Kelvin Gastelum has gone by many names during his brief UFC tenure.
On The Ultimate Fighter, he was a long shot and then a surprise winner, which in turn made him a prospect. When he moved down to welterweight and quickly finished Brian Melancon, he be…
Kelvin Gastelum has gone by many names during his brief UFC tenure.
On The Ultimate Fighter, he was a long shot and then a surprise winner, which in turn made him a prospect. When he moved down to welterweight and quickly finished Brian Melancon, he became a dark horse before wins over Rick Story, Nico Musoke and Jake Ellenberger made him a bona fide title threat.
Now, the 23-year-old Yuma, Arizona native is looking to add pick up another tag: No. 1 contender.
Gastelum has answered every challenge thrown his way, and four consecutive victories inside the Octagon have him knocking on the door of much bigger things. UFC President Dana White has recently stated the 23-year-old Yuma-based fighter could earn a title shot with a victory over TyronWoodley at UFC 183 on Saturday, which means Gastelum has traveled a long way in his two years competing on the biggest stage in MMA.
The UFC front man’s comments and an undefeated record with victories over the seasoned talents of Rick Story and Jake Ellenberger have taken Gastelum from the ranks of the relatively unknown to a vaunted position on the welterweight divisional hierarchy. When the amount of talent the UFC has in the 170-pound weight class is taken into consideration, it becomes clear what Gastelum has accomplished in such a short amount of time is an impressive accomplishment.
He is the proverbial new kid in town and also believes—at least up to this point—he’s the guy no one sees coming. Gastelum knows he has earned some respect among his peers, but doesn’t believe past opponents had any idea what they were truly in for. And that’s just fine by him. In fact, Gastelum hopes that his future opponents will also make that mistake.
“I think a lot of these guys underestimate me,” Gastelum told Bleacher Report. “They look at me and kind of see this kid who is trying to come up. But they don’t realize how strong I am or how fast I am until we get in there together. They don’t realize how athletic I can be. I also don’t believe I’ve been able to showcase my full potential inside the Octagon so that’s why these guys don’t really know.”
When it comes to expanding his skill set and developing to reach his full potential, Gastelum is willing to push himself in the name of progression. Where other fighters are willing to take things at a measured pace, the TUF 17 winner has sought out the best in the world at his weight class in search of the best education imaginable. That said, training with elite-level fighters provides a gauge for Gastelum to see where his talents currently stand, and where they have the ability go through hard work and dedication.
Progress is what matters most in Gastelum‘s mind and he believes he has what it takes to become the UFC welterweight champion.
“I’ve been trying out different camps since I started training,” Gastelum said. “I’ve been over with Georges St-Pierre in Montreal and over to Team Take Down with Johny Hendricks. I try to learn from these guys and see what separates them from the rest. Honestly, I have all the attributes to be right there with them. I just have to put in that work and work harder than everybody else. I’ve seen it. I’ve trained with them, and I know deep inside that I can get to that level.
“I’m learning so much every day and every fight is just a huge learning experience for me. Every fight I’ve had I feel like I’ve elevated my game. With every fight I’ve taken a step up in competition and I’ve stepped up to the plate to answer every one of those challenges. I just feel like I elevate my game and grow as both a fighter and a person. Whenever you guys see me inside the Octagon I’m learning so much and enjoying the ride.”
Although Gastelum has answered every subsequent challenge he’s faced inside the Octagon more impressively than the last, his upcoming bout against TyronWoodley will hold a different set of circumstances. “The Chosen One” has dangerous power in his hands and has proven to be one of the best fighters in the 170-pound division. With the UFC President suggesting Gastelum could earn a title shot with a victory at UFC 183, that makes the matchup with Woodley the most high profile bout of his young career.
Gastelum appreciates the weight of the moment and welcomes any pressure it may bring. He’s a fighter who thrives when the stakes are high and he believes he will answer the challenge once again when the cage door closes at UFC 183.
“This fight against Woodley could do a lot of things for me,” Gastelum said. “A win over Woodley could skyrocket me to the top of the welterweight division, and this fight makes all the difference in the world. This fight will be the beginning of something new and something big for me. I know that for sure.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Anytime there is more on the line than just a payday, the interest surrounding the action inside the Octagon always ratchets up. That was certainly the case Saturday at UFC on Fox 14 as the three biggest bouts on the card in Sweden all came attached wi…
Anytime there is more on the line than just a payday, the interest surrounding the action inside the Octagon always ratchets up. That was certainly the case Saturday at UFC on Fox 14 as the three biggest bouts on the card in Sweden all came attached with additional circumstance.
Of that collective, no tilt held bigger implications than the main event showdown between Alexander Gustafsson and Anthony Johnson, as the winner would become the next contender to face Jon Jones for the light heavyweight crown.
After The Mauler nearly dethroned Bones at UFC 165 back in September 2013, there has been a lot of interest in a potential rematch between the rangy Swede and the pound-for-pound great. While the champion brushed off an immediate rematch, the UFC told the Team Alliance representative he would get another chance to fight for the belt if he defeated Jimi Manuwa in his next outing.
Gustafsson would put the British powerhouse away in the second round of their tilt in England, yet the promised title shot faded away when he became injured and Daniel Cormier was granted the next opportunity. Nevertheless, his championship hopes would be reignited when UFC President Dana White marked his next bout against Johnson as an official title eliminator to determine the next No. 1 contender in the light heavyweight fold.
While Gustafsson has been in the title picture for the past two years, Johnson is the proverbial new kid on the block in that regard. After being released from the UFC in 2012, Rumble put together an impressive six-fight winning streak with smaller promotions to earn a return call from the biggest organization in MMA. And he’s capitalized on his second chance with the UFC as back-to-back victories—including a brutal knockout over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in his most recent showing—solidified his place as a major in the title picture at 205 pounds.
With title implications hanging over the main event showdown at UFC on Fox 14, two of the most prolific finishers in the light heavyweight division were all but guaranteed to put on a show. While the bout didn’t last long, Johnson once again proved why he’s one of the most feared fighters at 205, knocking out Gustafsson in the early goings of the tilt.
Johnson will now go on to face Jones for the light heavyweight strap, while Gustafsson’s long-awaited rematch will disappear for the foreseeable future.
