From the way things looked on Thursday afternoon, Max Holloway is ready for the big time.
The 23-year-old Hawaiian featherweight joined his fellow main card fighters, including upcoming opponent Cub Swanson, for media day at the Best Buy Theater in New…
From the way things looked on Thursday afternoon, Max Holloway is ready for the big time.
The 23-year-old Hawaiian featherweight joined his fellow main card fighters, including upcoming opponent Cub Swanson, for media day at the Best Buy Theater in New York City and did his best to steal the show.
While Swanson’s suit game was definitely on point as he answered inquiries from the reporters in attendance, directly across the room, Holloway answered the challenge in his own way. The surging young talent was equally decked out to the nines as he held court in the lead-up to the highly anticipated featherweight tilt on Saturday.
“It’s nice to dress up sometimes, and when they tell me put on a suit, I think of prom,” Holloway told Bleacher Report with a laugh. “I have a couple of suits now and that’s a great feeling. I love buying suits. It makes me feel successful and when you look good you play good. You have to look good for the camera first then you go in there and put on a great fight.”
His upcoming bout at UFC on Fox 15 will be the biggest of his young career, and “Blessed” is treating it as such.
Holloway knows he will be stepping into the Octagon with a fighter widely recognized to be one of the best in the 145-pound fold, and this will provide him with a tremendous opportunity to elevate his status in the featherweight division.
He also understands competing on Fox will represent the highest amount of visibility he’s ever garnered during his time in MMA, and he’s determined to make the most of it.
Those efforts were on display on Thursday afternoon in NYC, and Holloway’s energy and spirits were high as he talked about his upcoming battle with “Killer Cub.”
“I was really excited to get the fight with Cub [Swanson],” Holloway said. “Dana White always says, ‘You only make this money once.’ I want to make this money once and as much as I can while I’m doing it. I think it’s great fighting a guy like Cub because his style and my style put together is meant to be an awesome fight. We are going to throw down in there and neither of us will complain walking out with an extra 50K on fight night. It will be an awesome night.
“When I’m in there throwing spinning attacks and crazy things, that’s how you know I’m having fun. That’s what this sport is all about. This fight with Cub is huge for me. It’s a blessing because I think he and I are going to get comfortable in there really fast. The fans are going to see some amazing striking techniques in there.”
The bout with Swanson will represent Holloway’s opportunity to break out of the prospect role and enter the race for title contention in the 145-pound ranks, which is the goal he has been striving for since joining the UFC in 2010.
He’s won all but three of his 11 showings inside the Octagon during that stretch and is currently in the midst of a five-fight winning streak that has come over tough competition.
With his confidence at an all-time high and a solid amount of momentum at his back, Holloway firmly believes he’s ready for the best fights the UFC has to offer. He wants to be one of the promotion’s showcase fighters and believes defeating Swanson is the key to making that happen.
“I’m at that point in my career where I will take a fight with anyone at any place at any time,” Holloway said. “For real. I want to get up there at Cowboy [Donald Cerrone] status where I’m making $100,000 a fight just in the front to show up. I want to get there and how you do that is show the UFC you want to fight. I love these fast turnarounds, man. Sometimes you can get layoffs for several months and it’s hard to stay focused that way. Kicking right back to high gear is great and I love that feeling.
“I want those big fights. People always bring up that my only losses are to top-10 guys. If I can pull off a win here, I’m hoping to get rematches with the guys I lost to or other guys higher in the division. I want to prove to everyone Max Holloway is here to stay and I’m one of the elites.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
UFC President Dana White has publicly stated on several occasions it is difficult finding fighters who are willing to face Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza. Apparently, Michael Bisping is on the list of those who have no interest in meeting “The Alligator” …
UFC President Dana White has publicly stated on several occasions it is difficult finding fighters who are willing to face Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza. Apparently, Michael Bisping is on the list of those who have no interest in meeting “The Alligator” inside the cage.
Or at least that’s the story coming from Souza’s camp. Bisping, on the other hand, says such an offer never came his way.
