There are few fighters in mixed martial arts who have proved to be as game as Benson Henderson.
The former WEC and UFC lightweight champion has been a prolific force since first stepping into the Octagon back in 2011, and the MMA Lab representative has…
There are few fighters in mixed martial arts who have proved to be as game as Benson Henderson.
The former WEC and UFC lightweight champion has been a prolific force since first stepping into the Octagon back in 2011, and the MMA Lab representative hasn’t taken his foot off the proverbial gas pedal as he’s notched 12 showings in his three years competing on the sport’s biggest stage.
“Smooth” came firing out of the gates as he found victory in his first seven showings—a run that included winning the 155-pound title then defending the strap on three successful occasions.
The 31-year-old Colorado native would be dethroned from the top of the lightweight mountain in 2013, but that setback only served to bolster the hard-charging veteran’s passion to reclaim the title he once held. Henderson’s passion for the scrap is evident every time he enters the Octagon, and his willingness to face all comers is backed up by the impressive resume he’s built over the past several years.
And that particular notion was further solidified with the wild turn of events in the lead-up to his next bout at Fight Night 59 on Jan. 18. in Boston.
Where the Phoenix transplant was originally slated to face former Bellator champion Eddie Alvarez in the co-main event on the card, the Team Blackzilians fighter was forced to withdraw due to injury, which left the UFC scrambling to find a replacement.
UFC President Dana White offered the bout to surging contender Donald Cerrone—who had just defeated Myles Jury via unanimous decision this past weekend at UFC 182—and when “Cowboy” accepted the fight on Monday, as reported by MMA Fighting’s Shaun Al-Shatti, a new co-main event was set.
A change of opponents at the elite level of the sport less than two weeks out from the fight would be enough to rattle most, but Henderson isn’t like other fighters. The former lightweight title holder stays ready and has never backed down from a challenge inside the Octagon.
In his mind, there is no reason to change that mentality. Henderson has operated with a ready-and-willing-to-throw-down-anytime, anyplace mindset through his entire career, and he sees his upcoming bout against Cerrone as one more opportunity to prove he can back up that claim.
“I’m down for whatever,” Henderson told Bleacher Report. “I’m about as game a fighter as you’ll find in the UFC. Whoever, whenever, wherever…it doesn’t matter to me. Let’s do it. I’ll fight anybody at 155. If I go up to 170 then I may have to be a little more selective, but I really don’t care who it is. It doesn’t matter to me.
“I’m always ready and I’m in the gym every day. I’m back in the gym two days after a fight helping my guys get better. I’m working on getting better and working to improve on things that may have happened in the fight. If you are in the gym all the time then you are always ready. There is no reason to have a six-week camp to prepare for a guy because he’s different or does this or that. It doesn’t matter.
“I’m always in the gym, always preparing and always trying to get 1 percent better each and every day,” he added. “It takes care of itself. I’m down for whoever. It doesn’t matter to me.”
Where he was originally set to face an opponent coming off a loss, Henderson will now step in against a man on a six-fight winning streak. Furthermore, it happens to be one he has plenty of experience competing against.
Henderson has defeated the Jackson-Winkeljohn-trained fighter on two previous occasions with their first clash at WEC 43, resulting in 2009’s Fight of the Year, and their second, a first-round submission victory for the former lightweight champion.
Yet, even with their shared history inside the cage, Henderson isn’t carrying the past with him into Fight Night 59. He knows both he and Cerrone have improved since their time trading leather inside the “little blue cage,” and he’s expecting the same brand of ruckus they produced in their initial dustups.
“Our two fights were awhile ago and there is some history there,” Henderson said. “I just think we are both the type of fighters who continuously get better and we aren’t the same fighters now as we were then. It’s not a matter of us having history. It’s a matter of us throwing down and finding out who is the better man on that night.
“Having been in the cage with him for 25 minutes or 15 minutes you definitely get a feel for the guy. You pick up his rhythm. It’s different to have your teammates and training partners mimic someone than when you’ve been in the cage with them before and have a feel for how they fight. I would say there are some advantages when you’ve faced a guy before. You know what they bring to the table so to speak. He also knows what you bring to the table as well.
“Cowboy hasn’t really changed since our earlier fights,” he added. “He’s gotten better for sure. He’s improved his technique and he’s a better fighter, but he hasn’t really changed a whole lot. He doesn’t do much different than he always has. We are expecting the same Cowboy you always see out there. There is a rhythm he has where he walks forward and it’s something I’ve faced before. I’m going to mix things up and be creative. I’m always looking to improve, change things up and get better.”
