s no doubt the former light heavyweight champion was set to be the toughest test of his career, but Rockhold steamrolled the perennial contender in dominant fashion.
Where Machida has made a career out of frustrating his opposition and luring them into his game, Rockhold remained steadfast to his game plan. He was able to get the fight to the canvas, where he used his size and strength to wear on Machida while he battered him with big shots until he put him away via rear-naked choke in the second round.
Rockhold’s performance at UFC on Fox 15 was undoubtedly the best showing of his career and will make it difficult to deny him the next shot at the middleweight strap. Whether it’s a bout with current belt holder Chris Weidman or a rematch with rival Vitor Belfort, Rockhold made it clear there should be 12 pounds of UFC gold on the line next time he steps into the Octagon.
*** When his original opponent fell out with injury one week before the fight, the UFC scrambled to find an opponent willing to face Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza. The man who accepted the dubious challenge was Chris Camozzi—a fighter who had already faced and been submitted by the Brazilian grappling specialist in less than a full round of work back in 2013.
During the lead-up to fight night, Souza didn’t seem all too enthusiastic about the new matchup, and he wasted zero time re-stamping his dominance over Camozzi with an armbar midway through the opening frame.
It was a performance both flawless and efficient as “The Alligator” made it four straight victories under the UFC banner and upped his running total to a seven-fight winning streak. Nevertheless, the big question will be what comes next for the Brazilian powerhouse. The bout with his original opponent carried heavy title implications, but defeating Camozzi in their rematch doesn’t carry the same luster.
While that may not be entirely fair to Souza, it’s difficult to earn a championship opportunity coming off a win over a fighter who was only brought back to the UFC to face him. MMA writer Danny Acosta had this observation:
*** Max Holloway has been tearing his way up the featherweight ladder, and that march continued at UFC on Fox 15. The 23-year-old Hawaiian put on what was arguably the best performance of his career as he showcased his versatile arsenal en route to defeating Cub Swanson via guillotine choke from top position in the final round of their tilt on Saturday night.
“Blessed” was getting the best of the Jackson/Winkeljohn-trained fighter in the stand-up game before locking in the fight-ending submission late in the final round.
With the win, Holloway has now found victory in six straight showings, and putting away Swanson will move him into striking distance of a title shot. That’s a remarkable feat for someone his age competing at the highest level of the sport, but what is perhaps even more impressive is the rapid development he’s shown since coming to the UFC in 2012.
In that time, Holloway has been successful in all but three of his 12 bouts under the UFC banner and made steady progression to become an elite talent in the 145-pound fold. MMA writer Chuck Mindenhall had this to say:
*** There was a lot of hype behind Paige VanZant leading up to her bout with Felice Herrig at UFC on Fox 15. The 21-year-old strawweight garnered a lot of attention for landing a Reebok endorsement deal, but there were lingering criticisms that she had yet to face—and defeat—a legitimate opponent with a proven track record.
The “Lil’ Bulldog” was slated to be that test, and it is one VanZant answered with flying colors. She was on the attack from bell to bell as she battered Herrig with a relentless output of strikes from the top position. By the final round, Herrig had very little to offer, and “PVZ” cruised to a lopsided decision on the judges’ scorecards.
While her victory on Saturday night will only further the buzz surrounding her career, VanZant’s performance against Herrig could very well serve to put her in line for a huge opportunity.
The door is wide open for title shot against champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk, but that will depend on how quickly the UFC wants to move her along. “12 Gauge” has proved she has both style and substance with her two victories inside the Octagon, and there are plenty of interesting options for her should the UFC decide she’s not quite ready for a championship opportunity. MMAFighting.com’s Ariel Helwani praised VanZant’s performance:
*** The lightweight division is commonly referred to as a shark tank, and Beneil Dariush is steadily making his way up the divisional hierarchy at 155 pounds. “Benny” had found victory in three consecutive showings coming into his bout with Jim Miller at UFC on Fox 15, with a chance to earn a victory over one of the long-standing staples of the lightweight fold. And that’s exactly what he accomplished on the strength of his grappling game.
The 25-year-old Kings MMA product stayed one step ahead when the action was on the canvas, and that led him the Iranian-born lightweight picking up his fourth consecutive victory inside the Octagon. Defeating a fighter with the resume Miller possess is a big feather in Dariush’s cap and will guarantee his next opponent comes from the elite tier of the 155-pound weight class. Observed Rob Tatum:
*** Since his lopsided loss to Ryan Bader last August in Bangor, Maine, Ovince Saint Preux has been determined to regain some traction in the light heavyweight division. His lightning-quick victory over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at Fight Night 56 in Brazil was a great start to achieving that goal, and following that performance up with a first-round TKO against Patrick Cummins at UFC on Fox 15 will certainly go a long way toward keeping things rolling.