After the former Strikeforce middleweight champion turned UFC contender’s upcoming opponent Yoel Romero was forced out of their co-main event tilt at UFC on Fox 15 due to injury, the promotion set about scrambling for a replacement. The UFC was intent to keep the Brazilian grappling ace on the card in Newark, New Jersey, and offered the fight up to a multitude of middleweights. Per a report from Combate (h/t Lucas Rezende of Bloody Elbow), Souza specifically asked for Bisping to be moved into the fight, but allegedly, “The Count” wasn’t having any of it.
The feared submission artist’s manager, Gilberto Faria, told the news site the brash-talking Brit declined the offer to fight Souza at UFC on Fox 15 and decided to keep his upcoming bout with C.B. Dollaway at UFC 186 on April 25 intact. With Bisping putting in a full training camp to face “The Doberman” in Montreal, Souza’s camp thought he would be the ideal choice but claim The Ultimate Fighter Season 3 winner had different feelings on the matter.
Ultimately, the UFC tapped gritty veteran Chris Camozzi to the Octagon, and the Colorado native will get his rematch and shot at redemption this Saturday night in Newark.
Faria had this to say, per Rezende:
I think Chris Camozzi showed he is a warrior to take on Jacare like that. I’m actually surprised with his attitude, because he’s getting in trouble. I asked for Michael Bisping, because he’s fighting on the same week as Jacare, but Bisping doesn’t want any of it. He is always talking about how he wants to get to the top and fight for the belt, but when the opportunity presented itself, he didn’t want to fight. If he beats Jacare, he fights for the belt next, but he didn’t want to take the risk, he prefers to fight C.B. Dollaway.
It didn’t take long for news of Bisping supposedly turning down the fight with Souza to spread across the MMA community. Word of the situation eventually reached the scrappy Englishman, who wasted no time posting his response to the claims made against him. The perennial middleweight contender took to his Instagram account (h/t Guilherme Cruz of MMA Fighting) to shed light on how things did or didn’t go down in regard to fighting Souza.
Bisping is adamant he never received a call from the UFC about fighting Souza, claiming that, had that offer actually come his way, it is one he would have taken. He even went as far as challenging Souza to step into the Octagon once their respective fights are done, and he made it clear he would be up to settling their business once the Brazilian powerhouse is ready to get back into the cage.
Bisping posted this to his Instagram account, via Cruz:
Jacare’s manager has said I turned down a fight with Jacare. And now it is the headline on all the MMA websites. ‘Bisping was offered Jacare fight but turned it down’ that is complete b——t. The fight was never offered, the UFC didn’t talk to me at all. I have signed a contract to fight in Montreal on the 25th but if the UFC asked me, I would of done it. Just like I have every time the UFC asked me to step up.
Jacare is a great fighter, but his manager doesn’t need to tell lies to make him sounds like a bad ass. Have a word with him Jacare, he’s full of s–t. Oh, and by the way. When we both get these fights out the way, let’s do it!
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Felice Herrig is well aware of the multitude of storylines that are hovering around her upcoming tilt with Paige VanZant this Saturday at UFC on Fox 15.
There is a lot of hype and anticipation attached to the women’s strawweight bout set to go do…
Felice Herrig is well aware of the multitude of storylines that are hovering around her upcoming tilt with Paige VanZant this Saturday at UFC on Fox 15.
There is a lot of hype and anticipation attached to the women’s strawweight bout set to go down this weekend in Newark, New Jersey, and any time the promotional machine ramps up for a fight, certain topic lines are going to become blurred. Herrig has heard a plethora of angles while doing her media obligations for the fight with VanZant, with more than a few angles having no anchor in reality.
The most common of which is the beef—or lack thereof—with her 21-year-old opponent in the lead up to their showdown in New Jersey.
The Team Alpha Male fighter has garnered a swell of attention since making a successful UFC debut last November and quickly came to possess one of the fastest rising profiles in the 115-pound collective. The attention surrounding VanZant would multiply when she became the first woman outside of women’s bantamweight superstar Ronda Rousey to be signed to an individual Reebok contract.