While their previous clashes, respective placement in the talent-rich ranks of the lightweight divisions and the 11th-hour development of the fight certainly adds intrigue, the fact that both Henderson and Cerrone are two of the most prolific fighters on the UFC roster presents another interesting angle.
In the three years that have passed since both came over from the WEC in 2011, they have 27 showings inside the Octagon between them, with Henderson notching 11 bouts and Cerrone 16.
In a sport where many fighters publicly posture about being willing to take any fight they are given at anytime, there are very few who actually back up their claims and are always ready to scrap.
Both Henderson and Cerrone epitomize that particular mindset, and their meeting at Fight Night 59 will pit two of the fight game’s most durable and driven fighters against one another in the type of high-profile environment both men have proved to thrive in.
Those circumstances add up to make their trilogy match a can’t-miss affair, and Henderson is fired up for the cage door to close behind them in Boston.
“It goes to show that actions speak louder than words,” Henderson said. “People can say they want to do this and that, and that they want to fight five times this year and stay busy, but when it comes down to it they only fight once in 15 months or whatever. Cowboy and I are guys who not only talk it, but back it up as well. You say you want to do these things then let’s see it. Talk is pointless. Talk is cheap. Let’s find out.
“It’s easy to talk and say these things, but it is another to actually back it up. Cowboy does a good job of it as do I. We both try to fight as much as possible and back up what we say. Look at Neil Magny at 170. Dude had five fights and went 5-0 in the UFC this past year. He doesn’t talk a whole lot and just went in there and did the work. He got five wins and had five pretty solid performances.
“Cowboy is definitely that guy who likes to bring it every time and loves to scrap,” he added. “I think I’m the same way. My opponent changed less than two weeks out from the fight and now it’s Donald Cerrone who is on a six-fight winning streak and is on one of the longest streaks of his career. Boom! Let’s do it.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
It was a long road but one that resulted in a dream-come-true moment for Carla Esparza.
After battling her way through the tournament on the 20th season of The Ultimate Fighter then steamrolling scrappy upstart Rose Namajunas in the finale, …
It was a long road but one that resulted in a dream-come-true moment for Carla Esparza.
After battling her way through the tournament on the 20th season of The Ultimate Fighter then steamrolling scrappy upstart Rose Namajunas in the finale, the Cookie Monster made UFC history by becoming the promotion’s inaugural women’s strawweight champion.
Furthermore, the 27-year-old Californian earned the title on the strength of a spirited performance in which she dominated Thug Rose en route to a third-round finish via rear-naked choke—leaving zero doubt she was the best female 115-pound fighter under the UFC banner.
For Esparza, her showing at the TUF 20 Finale made the ideal statement, and she did so when the spotlight was at its brightest. The next step she takes in her UFC career will be as the strawweight title holder, and while being a champion puts a huge target on her back, the Team Oyama representative wouldn’t have it any other way. But until her next challenge materializes, Esparza is taking time to enjoy her success and live in the moment of a dream realized.
Something small like seeing her banner alongside the rest of the UFC champions this past weekend at the MGM Grand for UFC 182 is a reminder that she’s accomplished her ultimate goal, and all the work and sacrifice she put in to get there was worth it.
“It was such a great thing to see my picture up there with all of these amazing champions,” Esparza told Bleacher Report. “My picture is alongside all of these champions who have done so many amazing things in the sport, and it’s hard for me to even realize I’m on the same level as they are. It’s a great feeling.
“I definitely think I have made my mark on the division and it was a great way to enter the UFC with such a great win. I just have to keep it going and take it fight by fight. I would love to be one of those dominant champions like Ronda Rousey, Anderson Silva and GSP. I want to hold the belt for a very long time, but I have to keep my focus on one fight at a time.
“I’m enjoying this and soaking it all in,” she added. “It has been a long year, but I’m here to fight. Whatever they tell me is next then I’m in for it.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
The UFC has plans to make 2015 its biggest year yet and the organization backed up its intentions by kicking off the new year with one of the most anticipated fights in light heavyweight history at UFC 182.
The main event title tilt between champion Jo…
The UFC has plans to make 2015 its biggest year yet and the organization backed up its intentions by kicking off the new year with one of the most anticipated fights in light heavyweight history at UFC 182.
The main event title tilt between champion Jon Jones and challenger Daniel Cormier brought a culmination to one of the most intense rivalries to come along in the 21-year history of mixed martial arts. The buildup to the battle between the pound-for-pound great and the undefeated Olympian was as intense as it gets, and all the pre-fight ruckus and backstage squabbles all led up to their long-awaited showdown on Saturday night.