While the co-main event between Gegard Mousasi and Dan Henderson didn’t have a title shot attached to it, a much different type of circumstance was hovering over their middleweight clash on Saturday. Both men have been champions under several different promotional banners, but UFC gold has eluded them thus far.
Henderson has remained a perennial contender in two different divisions during his time under the UFC banner, while The Armenian Assassin has been scrapping to gain that status since joining the promotion in 2013. Yet, recent rough patches for both Henderson and Mousasi have threatened to bump them out of the divisional upper tier at 185 pounds, and that set the stage for a crucial showdown at UFC on Fox 14.
The winner of the co-main event would remain relevant in the heated middleweight title race, while the loser would be forced to the proverbial shadows of a talent-rich collective in the 185-pound weight class.
The stakes were high going into their bout on Saturday night, and it was Mousasi who stepped up to the challenge. The former DREAM champion scored a first-round TKO stoppage to put away the MMA legend and pick up his second victory in his past three showings. While the stoppage was questionable as Henderson seemed to have his wits about him, the fight was called off, making Mousasi victorious in Sweden.
The Henderson vs. Mousasi stoppage was hardly the only suspect thing to go down inside the Octagon on Saturday night, so let’s take a look at the good, bad and strange from UFC on Fox 14.
The Good
There have been plenty of redemption stories throughout the history of combat sports, but Anthony Johnson is making his case for one of the best in the current era of mixed martial arts. Whereas Rumble was once plagued with weight-cutting issues and inconsistencies that forced the UFC to release him back in 2012, the Southern Florida transplant has re-emerged as a monster of sorts to become the next challenger to Jon Jones’ light heavyweight crown.
The Team Blackzilians representative has done so on the strength of three consecutive victories that have demonstrated his overwhelming power. The most recent example came at the expense of former title challenger Alexander Gustafsson, as Johnson drubbed The Mauler to earn the TKO finish in the first round of their main event tilt at UFC on Fox 14 on Saturday night. Johnson stopped the rangy Swede in impressive fashion and silenced 26,000-plus in attendance in Stockholm in the process.
The win over Gustafsson was the biggest of Johnson’s career and officially earned him the opportunity to face Jones in his next outing. With the one-shot put-away power Johnson possesses, he will present an interesting challenge to a champion who has overcome the majority of the obstacles he’s faced with relative ease.
While winning the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship would put a remarkable cap on Johnson’s quest for redemption, defeating Gustafsson on Saturday night and earning the chance to fight for gold already makes Johnson’s run to the top of the division as memorable as anything that has come along in years.
The first time Gegard Mousasi fought in Sweden for the UFC, he was coming over from Strikeforce and looking to make an immediate case for a title opportunity in the light heavyweight division. The Dutch-Iranian fighter was initially slated to face Gustafsson, but The Mauler suffered a cut over his eye in the lead-up to the fight and was replaced by his teammate Ilir Latifi.
While Mousasi would get the victory in his promotional debut, he decided to drop down to 185 and make a run at the middleweight crown. Leading up to his bout with Dan Henderson at UFC on Fox 14, Mousasi had won only one of his three showings in the middleweight fold; he desperately needed a victory if he was going to stay relevant in what has become a heated race for a shot at the middleweight title.
Fortunately for Mousasi, he stopped the MMA legend in quick fashion as he scored a TKO finish under the two-minute mark of the opening round. While color commentator Joe Rogan argued that the stoppage was questionable, there was no doubting that Mousasi was in control and would have unleashed a flurry of shots had the referee not stepped in.
With the win, Mousasi will remain in the hunt for a shot at the middleweight title and will draw one of the division’s biggest names in his next out.
*** Bodies were hitting the floor at a steady rate in the Tele2 Arena on Saturday night, but Sam Sicilia added perhaps the most violent of them all when he decked Akira Corassani to kick off the main card for UFC on Fox 14. After a brief feeling-out period, the Washington native waded in with a monstrous right hand that pegged the Swedish striker’s chin and left him lying stiff on the canvas. It was a brutal knockout and another display of how much power Sicilia possesses in his hands.
*** Kenny Robertson has been a man on a mission since returning to the UFC in 2012. The Illinois native had won three of his five showings during his Octagon comeback and hoped to notch his third consecutive win by defeating Sultan Aliev at UFC on Fox 14.
Robertson wasted no time getting the job done as he scored the most impressive knockout of his career, nailing Aliev with a crisp counter as the Dagestan native attempted a spinning back kick. It was a violently abrupt finish to the fight and the type of stoppage that will earn Robertson more momentum heading into his next challenge.
*** Making the most of a first impression in the UFC is huge, and Makwan Amirkhani certainly capitalized on his Octagon debut on Saturday night. The promotional newcomer starched Andy Ogle in eight seconds to notch one of the fastest finishes in UFC history.
Amirkhani charged from the opening bell and landed a flying knee to the body that sent Ogle backward toward the cage. With his opponent reeling, Amirkhani planted a perfectly placed uppercut on The Ultimate Fighter alum’s chin that sparked the beginning of the end for Little Axe, and a flurry secured Amirkhani’s first UFC victory in spectacular fashion.
*** Things at UFC on Fox 14 had been somewhat sluggish until Mairbek Taisumov took the stage in Stockholm, but the Chechen turned things up a notch with a starching knockout over Anthony Christodoulou in the second round of their tilt on Saturday night. Taisumov dominated the action from start to finish, and the knockout victory scored the Tiger Muay Thai representative his third win in four showings inside the Octagon.
*** The flyweight division is in desperate need of depth, and both Neil Seery and Chris Beal were looking to move up the divisional ladder at UFC on Fox 14. The scrappy Irishman and The Ultimate Fighter alum went at it from the opening bell and continued scrapping out until the final bell sounded 15 minutes later. While both fighters had their moments throughout the three-round tilt, Seery took the nod on the judges’ scorecards as 2tap picked up his second win in three showings under the UFC banner.
*** Mirsad Bektic came into his bout with Paul Redmond at UFC on Fox 14 looking to keep his undefeated record intact and notch his second victory inside the Octagon. That’s precisely what he accomplished against the Dublin native, as Bektic used his wrestling and top control to keep the fight on the canvas and cruise to the unanimous-decision victory. While there was nothing pretty about his performance, the 23-year-old Nebraskan once again proved he has what it takes to compete at the highest level of the sport.
