Author: Duane Finley

The Good, Bad and the Strange from UFC on Fox 16

There are few things better in combat sports than a heated rivalry, and a feud’s heat turns up a few notches when there is a title involved.
There is no love lost between reigning bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw and the man he toppled 14 months ago …

There are few things better in combat sports than a heated rivalry, and a feud’s heat turns up a few notches when there is a title involved.

There is no love lost between reigning bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw and the man he toppled 14 months ago to take the championship—Renan Barao. While the Brazilian phenom was slated to get an immediate rematch after being dethroned by the Team Alpha Male standout at UFC 173, weight-cutting debacles and injuries have stretched out their rematch for more than a year.

The 29-year-old Sacramento-based titleholder would make his successful defense of the bantamweight strap in the interim, while Barao waited patiently for his chance at redemption. Their paths finally crossed once again at UFC on Fox 16 in Chicago.

Barao came into the main event tilt looking to prove his loss to Dillashaw was a fluke and reclaim the 135-pound title, while The Ultimate Fighter alum was determined to cement his place as the king of the bantamweight collective.

The stakes were high on Saturday night in the Windy City, and it was Dillashaw who stamped his place as the king of the bantamweight division. In what was another brilliant performance from Duane Ludwig’s protege, Dillashaw used his striking to take the fight out of the former champion throughout the fight’s first three rounds. Shortly after the fourth frame began, a flurry from Dillashaw against the cage forced referee Herb Dean to step in and bring a stop to the action.

With the win, Dillashaw not only puts the cap on his rivalry with Barao, but he also further validates his claim as the man to beat in the 135-pound division.

Let’s take a look at the good, bad and strange from UFC on Fox 16.

 

The Good

It’s safe to say Dillashaw is a bad man. And the scary part is, he’s only getting better.

The reigning bantamweight champion put his longstanding rivalry with Renan Barao to rest as he stopped the Nova Uniao representative in the fourth round of their UFC on Fox 16 tilt. Once again it was Dillashaw’s striking that made the difference as the Team Alpha Male fighter battered Barao in heavy exchanges throughout the fight, until multiple shots in a rapid-fire flurry put the Brazilian away in the fourth round.

In the post-fight interview, Joe Rogan remarked that Dillashaw continues to improve at an incredible rate, and his transformation from a wrestler with a bit of power in his punches, to an elusive striker with dangerous accuracy has been something special to witness. Throughout his run to the title and back-to-back successful defenses, Dillashaw has shown he’s head and shoulders above the rest of the bantamweight division.

The only potential threat lingering in the distance is a possible showdown with former champion Dominick Cruz in a fight that would serve to erase any shred of doubt as to who the true king of the 135-pound fold is.

*** Miesha Tate has been doing everything in her power to earn another shot at Ronda Rousey, and Cupcake may have officially sealed the deal at UFC on Fox 16.

The former Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion and UFC title contender put on a dominant performance as she battered Jessica Eye in the co-main event of Saturday’s card in Chicago. Though Tate has relied on her wrestling prowess to defeat the majority of her past opponents, it was the Washington state native’s ever-improving striking game that made the difference against Eye.

The cageside judges’ unanimous decision gave Tate her fourth consecutive victory in the women’s 135-pound division. It will be interesting to see how things play out going forward. Rousey has twice defeated her, with both losses coming in definitive fashion.

Anytime a fighter has been toppled by the standing champion, getting a third shot is going to be difficult to come by. Yet, Tate has refused to be detoured from getting another championship opportunity, and a title shot could very well be in her immediate future.

*** Many expected the fight between Edson Barboza and Paul Felder was going to be an action-packed shootout, and it absolutely delivered. The Brazilian striking machine and the Donald Cerrone protege spent the entire three rounds of the fight punishing one another with a wide array of kicks, knees and punches.

By the start of the third and final round, the United Center crowd was standing on its feet in an uproar for more, and the two lightweights spent the final five minutes giving them more of the same. While Barboza would go on to take the unanimous-decision victory, the Irish Dragon has nothing to hang his head about as he proved he can go toe-to-toe with the divisional elite at 155.