As news of the deal spread throughout the MMA community, the criticism from fans and fighters alike came pouring in. The Ultimate Fighter Season 20 tournament was completed and a divisional champion crowned in Carla Esparza, but it was “12 Gauge” who received the nod from Reebok. Herrig also was one of the fighters leapfrogged by VanZant. While it would seem likely that particular topic would be a rough subject for the Team Curran fighter, that projection is completely off the mark.
“A lot of people have tried to stir things up for this fight and want me to have beef with Paige,” Herrig told the Bleacher Report. “I don’t have any beef with her nor do I have anything bad to say about her. This is a fight and none of that other stuff really matters. The only thing that matters is that she shows up and comes to fight. I’m going to do what I do. That’s all I’ve ever done and all I know how to do.
“I don’t believe she’s better than me anywhere. I think this is the perfect stylistic matchup for me. I’m confident I can take this fight anywhere to go. If Paige puts me in a position, I believe I’m good enough to fight out of it and make it my fight. I think I can make this fight the fight I want it to be and believe I can win anywhere. She can’t outstrike or out-grapple me, and she’s definitely not going to outwrestle me. We both have good gas tanks, but it’s one thing to have good stamina and another to face an opponent who also has good stamina but is physically strong.”
Throughout her time in mixed martial arts, Herrig has been a walking example of the benefits that come with being a tireless self-promoter. Those efforts ensured she made a living during the feast or famine roller coaster that was women’s MMA in the late 2000s and helped her hit the ground running when she signed with the UFC last year. Herrig knows what’s it is like to be on the receiving end of criticism where style over substance is concerned, as she has battled to prove there is an elite-level fighter beneath the show model exterior.
And with that in mind, Herrig isn’t about to knock VanZant‘s hustle, even though she does want to knock her out Saturday.
“Every step I take in my career and every opportunity I take advantage of, I look at as the most important thing,” Herrig said. “I live in the moment, and every fight is the most important fight of my career where it’s in The Ultimate Fighter house or on Fox. It feels great to be in the UFC because it’s the biggest promotion in MMA. I don’t put any additional pressure on myself, and to do that, I look at this next fight as just another fight.
“I made my professional MMA debut with zero MMA fights as an amateur, and to make it this far, I truly believe I’ve earned it. And that’s the best feeling. Some women—and not taking anything away from anyone because you have to take the opportunities that come your way in life—but some women are where they are in this sport right now because they got in at the right time. They didn’t really have to pay their dues and grind through all the B.S., the way a lot of us did. I have absolutely earned the right to be here, and everything I have I’ve worked for. That feels great.
“I’m not here to talk smack because that’s not my thing,” she added. “I’ve never been one to knock someone because they took an opportunity. We all take the opportunities that come our way, but at the same time, that doesn’t mean we all earned them. People are going to have great opportunities brought their way, simply because they are at the right place and time. That doesn’t mean they earned it. I prefer to earn my opportunities because I firmly believe things last longer when you work hard for them. It just means more.”
The matchup between Herrig and VanZant has been a hot topic of debate since it was announced earlier in the year, and rightfully so. From a stylistic standpoint, both fighters work behind high-paced offenses and have the ability to be dangerous in a variety of areas inside the Octagon. That said, when the bout is viewed on paper, the one glaring difference between the two strawweights is the vast difference in experience between them.
While VanZant has been competing as a professional for a little more than two years and has only five bouts on her resume, the Illinois representative has a wealth of fight experience that has crossed over multiple avenues in the combat sports realm. Herrig believes her veteran status will make all the difference at UFC on Fox 15, when she plans on taking her opponent into deeper waters than she’s ever experienced.
Once there, VanZant will have to show and prove the hype behind her is valid, and Herrig doesn’t think she has what it takes to do that. The TUF alumna is confident she’ll get the job done Saturday and thinks VanZant is truly in over her head with the matchup.
“I think the experience factor is going to be huge in this fight,” Herrig said. “I don’t think Paige necessarily knows what she’s in for, and I guess you can’t blame her. Ignorance is bliss, and I think there is a lack of knowledge about the sport at play here. I believe Paige thinks she can just show up here and be a superstar, but there’s also such a thing as everyone having their 15 minutes of fame. Again, when you haven’t really earned something, you don’t know how long it is going to last.
