Donald Cerrone prefers to do his talking inside the cage.
While the hard-charging lightweight is a champion where colorful soundbites are concerned, the surging contender typically steers away from beef in the pre-fight build-up. This is due in large p…
Donald Cerrone prefers to do his talking inside the cage.
While the hard-charging lightweight is a champion where colorful soundbites are concerned, the surging contender typically steers away from beef in the pre-fight build-up. This is due in large part to “Cowboy’s” willingness to fight anyone, anywhere at anytime—a notion he’s backed up on more than a few occasions. When a fighter like Cerrone is down to throw leather and open to mix it up with all-comers at any turn, that makes social media trash-talking and lobbing verbal grenades carry a different type of weight.
Then again, his current seven-fight winning streak and elevated profile in the lightweight ranks does make him an appealing target to some, and undefeated Dagestan-born phenom KhabibNurmagomedov is at the front of that particular line.
Immediately following the Jackson/Winkeljohn-trained fighter’s victory over Benson Henderson at Fight Night 59 back in January, “The Eagle” took to his Twitter account to jockey for a fight with Cerrone. It didn’t take long for the Albuquerque transplant to accept the bout, and the two top-ranked lightweights are slated to handle their business at UFC 187 on May 23 in Las Vegas. Yet, while the date for the fight is set for the UFC’s annual Memorial Day event, the American Kickboxing Academy representative hasn’t slowed down on taunting Cerrone over social media platforms.
Nurmagomedov has continued his online assault in the build-up to their showdown at UFC 187, and his efforts have not gone unnoticed by Cerrone. The former WEC veteran recently spoke to MMA Junkie and talked about turning his annoyance into added motivation that he will use to derail the 26-year-old Nurmagomedov at UFC 187.
“I will give Khabib everything I’ve got, I promise that. I will leave nothing in the f****** cage. The (Benson) Henderson fight, I left a lot out there. He’s really getting under my skin. He’s doing a good job of talking sh** on Twitter and trying to get under me, and it’s working. So, I’m stalking that up and I’m going to come f****** unglued.
“There’s nothing secret I’m going to do. I fight the same (every time). I’m going to come out slow and I’m going to f****** kick ass.”
Although every fight is important when competing at the highest level of the sport, Cerrone‘s upcoming bout with Nurmagomedov will come with high stakes intact. The 31-year-old Colorado native is currently in the midst of the most impressive run of his career as he’s notched seven consecutive victories inside the Octagon. While Cerrone is certainly no stranger to lengthy winning streaks, his current push up the divisional ladder is easily the most noteworthy stretch of his career due to the caliber of competition he’s knocked off in consecutive fashion.
Cerrone‘s climb up the 155-pound ranks has been motivated by the versatile striker earning his long-awaited shot at UFC gold. A shot at the lightweight title has hovered in the balance on two previous occasions for Cerrone, but he was ultimately turned back in bouts with Nate Diaz and Anthony Pettis respectively.
Nevertheless, Cerrone certainly appears to have found his stride in big fights, and a victory over Nurmagomedov would make his bid for a title shot difficult to deny. While making his opponent pay for his trash-talking has provided some additional inspiration for Cerrone, getting to compete for the lightweight strap is his ultimate motivator. He wants to sit on top of the divisional mountain, and a win over the highly touted Russian finally give him the chance to do so.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Johny Hendricks is changing up a few things in 2015.
After losing his welterweight title to rival Robbie Lawler in a hard-fought split decision at UFC 181 back in December, Bigg Rigg was forced to end his year on one of the roughest turns of his career…
After losing his welterweight title to rival Robbie Lawler in a hard-fought split decision at UFC 181 back in December, Bigg Rigg was forced to end his year on one of the roughest turns of his career. While the rematch between Hendricks and Ruthless picked up where their first meeting left off and delivered another 25-minute war between the two top welterweights, the former two-time NCAA D-I national champion wrestler ultimately exited the Octagon as the former 170-pound UFC champion.
Considering how much adversity the former Oklahoma State University wrestling standout had to overcome just to claim the divisional throne, coming up short in his first official title defense undoubtedly left a sting. With that in mind, Hendricks is determined to turn things around in the new year, and he’s changed up several aspects of his approach coming into his first bout of 2015 against Matt Brown.