*** Moving up a weight class proved to be a great decision for Tom Lawlor as the “Filthy” one iced Gian Villante in the second round of their clash.

After spending the past six years competing in the 185-pound division, Lawlor made his return to light heavyweight to face the Serra-Longo fighter. And while many thought the 32-year-old pro wrestling enthusiast would use his grappling chops to pursue victory, it was a rock-solid right hand that put Villante down for the count.

In his post-fight interview, Lawlor said he’s going to stay at 205, and there will be plenty of interesting matchups for him down the road in that division.

*** There are few fighters in the lightweight upper-tier ranks who can say they’ve been fighting as long as Jim Miller has. The New Jersey native made his 20th appearance inside the Octagon against Danny Castillo at UFC on Fox 16 and turned it into a successful one, employing his signature brand of toughness inside the cage.

While both fighters had their moments throughout the bout, it was Miller who used his wrestling and counterstriking to tip the balance with the judges sitting cageside as he picked up the split-decision win to pull himself out of his recent two-fight slump. 

*** Ben Saunders is making the most of his return to the UFC. Killa B came into his fight with Kenny Robertson having won both of his fights since coming back to the Octagon in 2014, and he made it three straight wins by besting the Illinois native in a gritty three-round war.

While Robertson jumped out to an early lead with a strong first round, the American Top Team product relied on his experience and ever-improving ground game to steal the momentum and, ultimately, the fight, in the final frame.

The Florida-based welterweight turned Robertson into a blood-soaked mess as he bombed away on him with elbows while attempting to lock on a triangle choke from his back. The end result was a split-decision victory for Saunders. His march up the 170-pound ranks will pick up steam after Saturday night. Ted Gruber was very descriptive in describing Robertson’s shorts:

*** Bryan Caraway’s ultimate goal is climbing the ladder toward a shot at the bantamweight title, and he took a step in that direction on Saturday night in Chicago. The Washington state native went toe-to-toe with scrappy veteran Eddie Wineland and got the better of the scrappy veteran in the majority of exchanges en route to picking up his fourth victory in his past five outings. 

By defeating the Indiana native, Caraway not only put himself back into the win column, but he also notched a win over one of the most established names in the 135-pound fold. More importantly, he didn’t decide to coast in a close fight’s final frame. USA Today columnist Ben Fowlkes was impressed with Caraway’s performance:

*** James Krause came into UFC on Fox 16 in desperate need of a victory to retain his spot on the crowded lightweight roster, and he wasted little time getting the job done against Daron Cruickshank.

The Kansas City native took the fight directly to his opponent from the opening bell, but he turned up his intensity once the action hit the ground. Moments later Krause secured the fight-ending rear-naked choke to take the win and snap a two-fight losing skid inside the Octagon.

It was an impressive showing for Krause in Chicago and one that will retain his place on the 155-pound roster intact. USA Today reporter Chamatkar Sandhu described Krause’s in-ring action as “freakin awesome”:

*** It wasn’t the performance Andrew Holbrook wanted to put on for his official UFC debut against Ramsey Nijem, but he’ll take the results as he picked up a split-decision victory on Saturday. In what played out as a technical—and at moments strange—battle on the canvas, the Indiana native consistently looked for every submission attempt he could find throughout the three-round affair.

And while the crowd at the United Center heavily disagreed with Holbrook taking the bout on the judges’ scorecards, leaving Chicago with a victory over a named opponent like Nijem in his first showing is a solid start to his UFC career. MMAFighting.com’s Dave Doyle cleverly referenced “hometown cooking”:

 

The Bad

There was a time when Takanori Gomi was the most feared lightweight fighter on the planet. Those days have officially come and gone.

While The Fireball Kid once ruled the Pride organization’s 155-pound ranks with an iron fist that he used to level opponent after opponent with, the past five years have shown there is very little left in him that resembles the knockout artist he once was.

Gomi made his highly anticipated UFC debut back in 2010, and the time since has produced mixed results that weigh heavy on the disappointing side. Granted, there have been flashes of the power he built his career upon, but in the long run, those flashes haven’t panned out.