The Bad
Dan Henderson is a true legend of the sport, and his resume will go down as one of the greatest in the history of MMA. For the better part of two decades, Hendo has traded leather with a collection of the greatest fighters to ever compete and has come out on the winning side most of the time.
At 44 years old, the Temecula-based fighter had been getting the better of Father Time, but he carried a recent rough streak into his bout with Mousasi at UFC on Fox 14. Although the former Olympic wrestler would be returning to middleweight for the first time since he clobbered Michael Bisping at UFC 100, he had lost four of his past five showings inside the Octagon.
Henderson needed to turn things around in a big way against Mousasi, but that wasn’t to be the case.
After a few tense exchanges, The Armenian Assassin landed a right hand that wobbled Henderson and sent him reeling backward. Mousasi pounced and used a left hand to put Henderson on the canvas. Once the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion hit the ground, Mousasi swarmed, forcing the referee to jump in to stop the fight.
Henderson immediately protested the call, but ultimately that won’t matter in the bigger picture. Mousasi will walk out of the Tele2 Arena with the victory, and Henderson will have to deal with losing five of his last six fights inside the cage. Furthermore, two of his three most recent losses have come as the result of being finished by strikes—a feat that had never happened before Vitor Belfort knocked him out in November 2013.
That said, Henderson has to make the decision to retire. He has defied the boundaries that typically apply to most fighters, but there is no doubt age is beginning to catch up to him in some regard. It’s also worth noting that parting ways with the UFC may not be his choice to make, as his recent skid may be enough to cost him his place on the roster.
Nevertheless, should that come to pass, Henderson will be a surefire member of the UFC Hall of Fame. But until anything official happens, it is safe to assume he will be looking to get back into the Octagon and get things back on track in the time he has left.
*** When a fighter is competing at the top level of the sport, every matchup presents various degrees of dangers. Alexander Gustafsson knew he was jeopardizing his long-awaited rematch with Jon Jones by facing heavy-handed knockout artist Anthony Johnson at UFC on Fox 14, but the Swede is a fighter in the true sense and wanted to prove he was the true contender to the 205-pound crown. Nevertheless, Johnson’s power was ultimately too much for The Mauler to handle, and he suffered a TKO finish in the first round of the main event in Stockholm.
There’s no doubt losing his title shot and being bested in that fashion in front of the Stockholm crowd was painful for Gustafsson, but he’s a resilient fighter and has bounced back from losses before. Yet, this setback will be difficult for him to swallow because so much was on the line. It will be interesting to see how he responds to this adversity.
*** While Andy Ogle’s heart and natural grit earned him a place on the UFC roster following his time on The Ultimate Fighter: Live, his time competing inside the Octagon came to an end on Saturday night. Coming into his bout with Makwan Amirkhani at UFC on Fox 14, The Little Axe was in desperate need of a victory due to three consecutive losses. Unfortunately for Ogle, a flying knee and a flurry along the cage forced the referee to step in to make his fourth consecutive loss official.
Although there is no exact formula as to what gets a fighter released from the UFC, having lost four straight and notching only one victory in six showings under the UFC banner will surely be enough to send Ogle packing from the biggest stage in the sport.
Furthermore, if Ogle’s rapid-fire drubbing wasn’t bad enough, color commentator Joe Rogan couldn’t seem to let go of the fact he believed the bout was stopped prematurely. Once the referee stepped in to stop Amirkhani from furthering pummeling Ogle, the Englishman shot in and followed through with a single-leg takedown on the official. Rogan saw this as Ogle still having his wits about him, and despite this being proved false in multiple slow-motion replays, the longtime commentator stuck to his guns.
Whereas Amirkhani should have been celebrating an impressive victory, instead he was left trying to explain the stoppage to Rogan.
*** While his performance on Saturday night was impressive, Nikita Krylov will continue to land in this dubious category due to having one of the worst nicknames in MMA. While “Al Capone” is better than the 11,000 “Pitbulls” or “Albert Einstein,” it still is a cringe-worthy moniker. It’s unfortunate too because Krylov seems to be finding his footing inside the Octagon. The 22-year-old Ukrainian picked up his second victory in three outings as he submitted Stanislav Nedkov in quick fashion in the first round of their tilt at UFC on Fox 14.
*** Speaking of Albert Einstein, thanks to Albert Tumenov that terrible nickname also made an appearance at UFC on Fox 14. The 23-year-old Russian faced Swedish striker Nico Musoke on the final bout on the preliminary portion of the card. While Tumenov would defeat Musoke via unanimous decision to earn his third consecutive victory inside the Octagon, his nickname does his rising profile in mixed martial arts no justice.
The Strange
The light heavyweight division has been a competitive weight class for years, and both Phil Davis and Ryan Bader have had chances to break through into title contention. Mr. Wonderful has been on the verge of getting championship opportunities on two separate occasions but was turned back by Rashad Evans and Anthony Johnson.
While Bader’s distance from a shot at UFC gold hasn’t been quite as clear cut, the former wrestling standout from Arizona State University has been involved in a handful of high-profile fights that could have launched him to the front of the line at 205. That said, the Power MMA leader has been turned back in big-opportunity fights against Lyoto Machida, Glover Teixeira and a pre-championship Jon Jones.
Therefore, coming into their bout at UFC on Fox 14, the stage was set for either Davis or Bader to step up in the light heavyweight picture. Not only did both fighters know they needed a win in Stockholm, but they needed to do so impressively to bolster their image in the competitive ranks of the title race in the 205-pound division.
It was a big fight on a big stage, and the end result was a flat line registered with the fighting faithful who tuned in to watch the matchup. To be fair…it was a tough fight where both combatants did their best to score on an opponent with a similar skill set, but it wasn’t what either athlete needed to produce in Sweden. Bader would get the split-decision nod on the judges’ scorecards, but his performance didn’t warrant any major movement in the divisional ranks.
Props to Chris Hall for finding this real-time depiction of the crowd reaction to Bader vs. Davis:
Granted, a win is a win, and that’s what ultimately matters, but Bader won’t experience too much of a lift, and Davis won’t drop that far either. That’s a strange dynamic but absolutely true in regard to how the fight at UFC on Fox 14 will affect both fighters.
Speaking of promotion, let’s take a look at the big sell, or lack thereof, in the lead-up to UFC on Fox 14 in Stockholm, Sweden.