Where many figured Cummins’ wrestling would prove too much for “OSP” to handle, the Tennessee native planted a perfectly timed uppercut while “Durkin” was shooting in, sparking the beginning of the end. Cummins fell to the canvas hurt, and Saint Preux swarmed with hammerfists to secure the win and pick his seventh successful showing in his past eight Octagon appearances. Dave Doyle was among those surprised:
*** While he had a lengthy layoff between Octagon appearances, Aljamain Sterling made a statement in his triumphant return at UFC on Fox 15. “The Funk Master” faced savvy veteran Takeya Mizugaki in a bout that had the capability to catapult him into the upper tier of the bantamweight division as the scrappy Japanese fighter has faced a who’s who of fighters in the 135-pound fold.
Sterling was well aware of what was at stake in the fight, and he absolutely rose to the occasion as the Serra-Longo fighter finished Mizugaki with a rarely seen arm triangle choke from off his back. It was an impressive performance that not only keeps Sterling’s undefeated record intact, but will put him in line for big things in the near future. FightMetric’s Michael Carroll noted Sterling’s achievement:
*** Tim Means has been all business since going up to welterweight and continued his run toward the next level of competition on Saturday night. The “Dirty Bird” battered George Sullivan until he locked in an arm triangle choke to pick up his fourth consecutive victory in the 170-pound ranks. While “The Silencer” kept things competitive during the opening frame, the New Mexico native controlled the action the rest of the way as he opened up his versatile arsenal of punches, knees and elbows.
Means’ output proved too much for Sullivan to handle, and he cinched up the choke to end the fight midway through the final frame. With the win, Means has now been successful in all but one of his seven showings at welterweight and will draw a bigger-name opponent in his next outing.
The Bad
Jim Miller has been a staple of the upper tier of the lightweight division for the past six years.
Over that stretch, the New Jersey native has traded leather with a mixture of the very best 155-pound fighters on the planet and has done so with a high success rate. The hard-charging blue-collar fighter has put together lengthy winning streaks that put him within distance of a title shot and suffered setbacks in high-profile tilts all the same.
Nevertheless, the one thing guaranteed is that Miller is going to give everything he has inside the Octagon, and his performance against Beneil Dariush on Saturday night was no different.
While Miller was on the better side of the action in the opening round, he spent the final two frames defending himself from what the 25-year-old Kings MMA product was dishing out in the grappling department. And even though the 31-year-old Whippany, New Jersey, resident was able to keep himself out of danger throughout, Dariush’s ability to control the action allowed him to take the rounds on the judges’ scorecards and ultimately earn the unanimous-decision victory.
Where a second consecutive setback is no reason to sound the alarm, the increasingly competitive nature of Miller’s division creates a different type of position. With 19 Octagon appearances under his belt, there’s no doubting Miller’s skill level and talent inside the cage. Yet, with Dariush leading a rising tide that is giving the existing guard fits as of late, Miller will have some work to do.
A fighter doesn’t remain at the top level of a deep division without talent and grit, but the pressure will be on Miller to turn things around in his next showing in order to keep his relevance at the top levels of the lightweight collective alive.
The Strange
Fights in MMA get stopped for a myriad of reasons, but the bout between Diego Brandao and Jim Hettes became the latest fight brought to an end due to an exploding ear. Midway through the opening round, the scrappy Brazilian planted a powerful elbow on Hettes that busted open a spot on the Pennsylvania native’s left ear.
While blood started to stream from Hettes’ ear, the action carried on in frenzied fashion as both men battled for position on the canvas as a tangle of exciting grappling exchanges unfolded. As soon as Brandao would take a dominant position on the mat, Hettes found a way to reverse the hold and put himself back on top. When the bell sounded to close out the first round, the New Jersey crowd cheered as it was primed for more.
Yet, that wasn’t going to happen as the cage-side doctor deemed Hettes’ ear a dangerous injury and called a stop to the fight.
Seconds later the crowed erupted into a chorus of boos as Brandao ran across the cage and jumped on top of the Octagon to celebrate while a visibly upset Hettes let a combination of punches loose on the chain links. In the post-fight interview, Joe Rogan questioned the stoppage as the blood flowing from Hettes’ ear would not impede his vision or put his ear in jeopardy, but the call had already been made, and the decision was official.
With the win, Brandao stopped a two-fight skid and picked up his first victory since August 2013, while Hettes was dealt his second consecutive loss in an increasingly competitive featherweight division. Bleacher Report’s Hunter Homistek reported Hettes’ reaction:
On a final note, perhaps the most strange thing about UFC on Fox 15 was that there was very little strange at all. With the event taking place in Newark, New Jersey—a place where I’ve personally experienced some of the most curious happenings in my entire life—there figured to be a long list of abnormal things afoot. Nevertheless, that did not turn out to be the case on Saturday night; everything seemed to fall into the regular order of things.