“I’m not saying she’s had her 15 minutes, yet. I’m saying in order for her to have lasting power, she’s going to have to get by her first big step on April 18. She still has to prove she belongs and deserves to be here. I already know I deserve to be here. I already know everything I’ve gone through. My credentials speak for themselves, and I’m here to stay.
“I don’t want to say I’m necessarily going to have to educate Paige, but this is my time,” she added. “I’m exactly where I need to be, and I’m at the spot I earned. I’m not here to let someone like Paige take that away from me. There’s just no way.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand, unless noted otherwise.
Jim Miller believes he has something to prove at UFC on Fox 15.
The UFC’s lightweight division is arguably the deepest pool of talent under the promotional banner, and for the past five years, the New Jersey native has consistently stepped in against t…
Jim Miller believes he has something to prove at UFC on Fox 15.
The UFC’s lightweight division is arguably the deepest pool of talent under the promotional banner, and for the past five years, the New Jersey native has consistently stepped in against the best fighters the 155-pound collective has to offer. Over that stretch, the blue-collar grinder has established himself as a guaranteed lock for action on fight night and has become mainstay in the elite tier of the divisional hierarchy in the process.
While the 31-year-old veteran has experienced setbacks along the way, he’s never ceased to be a proud representative of the unique brand of toughness New Jersey is known for.
That said, the Sparta-based fighter is determined to make another push toward the top of the lightweight fold, and his opportunity to spark that run will come at UFC on Fox 15. The Miller Brothers MMA leader will step into the Octagon in front of his home state to face the surging BeneilDariush when the UFC returns Saturday night to Newark, New Jersey.
The 25-year-old prospect represents the next wave of rising talent in the lightweight ranks, and Miller believes turning the Kings MMA representative back in impressive fashion will send the caliber of message he’s looking to deliver to the rest of the 155-pound division.
“I’m looking to make a statement in this fight,” Miller told Bleacher Report. “I know what I’m capable of doing. If I go out and do what I can do and leave my mark on the fight, then it’s going to make the statement I want to make. I’m out to prove I’m the best. Fighting is not very forgiving, and one small mistake can cost you a night. Unfortunately, there are a couple of months between fights before you can turn things around. I’ve been fighting for almost 10 years and have almost 30 fights. That’s only 30 opportunities to prove I belong at this level. I’ve made the most of it for the most part and that’s what I’m going to continue to do.
“Every fight brings an opportunity to make a big statement because this is the UFC. A great fight can open a lot of people’s eyes to what you can do in there. Even someone like me who has fought inside the Octagon 18 times can make new fans and give those who have been watching a refresher. That’s what I’m going to do this Saturday. I’ve been out since July, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to remind people what I’m capable of, and I’m going to leave a fresh imprint on people’s minds.”
Where Miller’s general affinity for throwing down and ingrained competitive spirit are enough to carry him into most fights, the scrappy lightweight has a bit of a chip on his shoulder heading into UFC on Fox 15. After his most recent outing ended in a setback against Donald Cerrone at Fight Night 45 last July, Miller has spent the past several months looking forward to the night he can step back into the cage and return to his winning ways.
The opportunity to do just that will come front and center on April 18 as he will attempt to derail the Rafael Cordeiro-trained lightweight in Newark. Dariush has garnered a solid amount of attention since making his official UFC debut in early 2014, winning four of his five showings inside the Octagon and all but one of those victories coming by way of finish. His most recent win came at the expense of Daron Cruickshank as the talented Assyrian choked out The Detroit Superstar in the second round of their tilt at UFC 185 back in March.
Although Dariush has proven to have a versatile skill set, Miller holds a drastic advantage in the experience department and believes that element will play a huge factor in the bout Saturday.
“I think it’s a good fight,” Miller said. “[Dariush] is a tough kid, and he comes forward. He comes in there to fight, and he’s not out there trying to eke out a decision. And those are the fights I excel in. That’s what I’m looking for in this one. He’s dangerous everywhere, and I’m going to have to be on top of my game. That’s the kind of pressure I like. If that wasn’t there, I’d say there is a problem. I haven’t been in a fight in the UFC where it wasn’t, but if I was going into a fight where I didn’t have to worry about the threats my opponent possesses, that would be a little nerve-racking.