For the champion, it was his chance to further his dominant and historic reign over the 205-pound fold. For more than three years, the Jackson-Winkeljohn product had smashed his way through all comers to become the undisputed king of the light heavyweight division. Jones also became widely regarded as one of, if not the, greatest fighters of all time in the process—and many figured the Louisiana native to be his greatest challenge to date.
On the other side of the equation, squaring off with the longtime champion was finally the former Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix winner’s chance to ascend to the championship realm. “D.C.” has been an unstoppable force since coming over to the UFC in 2013, rolling through all four of his opponents en route to earning a shot at the light heavyweight title.
Their rivalry leading up to the fight was as heated as any in UFC history, and when the cage door closed on Saturday night at UFC 182 the two best light heavyweights in the world went at it with everything they had. Jones and Cormier stood toe-to-toe for 25 minutes with each man working to impose their respective wills. Yet, while both had their moments, it was Jones who had more of them as he picked up the unanimous decision on the judges’ scorecards to retain the undisputed light heavyweight crown.
Cormier certainly put up a valiant effort, but Jones once again proved why he’s the greatest fighter to ever compete at 205 pounds as he handed the AKA staple the first loss of his professional career and extended his current record-setting run of title defenses to eight.
There was a ton of action and face punching to be had on Saturday night, so let’s take a look at the good, bad and strange from UFC 182.
The Good
If there is a ceiling for Jon Jones’ talent we have yet to see it.
The reigning light heavyweight king and pound-for-pound great put his title on the line for the eighth time when he stepped in to square off with Daniel Cormier at UFC 182 on Saturday night. There was certainly no love lost between the two men in the leadup to the bout, and the anticipation was high when they entered the Octagon to handle their business.
Many figured the former Olympian to be the champion’s greatest test to date, and while the AKA representative certainly put up a spirited fight, it wasn’t enough to derail the fighter widely recognized as the pound-for-pound best on the planet as Jones outworked the Louisiana native en route to the unanimous decision victory. While it wasn’t the cleanest work of his career, Jones once again proved too savvy and versatile for the opponent challenging for his title.
Furthermore, Jones added bonus points to winning the feud as he put the former Olympic wrestler down on the mat on two occasions during the fourth round, and that turn of events shifted the tide of the fight heavily in the champion’s favor. “Bones” would go on to win that frame and close out the fight by taking the final round on all three of the judges’ scorecards.
While his bout against Alexander Gustafsson was his closet battle to date, his fight with Cormier on Saturday night was perhaps his grittiest. Yet, Jones still emerged victorious and furthered the gap between him and everyone else in the light heavyweight fold.
Donald Cerrone is no stranger to putting together winning streaks and “Cowboy” cranked his current up to six straight by handing Myles Jury the first loss of his career on Saturday night. While the bout wasn’t one of Cerrone’s signature action-packed performances, it was still efficient enough to stifle any offense the Team Alliance representative attempted to put together in the fight. Cerrone was simply too crafty anywhere the fight took place and proved too much for the surging prospect to handle.
With his incredible winning streak, Cerrone should be knocking on the door of a title opportunity, but there is a bit of a logjam in the title tier of the lightweight fold at the current time. Champion Anthony Pettis is set to face Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 185 in March, and current No. 1-ranked contender KhabibNurmagomedov will be returning from injury in the coming months as well. That puts Cerrone sitting several spots out from a title opportunity, but he’s never been one to mind having to do a bit of extra work.
—The welterweight division is stacked with potential title contenders, and Hector Lombard made a strong case to enter the mix on Saturday night with his victory over Josh Burkman at UFC 172. “Showeather” had won both of his showings at 170 pounds coming into his tilt with the resurgent veteran, and a third-straight victory would keep him in the hunt for a championship opportunity.
Yet, while Burkman’s willingness to exchange with the Cuban powerhouse may have been the most memorable element of the fight, Lombard’s forward pressure and power shots secured the unanimous-decision victory on the judges’ scorecards.
Yet, even though he’s now won three consecutive showings inside the Octagon, the American Top Team representative is still several spots back in the hunt for a title shot. Champion Robbie Lawler and former champion Johny Hendricks are going to settle their trilogy later this year, and Canadian star Rory MacDonald is sitting in the next position.