Where the former champion had used nutrition guru Mike Dolce to coach him through the weight-cutting process over the past few years, the Team TakeDown fighter opted to go a different route for his fight at UFC 185. In the lead-up to his fight with The Immortal on Saturday in Dallas, Hendricks decided to keep his nutritional efforts in house and personally took control of his own nutritional preparation.
On Thursday, the Texas transplant spoke to Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting about his new approach to making weight and the current status of his relationship with Dolce:
We are not with [Mike] Dolce on this one. I wanted to do it on my own. I’ve learned a lot of stuff from Dolce and I’m using a lot of it. The way I prep my food and all that stuff I learned from him. But me and my wife—and with everybody talking about my weight—it’s time for me to man up and do it on my own. See what I can do.
Behind the scenes my wife does everything. Every Sunday we did meal prepping. What I’ve done is learn to make chicken, salmon and deer meat. You don’t have to do anything to deer meat to make it taste good, but on the chicken and salmon I’ve added low sodium things that make it taste good. I’ve added 30 calories or so to each meal, but for as hard as we work out, that’s taken care of in one workout. That’s what I’ve done. Some days when I’m hungry, I’m driving faster to get home and not looking at fast food because I’m really excited to get home and eat my chicken, salmon or deer meat.
As Hendricks has made some major changes to his approach heading into UFC 185, he’s hoping those efforts—alongside what he plans to do inside the Octagon—will put him back into a championship opportunity.
He was originally in talks with the UFC to get an immediate rematch with Lawler later this year, but the promotion opted to give Rory MacDonald the next title shot and slotted Hendricks to face Brown when the organization returned to Dallas on March 14. And while Hendricks realizes certain opportunities are within striking distance, he also appears to be getting hip to a few outside perspectives as well.
The heavy-handed country boy is notorious for his love of a good burger and cold beer and has spoken out publicly in the past about how difficult and grueling it’s been for him to make the 170-pound limit. Those elements have faded away in his lead-up to UFC 185, as the welterweight knockout artist arrived at fight week looking lean and mean and well under the weight he typically starts his cut at.
And while Hendricks’ new nutritional groove may be directly linked to the goals he hopes to accomplish, the fighter also suggested there is a particular look that warrants opportunity in the fight game:
I know if I go out there and do a good job against Matt Brown it’s mine to win or lose. I’m not looking at it any other way. I have to go out there and perform to my best ability and that’s why I did the weight cut and I’m going everything right. I’m getting that fighter look that everybody wants and making it easier on me to get to that belt.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
There is an art to matchmaking in combat sports.
While some fights come together with natural ease, most bouts come about through a hectic process of evaluation. Several aspects need to be graded on each side of the table before committing to the match…
There is an art to matchmaking in combat sports.
While some fights come together with natural ease, most bouts come about through a hectic process of evaluation. Several aspects need to be graded on each side of the table before committing to the matchup.
Whether or not a fight makes sense in the divisional scheme, timing and making sure both fighters stand to gain similar rewards are the most pressing issues that come to mind. Then, of course, there is the most important aspect of a potential fight: Will both competitors be willing to mix it up and put on a show?
The unfortunate part of the process comes when all of these criteria are met, but the fight fails to deliver. That said, the UFC showcases far more exciting tilts than flat fights these days, which goes to show just how good the matchmakers, Joe Silva and Sean Shelby, are at their jobs.
And because Silva and Shelby are in the midst of mega runs in their particular lanes (Silva makes bouts for fighters 155 pounds and up, Shelby handles featherweight and below in addition to taking care of both of the female divisions), this month’s installment of “Fantasy Matchmaker” came with a bit of extra effort attached.
Typically speaking, there are always a few easy-to-read pairings that simply make sense, just as there are normally a few fighters on the rise who have the possibility of catching big opportunities in their respective divisions.
That said, the matchmaking landscape this month was a bit more difficult to survey. The primary culprits responsible for the static on our monthly gaze into the crystal ball are the stacked lineups for the UFC’s upcoming pay-per-view cards in March, April and May.