The 36-year-old Tokyo-based fighter came into his bout with Joe Lauzon at UFC on Fox 16 having won only four of his 10 showings inside the Octagon, and he desperately needed a victory to show he could still compete with what the lightweight division’s best had to offer. Instead, Lauzon put Gomi down and out in quick fashion in the first round of their tilt, in what was one of the weirdest finishes in recent memory.

Yet, even with pushing referee Herb Dean’s nonchalance toward the action aside, the moments leading up to Lauzon walking away saw a Gomi who was shy in letting his hands go. Although that could have been caused by the Massachusetts native’s style, it was still a strange look for a fighter who is notorious for letting his fists fly with reckless abandon. 

With the loss, Gomi has now been turned back in consecutive outings and has been bested in three of his last four fights. Those numbers don’t necessarily spell the beginning of the end for fighters in most cases, but with his age and fall from grace, one has to wonder just how long he will try to keep his fighting career alive. 

*** Things won’t be looking too good for Jessamyn Duke following her loss to Elizabeth Phillips. The once-touted bantamweight and member of Ronda Rousey’s Four Horsewomen suffered her third consecutive setback inside the Octagon as she came out on the business end of a unanimous decision on the judges’ scorecards.

While Duke poured on the action in the third and final frame, it was too little too late to turn the fight’s tide. With the loss, Duke as of now been defeated in all but one of her four showings under the UFC banner. She could very well be heading back to Invicta for the foreseeable future. Bleacher Report’s Jeremy Botter summed up Duke’s dismal performance in one word—”bad”:

 

The Strange

Whether it’s a stock line in an interview or just a generalized fighter mantra in MMA, allowing fights to go to the judges’ cards is a roll of the dice.

It seems like every card the UFC puts on, the judging collective makes at least one questionable call. UFC on Fox 16 kept that streak going strong. It was a night of split decisions in Chicago, and more than a few of them were of the head-scratching variety. Three of the first seven fights played out in that fashion, and two of them truly could have gone either way.

The only one that seemed to draw the MMA community total ire was the preliminary-card bout between Ramsey Nijem and UFC newcomer Andrew Holbrook. While the majority of the bout saw the two lightweights locked in various forms of stalemates on the canvas, the general consensus on social media—and definitely inside the United Center—was that Nijem should have had his hand raised at fight’s end.

Yet, that’s not how it would shake out as two of the three judges sitting cageside saw the fight going in the Indiana native’s favor. It wasn’t the most popular decision, but it was the final one.

Now, as strange as some of those calls were, nothing was quite as bizarre as how the fight between Joe Lauzon and Takanori Gomi ended. The Fireball Kid and the TUF alum stepped in to handle some business in the lightweight division, and a few minutes later it was all over. At least Lauzon knew it was all over, and he seemed to be the only man in the cage that did.

After pummeling the Japanese veteran with heavy shots on the ground, J-Lau suddenly stopped his onslaught, stood up and raised his hands in victory, while referee Herb Dean looked on as a dazed Gomi crawled about.

Lauzon got a few steps away from his opponent and then realized the fight had yet to be officially called. He then turned his attention back to the matter at hand. Yet, before he could jump back in and throw more punches at a wounded Gomi, Dean waived his hands, and the fight was brought to an end. Sports journalist Adam Martin described referee’s performance as “some of the worst reffing seen in the UFC”: 

There are many times fights end in fast-and-furious fashion, and the cause of the stoppage can be caught on the post-fight replay, but even that footage didn’t reveal any clear signs of why Lauzon let up. In his interview with Joe Rogan, the Massachusetts native said he saw his opponent go out and stop fighting, and having mercy on one of his personal heroes was the cause for the self-imposed stoppage.

A fighter taking his foot off the gas because he couldn’t bring himself to continue a beating? How’s that for strange?

 

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Chris Weidman: In Pursuit of Greatness

Winning appeals to everyone, but greatness is something achieved by few—Chris Weidman is in pursuit of the latter.A quick glance at his resume shows The All-American has made tremendous strides toward that goal over the past three years, as Weidm…

Winning appeals to everyone, but greatness is something achieved by few—Chris Weidman is in pursuit of the latter.

A quick glance at his resume shows The All-American has made tremendous strides toward that goal over the past three years, as Weidman has toppled a collection of former champions and pound-for-pound greats during his ascension to the top of the 185-pound ranks.