With TarecSaffiedine falling out of his bout with Matt Brown due to injury, UFC President Dana White suggested the former Bellator champion could possibly face “The Immortal” on Feb. 14 in Broomfield, Co., but there’s nothing concrete on that particular avenue at this time.
—The race for the next shot at Demetrious Johnson’s flyweight title is wide open at the current time and KyojiHoriguchi had a great opportunity to make a strong case at UFC 182. The Japanese upstart squared off with Louis Gaudinot on Saturday night with the chance to pick up his fourth consecutive victory under the UFC banner, and that’s exactly what transpired as Horiguchi earned the unanimous decision on the judges’ scorecards.
Yet, even with the win his performance was nothing too extraordinary and he most likely will not leapfrog the winner of the upcoming tilt between Ian McCall and John Lineker at UFC 183.
—There wasn’t anything pretty about it but Brad Tavares snapped a recent two-fight skid by outworking Nate Marquardt en route to a unanimous-decision victory on Saturday night. The 27-year-old Hawaiian fought at a measured pace as he launched strikes at the former title challenger from range, and Marquardt had zero answers for his attack. While the crowd at the MGM Grand Arena booed the fight, Tavares did enough to secure the victory and get back into the win column.
—Taking opportunities when they come is the name of the fight game, and Paul Felder absolutely made the most of his big shot at UFC 182. While the Jackson-Winkeljohn representative was originally supposed to compete on the card for Fight Night 59 in Boston, when a spot opposite Danny Castillo opened up at UFC 182, “The Irish Dragon” jumped at the chance.
He certainly capitalized on the moment with a spectacular knockout as Felder caught “Last Call” with a spinning back fist to bring the fight to an abrupt end. With the win, Felder has now picked up back-to-back victories inside the Octagon and brings his winning streak to 10 straight.
—Cody Garbrandt may not have started off strong against Marcus Brimage, but he surely finished business in spectacular fashion. The Team Alpha Male representative looked sluggish in the early stages of his UFC debut but turned it on late as the 23-year-old Sacramento-based fighter dotted up Brimage with big shots to finish the fight with an impressive flurry late in the final round.
The finish was the third-latest stoppage in the history of the UFC bantamweight division and in impressive first step for the talented young prospect.
—First impressions are crucial on the sport’s biggest stage, and Marion Reneau put on the ideal performance as she beat the proverbial brakes off of Alexis Dufresne to pick up her first victory inside the Octagon. While the bout should have probably been stopped in the second round, the referee allowed the drubbing to continue for 15 minutes as Reneau battered her opponent with a bevy of strikes en route to picking up the biggest win of her career.
The Bad
Nate “The Great” Marquardt just does not look so “great” anymore.
Several years ago the veteran middleweight contested for the 185-pound title in the UFC, and two years ago was the strap holder in Strikeforce’s welterweight division. Yet, the fight game is a brutal and unforgiving business and the tides have certainly turned hard on Marquardt’s career.
The Wyoming native came into his bout with Brad Tavares on Saturday night having found victory in only one of his past four showings and was desperately looking to build some momentum on his latest run in the UFC. Even though he was coming off a victory over James Te Huna in his last outing, the pressure was certainly hovering as the middleweight division is currently more stacked than it has been in years…perhaps more than ever in UFC history.
Yet, while he was facing strong circumstances, Marquardt just didn’t show up against the young Hawaiian striker. While the majority of the opening round was spent with the two fighters circling one another and being hesitant, it was a mode Marquardt wouldn’t break out of in the remaining two rounds. The Ray Sefo protege pressed the action in the final 10 minutes and kept Marquardt backing up for the rest of the fight.
The result was Marquardt looking like a shell of his former self and suffering his fourth loss in his last five outings as Tavares took the unanimous-decision victory. Marquardt looked timid and worn throughout the 15-minute affair, which is a stark contrast from the dynamic and aggressive fighter he once was.
—Despite getting off to a strong start where he won two out of his first three showings, things have been rough for Rodrigo Damm as of late. The Brazilian submission specialist had suffered back-to-back losses coming into his bout with Evan Dunham on Saturday night and desperately needed to turn things around against the Las Vegas-based fighter.
Unfortunately for Damm, the pressure Dunham brought was too much for him to handle. The veteran lightweight consistently scored with combinations en route to picking up the unanimous-decision victory and handed Damm his third straight loss inside the Octagon.
While there is no exact formula to a fighter getting cut from the biggest promotion in MMA, history has shown three-straight losses to be somewhat of an ominous number to carry. Furthermore, Damm has looked less than stellar in each of those three setbacks and it is highly likely he will be on the next wave of cuts made by the UFC in coming weeks.