Where the organization has dabbled with packing fight cards with talent from top to bottom in the past, the chaotic demands of the UFC’s current schedule have made that a difficult and risky play.
There is a PPV card every month, and in most cases, at least two of the remaining three Saturday nights will have events on one of the Fox channels.
While the docket for April is full with an event slated for every weekend of the month, the UFC went on the lighter side for its agendas in March and May. The reason being each of those month’s PPV events were jam-packed with high-profile names and title fights.
Granted, this weekend’s card in Dallas doesn’t stack up to the murderer’s row of awesomeness on deck for the UFC’s annual Memorial Day weekend offering at UFC 187, but UFC 185 isn’t slacking in the heat department by any means.
Keyboard Kimura’s E. Spencer Kyte recently suggested the UFC may be revamping its PPV model to put heavy focus on quality rather than quantity, and he very well may be on to something.
Therefore, with mega cards on tap in the PPV realm, and additional offerings with the likes of UFC on Fox 15 and Fight Night 66 on deck as well, the majority of the major players up and down the UFC roster are already matched up, or waiting for fights to play out to see what the future holds for them.
Nevertheless, this column is diligent about bringing the goods, or as former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans is known to say, give our readers that “mind wine” to soak up and get the wheels turning.
Let’s take a look at “UFC Fantasy Matchmaker: March 2015 Edition.”
There are always a fair amount of hypothetical elements that go into creating fantasy matchups, but a trilogy bout between Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir will force the “what if” machine into overdrive.
For one, the former WWE champion, turned UFC champion, turned WWE superstar is still under contract with Vince McMahon, and there is no guarantee The Beast Incarnate will ever return to the realm of unscripted face punching.
The heavyweight mountain’s name has been thrown around quite a bit as of late by UFC President Dana White, and Lesnar even managed to show up at UFC 184 to take in some fights while out in Los Angeles.
Yet, while there is no official word as to whether or not Lesnar will return to compete inside the Octagon, that doesn’t detour the UFC’s passionate fanbase from wanting to see him chucking leather and bull rushing his opposition when the cage door closes.
Simply put: Fans loved to watch Lesnar do his thing, and a lot of those same fans have been holding out hope that the Minnesota native will get the itch to scrap at least one more time.
Should the former heavyweight title holder return to the UFC, there is not a more perfect fight for Lesnar to take other than the one Frank Mir is prepared to give him.
The two-time former heavyweight champion recently broke a nasty four-fight losing skid when he knocked out Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva at Fight Night 61 in Brazil.
In the lead-up to the fight, Mir’s relevance in the heavyweight fold came under fire, as listless performances in his previous four outings left many doubting whether or not the Las Vegas native still had what it takes to be successful at the highest level of MMA.
A sharp left hook to an American Top Team product’s jaw sent Silva crashing to the canvas, where Mir unleashed a series of elbows that forced the referee to jump in and stop the fight.
In doing so, the Nevada native not only picked up his first victory since 2011, but he immediately thrust himself back into a position of relevance in the heavyweight fold.
Immediately following his victory over Silva in Brazil, Mir set about calling for the chance to welcomeLesnar back to the UFC, just as he’d initially welcomed the former standout collegiate wrestler to the promotion at UFC 81 back in 2008.
Mir would get the victory via submission in their first go, but Lesnar thoroughly drubbed him in their rematch at UFC 100.
With the series tied at one apiece, a trilogy fight between Lesnar and Mir would certainly make the most sense of any option available, but then again, that option may never actually materialize any time in the near future.
Brandon Thatch vs. Jordan Mein
When fighters are competing at the highest level of the sport, setbacks are going to happen.
No matter how much talent a competitor possesses, there are so many factors at play in a mixed martial arts bout that any number of things can lead to a fighter taking a trip to the loss column.
In some cases, there is a difference in skill where a particular fighter wasn’t quite ready for the caliber of competition they stepped in to face, just as there are nights where the best version of said fighter simply didn’t show up when it mattered the most.
That said, obstacles and detours come with the territory when slinging leather inside the cage, but it’s how fighters bounce back from adversity that shows what they are truly made of.