“He’s a dangerous guy who has finished a lot of his fights, but I’ve seen anything he can throw at me. I’ve fought the entire range of styles in this game. On the other side of things, I strongly feel I bring something to this game no one can replicate and I don’t think he’s fought anyone like me. I believe I’ve fought guys who have been better on the feet, on the ground and have better wrestling than he has, and I don’t think that’s any kind of stretch of the imagination. I’m comfortable and I’m confident.
“It doesn’t matter who I’m going against,” he added. “Looking at my record and seeing the guys I’ve shared the Octagon with shows that I’ve been there. I’ve been up against just about everything, and I’m ready for whatever he’s got.”
When Miller step in to face Dariush at UFC on Fox 15 it will mark the 19th time the younger of the fighting Miller brothers has competed under the UFC banner. Longevity of that magnitude is extremely difficult to accomplish when competing at the highest level of the sport, and those numbers become even loftier when the steady increase of competition the lightweight division has experienced over the past five years.
Furthermore, Miller’s run through the 155-pound ranks carries a bit more weight in the bigger picture as he’s spent the majority of that stretch competing within the divisional Top 10 where he’s traded leather with former champions and title challengers alike. He’s spent nearly a decade taking on all comers inside the cage, and he has no plans of slowing down any time in the future.
The husband/father/outdoorsman/brewer/craftsman/fisherman/business owner is determined the add the label of champion to his current list of descriptors and believes the current landscape of the lightweight division is one where big moves can be made. While he chalks some of the current situation up to the natural ebb and flow of fighters winning and losing bouts, Miller also sees a sea change happening with his fellow veteran fighters.
The journey through MMA is unforgiving and one where the miles and damage taken along the way are visible. Miller knows the ticking clock is ultimately his biggest opponent, but years of experience have taught him how to soften the corners and make the proper adjustments. He will be 19 fights deep after Saturday night in Newark and believes he has plenty more left to give.
“There is a definitely a little bit of a shuffle going on in the division,” Miller said. “There are some younger guys coming into the mix, and guys who were at the top who aren’t anymore. That’s part of the game unfortunately.
“I really don’t think it has anything to do with age. Obviously, you are going to lose some speed as you get older because you are never going to keep that, but I think it really comes down to fights at this level. There are very few people with 20 fights inside the Octagon, and there is a reason for that. It’s just because everything about this sport—training camps and the actual fights—all wear on you. Training camps wear on you, and fights break you down, and you only have so many of those cycles. Fortunately for me, I kind of fought at a breakneck pace in the beginning. I’m only 31, but this will be my 19th fight in the UFC, which is quite a bit because when you get to 20 you are in an elite group of well-known guys.
“It’s starting to catch up to guys who have been in it for several years, and it really comes down to trying to stave off that breakdown,” he added. “I think I have a handle on it with the style of training I’ve shifted to and have been working toward over the past few years. Now that I have my own gym and my own place to prepare, I feel my training has gotten a lot better. I still train very hard but do it in a smart way.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
A legend returned with redemption on his mind at UFC Fight Night 64.
The UFC marked its inaugural stop in Poland by reigniting the fuse on one of the biggest upsets in the history of the heavyweight division, as Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic squared off wi…
A legend returned with redemption on his mind at UFC Fight Night 64.
The UFC marked its inaugural stop in Poland by reigniting the fuse on one of the biggest upsets in the history of the heavyweight division, as Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic squared off with Gabriel Gonzaga in the main event from Krakow on Saturday. Nearly eight years had passed since Napao shocked the MMA world by flattening the Croatian powerhouse with a perfectly timed head kick to earn a stunning knockout in the first round of their tilt at UFC 70 back in 2007.
While the Brazilian grappling ace would go on to compete for the heavyweight crown in his next outing, both fighters experienced mixed results following their collision in Manchester, England. Filipovic and Gonzaga would each be cut from the UFC in the ensuing years, only to return in hopes of regaining their traction on the sport’s biggest stage.