The Strange
Easily the most curious moment of the night went down in the fight between Hector Lombard and Josh Burkman. The former Bellator-middleweight-champion-turned-UFC-welterweight contender is widely considered to be one of the most feared strikers in the 170-pound fold, and many assumed he would steamroll through the returning veteran.
Yet, that’s not what happened. And it’s not so much how things ended as how they played out.
After six years of competing around the globe on other stages, Burkman finally made his return to the Octagon at UFC 182. Apparently “The People’s Warrior” wanted to make a huge statement as he not only decided to go toe-to-toe with the Cuban powerhouse, but did so standing directly in front of him and taunting Lombard the entire time. It was truly a bizarre scene and a game plan no one would have ever expected from the Utah native.
While the American Top Team product would go on to win his third consecutive bout since dropping down into welterweight waters via unanimous decision, it was Burkman who stole the show on Saturday night as he put on a gritty, go-for-broke performance. Taking a loss after battling his way back after six years away wasn’t the way Burkman wanted to return, but showing he’s one of the most game fighters at 170 will certainly boost his stock.
On a final note, and perhaps the strangest aspect of the entire UFC 182 experience was my personal journey to reach the event on Saturday night. Regular readers of my work here on Bleacher Report are familiar with the fact yours truly likes to embark on lengthy road trip projects, and the plan was to finish off my 2014 and begin my 2015 with the biggest fight card in the past six months.
That was the plan, but things didn’t remotely go anywhere near the way I figured they would.
After leaving Indiana on a clear day with mild temperatures for late December, I set out to once again conquer the 30 hours and 1,862 miles between my house and Las Vegas. The drive would certainly be a long one, but with more than 13,000 miles under my tires for the road trip project, I wasn’t figuring to battle anything but road fatigue.
That said, a freak snow storm in Arizona and a batch of hidden gremlins zapping my engine left me stranded in scenic Wickenburg for three days. For three long days I sat stranded just a handful of hours from the fight capital of the world, and the news just continued to get worse and worse. Where my automobile issue was originally figured to be a problem with the starter, the mechanic (who turned out to be a shady character) shocked me with an estimate that came in just north of $1,300 and what he said was a seized engine.
I’ve traveled many miles with the “Altima Fighter” and made a thousand great memories in that car, but in that situation, I was willing to scrap the car, fly home and buy a new one when I returned back to Indiana. Yet, when that option was served to the mechanic, he informed me to slow down on that particular decision and give him a couple of days to let his engine guy take a look. Suddenly, we went from having to make a $1,300 decision on the spot to letting his engine guy have a “couple of days.” Sound funny to you? Sure did to me.
Nevertheless, I still needed to make it to Las Vegas and through the kindness of a pair of friends who lived at opposite ends of the road I made it into Sin City late on Friday night, where I will be working on assignment for the next few weeks. Coming over the Hoover Dam to see the miles upon miles of bright lights of Las Vegas was as welcoming a sight as I’d seen in quite some time.
And while getting cageside to see one of the most anticipated fights in MMA history was one of my prime motivators, the journey itself is always that thing at the heart of everything I do. Granted, getting stranded in a small cowboy outpost like Wickenburg, Arizona wasn’t on the original agenda and would be enough to drive most people crazy, it was all part of the greater experience on what has been an incredible project to be a part of.
That said, it was still as strange as it gets and what a way to kick off my 2015 campaign. It’s all uphill from here on!
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Don’t call it a comeback. At least that’s not how Josh Burkman sees his return to the UFC.
While it’s been more than six years since The People’s Warrior has competed inside the Octagon, the 34-year-old veteran has spent every step of his absence from …
Don’t call it a comeback. At least that’s not how Josh Burkman sees his return to the UFC.
While it’s been more than six years since The People’s Warrior has competed inside the Octagon, the 34-year-old veteran has spent every step of his absence from the sport’s biggest stage scrapping to get back to where he believes he belongs. A three-fight skid may have cost him his roster spot back in 2008, but Burkman has gotten things back on track in a big way as he’s won nine of his 11 showings inside the cage since parting ways with the premier organization in mixed martial arts.
Yet, with that work coming outside of the spotlight of the UFC, it has taken quite some time for the versatile welterweight to gain the type of traction he needed to return to the Octagon. And that particular stigma is certainly something Burkman acknowledges. The Utah native has been competing in MMA for more than a decade and is well aware of how fans tend to view fighters competing outside of the UFC banner…that’s if they even manage to see them at all.