Despite being two of the most talented up-and-comers in the deep ranks of the welterweight division, Brandon Thatch and Jordan Mein each suffered some growing pains in their most recent outings.
The 25-year-old Canadian striker had built a bit of momentum coming into his latest bout against ThiagoAlves at UFC 183. Young Gun had notched back-to-back victories inside the Octagon, with his most recent win coming in devastating fashion over seasoned veteran Mike Pyle at Fight Night 49 back in August.
The Alberta, Canada, native made short work out of Quicksand, and Mein appeared to be coming into his own under the bright lights.
That notion was on its way to be further validated against Alves, as Mein got off to a strong start against the American Top Team representative as he took the opening round on the judges’ scorecards.
Yet, the Brazilian powerhouse would turn the tides of the fight with a brutal body kick that crumpled Mein to the canvas, where he secured the victory with a flurry of punches to his wounded opponent.
While the loss to Alves will serve to slow his roll through the welterweight ranks, Mein‘s natural talent and fighting style are not easily dismissed. Every time he steps into the Octagon, Mein is looking to put on a show, and his “take out my opponent or go out on my shield” mentality sets the stage for what would be an action-packed shootout with Thatch.
Since his arrival to the UFC in 2013, Rukus has wasted zero time establishing himself as a versatile fighter when the cage door closes. The Denver native violently steamrolled his first two opponents on the sport’s biggest stage, and he did so in brutal and violent fashion.
The momentum built off of victories over Justin Edwards and veteran Paulo Thiago pushed Thatch up the crowded 170-pound ranks and set the tempo for the surging welterweight’s career to move into the express lane.
Nevertheless, the 29-year-old Colorado-based striker would suffer his first loss in more than six years via a rear-naked choke from Benson Henderson at Fight Night 60.
And while the talent level of the welterweight division doesn’t leave many room for errors in regard to wins and losses, the loss to Smooth could be salvaged with a strong performance in his next fight.
Both Thatch and Mein possess a natural love for the scrap, and a showdown between the two heavy-hitters would be one fight fans could get behind. When the highly competitive nature of the welterweight division is also taken into consideration, a bout that would determine who went up and which fighter was pushed to the back of the line between Thatch and Mein would also be fitting.
Josh Thomson vs. Tony Ferguson
The UFC’s lightweight division is as stacked as they come under the promotional banner.
In addition to a heated title race that is constantly shifting in regard to advantage, the 155-pound weight class is also home to a cast of up-and-coming talent that is looking to break through into the elite tier of the UFC’s “shark tank” division.
While the top 10 rankings in the lightweight fold are coveted positions to occupy, the battle to reach an elevated status in the lightweight division has produced some of the best action to go down inside the Octagon over recent years.
One fighter who has been on a mission to show and prove as of late is Tony Ferguson. Since winning Season 13 of The Ultimate Fighter, El Cucuy has become a force of nature in the lightweight ranks.
The 31-year-old Californian has won all but one of his eight showings inside the Octagon since his time on the reality-based fighting program, and he is currently enjoying one of the hottest winning streaks in the 155-pound collective.
Ferguson has found success in five consecutive showings, with all but one of those wins coming by way of finish. Furthermore, in addition to impressive performances where he’s putting the opposition away, Ferguson has done so against an increasingly more competitive cast of characters with each and every step.
His most recent victory came in impressive fashion against savvy veteran GleisonTibau at UFC 184 back in February, and his win in Los Angeles certainly set the formerTUF winner up for bigger things.
He will need a high-profile opponent in his next outing to keep climbing at a rapid pace, and a bout with Josh Thomson would fit that criteria.
The former Strikeforce lightweight champion has been regarded as one of the best 155-pound fighters in the world for the better part of the past decade. Throughout his career, The Punk has faced a collection of top talent inside the cage, and he has logged some of the most memorable fights to ever take place in the weight class.
The San Jose native made his long-awaited return to the Octagon in 2013 and stamped a triumphant comeback by drubbing former title challenger Nate Diaz via stoppage in the second round.
Thomson’s next two fights would end in controversy, as the AKA staple came out on the business end of back-to-back split-decision losses in bouts with Benson Henderson and Bobby Green, respectively.