Their meeting at Fight Night 64 came with high stakes: The winner would remain relevant in the divisional fold, while the loser would be pushed into obscurity. Filipovic had lost three straight before being let go by the UFC back in 2011, and Gonzaga came into Saturday having dropped back-to-back outings inside the Octagon. Neither fighter could afford another setback, and it was the former Pride Grand Prix winner who got the job done on Saturday.
Although Filipovic appeared to be running out of gas in the third round, the legendary striker landed a short elbow in the clinch that put Gonzaga on wobbly legs. Once Filipovic was able to get free, he unleashed a torrent of elbows from top position that forced the referee stop the fight, which gave the 40-year-old veteran his first victory inside the Octagon since 2010.
Let’s take a look at the good, bad and strange from Fight Night 64.
The Good
There was a time when Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic was one of the most feared heavyweight fighters on the planet.
While those days have come and gone, the former K-1 Grand Prix winner and Pride veteran was determined to prove he has plenty of fight left in him. After being released from the UFC in 2011, the Croatian striker had to earn his way back to the biggest stage in MMA, and he did so by finding victory in three of his four showings outside of the Octagon.
The legendary heavyweight returned to face Gabriel Gonzaga at Fight Night 64 in an effort to pay the Brazilian back for besting him in their first meeting back in 2007. While Filipovic was unable to brand Napao with the same caliber of highlight-reel material the grappling ace handed out in the first fight, he found redemption all the same.
Filipovic stunned Gonzaga with a pair of standing elbows early in the third round and then put a stamp on his work with a flurry of elbows from top position to end the fight and claim victory. And while it wasn’t a rock-solid performance from start to finish, it was certainly enough to prove he’s as game as they come.
His win over Gonzaga on Saturday was his first successful UFC showing since 2010 when he defeated Pat Barry via rear-naked choke at UFC 115. It all but guarantees the head-kick master will get another chance to compete under the UFC banner.
Even though he’s not the Cro Cop of years past, the savvy veteran still put away a top-20 heavyweight at Fight Night 64. If nothing else, that’s an impressive accomplishment to add to a resume that has spanned 14 years and already features a who’s who of the best heavyweights.
*** After more than a year away from the Octagon, Jimi Manuwa made a triumphant return against Jan Blachowicz on Saturday. Poster Boy suffered the first loss of his professional career to Alexander Gustafsson 13 months ago in London, and the British powerhouse was determined to get back into the win column at Fight Night 64. While the bout wasn’t the shootout many figured it to be, Manuwa was the aggressor, landing the cleaner shots throughout the three-round tilt to pick up the unanimous-decision victory.
*** It was a wild fight from start to finish, but Pawel Pawlak did enough to beat Sheldon Westcott in main card action. The rangy welterweight gave his hometown crowd something to cheer about as he went toe-to-toe with The Ultimate Fighter: Nations finalist every step of the 15-minute affair. Pawlak rocked Westcott on several occasions but was unable to put the hard-charging Canadian away. In addition to earning his first win under the UFC banner, Pawlak could well be at the front of the line for a Performance of the Night bonus as well.
*** Judging by the buzz leading up to fight night, Maryna Moroz was supposed to be Joanne Calderwood’s steppingstone to a title shot against Joanna Jedrzejczyk later this year. Apparently, no one informed the UFC newcomer, who put Calderwood away in less than two minutes. Moroz came out swinging and dotted JoJo up with several shots before she pulled guard and locked in the fight-ending armbar. She then put a cap on an impressive debut by throwing out a challenge to the champion, who was sitting cageside Saturday.
*** There is making a statement, and there is making a statement in eight seconds the way Leon Edwards did at Fight Night 64. Rocky lived up to his nickname by starching veteran Seth Baczynski with a straight shot that blew up the Arizona native and crumpled him to the canvas. The British welterweight put one more shot on his opponent before the referee jumped in to stop the fight.
Edwards not only picked up the victory but earned the second-fastest knockout in the history of the UFC’s welterweight division. That’s an impressive feat by any measure, but especially so with Edwards being a 23-year-old prospect on the rise.