Yet, despite an impressive streak of victories where he bested Anderson Silva in back-to-back outings, out-worked Lyoto Machida and smashed Brazilian powerhouse Vitor Belfort, the sweeping tides of respect have yet to pour in from the MMA community.

It’s almost as if the Serra-Longo representative’s dominance inside the cage has come in a fashion the MMA fighting faithful has yet to be able to process, and the middleweight champion has been clear about the window for such things growing smaller and smaller by the day. The 31-year-old champion hasn’t backed off that stance. In fact, he’s doubling down on the sentiment.

“They will all look dumb one fight at a time,” Weidman told Bleacher Report in an exclusive interview. “I don’t mind it because I don’t mind proving people wrong. The people that have joined the team already are very smart people. They are all intelligent. The other ones are a little slower, and it’s taking them some time to catch up. Eventually it’s going to reach a point where there aren’t anymore questions and it’s just like the draft where they’re drafted and that’s it they’re in.

“I’m open-minded, and I hear people. I try to understand low intelligence and put myself on that wavelength in an attempt to cooperate with it. So I understand, and it’s not their fault, but eventually they are going to be on the team.”

While there is yet to be an official date for the Long Island-based titleholder’s next bout, Luke Rockhold has already been slated as the next fighter to contend for the middleweight strap. The American Kickboxing Academy standout has won four of his five showings since coming over from the now-defunct Strikeforce banner and has made a clear-cut case for title contention in the process.

The California-based middleweight has finished each of the last four opponents he’s faced inside the Octagon and has steadily built momentum toward an eventual showdown with Weidman. Yet, where the reigning 185-pound king is quick to acknowledge Rockhold’s talent as a fighter, he isn’t willing to entertain even the slightest thought that the newly minted No. 1 contender has what it takes to defeat him.

The majority of Weidman’s confidence in the matter stems from the wealth of self-belief he carries, but he also draws from the feedback exchanged between mutual friends both he and Rockhold share in the MMA bubble.

“I don’t think he really believes he can beat me,” Weidman said. “There are just too many people who have trained with me who have trained with him and the word has spread. This is not a closed training session anymore. We have a lot of the same friends and he knows he’s in for a very big problem. Anything can happen in a fight, and I know he’s hoping for the best, but the chances of him beating me are extremely low.”

Regardless of what Weidman believes the outcome will be, a fight will have to take place, and fights need to be promoted. With that in mind, both fighters have used social media platforms and interviews with the media to generate a buzz for their forthcoming matchup. Both champion and challenger have taken turns lobbing barbs in the other’s direction, and the MMA community has been eating up the crisp banter between them.

Nevertheless, Weidman recently upped the ante in the battle before the battle when he shed some light on Rockhold’s friend and teammate Daniel Cormier ghostwriting some of Rockhold’s tweets.  

“He admitted it,” Weidman said. “If Luke has a clever tweet it’s not him writing it. That’s pretty obvious from anyone who knows Luke. I like Luke, but I knew those tweets weren’t coming from him. I called him out on it and I kept it real. I was having fun with it at the same time though.”

Until the UFC sets the date for his upcoming bout with Rockhold, the middleweight finishing machine will continue his work to make an already dangerous skill set more so. Over the past three years, Weidman has shown rapid growth in his striking abilities as he’s leveled some of the middleweight division’s best, as well as the fighter widely regarded as the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, with crisp power shots.

In addition to his evolving talent in the stand-up department, a rock-solid wrestling foundation and a lights-out grappling game make it easy to see why Weidman has never stepped out of the cage on the losing end of things. He’s a versatile threat anywhere the fight takes place, and those strengths have come through the diligent work he’s invested inside the gym.

Where some fighters reach the pinnacle of success and begin to rest on past achievements, the middleweight champion’s dedication to his education as a fighter has never allowed him to travel any other path but that of a pupil inside the gym. That mindset has continuously produced growth, which in turn has attributed to his consistent success at the highest level of mixed martial arts.