The coveted stadium show has been all the rage with the UFC’s promotional machine over the past two years. While the UFC was originally attached to superfights from stadium shows when Dana White first began talking about fight fans filing into the enormous venues, anytime the UFC has made mention of a stadium show as of late, it has come with the name Conor McGregor affixed to it.
Talk of championship showdowns in a Brazilian soccer stadium or Dublin’s legendary Croke Park has been all the rage as of late, and it would be difficult to imagine a stadium show flying under the radar with the promotion putting so much emphasis on how monumental it would be.
Yet, Saturday’s show in Stockholm took place at the Tele2 Arena and featured one of the biggest stars to emerge in recent years in Gustafsson. Where McGregor is the bright new shiny thing under the UFC banner and has anchored the organization’s return to Ireland, The Mauler is already a certified star on the European scene just as Sweden has proved its love for MMA time and time again.
Where other certified stars the likes of Jon Jones and Anthony Pettis regularly compete stateside in front of crowds of 15,000-17,000, Gustafsson competed on Saturday night in a venue that regularly holds over 30,000 for FIFA-regulated football games. That said, Gustafsson’s star power warranting a stadium venue for his hometown clash with Anthony Johnson was hardly mentioned in the buildup to UFC on Fox 14.
Other than E. Spencer Kyte’s article on The Province addressing the topic, the issue fell by the wayside across the grand scope of MMA media, which left more questions than answers.
With the UFC’s global push in full swing, anytime there is a legitimate commodity in a particular market, the UFC typically drills into the fanbase’s psyche at high repetition. Anyone remotely paying attention in the MMA community throughout McGregor’s rise to title contention has heard sound bites about the entire country of Ireland shutting down to watch him fight or a certain percentage of ticket sales being bought by McGregor’s countrymen and women.
Therefore, with Sweden already being an established market and Gustafsson its biggest star, where was all the hyperbole in the lead-up to UFC on Fox 14? With all the McGregor fodder blasted out of the UFC’s promotional machine over the past six months, fans could have handled a solid dose of push for the man who took Jones to his physical limits.
Furthermore, the entire Swedish market was initially hinged on Gustafsson’s popularity in his home country, and it would have seemed fitting to see a Gustafsson-themed commercial or a special for him on Fox Sports 1.
McGregor had three different programs on the UFC’s network partner in the lead-up to Fight Night 59, which is three more than Gustafsson had in the buildup to UFC on Fox 14. While Notorious has been largely untested—or at least has benefited from favorable stylistic pairings—Gustafsson’s talent is certified by all measurable standards.
That’s why it seemed so strange that Gustafsson got next to no promotional push in the run-up to his bout with Johnson in Stockholm. But then again, maybe the machine was drained after all the effort that was put into the SBG Ireland representative’s bout with Dennis Siver at Fight Night 59.
Granted, the historically short-worded Gustafsson doesn’t register in the same league as McGregor when it comes to microphone skills, but his resume is far deeper than what the Dublin native has to offer.
It’s also worth noting the main card at UFC on Fox 14 got underway at 2:00 a.m. on Swedish time, yet despite the late hour, the Swedish MMA crazies were still willing to burn the midnight oil. That’s a passionate bunch, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the UFC made stopping in Stockholm twice per year a regular part of the schedule.
On a final note, Henderson tweeted a picture of the post-fight surgical work he received on his eye before leaving Sweden. It’s a sharp look from a true MMA legend. Until next time, folks.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
When it comes to tempering nerves on fight night, few fighters have ever reached the level of calm Gegard Mousasi possesses when the cage door closes.
The 29-year-old former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion is a portrait of cool in the lead…
When it comes to tempering nerves on fight night, few fighters have ever reached the level of calm GegardMousasi possesses when the cage door closes.
The 29-year-old former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion is a portrait of cool in the lead up to the fray—almost to the point where it isn’t clear if his interest is entirely there or not. That said, his impressive track record tells the real story, as “The Armenian Assassin” has proven to be one of the most prolific finishers stalking the current landscape of mixed martial arts.
Of the 35 victories the Dutch-Iranian fighter has notched in his 11-year career, 30 of those wins have come by way of the finish. And while Mousasi‘s striking is recognized among the best in the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions, he’s also shown a versatile arsenal over the past decade as he’s secured 12 out of those victories via submission. Therefore, the sleepy-eyed exterior is simply a front to something more dangerous waiting to be unleashed. Well…it is until it isn’t.
When Mousasi finally made his way to the UFC in 2013, he was figured to become a contender in whichever weight class he decided to call home. After picking up a win over IlirLatifi at 205 pounds in his official debut in Sweden, the former DREAM champion announced he would be competing as a middleweight going forward.
Nevertheless, tough losses to former light heavyweight champion LyotoMachida and surging contender Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza have put him in a much different position in the bigger picture of the 185-pound fold.
Mousasi told Damon Martin fromFoxSports his most recent setback was due to exhaustion and feeling out of sorts in the lead up to the fight, and he’s fully aware he needs to turn things around in a big way in his next outing. The former Pride veteran will face MMA legend Dan Henderson at UFC on Fox 14 this Saturday night in Stockholm, and if he has any hopes of keeping a championship opportunity in his sights, Mousasi knows he must find a way to defeat “Hendo” in Sweden.
If he needs to shake off his signature stoic presentation and show some fire and emotion to get the job done, then so be it.
“I didn’t do very well in my last fight so I’m still very disappointed about that,” Mousasi told Bleacher Report. “I’ve been doing this for a long time, so it’s not anything new. Just like anyone else I have my worries before a fight, but for this fight, I’m going to try to keep my nerves down and plan on being very aggressive. I’m going to take the fight to him and I believe I will show a little bit more emotion this time.
“I’m definitely going for the finish. I had a big setback in my last fight and I want to come back and start the year with an impressive victory.”
While both Mousasi and Henderson have competed for different promotional banners at the same time, it took both fighters coming to the UFC for their paths to eventually cross. With Henderson being a pioneer and legend of the sport, Mousasi is very familiar with what the Temecula-based slugger brings to the table, and he’s confident he’ll have the answers to Henderson’s attack on fight night.
That said, Mousasi holds tremendous respect for the heavy-handed knockout artist and is looking forward to stepping into the cage with an opponent with the accomplishments Henderson has notched on his resume.