Nevertheless, Burkman has earned his way back and believes he’s sitting on the ideal opportunity in facing welterweight knockout-artist Hector Lombard in his return at UFC 182 this Saturday in Las Vegas. The former Bellator middleweight champion has been a wrecking machine since dropping down to 170 pounds, but Burkman is as game as they come and believes derailing a fighter with Lombard’s profile will be a proper re-introduction to the UFC fanbase.
Don’t call it a comeback. Burkman believes his upcoming bout is more of a reminder that he’s an elite-level fighter and can be a major player in the talent-rich ranks of the UFC’s welterweight division.
“It’s great to be back in the UFC and this is things coming full circle for me,” Burkman told Bleacher Report. “It was always my goal to get back to the UFC, and the icing on the cake is that I get to do it against an opponent like Hector Lombard. That puts me right back into the swing of things.
“I was talking and catching up with Jon Jones and he asked me why no one is giving me a chance in this fight and I told him it was because I’ve been fighting outside of the UFC. Sometimes when that is the case it just doesn’t matter what you’ve done. But this is my chance to show everyone once and for all that I’m an elite mixed martial artist against an opponent no one is giving me a shot against. This is my chance to show everyone what I got on the biggest stage in the world. I’m up for that challenge.”
While Burkman will be looking to re-establish himself in the welterweight ranks at UFC 182, the American Top Team product will be looking to further his case for a future title opportunity. Although the Cuban powerhouse stumbled a time or two right out of the gates with the UFC, his drop down into 170-pound waters has yielded impressive results.
The former Olympic judoka made good in his divisional debut by starching Nate Marquardt at UFC 166 in October of 2013, then followed that up with a unanimous-decision victory over former Strikeforce champion and UFC title challenger Jake Shields five months later at UFC 171. Back-to-back victories have Lombard feeling the momentum many expected him to have when he came over from Bellator back in 2012, but Burkman has plans to create some noise of his own this Saturday night.
In his mind their pairing is as storybook as it gets in combat sports, and defeating Lombard will make the exact caliber of statement he’s looking to make at UFC 182.
“I think this fight has a great story to it,” Burkman said. “On my side you have a fighter who had to work his way back, kept getting close, but the timing wasn’t right to bring me back. Then I do get my chance and it’s against a guy that nobody supposedly wants to fight in Hector Lombard. Hollywood makes movies about stuff like this. A guy battling his way back to face a fighter nobody wants to fight. It’s a great opportunity for me and I’m very grateful for it. I look forward to going out and performing on Saturday night.
“Lombard may lose some explosiveness over the course of a fight, but he never loses his strength. He always has that. One way I know not to fight this fight is to try to weather the storm against him. People get killed in the storm where I try to ride it out. I think you have to go in there and go after him. You have to step up and fight him and that’s what I’m going to do. I’m not going in there trying to survive or weather the storm, I’m bringing the fight right to him. Mark my words: I’m going to bring the fight right at Hector Lombard and I’m sure he’s going to bring it right back, and that will make for an exciting fight.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Donald Cerrone has earned every ounce of his reputation.
The hard-charging lightweight’s “anytime, anywhere” approach to the fight game has made him somewhat of an anomaly in the current realm of mixed martial arts, where the large majority of competit…
Donald Cerrone has earned every ounce of his reputation.
The hard-charging lightweight’s “anytime, anywhere” approach to the fight game has made him somewhat of an anomaly in the current realm of mixed martial arts, where the large majority of competitors attempt to strategically make their way up a variety of ladders. Yet, that’s just not “Cowboy’s” way, and his willingness to trade leather with any fighter who signs on the dotted line to face him has been a key aspect to his rise to become a fan-favorite.
His love for the scrap and the 31-year-old Albuquerque transplant’s ruckus-heavy fighting style have made him a must-see attraction come fight night. When you factor in the unique stat that Cerrone has never pulled out of a scheduled bout, and has made all 15 appearances he’s been contracted to make in his three years under the UFC banner, the picture starts to take shape that the Jackson/Winkeljohn-trained fighter is truly a rare breed in the chaotic environment of MMA.
Yet, while Cerrone‘s work inside the cage has been well documented, so has his love for adrenaline-based endeavors on his downtime. Where other fighters are grinding out several sessions a day inside the gym, the Colorado native has made a habit out of deviating from that particular approach, and the results have shown when it’s time to compete under the bright lights.