While Thomson’s record may reflect a current two-fight skid, that’s not a proper indicator to his current status in the lightweight division.
His bouts with Henderson and Green could have easily gone in his favor, which would have him on a three-fight winning streak and drawing closer to title contention, but back-to-back losses have him hovering on the back end of the divisional top 10.
With Ferguson trying to break into the next level and Thomson determined to regain his traction, a bout between the two scrappy lightweights would be a solid fit in the bigger picture of the lightweight division.
Ferguson has never faced anyone with the experience and skill Thomson possesses, and a matchup between the two would be a great test to see if the surging lightweight is ready for the elite level of competition at 155.
On the flip side, a bout with Ferguson would be a great opportunity for Thomson to prove he still has what it takes to turn back a hungry young fighter and make some ground of his own.
Duane Finley is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
In mixed martial arts, slowing down simply isn’t an option. Fighters and promotions alike need to be continuously pushing forward in order to keep up with the ever-evolving sport, and those who fail to keep pace are easily discarded and replaced by the…
In mixed martial arts, slowing down simply isn’t an option. Fighters and promotions alike need to be continuously pushing forward in order to keep up with the ever-evolving sport, and those who fail to keep pace are easily discarded and replaced by the next wave of talent on the come up.
This especially rings true for operations that are looking to progress and establish themselves on the current landscape of MMA, and of this collective, Titan Fighting Championships has proved to be a promotion on the rise.
While the organization has been around for a number of years, it took a regime change in the front office headed by the promotion’s new CEO Jeff Aronson to take things to the next level. The highly motivated and self-driven former Alchemist Management founder-turned-Titan FC front man took the helm in late 2013 and immediately set about carving out a place where his promotion could thrive in a market dominated by the UFC.
Aronson came into the fight game knowing the Las Vegas-based juggernaut was in a league of its own and attempting to chase down and usurp the premier organization in the sport would probably end in disaster. He’d seen several upstart organizations fall to pieces during his time in the fight business and knew traveling a different route would be the only way to find success.
Therefore, rather than go head-to-head with the UFC or relegate his operation to the B-League of MMA, Aronson decided to take a unique approach to establishing the new-look Titan FC as a product that fight fans could get excited for. Alongside his longtime business partner Lex McMahon, Aronson rolled out a multipronged approach that focused on developing up-and-coming fighters just as much as it did giving established veterans a platform to revamp their games.
The current landscape of the sport is filled with promotions either fully invested in developing young talent or stuck waiting for seasoned competitors to be cast aside by the UFC, and Aronson wasn’t interested in settling his company into either groove. He wanted to create a promotion that mixed both approaches seamlessly, but most importantly he wanted to promote fight cards that the passionate MMA fanbase could and would get excited about.
“Last year was a great year, and we are going to make this one even bigger,” Aronson told Bleacher Report. “2014 became more relevant given the state that Titan was in when I first purchased it because you look at the state that it is in now, and it’s going great. Titan is 100 percent considered one of the top three or four promotions in the country. You could even go higher on that list when you take fighter and fan appreciation into consideration. We have a lot of momentum right now, and we are going to keep rolling in 2015.
“I’m talking everything from television distribution, content distribution to sponsors. Titan has really become recognized as of late as a great place to fight. It’s culminating and steamrolling into something now that the fighters, fans and people internationally are getting to enjoy on a much bigger platform than I ever expected to happen this early on.
“Signing a guy like Pat Healy who always puts on exciting fights is a big move for us,” he added. “We also have Mike Ricci who is truly coming into his own as a mixed martial artist fighting for us. Those are both guys who people have always said have all the talent in the world but haven’t fulfilled their potential. They are both guys who have been right there on the cusp, but for whatever reason, just didn’t make it all the way through. Now, both of them have the opportunity fighting for us to show what they are capable of and go to the next level.”
Furthermore, the Titan CEO wanted to create a platform where fighters had multiple incentives to compete under his promotional banner. He instituted a performance bonus program for the fighters who truly gave something special on fight night, which is an element not often found outside of the UFC. Another interesting element—and perhaps the most unique detail of the new Titan ownership—came in the form of every fighter’s contract coming with a “Zuffa Out” clause.