“I’m definitely honored to fight him,” Mousasi said. “Henderson is a legend and a really good person outside of fighting. I hope we are going to have good performances and a really good fight. I want to put on a show for the fans in Sweden
“I thought it was possible that we may fight when we were in Strikeforce but I never really thought about it when we were both in Pride. We were in different weight categories then, but now we are going to fight inside the Octagon of the UFC. I believe this is a good fight for both of us.
“He hasn’t used his wrestling very much lately, but if he gets the chance, he will definitely try to use it in this fight I believe,” he added. “I’m not thinking about that. I’m focused on what I am going to do and my focus is on fighting my fight and getting the victory. I think he will try to use his wrestling, but I expect him to be more of a stand-up fighter in this fight.”
As Mousasi will have to wait for the battle with Henderson to unfold on Saturday night, he’s already taken great pride in having the chance to once again compete in front of a European crowd. Since his arrival in the UFC two years ago, Mousasi has been on the front lines of the promotion’s global push and has headlined events held in Sweden and Brazil, as well as being one half of the main event in the UFC’s inaugural visit to Berlin.
His bout with Henderson at UFC on Fox 14 will mark his second time fighting in the Swedish capital and Mousasi feels that competing in Stockholm almost gives him the home-turf advantage.
“I’m happy to be back in Sweden and I really enjoy fighting in Europe,” Mousasi said. “It’s a short way from my home and a lot of my friends and family come to watch the fights. It’s almost like fighting at home. I enjoy fighting in Europe—especially Sweden. I’ve had good results here and in Germany so I like coming back to fight in Europe whenever I can.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Alexander Gustafsson is a man of few words.Granted, the rangy Swedish fighter uses English as a second language, but even outside of media obligations during his rise through mixed martial arts, “The Mauler” has preferred to let his performances inside…
Granted, the rangy Swedish fighter uses English as a second language, but even outside of media obligations during his rise through mixed martial arts, “The Mauler” has preferred to let his performances inside the cage do the talking for him. And with that method in mind, the former light heavyweight title challenger has made one poignant statement after another.
Even in his loss to 205-pound king Jon Jones at UFC 165, Gustafsson emerged a more recognizable star and validated contender as he took the pound-for-pound great into deeper waters than any man had before. Heading into the bout, few gave Gustafsson a chance and figured he’d be just another stepping stone in Jones’ reign of dominance, but that’s not how things would shake out. Not even close.
After a five-round war with the longest-reigning champion in the history of the UFC’s light heavyweight division, Gustafsson would suffer only his second loss in nine showings inside the Octagon that night in Toronto. He would immediately begin to campaign for another shot at Jones and the light heavyweight strap, yet, the champion declined the offer for an immediate rematch, and Gustafsson was forced to take another fight before the next championship opportunity would materialize.
The Team Alliance representative would go on to starch previously unbeaten Jimi Manuwa in his next outing, but his promised title shot would go up in proverbial smoke when former Olympian Daniel Cormier stepped into the position. This left Gustafsson as the odd man out in the picture at 205, and it meant he would have to knock off one more fellow contender before getting the opportunity to compete for championship gold.
As it would go, “Bones” bested the AKA staple on the judges’ cards, and the UFC has put the spotlight on the Swedish star’s clash with resurgent veteran Anthony Johnson to craft the next No. 1 contender. The title eliminator showdown is set to go down in the main event for UFC on Fox 14 this Saturday night, and once again Gustafsson will have the chance to let his talents do the talking under the bright lights.
Yet, with his ultimate goal lingering just beyond his upcoming tilt with “Rumble,” it would be easy for him to lose sight of what is directly in his path. That said, Gustafsson isn’t a man to be distracted by what could come to fruition, and he’s putting every bit of his focus on the heavy-handed knockout artist that will be coming across the Octagon on Saturday night.
Gustafsson plans to beat Johnson in impressive fashion, then whatever comes next comes next. If that turns out to be a rematch with Jones, he’s all in. If that doesn’t turn out to be the case, then he just added Johnson’s name to a growing resume. Either way, Gustafsson has some heavy lifting to do before he allows any thoughts of the future into his mind.
“I’m not thinking about a title shot or anything else besides fighting Anthony Johnson this weekend,” Gustafsson told Bleacher Report. “I have to go in there and be on top of my game to come out of this fight as the winner. And I will. I’ve done my homework and I’m ready to go.”
Since his return to the UFC in early 2014, Johnson has looked unstoppable. The South Florida transplant battered Phil Davis en route to the unanimous-decision victory at UFC 172, then pulverized Antonio “Lil Nog” Nogueira three months later at UFC on Fox 12. Where the bout with “Mr. Wonderful” was a showcase of his improved patience and striking skills, the blistering speed of Nogueria was a display of his brutal power as he defeated the Brazilian veteran with a highlight-reel first-round knockout.
Much like Manuwa before him, Johnson possesses incredible putaway power and presents a lot of dangers when the feet is on the feet. Gustafsson believes there are similarities between the two fighters and is confident he will defeat Johnson just as he bested the English powerhouse in their meeting back in March.
“I think they probably have similar power, but I think Jimi has better technique overall,” Gustafsson said. “He’s a more technical striker than Anthony is, but I also believe Johnson puts more pressure on you during the fight. I’m excited to get in there and see what happens.
“Johnson is a great fighter and he comes with a lot of power. It’s going to be interesting to see what happens in the fight. I know for a fact I’ve done my homework and I’m going to beat him.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
The only thing on Jake Shields’ mind at the current time is Rousimar Palhares.
While the former Strikeforce middleweight champion turned welterweight contender under the World Series of Fighting banner would love to add another title to his already imp…
The only thing on Jake Shields‘ mind at the current time is RousimarPalhares.
While the former Strikeforce middleweight champion turned welterweight contender under the World Series of Fighting banner would love to add another title to his already impressive resume, his upcoming bout against the Brazilian leglock master has all the feelings of something personal attached to it. The Team Cesar Gracie representative has forged a successful career out of being both a talented fighter and a sportsman alike, yet he doesn’t believe that honor lies in the current WSOF welterweight champion.
Between his failure to release submission locks and a past suspension for elevated levels of testosterone in a post-fight drug test, Palhares has earned his reputation of being a dirty fighter. The jiu-jitsu ace has amassed a highlight reel of controversial submission finishes where, despite referees jumping in to stop the fights, Palhares has injured his opposition by prolonging the hold.