*** Coming into his bout with Damian Stasiak at Fight Night 64, Yaotzin Meza had found victory in only one of his past four appearances inside the cage. He needed a victory to get things back on track and was willing to jump into a higher weight class in order to make that happen. The MMA Lab product returned to the featherweight ranks for the first time since 2012 on Saturday, and the decision paid off as he used his grappling advantage to control Stasiak en route to the unanimous-decision victory.
*** There wasn’t anything pretty about it, but Anthony Hamilton got things back on track on Saturday. The Jackson/Winkeljohn-trained fighter bested Daniel Omielanczuk in a bout that went the distance on the preliminary portion of the card. While both fighters ran out of gas fairly quickly, The Freight Train had more to offer late. He has now won two of his last three showings inside the Octagon.
*** While the opening round was a bit sluggish between female strawweights Aleksandra Albu and Izabela Badurek, Stitch got things working her way early in the second frame. The wiry Russian caught Badurek as she attempted to shoot in for the takedown and locked in a tight guillotine choke that forced the tap. Albu’s victory at Fight Night 64 not only marked an impressive debut but officially carved out her place in the crowded ranks of the 115-pound collective.
The Bad
Consistency is one of the most difficult things to achieve at the highest level of combat sports, and it’s something Gonzaga continues to struggle with.
Napao was once a former title challenger and an elite UFC heavyweight, but the past eight years have not been kind. After a tough run where he found success in only three out of eight fights, the UFC released the Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace in 2010. He was determined to fight his way back to UFC and did so in short fashion, as it only took him one victory outside of the Octagon to earn another call from the biggest promotion in MMA.
In doing so, Gonzaga was focused on keeping his reacquired roster position. When he picked up wins in his first two bouts upon returning to the UFC, things looked promising, but his momentum took a huge hit when he suffered a knockout against Travis Browne in the first round of their tilt at The Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale in June 2013. While he would rebound to collect back-to-back wins in his next two appearances, consistency issues came to call once more, as he tallied two more in the loss column.
Those circumstances created an ample amount of pressure heading into his bout with Mirko Filipovic at Fight Night 64, as the Team Link fighter could ill-afford a third consecutive loss. Unfortunately for Gonzaga, that’s exactly what transpired. The loss to Filipovic spells the first time in Gonzaga’s career where he lost three in a row, and it will undoubtedly put his back against the wall in the heavyweight picture.
Gonzaga has been the unofficial gatekeeper in the heavyweight division for years, but unless he can turn things around in his next fight, someone else will assume the role by the end of 2015.
*** Coming into Saturday’s card in Krakow, few fighters needed a victory more than Baczynski. The Polish Pistola had dropped four of his past five heading into his bout with Leon Edwards and desperately needed to turn things around to keep his spot on the crowded welterweight roster. Furthermore, The Ultimate Fighter alum campaigned to be put on the card because he had long coveted competing in front of a Polish crowd; that set the stage for a crucial show and a prove-it moment in his career.
Unfortunately for Baczynski, Fight Night 64 was disastrous. The Power MMA representative’s night ended just as soon as it began, as Rocky put him away within 10 seconds of the opening bell. Edwards dropped Baczynski with a straight shot right down the pipe and then finished the bout with one more punch while Baczynski was on the canvas. With the loss, the 33-year-old Arizona-based fighter has now dropped three consecutive fights and five of his last six inside the Octagon.
The Strange
Oh, what a difference one week and a card filled with recognizable talent makes.
Last Saturday, fight fans were jazzed up about kicking off their day with an action-packed card at Fight Night (Day) 63 in Fairfax, Virginia. While the event didn’t necessarily register in the stacked category, enough fighters with solid profiles were throwing leather inside the cage to garner the attention of fight fans, who were more than happy to be getting their UFC fix in a mid-afternoon time slot.
That said, whatever collective feeling circulated on April 4 was nowhere to be found on April 11.