Being dialed into the current state of the MMA game, Aronson’s vision for his promotion’s future came free of blinders and self-centered reasoning. Aronson is fully aware the majority of fighters are aiming to make it or return to the UFC, and he wasn’t going to allow a contract with his organization to prevent those moves.
“When you look at the fighters that fight for us, they aren’t fighting for us because we have them locked into these egregious contracts,” Aronson explained. “They are fighting for us because they want to fight for us. They are fighting for us because they are being treated better than they’ve ever been treated in their entire career and they know that we offer them something no other promotion does. The fans have rallied behind Titan for just that reason.
“We are also putting some of the stars of tomorrow on display today. You look at a guy like Desmond Green, and he’s waking up the world. He is the hottest prospect right now at 145 pounds outside of the UFC. And he’s just one of the fighters we have on the roster. If you asked me a year ago if I would have people like Rick Hawn, Cody Bollinger or Pat Healy on the roster I would have said no way. There has been so much growth in one year, and it has been absolutely amazing. My phone has been going off nonstop.”
Sure enough, several Titan FC fighters have received the call to compete inside the Octagon, and the promotion lived up to its word by allowing established fighters like Ben Saunders to pursue their ultimate dream. While allowing your highest-profile talent to evacuate and work elsewhere may seem to be a slippery slope to travel, Aronson’s ability to follow through on his word presented Titan FC with a newfound respect in the fight game.
Athletes were now confident they could come to Titan and compete without daunting contract stipulations hanging over their heads. And with the promotion securing a highly visible broadcast deal with CBS Sports, fighters were going to have a great platform to show the best of what they had to offer.
“I have read a couple of articles, and I’ve laughed when people have written about our Zuffa Out clause, and said by doing this we’ve hurt ourselves by losing a main event or whatever it is,” Aronson said. “While I appreciate the fact someone would feel that way, the truth is that I’ve gotten it all back tenfold. So many free agents out there have contacted me about fighting for Titan because they know they can come here, fight their hearts out and don’t have to worry about being buried under our contract.
“With the Ben Saunders situation, I did it because it was the right thing to do. I did the Mirsad Bektic deal because it was the right thing to do. The same with Colby Covington. It was just the right thing to do, and you’ll never see me going out there and talking about it unless I’m asked. The Saunders situation was a bit different because it got blown up in the press, but you’ll never see me go out there and talk about these deals. I just do the right thing, and because I do, things work out well for us.
“I’ve said it in a lot of interviews, but while our competition sleeps I sign,” he added. “I truly mean that, and I mean that in terms of fighters, sponsorship deals, network deals…you name it. We are constantly working. They may have been around longer than us. They may have different deals than we have, but there is no one who outworks us or puts in the time of day we do.”
In just north of one year of work at the helm of Titan FC, Aronson has succeeded in making the company an exciting option for fighters and fans alike. That said, he plans to take Titan, and everything and everyone involved with the company, to another level in 2015.
The first step in doing so will take place at Titan FC 33 on March 20 in Mobile, Alabama. The promotion has partnered up with Mobile AeroFest for a not-for-profit event that is focused on providing assistance to wounded veterans of military service. The two-day event will feature a large roster of musical acts, in addition to a music and arts festival. A technology expo will also be a part of the lineup alongside Titan FC 33, which will take place at the Mobile Aeroplex.
While the event will be the promotion’s first offering of the new year, a solid lineup of fights that will feature four title tilts is a good way to kick things off. The card is slated to be headlined by a championship scrap in the featherweight division between highly touted prospect and 145-champion Desmond Green and Kurt Holobaugh, in a bout that has all the potential to be an action-packed affair.
“We have four title fights coming up on this card at Aerofest,” Aronson said. “It’s going to be a great card and a great night of fights for the fighters and the fans. We wanted to put together something special. When we say that’s what we are going to do, then you can count on us delivering. We wanted to do something that was not only a big event but for a great cause as well. The proceeds from Aerofest go to the real warriors who have come home after defending their country and need some help. We are going to do all we can to make sure they get it.