“There are times I get lucky and can do things right away and it looks good and people are impressed, but there are times when I struggle,” Weidman said. “I will see something I want to do, and I may not get it that day. But I think the thing that makes me different from other fighters is that I’m open-minded and never think I know everything. I actually feel like I know nothing and that allows me to learn on a different level. 

“I’m also a visual learner. I watch something in the gym, try to do it and may not get it. When I go home that night and my wife is talking to me and I’m not answering her, it is because I’m visualizing that thing I’m working on. I’ll do that all day long. Before I go to bed I’m still thinking about it and that happens until I can see myself doing it. Once I see myself doing something my body will follow. If I can see myself doing it and understand the movement, the next day it will happen. Guaranteed it will happen.”

When it comes to the developments Weidman makes as a fighter, nobody has a better view of the situation than his longtime coach Ray Longo. The Godfather has been with the middleweight technician from the first day he stepped into the gym to become a fighter and remains a crucial element in Weidman’s dominant reign over the 185-pound ranks.

And even though Longo knew Weidman was going to be something special from the beginning, watching the process unfold is still something he’s fascinated with.

“Chris is the consummate professional,” Longo told Bleacher Report during a stop on the MMA Road Trip Project. “I think I knew it the first time I saw him. He exceeds every goal he sets for himself, and he’s for real. The kid is an absolute beast, and his fighting I.Q. is off the charts. If they had Mensa for fighting he’d be in it. He’s a genius and actually puts it to work.”

The resume Weidman has already established is in a league shared by few, but he has aspirations outside the Octagon he’s looking to achieve as well. The current era of MMA is one where few role models can be found, and that is a charge Weidman is ready, willing and able to lead.

He garnered acclaim in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy for his efforts to help re-build homes of those who were affected by the storm in Staten Island and has been in multiple charitable efforts in the time since. Furthermore, Weidman is a proud family man who champions a stability not often found at the very top of the combat sports stratosphere.

And while calm waters rarely attract attention on the current sports landscape, Weidman takes a tremendous amount of pride in the example he can provide because just getting the chance to provide it means the hard work he’s invested is paying off. 

“The whole point of doing this is to get to the top where you can be an example for others,” Weidman said. “It’s an entertainment sport and we go out to entertain the fans, but at the end of the day, what really matters is your influence on others. You want to help people and make the world a better place in whatever way you can. I’ve tried to share the things I’ve learned, and for me it really is all about being a role model.”

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC on Fox 16: T.J. Dillashaw Looking to Stamp His Place as Bantamweight King

What a difference a year has made for T.J. Dillashaw.
Over the past 14 months the Team Alpha Male standout has gone from a highly touted prospect-turned-contender figured to be another step in the title reign of Renan Barao, to a bantamweight champion …

What a difference a year has made for T.J. Dillashaw.

Over the past 14 months the Team Alpha Male standout has gone from a highly touted prospect-turned-contender figured to be another step in the title reign of Renan Barao, to a bantamweight champion on the verge of solidifying his place as the king of the 135-pound collective. The 29-year-old set this transformation in motion by pulling one of the biggest upsets in recent memory when he defeated the Brazilian phenom via TKO in the fifth round of their title tilt at UFC 173 last May.

Dillashaw‘s performance en route to winning the bantamweight title was a brilliant display of technique and measured aggression, as The Ultimate Fighter alum flexed his vastly improved striking skills and footwork. His movement and accuracy served to baffle the Nova Uniao representative, and the victory marked a new era in the ranks of the bantamweight fold.

Yet, as has become somewhat of a protocol under the UFC banner, anytime a once dominant champion has been dethroned an immediate rematch is put in motion, and the second go between Dillashaw and Barao was slated for UFC 177 three months later in Sacramento, California. With The Baron chalking his loss to Dillashaw as a fluke in their first meeting—and several barbs being traded between the two fighters and their respective camps—anticipation was high heading into the rematch.

One bad weight cut and an 11th-hour opponent change suddenly took Dillashaw‘s chance to validate his place atop the bantamweight division to the wayside into a spectacle, as he thrashed Barao‘s replacement, Joe Soto, to make the first successful defense of his title. And even though his victory over the former Bellator champion did little to validate his position as bantamweight title holder, the opportunity he’s waited more than a year to capture will finally come to fruition this Saturday night at UFC on Fox 16.