Yet, to be completely fair, the two cards were entirely different animals. Where Fight Night 63 was a Fox Sports 1 card with a mixture of established veterans and anchored with a crucial bout in the featherweight title hunt between Chad Mendes and Ricardo Lamas, none of those elements existed for the UFC’s official debut on Polish soil. Although those details are initially alarming, the UFC has a different model when handling events that air on Fight Pass.
Whereas cards that are domestically televised in the United States are typically lined with familiar names and at least a few important divisional matchups, the UFC takes a different approach with events in new or growing markets. Much like previous Fight Pass cards in Singapore and Berlin, the promotion will set a high-profile main event and then fill out the rest of the lineup with region-specific fighters.
That was certainly the case at Fight Night 64, and it just so happened that few outside of media or extreme diehard fight fans knew anything about the fighters on the preliminary portion of the card. When a lukewarm main event is added to that mix, the formula for a rough go is set, and that seemed to be the case, judging from the MMA community’s reaction to the card across social media platforms.
Nevertheless, Saturday’s card in Poland had its moments, but a casual fan who may have tuned in this Saturday and last would have walked away with two totally different takes. Then again, the varying platforms and the way the cards were structured were set that way for a reason, and it is up to fight fans to make what they will of these circumstances.
It will be interesting to see if the UFC continues to use these methods going forward in the creation of cards on the digital network, or if the organization will look to punch things up on Fight Pass toward the end of 2015.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Aljamain Sterling has been patiently waiting for his opportunity to shake up the UFC’s bantamweight division. And that’s exactly what he intends to do at UFC on Fox 15.
The highly touted 25-year-old Serra-Longo product has been eager to get back to wor…
Aljamain Sterling has been patiently waiting for his opportunity to shake up the UFC’s bantamweight division. And that’s exactly what he intends to do at UFC on Fox 15.
The highly touted 25-year-old Serra-Longo product has been eager to get back to work inside the Octagon, and his long wait will come to an end when he steps in against TakeyaMizugaki on April 18 in Newark, New Jersey. The Japanese veteran is as experienced as they come in the 135-pound ranks, and the fight will provide Sterling an excellent opportunity to take a big jump up the divisional hierarchy with a victory.
Nevertheless, the path he’s traveled between appearances on the sport’s biggest stage has come with plenty of twists and turns. The undefeated prospect’s most recent showing came at Fight Night 45 last July where “The Funk Master” finished scrappy Brazilian Hugo Viana via TKO in the third round to pick up his second consecutive victory under the UFC banner. He was next slated to face fellow up-and comer Mitch Gagnon three months later in Fairfax, Nova Scotia, but an injury forced Sterling to withdraw from the bout.
The Long Island native was then matched up with Frankie Saenz at Fight Night 55 on November 7, but after his opponent fell out due to injury and the UFC cancelled the contract of the man tapped to replace him, Sterling once again found himself playing the waiting game. Those circumstances would be enough to rattle a lesser fighter, but Sterling kept his composure throughout, and continued to hone his talents inside the gym.
He knew his time to shine would arrive before long and the upcoming bout with Mizugaki represents the opportunity he’s been waiting for. With the top tier in the bantamweight division experiencing a lull at the present time, Sterling knows an impressive victory over a proven talent in Mizugaki would go a long way toward helping him establish himself as a major threat in the 135-pound collective.
The highly energetic former wrestler turned mixed martial artist plans to make a huge statement at UFC on Fox 15 and get his 2015 campaign off to a memorable start.
“This division needs some funk, and on April 18 I’m going to bring it,” Sterling told Bleacher Report. “People want to see the ‘Funk Daddy’ and I’m going to give it to them. I’m coming in large and in charge. All 136 pounds of me and I’m coming to put on a show.
“This is a great opportunity and I’m excited for it. There is a lot of room in this division for someone to come up and make some noise and that’s what I’m aiming for. It’s the perfect time to go out there and shine. I’m going out there to put on an impressive performance and get a big win over a tough fighter like Mizugaki. He’s as game as they come and I can’t wait to get in the cage with him. A win in this fight would be a great way to start my year and I’m going to show everyone the Funk Master is back.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
From the way things looked on Thursday afternoon, Max Holloway is ready for the big time.