“I really couldn’t think of a better way to start the new year for Titan,” he added. “This is a huge event, and we are honored to be a part of it.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
There is an ingrained resilience to Matt Brown.
Whether it’s the blue-collar work ethic born from his salt-of-the-earth upbringing in the Midwest, or the inner-toughness that has emerged throughout his career in the fight game; the 34-year-old Columbus…
There is an ingrained resilience to Matt Brown.
Whether it’s the blue-collar work ethic born from his salt-of-the-earth upbringing in the Midwest, or the inner-toughness that has emerged throughout his career in the fight game; the 34-year-old Columbus, Ohio, native has a natural tendency to plant his feet and lean into the adversity he faces. It is a trait foreign to some, but for Brown, it is the key to his success inside and outside of the Octagon.
His natural grit and determination made him a tough customer competing on the sport’s biggest stage, but consistency issues made gaining his traction a difficult task. That said, “The Immortal” bounced back from the roughest spell of his professional career—a skid where he found victory only once in a five-fight run—to put together a winning streak that would take him from the edge of obscurity in the welterweight fold to the elite tier of the 170-pound division.
His seven-fight run of success would come to a halt against future champion Robbie Lawler at UFC on Fox 12 last July, but it was the type of spirited performance that didn’t cost Brown any ground in the grand scheme of things. Suddenly it seemed that fight fans and the UFC brass alike had come to recognize the showstopping brutality his hard-charging style was capable of producing.
That is good news for Brown because bringing the ruckus is what he does best.
“It’s awesome to know people appreciate the way I fight, but I just try to go in there and do the best I can,” Brown told Bleacher Report. “It’s cool anytime you hear positive things back from the fans. That’s always great when they are excited to watch you fight. It’s a great feeling to have.”
With Brown maintaining solid momentum in the welterweight ranks, the UFC made his next fight a main event slot against TarecSaffiedine at Fight Night 60 in Broomfield, Colorado. As things would play out, “Sponge” was forced to withdraw due to injury, and Brown was left without an opponent several weeks out from the fight.
The strange tides would keep rolling through the divisional hierarchy as former champion Johny Hendricks was pulled from his projected trilogy bout with his American Top Team Rival, and was slated to face Brown at UFC 185 in Dallas, Texas, on March 14.
While the new matchup pushed Brown’s dance ticket back several weeks, it also produced a much higher profiled opponent for him to face. “Bigg Rigg” is coming fresh off a split-decision loss to Lawler at UFC 181 back in December, which could make a victory over the former two-time NCAA Division I national champion wrestler a moment that changes his career.
Yet, Brown has never been one to stack added pressure on himself, and he is simply eager to get out there and mix it up with the heavy-handed slugger on Saturday night.
“I just take it one day at a time, man,” Brown said. “I don’t put too much pressure on myself. Maybe I get a title shot with a win and maybe I don’t. I have to worry about Johny [Hendricks] first. He’s a super tough guy and one of the best in the world. The only thing I’m thinking about is being completely ready so that I can perform the best I can come fight night and maybe I beat him.
“You have to maintain the same motivation throughout,” he added in regard to the opponent change and the increased amount of risk and reward at UFC 185. “You can’t let the opponent change the way you are motivated. You can’t take anything for granted in this sport. Some guy who is not ranked you’ve never heard of could come in and knock you out. You have to be ready for anything at anytime from every opponent you may face. I try to stay on point all the time and always be ready.
“I really don’t know what is going to happen in this fight. I never try to expect anything from any fight I’m going into because who knows what will happen? I’m going to go in there and push the fight as hard as I can, push myself as hard as I can and hopefully come out with the W.”
In addition to his upcoming bout against Hendricks being a big opportunity for the welterweight wrecking machine to once again spark his climb toward a title shot, the trip to Dallas will also serve to bring Brown from the depths of what has been an unforgiving winter in his native Ohio. “The Big D” has proven to be a home for enthusiastic fight fans who turn out in droves every time the Octagon rolls through the Texas metropolis.
Those elements, and the expectations for a barn-burner shootout between two of the top fighters at 170 pounds, have helped to make UFC 185 one of the biggest events of 2015. And Brown will be looking to put everything he has on the line against the former champion.