His methods may not be suitable for all, but for Cerrone himself, mixing pleasure with the rigorous work that is done inside the gym has allowed him to strike a balance in his life. Cerrone is just as full throttle as he’s ever been, but finding that rhythm has helped him turn a corner in his career and morph into a different type of monster.
Cerrone has notched five consecutive victories with all but one of those wins coming by way of finish. The only man to make it to the cards against him was Eddie Alvarez at UFC 178 back in September, but even then, the former Bellator lightweight champion took a battering for his troubles. The scrappy striker will look to make Myles Jury his sixth straight victim at UFC 182 this Saturday night in Las Vegas, and with his co-main event approaching on the horizon, the perennial title contender has never felt better.
“I put it all together this year,” Cerrone told Bleacher Report. “My coaches and everyone I train with are down there together and they don’t hold me back from being me. If I want to go out duck hunting until two in the morning, they are like whatever. If I want to go snowmobiling or jet skiing, I do it. They are like, ‘Do it…but we are gonna get work in.’
“We have a lot of young fighters who come out to the house and I try to teach that to them. You start grinding your body in training to the point where you need to take time off and I’ve learned how to balance those things. Your body needs to recover and on those days I go hunting and then come back fresh and ready to go hard. In the back of your mind you have those thoughts that you have to be in shape and there are all of these high expectations, but on the other end your body can’t keep up. Training four times a day definitely takes a toll and mixing in some pleasure in the middle helps to take the edge off all that.”
While Jury has been shaking up the ranks of the lightweight division since coming off The Ultimate Fighter, and is looking to battle his way into title contention, Cerrone sees their upcoming collision as just another day in the office. Following his victory over Alvarez, the versatile knockout artist refused to leave Las Vegas before UFC President Dana White had another fight lined up for him. Cerrone prefers to keep things moving and he made his way back to his ranch with another matchup locked and loaded.
Nevertheless, there would be some twists and turns in the road, and the fight would get pushed back a bit, but Cerrone and the undefeated prospect are going to step into the Octagon to handle their business this Saturday night. While Cerrone is notorious for not watching tape on his opponents and admittedly isn’t well-versed on his opponent, he knows Jury is a talented fighter and is expecting fireworks at UFC 182.
Cerrone can say those things because he knows what he brings to the table, and he’s looking to make another impressive addition to his resume on Saturday night.
“I don’t know much about him other than he’s undefeated,” Cerrone said. “He’s a good kid and he’s like the new breed or new generation of fighter where they are pretty good at everything. We’ll see. I feel like I’m still young in this sport too so we’ll see.
“I don’t care who I fight and people seem to have a hard time believing that. When I fought Eddie Alvarez he was saying that I’ve seen tape on him and whatever and I told him, ‘No…I’ve never seen you fight.’ It’s the same thing with Myles. The only fight I’ve ever seen of his is when he fought Diego [Sanchez]. I’ve seen zero tape on him and the only time I ever watch UFC is when I’m watching teammates or people I know fight. I just live my life and get it done.”
Should Cerrone emerge victorious at UFC 182, his red-hot winning streak will make a strong case for a shot at the UFC lightweight title—one that has seemingly eluded him for a long time. That said, chasing championships isn’t what motivates Cerrone because those particular situations always seem to come with a lot of “wait and see,” and he isn’t much the type for waiting for anything to come around to him.
Cerrone is in the UFC to fight, and if that doesn’t line up with how a title shot rolls out, then he’ll just catch it on the next pass. Again, just another detail that makes Cerrone‘s path through the highest level of MMA unlike any other fighter in the sport, but there’s only one Donald Cerrone.
“I don’t really look who is above me for a title shot or anything like that,” he said in conclusion. “If Khabib [Nurmagomedov] is ready then let’s fight. I can tell you that I definitely wouldn’t be one of those guys who are at No. 1 and is just gonna sit there and wait for his title shot to come around. No way. If Dana White told me I’m next for a shot but had to wait, I wouldn’t do it. I have money to make and a legacy to uphold.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Jon Jones is no stranger to having labels attached to his name.
Throughout his meteoric rise to the top of mixed martial arts, the 27-year-old phenom has been a lightning rod of attention, drawing immense amounts of praise for the skills he’s sho…
Jon Jones is no stranger to having labels attached to his name.
Throughout his meteoric rise to the top of mixed martial arts, the 27-year-old phenom has been a lightning rod of attention, drawing immense amounts of praise for the skills he’s shown inside the Octagon, and criticism for the way he’s carried himself outside of the cage. Whether that label be super star or villain, pound-for-pound great or instigator, at the end of the day the New York native is the UFC light heavyweight champion—the most dominant in the promotion’s history in fact.