And even though he’s entering the rematch with Barao as champion instead of challenger, Dillashaw insists his focus won’t be any different from the first time he made the walk to the Octagon to throw down with the Brazilian striker in Chicago.

“I’m actually taking this fight with the same mind-set,” Dillashaw told Bleacher Report. “I was confident going into that last fight with him that I was going to win. The only people who believed in me were my team and my family, and that’s all that matters. I’m going in, and I’m nervous about my opponent. If I weren’t nervous then I wouldn’t be ready. I’m respecting what he has, because if I don’t I’m going to get caught. I’m going to treat it as the same kind of fight. I’m not going to overlook the guy and think it’s going to be an easy fight. I’m going in there expecting a five-round war and looking for the finish.”

Despite the history between Dillashaw and Barao, the champion isn’t carrying a grudge into their upcoming title fight. Dillashaw has decided to leave the past in the past, and the only thing on the bantamweight champion’s mind is taking the next step in his reign over the 135-pound division.

“This fight is about proving dominance in my weight class,” Dillashaw said. “If it’s Renan Barao or whoever I fight, it doesn’t make a difference to me. I don’t have a chip on my shoulder that I’m fighting him again. I don’t have anything like that. I’m looking at this fight with him as just another opponent.”

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Johny Hendricks Wants the Next Shot at Welterweight Title

Johny Hendricks doesn’t care about the other options currently available in the welterweight division. The only thing he’s focused on is getting the chance to fight for the 170-pound title he once held.
Immediately after “Bigg Rigg” came out on the los…

Johny Hendricks doesn’t care about the other options currently available in the welterweight division. The only thing he’s focused on is getting the chance to fight for the 170-pound title he once held.

Immediately after “Bigg Rigg” came out on the losing end of a hard-fought split decision against Robbie Lawler in their rematch at UFC 181 last December, reclaiming the welterweight crown became the primary goal on his mind.

The former two-time Division I national champion wrestler understood he would need to win another fight or two to get back into title contention, and his victory over Matt Brown at UFC 185 back in March marked the beginning of that process.

If Hendricks has his way, it will be the only fight he’ll have to take in between championship opportunities.

The heavy-handed powerhouse wants the belt he once held to be back on the line the next time he steps into the Octagon, and that is the only option he’s going to consider.

“I think people want to see me and Robbie fight again, and there is nothing else in my sights,” Hendricks told Bleacher Report. “Nothing else matters to me except that belt. I’ll wait for it if I have to because every fight matters. What happens if I take another fight and lose? Right there I have to win two or three fights just to get back. I don’t think I’m going to lose, but it’s a fight, and anything can happen.

“Whenever you step inside that Octagon you don’t know what’s going to happen until the referee steps in to break it up or you are getting your hand raised at the end of the fight. I’ve been in some decisions that didn’t go my way where I’m sitting there wondering what fight the judges were watching. I know what can happen and I’d much rather take my chances waiting for my shot than put my life into another training camp.”

With that said, the current welterweight title picture is a crowded situation, as perennially top-ranked contenders like Tyron Woodley and Carlos Condit are also jockeying for a chance to compete for divisional gold Lawler just defended against Rory MacDonald in what became an instant classic at UFC 189.

“Ruthless” emerged from the bloody affair with the welterweight strap intact, and there is no clear-cut leader in the race for the next shot in the 170-pound collective.

Hendricks believes a trilogy bout against Lawler makes the most sense and feels there is a score to be settled once and for all with the current champion. Both of their previous contests were 25-minute shootouts with each man defeating the other by razor-thin margins over the course of those fights.

Yet despite the Team Takedown fighter’s insistence that he should be stamped as the No. 1 contender, “The Chosen One” has taken aim at Hendricks and worked a public campaign to mix it up with the Oklahoma native.

Following Woodley‘s victory over Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 183 back in January, the St. Louis native began angling for a bout against Hendricks.

The two elite-level welterweights have an established history, as they competed with each other during their collegiate wrestling days, and Woodley is certain a victory over Hendricks would make a rock-solid case for a title shot of his own.