“This winter has been crazy,” Brown said. “It’s been odd for me because even when it’s cold outside I still do my workouts outside because I love to be outdoors, but this winter has been insane. I haven’t really been able to get out as much, but I don’t let those things affect me. I don’t let it affect the way I’m going to live my life. I don’t let it affect the way I’m going to train. I’m gonna go out there and bust my ass either way. I’m always going to give it all I got.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Fighter finding their groove fall into a special category where all intangible attributes are locked away.
Alongside other immeasurable qualities like momentum and determination, fighters coming into their own under the bright lights is something…
Fighter finding their groove fall into a special category where all intangible attributes are locked away.
Alongside other immeasurable qualities like momentum and determination, fighters coming into their own under the bright lights is something that happens, but it becomes difficult to gauge in the statistical realm. Yet, the aforementioned elements are directly tied to confidence, and when competitors’ confidence in their talents falls in line with the actual skills, they posses something special happens.
This chain of events produces victories in mixed martial arts, and those wins push a fighter closer to a championship opportunity. This is the arc that can be statistically measured, and there is no denying the climb Rafael dos Anjos has made to become the No. 1 contender to the UFC lightweight crown. That said, there has been no express lane where “RDA’s” journey through the 155-pound division is concerned.
For more than seven years, the scrappy Brazilian has been competing inside the Octagon, and during that time he’s notched 17 showings in the lightweight fold. Of those bouts, Dos Anjos has found success in 12, but it’s his five most recent fights that have made the difference.
The Rafael Cordeiro-trained lightweight has squared off with a collection of the best talent in what is arguably the organization’s deepest division over that stretch and has knocked off a collection of contenders and a former champion in the process.
Wins over talented fighters the likes of Benson Henderson, Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone certainly don’t come easily, but dos Anjos made it look that way inside the cage. Save for a unanimous-decision loss at the hands of undefeated Dagestan-born phenom Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC on Fox 11 last April, it’s been nearly three years since the seasoned veteran has suffered a setback.
He’s been victorious in eight of his last nine bouts and has pulled off dramatic upsets in the biggest fights over his current run. Nevertheless, those elements were necessary for the King’s MMA representative to find the best of what he has to offer, and dos Anjos will be looking to put everything he has into his bid to derail Anthony Pettis and become the new lightweight champion at UFC 185 in Dallas on March 14.
“This is going to be the perfect moment for me,” dos Anjos told Bleacher Report. “God makes everything in perfect time, and he doesn’t give you anything you can’t handle. This is my time for the title now. I’ve had 17 fights over almost six years, and now it’s my chance. He’s given me this chance, and I’m going to have my hand raised at the end of the fight.
“It’s extra motivation for me to be the underdog. I like it. I’m very happy about that, and there is no pressure coming into this fight. I’m always the underdog, and I go in there and win the fights. This fight is not going to be any different.”
With “Showtime” and the lightweight strap now locked into his cross hairs, dos Anjos will hit the Octagon in Dallas with years of experience and progression at his back. Where he once struggled to adjust to the level of competition upon hitting the sport’s biggest stage back in 2008, over time he’s become a versatile and dangerous fighter with the caliber of gas tank that serves to complement a well-rounded skill set.
There is no doubt the talented young champion will bring his notorious brand of flare and out-of-nowhere brand of danger he always seems to produce, but dos Anjos believes he will be ready.
In his mind, every step taken—both good and bad—has prepared him for what he sees as the crowning moment in his career. The 30-year-old Rio de Janeiro native plans to bring his best to Dallas and is confident he will exit the Octagon with UFC gold strapped around his waist.
“This is going to be a great fight for the fans,” dos Anjos said. “I’m in the best shape of my life, and I’ve been improving more and more with every fight. I was in good shape when I fought Ben Henderson, then I showed up in even better shape against [Nate] Diaz. I will be in even better shape for this fight. My goal is to always be improving my skills. This is going to be crazy and a good fight for the fans.
“I can’t wait to get in there and prove people wrong. I’m going to go in there and show everyone they picked against the wrong guy.”
Duane Finley is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Donald Cerrone prefers to do his talking inside the cage.