It was that particular and curious behavior that led to the UFC releasing him back in 2013, yet it is also his arsenal of leg attacks that have made him one of the most feared welterweight fighters on the planet. And while both dominance and controversy have continued to hover over Palhares‘ performances en route to winning WSOF‘s 170-pound title, Shields is dead set on bringing the Brazilian’s run to an end.
Furthermore, the former UFC welterweight title contender is intent on teaching the current champion a lesson, and he can’t wait to mix it up with Palhares later this year.
“[Palhares] may not be a bad guy, but when he fights, he’s out there trying to hurt people,” Shields told Bleacher Report. “If he wants to play that game, then I’ll go out there and try to hurt him. I’m not going to hold anything back because this guy is not out there to be my friend. He’s out there to put me in the hospital. I’m going to go out there with the same mindset, and I’ll put him in the hospital.
“I’ve already shown how effective American jiu-jitsu can be against Demian Maia, and I’m going to do it again with RousimarPalhares. They are two of the very best when it comes to fighting on the ground, and he’s going to be the second one of them I beat.”
The San Francisco native earned the opportunity to compete for WSOF gold by defeating scrappy knockout artist Brian Foster this past weekend at WSOF 17 in Las Vegas. It was the classic striker vs. grappler pairing, and Shields made quick work of the Oklahoma native when he locked in the fight-ending rear-naked choke in the early goings of the opening frame.
The quick first round finish over the resurgent former UFC veteran was his second under his new promotional banner, and Shields is in position to compete for the organization’s welterweight crown in his next outing. The Skrap Pack representative has spent his entire career chasing championship gold, and his elite level of skill secured yet another opportunity to add another championship belt to one of the best resumes in the current era of mixed martial arts.
“To be honest, I think my resume gets overlooked quite a bit,” Shields said. “You go down the list of fighters I’ve faced in my career, and I’ve fought the who’s who in either division I’ve competed in. Every promotion I go into, I go in to become the champion. I’m not here to be No. 2. I’m here to be the best and to get my hands on the belt.
“My last two fights were against good guys, and I put them away quickly. If you look at my record, I’ve pretty much spent my entire career fighting top guys. I’ve had a few more decisions than I’d like, but when you are fighting the best of the best that is going to happen from time to time.
“I go out there to make a statement, and I believe I’ve done that in my past two fights,” he added. “I’ve had some ups and downs in my career, but even in my downs, I was beating talented guys like TyronWoodley. I feel like I’m in my prime right now and at the peak of my career. Hopefully, I can keep it up. I feel like I’m at my best right now, and I want to keep going out there and putting guys away.”
Throughout the course of his 16-year career, Shields has been a constant at the elite level of the sport. He’s mixed it up inside the cage with a wide range of champions, contenders and pound-for-pound greats, carving out his place as one of the sport’s best in the process. That said, fighting is a rigorous trade that is as unforgiving as they come in the professional realm, and Shields is no stranger to just how heavy uncertainty can hang when things inside the cage hit a downturn.
Nevertheless, the former Elite XC is still standing tall after and is feeling better than he ever has before. He’s handling business inside the cage at a rapid rate and doing so by sticking to an efficient and tactical game plans. While the savvy veteran doesn’t see the end of his career approaching any time soon, he’s also not willing to venture too far ahead to look for it either.
Shields is taking things as they come, and the love for the sport that allowed him to collect 15-straight victories and rack up a collection of titles has returned to him. That makes Shields a happy man, and that spells trouble for the rest of the welterweights in the world.
“I just love the sport,” Shields said. “There have been a few times I’ve been burnt out, but right now, I’m enjoying it again. I’m taking it one fight at a time. I really don’t know what the future holds. I’m 36 years old now, but I still feel super healthy. My body is feeling better than it has ever felt.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
In the lead-up to Fight Night 59, the UFC made it absolutely clear its return to Boston was going to be “The Conor McGregor Show.”
With a push rarely seen in the promotion’s 21-year history, the brash-talking Irishman was on constant display in t…
In the lead-up to Fight Night 59, the UFC made it absolutely clear its return to Boston was going to be “The Conor McGregor Show.”
With a push rarely seen in the promotion’s 21-year history, the brash-talking Irishman was on constant display in the buildup to the Jan. 18 event. The SBG Ireland representative was the subject of several different programs on Fox Sports 1. He also hit every major sports network for high-profile interviews that created a constant stream of headlines throughout the MMA community.
Every time the cameras rolled, McGregor allowed his self-confidence to shine as he reiterated his prediction to put his opponent Dennis Siver away in two minutes or less on Sunday night.
It was all McGregor all the time in the run up to Fight Night 59, with very little room left in the spotlight for Siver to stand.
The seasoned veteran would be further pushed out of the picture when UFC president Dana White announced that the surging 145-pound star would be granted an opportunity to face Jose Aldo for the featherweight crown with a victory over Siver.
Therefore, the main event at Fight Night 59 appeared to be the next big step in McGregor’s rise to title contention, but his opponent had much different plans.
Few gave the Russian-German striker a chance in his tilt with “Notorious,” yet Siver came into TD Gardens intent on derailing the McGregor hype train in spectacular fashion. Nevertheless, he had a monumental task before him when the cage door closed, and Siver had few answers to the offense McGregor brought to him in the fight.
While the featherweight upstart was unable to finish Siver in the two-minute window he had previously predicted, McGregor still put his opponent away shortly into the second round with a flurry of punches from top position.
Immediately after referee Herb Dean stepped in to stop the bout, McGregor made a mad dash over the Octagon to go face-to-face with champion Jose Aldo who was sitting cageside. McGregor launched taunts in the Brazilian phenom’s direction, while the long-reigning featherweight king answered his challenge with a huge smile as the biggest fight in the history of the 145-pound division began to take shape.
While the co-main event at Fight Night 59 didn’t receive a quarter of the attention as the top bout on the billing, the third meeting between Benson Henderson and Donald Cerrone was a highly anticipated affair in its own right.
“Cowboy” agreed to the bout on just 13-days notice and two days after picking up his sixth consecutive victory at UFC 182, as he stepped in to replace Eddie Alvarez in his fight with the former lightweight champion.