While Hendricks says he appreciates Woodley‘s ambition and believes they will cross paths somewhere down the line, the 31-year-old former welterweight champion isn’t willing to put his focus anywhere but Lawler and another shot at the title.

Call-outs or not, Hendricks has set his sights on locking down a third fight with the resurgent American Top Team representative.

“Tyron Woodley is an awesome dude and I love the guy to death,” Hendricks said. “I do believe once I get that title back, we will fight. When we do, that will be great. I love his mom. I love his wife. He’s a great guy surrounded by great people. I know this is all business and he’s doing what he can do to further his career. I’m doing what I can do to further mine, and we have that mutual understanding of what we both want.

“I want that title, and so does he, but he’s not going to go through me to get that title. I’m going to get that title and we can meet for the belt after that. I’m perfectly fine with that scenario.”

There has yet to be an official word from the UFC in regard to the next shot at the welterweight title, but Hendricks is already working as if the fight he wants is going to come his way.

Rather than allow himself to fall off course with his physical regimen the way he has in past years, the decorated wrestler turned elite-level mixed martial artist has dedicated himself to maintaining a training camp-form body—or at least something close to that—between fights because what he calls “rabbit food” just isn’t the way Hendricks rolls.

The welterweight contender is a country boy through and through, and one who has remained true to his southern roots throughout his ascension to the upper echelon of the sport he competes in.

Where his peers in the UFC have adopted the trend of stylized suits and sharp appearances, Hendricks is more inclined to travel the jeans-and-baseball-cap route. That’s just who he is, and Hendricks doesn’t plan on changing anytime soon.

“You get what you get with me,” Hendricks said. “I’m not the guy who is going to dress all fancy like Daniel Cormier. I know it’s a little bit different for him because he has to be on television all the time, but that’s just not me. I can’t tell you how many times the UFC has messaged me and asked if I could wear something nice to the press event. I think it’s funny because I wonder if I’m the only guy getting those texts.

“My greatest compliment came when I went back to Oklahoma State. I had gotten pretty big in the UFC and finally started going back to Oklahoma State, and they told me I hadn’t changed a bit. That meant a lot to me because I don’t want to change. No matter where I’m at in life, I always want to be the same guy I’ve always been. I’ve learned things come and go, and when they go…life ain’t gonna change for me none. I’ll still be on my tractor and pulling things with my truck.”

Echoing that sentiment is longtime friend and fellow OSU alum Daniel Cormier. The current light heavyweight champion has known Hendricks for a long time and was one of the assistant coaches in Stillwater during Hendricks’ run to championship gold in the collegiate ranks.

While he says it with a bit of a chuckle, D.C. takes pride in the fact that the man he’s known for more than a decade is still the same man he sees today.

“I swear to you that guy doesn’t even own a suit,” Cormier laughed. “He’s the same Johny Hendricks today that I’ve known since he was in college. That’s actually pretty incredible if you think about it. Nothing is going to change that guy, and that says a lot about his character. I’ve told him plenty of times to get a suit, though, and he should probably listen to me on that.

“I like to make jokes, but let me tell you something. If you ever get the chance to take a car ride with Johny Hendricks, you absolutely take it. He’s one of the most intelligent guys you’ll ever get the chance to talk to.”

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

CM Punk Enjoying the Process, Summoning ‘The Force’ on the Road to UFC Debut

Stepping in to compete on the biggest stage in mixed martial arts is nothing CM Punk is taking lightly, and he’s dedicated himself to doing the necessary work to ensure he’ll be ready when that happens.
The former WWE superstar tipped the MMA world on …

Stepping in to compete on the biggest stage in mixed martial arts is nothing CM Punk is taking lightly, and he’s dedicated himself to doing the necessary work to ensure he’ll be ready when that happens.

The former WWE superstar tipped the MMA world on its ear last December when it was announced he had signed with the UFC.

The news that Punk, whose real name is Phil Brooks, was leaving the squared circle to compete inside the Octagon was followed by a rush of analyst columns and social media posts listing whom the Chicago native should face in his official promotional debut.

Seven months have come and gone since Punk signed on the dotted line, and there has yet to be an opponent or date announced for his first go inside the cage. However, that hasn’t put the slightest dent in the anticipation surrounding his first bout in the UFC.