While normalcy does rear its ugly head now and then, it always seems off when it does. While fight fans can normally count on a referee not doing his/her job in a crucial moment or a cage-side judges dropping the ball now and again, those things were not to be found at UFC on Fox 15.
Then again, the New Jersey Athletic Commission does have an outstanding reputation for running a tight ship, and it’s quite possible the event on Saturday night is a reflection of that job done correctly.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Lyoto Machida’s fighting style mirrors his quest for championship gold in the sense that he’s never truly out of striking distance.
Inside the Octagon, “The Dragon” has proven he possesses one of the most complex striking games ever put on display unde…
LyotoMachida‘s fighting style mirrors his quest for championship gold in the sense that he’s never truly out of striking distance.
Inside the Octagon, “The Dragon” has proven he possesses one of the most complex striking games ever put on display under the UFC banner, and that versatile approach has yielded impressive results.
Over the past seven years, the 36-year-old Brazilian karate master has entered the cage as both champion and challenger, but regardless of what side of the equation he’s on, there always seem to be high stakes hovering in the balance.
Those particular circumstances were elevated immediately upon his arrival in the middleweight division, as the former light heavyweight champion was figured to be a major player in the 185-pound title race.
Machida has validated that notion to the fullest, winning all but one of his four showings as a middleweight, with his lone setback coming in a five-round war with current champion Chris Weidman at UFC 175 last July.
Despite coming out on the losing end of his bout with Weidman, the Shotokan karate fighter is eager to get back to another championship opportunity.
With that in mind, he made quick work out of C.B. Dollaway when they met at Fight Night 58 back in December. Machida folded “The Doberman” with a vicious body kick in the first round of the bout. The victory over Dollaway put him back on track and moving toward the top of the division once again.
He’s now in line for another high-stakes affair.
The Team Black House fighter will square off with Luke Rockhold this Saturday at UFC on Fox 15 in Newark, New Jersey, in a fight that has the potential to earn him another shot at the middleweight strap.
Therefore, Machida has once again put his goal within range, and the next step—as it has always been—will be about closing the distance between himself and the ultimate goal.
He knows what will be on the line when the cage door closes at the Prudential Center on Saturday night and is confident he’ll have what it takes to topple the former Strikeforce champion in impressive fashion at UFC on Fox 15.
“I am hungry for the title and to become champion,” Machida told Bleacher Report. “Every day when I wake up, I think about being a champion again. It’s my greatest motivation and is always my goal to get the belt.
“Every fight is going to be a big fight for me, but I always try to bring some different motivation for every one of them. For this fight, to fight a guy like Luke—who is a tall guy with good stand-up—is going to be a good challenge for me. I like to challenge myself. This fight is going to be on the feet. Sometimes you can go to the ground, but I think this fight is going to take place standing.”
In addition to a constant presence in the realm of high-profile fights, Machida has doggedly pursued a mastery of his craft as a mixed martial artist.
Where that determination drove him to the highest levels of karate and then to become a UFC champion, the Brazilian striking phenom has used to same mindset to push his MMA skill set to become an art form as well.
For Machida, it’s not just about being successful in MMA—it’s about refining his craft to a place of excellence. He believes experience has played a huge role in this effort, and that time and diligence has finally allowed him to arrive at a place where everything has fallen into place.
While his complex presentation inside the Octagon has baffled the majority of his opponents and made fans latch onto his unique style, Machida sees these things as proof that his hard work is paying off.
“I think it all has to do with my maturity,” Machida said. “I’ve become a more mature fighter. I’m 36 years old and I’m more confident in my skills. I can now show everyone all my technique. Back in the day, I was too young. I wasn’t able to do everything. Sometimes you have some block in your mind that stops you, but that is gone and I’m able to do everything I want to do.
“I cannot see things better, but I can feel it. I’m more calm and I can feel all the energy in there. I can use all of my skills because I’m at ease in an uncomfortable place. I can keep my distance very well. I can control my opponent because I came from karate. It is my strong point because it doesn’t matter if my opponent has 1,000 kilos of power in their hands. If you don’t touch me, it doesn’t matter.
“It feels great that everyone gets excited to watch me fight,” he added. “It shows that I have a lot of fans and everyone is always so curious about my style. If I change something and bring something new for every fight, people always pay attention to it. I’m a mystery to a lot of people and I enjoy that.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Rashad Evans has forged a remarkable career in mixed martial arts, but it hasn’t been one free of hardship and adversity. In some ways, even in times of success, there have always been twists and turns, but Evans has always found a way to endure and absorb the lessons at hand.