On the other side of the equation, “Smooth” was coming off a loss in his most recent showing against Rafael dos Anjos at Fight Night 49 back in August. The former WEC lightweight champion had defeated the Albuquerque transplant in both of their two previous meetings, and he seemed to be on his way to earning his third victory over Cerrone until the judges’ decision was announced.
At the end of the closely contested affair, it was Cerrone who earned the unanimous decision to pick up his seventh consecutive victory and continue his run toward a shot at the lightweight title. While the decision was undoubtedly controversial and could have arguably gone Henderson’s way, it was far from the robbery fans on Twitter made it out to be.
That being said, let’s take a look at the good, bad and strange from Fight Night 59.
The Good
The Conor McGregor train returned to Boston with a main event in its immediate future and a potential title shot waiting in the wings.
All the SBG Ireland representative had to do was dispatch of Siver, which he did with seemingly minimal effort early in the second round of the contest.
While “Notorious” didn’t hit his mark of putting the German striker away within two minutes as he’d previously predicted, he still battered the seasoned veteran en route to picking up his fifth consecutive victory under the UFC banner and earning his place as the No. 1 contender to Aldo’s featherweight crown.
McGregor wasted zero time building his showdown with the Brazilian champion as he jumped the Octagon and attempted to get in Aldo’s face. While the featherweight king smiled during the scrappy Irishman’s taunts, the UFC was undoubtedly sharing Aldo’s sentiment as hype for the biggest bout in featherweight history jumped off to a memorable start.
With the UFC pushing McGregor in a manner that only women’s bantamweight phenom Ronda Rousey could appreciate, there is little doubt the promotional machine will be in full swing in the lead-up to the highly anticipated championship tilt.
Where both the UFC and McGregor were hyping a showdown with Aldo in Dublin’s Croke Park in 2015, the promotion shifted gears earlier this week and suggested the bout would most likely take place on neutral ground in Las Vegas.
That said, setting up the fight will do little to diminish what will undoubtedly be the biggest showcase for the UFC’s fastest rising star.
McGregor has been calling out Aldo since he entered the Octagon back in 2013, and just two years and five fights later, his prediction will ultimately come to fruition. That’s an impressive feat by any measurable standard, and McGregor will finally get the opportunity to validate his boasts of being the best featherweight in the world.
When the UFC announced Donald Cerrone would be stepping in to face Benson Henderson at Fight Night 59, it seemed to be a choice that toed the line of insanity.
“Cowboy” was only a handful of days removed from defeating Myles Jury at UFC 182—his sixth consecutive victory and the latest notch on the most impressive run of his career—and taking a bout with the former lightweight champion on just 10 days was a turn only the hard-charging lightweight could make.
Nevertheless, the scrappy striker carried his winning ways into Boston on Sunday night and exited the Octagon with his winning streak intact as he defeated Henderson via unanimous decision.
While the decision was of the controversial variety, it doesn’t take away from the fact that Cerrone took another strong step toward earning his first title opportunity under the UFC banner.
The 31-year-old Albuquerque transplant has been within striking distance of UFC gold on several occasions, but every time he’s gotten close, the former WEC lightweight title challenger has been turned back and his title hopes dashed.
That said, the current version of Cerrone appears to be a different animal. The historically slow starter has found a way to get to work in much quicker fashion and seven consecutive opponents have found this out in tough fashion.
With that caliber of success, Cerrone could very well be tapped for a title opportunity in the near future, but with champion Anthony Pettis facing Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 185 in March, the “anytime, anyplace” fighter could very well have another bout before a shot at championship gold materializes.
*** Benson Henderson may not have earned the nod with the cageside judges on Sunday night, but many in the MMA community believed he did enough to defeat Donald Cerrone at Fight Night 59. The former lightweight champion bit his tongue and took the high road in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan following his loss, and for good reason as he put on a solid performance in his third scrap with Cowboy.
That said, the setback was his second consecutive loss in the highly competitive lightweight fold, and it will be interesting to see who the former 155-pound title holder draws for his next bout. MMA Fighting’s Marc Raimondi pointed out the Massachusett’s commission said Cerrone “won a unanimous decision”:
*** While Gleison Tibau may be the longest-tenured fighter on the UFC lightweight roster, the stocky Brazilian has struggled to find consistency over the course of his decade-long career. That said, the American Top Team product has found his rhythm as of late and came into his bout with Norman Parke having won back-to-back contest.
Tibau wanted to keep that momentum rolling against the Northern Ireland representative and used his superior grappling skills to hand Parke his first loss under the UFC banner and his first setback since 2010.
Nevertheless, while Tibau picked up win No. 16 under the UFC banner, 11 of those victories have come by way of the judges’ scorecards.
With the amount of talent currently lining the UFC’s 155-pound ranks, Tibau needs to make himself stand out in order to truly break through into the lightweight fold’s upper tier. Or he can simply keep winning and picking up his third-straight victory inside the Octagon shows that Tibau may have finally figured out his inconsistency issues.
Ben Askren shared an interesting take on Tibau’s winning record via so many decisions:
*** There was no fighter on the card at Fight Night 59 who needed a win more than Lorenz Larkin. The Strikeforce crossover had dropped four of his past five showings coming into his tilt with John Howard, with three of those setbacks coming in consecutive fashion.
Larkin’s bout with “Doomsday” was set to be his official debut as a welterweight, and the Southern California native kicked his run at 170 pounds off in spectacular fashion as he earned an impressive first-round finish over the heavy-handed veteran. Larkin looked better than he had looked in two years as he used his striking to finish Howard and pick up his first win since November 2013.
*** There are times when a fighter can gain solid credibility even in defeat, and that was certainly the case for Charles Rosa in his UFC debut against Dennis Siver at Fight Night 53 back in October.
The talented prospect put on a scrappy performance that night in Stockholm and came into his bout with Sean Soriano in Boston looking to notch his first victory inside the Octagon. While Rosa dictated the action throughout, he ultimately proved too much for the Team Blackzilians fighter to handle as he locked in a D’arce choke to earn victory in the final round.
*** Prior to his bout with Matt Van Buren at Fight Night 59, Sean O’Connell’s luck under the UFC banner had been anything but stellar.
The 31-year-old Utah native suffered a knockout at the hands of Ryan Jimmo in his debut inside the Octagon and then was edged out by Gian Villante via split decision two months later in New Zealand.