And that is all fine and well where Punk is concerned, because drawing eyes and attention is something he’s mastered during his time in the public eye.

With that said, developing the skills that will allow him to validate the buzz surrounding him is another story. Training under the guidance of Duke Roufus and alongside elite-level talent the likes of Anthony Pettis and Ben Askren has shown Punk what it takes to be successful at the highest level of MMA, and Punk is working diligently to follow the roadmap his teammates have created.

“I’m really enjoying everything about the process,” Punk told Bleacher Report. “It’s been above expectations I think because of the quality of guys I’m working with. For the quality of guys who are at the level they are at to accept me with open arms, be free with their knowledge and to help me and train me…to me that’s amazing. I expected them to be a bit more standoffish or to get blowback from some of them, but I haven’t gotten a single bit of it from the team.”

To get the job done, he’s relying on the same blue-collar work ethic that took him to the top of the professional wrestling world to transform him into a UFC-ready fighter when the time to prove himself comes around. 

Even though said time is still nowhere in sight, Punk believes he and his coaches will know when everything has come together and the walk to the Octagon is ready to be made.

“It is going to be a team decision, but I’m sure there will be a point where I will know that I’m ready,” he said in regard to making his Octagon debut. “That is going to come with training every day and will happen because of the hard work I put in. But I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…Duke is my Obi-Wan Kenobi. Luke wanted to go f–k up Vader early on and he was like, ‘Nah…hold up on that. Take it easy.’ Eventually Yoda told him he had to go control his fear, and eventually Duke will let me know it’s time to go.”

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

CM Punk Enjoying the Process, Summoning ‘The Force’ on the Road to UFC Debut

Stepping in to compete on the biggest stage in mixed martial arts is nothing CM Punk is taking lightly, and he’s dedicated himself to doing the necessary work to ensure he’ll be ready when that happens.
The former WWE superstar tipped the MMA world on …

Stepping in to compete on the biggest stage in mixed martial arts is nothing CM Punk is taking lightly, and he’s dedicated himself to doing the necessary work to ensure he’ll be ready when that happens.

The former WWE superstar tipped the MMA world on its ear last December when it was announced he had signed with the UFC.

The news that Punk, whose real name is Phil Brooks, was leaving the squared circle to compete inside the Octagon was followed by a rush of analyst columns and social media posts listing whom the Chicago native should face in his official promotional debut.

Seven months have come and gone since Punk signed on the dotted line, and there has yet to be an opponent or date announced for his first go inside the cage. However, that hasn’t put the slightest dent in the anticipation surrounding his first bout in the UFC.

And that is all fine and well where Punk is concerned, because drawing eyes and attention is something he’s mastered during his time in the public eye.

With that said, developing the skills that will allow him to validate the buzz surrounding him is another story. Training under the guidance of Duke Roufus and alongside elite-level talent the likes of Anthony Pettis and Ben Askren has shown Punk what it takes to be successful at the highest level of MMA, and Punk is working diligently to follow the roadmap his teammates have created.

“I’m really enjoying everything about the process,” Punk told Bleacher Report. “It’s been above expectations I think because of the quality of guys I’m working with. For the quality of guys who are at the level they are at to accept me with open arms, be free with their knowledge and to help me and train me…to me that’s amazing. I expected them to be a bit more standoffish or to get blowback from some of them, but I haven’t gotten a single bit of it from the team.”

To get the job done, he’s relying on the same blue-collar work ethic that took him to the top of the professional wrestling world to transform him into a UFC-ready fighter when the time to prove himself comes around. 

Even though said time is still nowhere in sight, Punk believes he and his coaches will know when everything has come together and the walk to the Octagon is ready to be made.

“It is going to be a team decision, but I’m sure there will be a point where I will know that I’m ready,” he said in regard to making his Octagon debut. “That is going to come with training every day and will happen because of the hard work I put in. But I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…Duke is my Obi-Wan Kenobi. Luke wanted to go f–k up Vader early on and he was like, ‘Nah…hold up on that. Take it easy.’ Eventually Yoda told him he had to go control his fear, and eventually Duke will let me know it’s time to go.”

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com