Yet, all those elements have combined to make the Jackson/Winkeljohn representative one of the most polarizing figures in MMA, and the energy surrounding the long-reigning title holder has only intensified in the lead up to his highly anticipated tilt with rival Daniel Cormier at UFC 182 on Jan. 3 in Las Vegas, Nev.
Champion and challenger have exchanged barbs over the past two years during interviews and media appearances, but the beef between Jones and Cormier hit the stratosphere back in August when a routine media face-off between them turned into a brawl that made national news in the sports world. The two fighters went to blows in the lobby of the MGM Grand, and several moments later, their title tilt became one of the most anticipated showdowns in UFC history.
There have been plenty of promotional spots and interviews in the buildup to their collision at UFC 182, with the majority painting Jones as the villain in the matchup. The UFC included what was believed to be an off-air argument between Jones and Cormier in the promotional material for the event, and while the champion believes he’s being made out to be the “bad guy” in the situation, it’s a role he’s comfortable playing.
He knows the UFC and media are going to paint the storyline in the buildup to the fight, and those are elements he doesn‘t allow to affect him. “Bones” is focused on the work ahead and everything else is essentially just that.
“It’s easy to paint me as the instigator,” Jones told Bleacher Report at a recent media day in Albuquerque. “It changes the storyline and I think a lot of people want me to be the bad guy. It seems like the media has painted me to be the bad guy and I’m okay with that. I’m comfortable with that. Ultimately, I have a great team and family, I’m coming up in the world and life is great. It doesn’t matter if I’m the good guy or the bad guy. Every actor has their phases. Artists change their names. Fighters change their names at different stages of their careers. If I’m the bad guy right now for this storyline, then I’ll play the bad guy.”
While the bout against the former Olympic wrestler is figured to be his biggest test to date, Jones has spent his entire career—especially the past three years—answering one huge challenge after the next. He became the youngest champion in UFC history when he defeated Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 128 back in March of 2011, and he has successfully defended his title on seven consecutive occasions in the three years since earning the strap.
That said, Cormier has built a swell of momentum on his quest to dethrone Jones as he’s built an undefeated record and earned a shot at the light heavyweight title without every losing a round inside the Octagon. The Louisiana native has also been quite vocal about his belief that he will defeat Jones at UFC 182, and the champion believes Cormier is doing whatever he can to make himself believe victory over Jones is a possibility.
In a recent interview, the AKA staple said he will not only defeat Jones but make it look easy at UFC 182 and statements of that nature leave the-pound-for-pound great shaking his head.
“[Cormier] reminds me of ChaelSonnen when he says things like that,” Jones said. “No disrespect to Chael, but Chael is very good at the antics and saying things that just aren’t true. For him to say he’s going to make it look easy, I know for a fact he doesn’t believe that in his heart. How can he say that? I don’t know what he’s seen as far as footage or my fights. Him saying he thinks he’ll win is one thing, but for him to say he’ll make it look easy is like saying, ‘I can fly.’ It just holds no weight.
“I like these fights. I’ve had all types of fights but I like these ones too. There is added motivation when there is somebody saying you’re gonna get dominated or get your butt kicked. It motivates me and fuels me. At the level I’m at—with so much experience and so many great fights—you need little things to keep that fire going. Not only going, but raging.”
While Jones vs. Cormier is a hotly anticipated affair and many believe “D.C.” to be the most difficult opponent he’s faced in his career, the young champion has spent every step of his reign faced with similar circumstances. Where the names of the opponents have changed, and the weapons they bring to the table differ (Lyoto Machida’s karate style, Alexander Gustafsson’s range), Jones has proven to be a versatile fighter with a diverse arsenal of skills.
The dominance he’s shown inside the Octagon has evoked comparisons to all-time boxing great Muhammad Ali, but Jones isn’t willing to give much credence to the notion. Ali is widely regarded as the greatest boxer to ever compete, with Joe Frazier being his greatest rival inside the ring, and that would make Cormier is “Smoking Joe” by comparison.
Yet, while Jones isn’t willing to play much into that line of thought, he was confident there is always going to be another great challenge waiting around every corner.
“I don’t think about those comparisons,” Jones said. “There will only ever be one Frazier and one Ali. We are in a totally different era and in a different sport. Who knows? If we want to compare ourselves to Ali and Frazier, there will always be a Frazier. I just have to keep passing these tests.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
There are few fighters in mixed martial arts who have proved to be as game as Benson Henderson.