A third straight loss would have been disastrous for O’Connell, but fortunately for “The Real OC,” he scored an impressive TKO finish in the final round of the fight. In addition to picking up his first UFC win, O’Connell also earned an additional $50,000 with a Performance of the Night bonus alongside Van Buren for putting on the “Fight of the Night” in Boston.
The Bad
There is a popular mindset among fighters in mixed martial arts that leaving the decision in the judges’ hands opens the door for craziness to happen. In the 21-year history of the sport, there have been some atrocious calls to validate that particular ideology, but what went down between Cathal Pendred and Sean Spencer on the undercard of Fight Night 59 is an entirely different level of awful.
While The Ultimate Fighter alum started off strong by scoring a takedown in the early goings of the bout, the remaining two-and-a-half rounds belonged to Spencer.
After getting back to his feet in the opening frame, the Virginia native blasted the SBG Ireland representative with an overhand right that put “The Punisher” on the deck and in serious trouble. Nevertheless, Spencer wasn’t able to put Pendred away and secure the victory, and the fight carried into the second round.
The remaining 10 minutes would see the Spencer beat Pendred to the punch in nearly every exchange as he dotted up the Irishman at a high rate. Yet, Pendred would secure two more takedowns over the next two rounds but would fail to do anything with them as Spencer quickly returned to his feet.
When the final bell sounded, it appeared Spencer was on his way to a unanimous-decision victory, and when the three scores (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) were read, the general consensus on social media was that the Dallas-based fighter was on his way to picking up his fourth win in his last five showings. But that wasn’t how things turned out, and the two judges who scored all three rounds for Pendred should be embarrassed—a sentiment shared by MMAOddsBreaker.com’s Brian Hemminger:
While anything can and typically does happen inside the Octagon, there is no feasible way the Boston native won that fight. Yes, the John Kavanagh-trained fighter did score three takedowns in the fight, but he was largely unable to capitalize on his position once the action hit the ground. The rest of the bout was Spencer using his boxing and speed to keep Pendred on his heels as he worked to secure the victory.
Shortly after the unanimous decision for Pendred was announced, UFC cameras cut to Dana White and Joe Rogan standing cageside, and both men were quick to share their thoughts on the robbery that had just taken place. Neither believed Pendred won the tilt, and it instantly became an example of just how poor MMA judging can sometimes be.
*** John Howard came into his bout with Larenz Larkin in desperate need of a victory. “Doomsday” had been dealt losses in his two most recent showings and was looking to avoid a third straight setback at the hands of the California-based striker.
Unfortunately for the Boston native, Larkin proved too much for him to handle as the former Strikeforce veteran earned the victory via first-round knockout.
While there is no set formula for fighters being released from the UFC, it was a three-fight skid that led to his release from the promotion back in 2011. Howard battled through the regional circuit to earn another call from the UFC, and he may very well find himself back in the same position following his loss to Larkin on Sunday night.
The Strange
Uriah Hall had an awful time finding an opponent to face him at Fight Night 59.
The Ultimate Fighter alum was originally slated to face Costa Phillippou on the main card of the UFC’s return to Boston, but his opponent was forced to pull out of the fight due to injury. With a short window to find an opponent for Hall, the UFC tapped former Strikeforce fighter Louis Taylor to step in and face the dynamic middleweight striker.
Taylor was heralded for stepping up and taking the fight on short notice, but he would never see the Octagon, as a back injury forced him off the card as well. That news left the promotion seven days to find someone to face “Primetime,” and another former Strikeforce veteran Ron Stallings stepped up to accept the challenge with less than a week to prepare.
With all that chaos in the lead-up to Fight Night 59, the only possible payoff would have been an exciting clash between the surging middleweight and his unknown challenger, but that wasn’t how things shook out when the cage door closed on Sunday night.
Stallings looked to press the action, but a shot from Hall in the early goings opened up a massive cut above the left eye of the promotional newcomer. Referee Herb Dean stopped the bout shortly after to allow the cageside doctor to take a look, and after a brief examination, the bout was waived off due to the severity of the injury.
While Stallings initially protested the stoppage, it was ultimately the right call as the skin over his eye was hanging down. And even though Hall didn’t get the opportunity to truly showcase his skills in the fight, he used his microphone time to launch some strong barbs in Phiippou’s direction and urge people around the world to stop the violence and start using their brains.
Nevertheless, Hall picked up his third consecutive victory inside the Octagon and will undoubtedly draw a bigger name from the middleweight ranks in his next outing.
Finally, let’s return to the popular topic of MMA judging for a moment.
When the unanimous-decision victory was announced for Donald Cerrone over his opponent Benson Henderson in the co-main event, social-media channels wasted no time crying foul.
The bout between Cowboy and Henderson was a hard-fought affair with a large portion of the MMA universe believing the former 155-pound champion would take the nod, but when the 31-year-old Jackson/Winkeljohn-trained fighter’s name was announced as the victor, people across the community were in shock.
And why exactly was that? The bout was a back-and-forth affair, and Cerrone taking the decision was hardly a robbery, so then why were fans and media alike so upset?
I personally believe an awful call from earlier in the night where Pedred earned a unanimous-decision victory over Spencer after being tagged for the better part of the three-round affair. The Irishman getting the nod after being beaten to the punch for 15 minutes sparked outrage with MMA’s fighting faithful, and that wound was re-irritated with Cerrone getting the victory.
Fellow Bleacher Report MMA columnist Jeremy Botter and I had opposite scores at the end of the bout. He believed Cerrone took the third round, and I thought Henderson had done enough to take the victory.
Neither of us batted an eye upon the decision being announced, which was far from the outcry that hit Twitter immediately after the co-main event bout. The only reason I can think of for such a reaction was the simmering rage due to the drastic error made in Pendred vs. Spencer.
Fans were already upset by the incompetency the cageside judges had shown, and that led them to overreact to what was ultimately a close fight between Cerrone and Henderson in the co-main event. With that being said, MMA judging is an issue that continues to plague the sport and here’s to hoping those people charged with scoring professional bouts get their acts together.
Personally, I had previously held Michael Bisping defeating Matt Hamill via split decision at UFC 75 back in 2007 as the worst decision I had ever seen, but three judges seeing Pendred over Spencer set a new standard in awfulness.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Kelvin Gastelum has gone by many names during his brief UFC tenure.