In the days following his smashing of Cain Velasquez to become the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion, Fabricio Werdum expressed interest in a rematch with the former titleholder.
Vai Cavalo put on one of the most impressive performances of his career…
In the days following his smashing of Cain Velasquez to become the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion, Fabricio Werdum expressed interest in a rematch with the former titleholder.
VaiCavalo put on one of the most impressive performances of his career, as he out-struck the American Kickboxing Academy product en route to finishing Velasquez via guillotine choke in the third round of their tilt at UFC 188.
Velasquez’s signature brand of cardio and high-paced output was zapped by Mexico City’s high elevation, and Werdum seemed willing to prove he’d best the California native once again inside the Octagon.
While Werdum is still open to facing Velasquez, in a recent interview with MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz, the Kings MMA representative suggested he’s aiming for a much bigger lineup than just the man he recently dethroned.
The 37-year-old grappling machine is now taking aim at a series of rematches with fighters he has suffered setbacks against on previous occasions. The newly crowned heavyweight king wants to redeem himself by avenging losses against Andrei Arlovski and Junior Dos Santos, starting with a matchup against The Pit Bull for his first official title defense attempt.
The resurgent striker scored a unanimous-decision victory over Werdum at UFC 70 back in 2007, and his current five-fight winning streak has him within striking distance of a shot at the heavyweight title.
It’s a bout Werdum welcomes with open arms, and he believes things would go much differently a second time around:
I would like to fight Arlovski because it was a close fight, a split decision, an ugly fight that nobody liked, and I think I won. Arlovski next might be a good idea. After that, ‘Cigano’. But I take step by step. The next step is Arlovski, and then ‘Cigano’. I fought ‘Minotauro’ again, did well and won, and now it’s the rematch with Arlovski. ‘Cigano’ would be cool. But I got to focus on Arlovski first because he’s a former UFC champion and this fight will sell well.
While the next official challenger for the Brazilian wrecking machine has yet to be named by the UFC, it’s clear he wants to face Arlovski next. And in his mind, once he gets through the Jackson/Winkeljohn-trained fighter, then he will turn his focus toward avenging a loss that played a major factor in his career trajectory.
Seven years ago, Werdum was inching closer to a shot at the UFC title when he faced up-and-coming powerhouse Dos Santos at UFC 90.
Cigano was an unknown back in 2008, but after his blistering first-round knockout over Werdum that night in Chicago, it set him on a course for much bigger things in the heavyweight fold. On the flip side of the equation, the loss to JDS led to Werdum being released from his UFC contract, and he would spend the better part of the next four years battling his way back to the biggest stage in MMA.
The loss to Dos Santos is one that has never sat well with Werdum, and he’s looking forward to stepping back into the Octagon with the former champion:
I want to rematch ‘Cigano’ in Brazil, at the Arena do Gremio in Porto Alegre. It would be a dream come true. Fighting in my hometown, where I was born and raised. The people from Porto Alegre love fights, especially now that they have one of them in the UFC. I’m sure that we would have 40, 50 thousand people at the Arena for this fight. We would break the UFC record.
I want this rematch with ‘Cigano’ because I was not a professional the first time we fought. Not taking anything away from him. He went there and knocked me out, and then he won the UFC title. He deserved it. But I learned a lot with it. That loss changed my entire career. It was either become a professional or stop fighting. That was when I decided to become a professional fighter.
With the heavyweight champion laying out potential names for his redemption tour, one fighter whom he doesn’t appear interested in facing at the current time is StipeMiocic. The Cleveland-based contender is coming off the biggest win of his career over recent interim title challenger Mark Hunt and has been campaigning for a shot at Werdum’s belt.
Nevertheless, Werdum’s focus is locked on facing opponents who will make the biggest fights from a revenue standpoint, and Miocic is certainly behind Arlovski and Dos Santos in that particular category.
Yet when the final decisions are made, he will step in to defend his belt against the fighter the promotion deems the official No. 1 contender. Werdum knows every potential opponent brings a threat to his title reign in the Octagon, but he has no intention of relinquishing his championship gold anytime soon:
I can’t say who is more dangerous. At this level, every fight is tough. They are all dangerous. The heavyweight division is dangerous because one punch can end everything. Everybody is dangerous. ‘Cigano’ has heavy hands, Arlovski showed that too against Travis Browne, and Miocic is doing well, too. Anyone can finish anyone.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Fortunes can change rapidly in mixed martial arts.
Opportunities for a fighter to progress are frequently lost and found because of injury and additional circumstance, which has created an environment where those who are ready to step up to seize the m…
Fortunes can change rapidly in mixed martial arts.
Opportunities for a fighter to progress are frequently lost and found because of injury and additional circumstance, which has created an environment where those who are ready to step up to seize the moment can find tremendous benefit in the risks that are taken.
Al Iaquinta‘s ambitions for bigger things have been “raging” since he arrived to the UFC in 2012, and the Serra-Longo representative has spent the past three years taking full advantage of whatever has come his way.
Over that stretch, the 28-year-old lightweight has climbed the ranks of one of the deepest divisions under the UFC banner, and his current four-fight winning streak is a major factor behind his continued rise in the 155-pound fold.
The New York native was poised to take the next step on his journey toward title contention against veteran Bobby Green at Fight Night 71 on July 15 before the scrappy Californian was forced out with an injured knee. His tilt against King was slated to be another high-profile opportunity for the Long Island-based fighter, and Iaquinta feared his chance to continue his push through the division would be put on hold for the time being.
Yet the ever-changing tides of MMA would ultimately bring an even bigger fight to The Ultimate Fighter alum, as former Strikeforce champion and two-time lightweight title challenger Gilbert Melendez stepped up to fill the vacancy in the card’s co-main event.
Where the dance with Green was set to be a healthy scrap, suddenly Iaquinta finds himself in the highest-profile bout of his young career.
El Nino brings a hard-charging and entertaining style to every fight he’s involved in, and the success he’s enjoyed as the result of his tenacity has made him one of the best 155-pound fighters in the world over the past six years.
Iaquinta sees opportunity in every part of his matchup with Melendez and is excited to throw down with the Skrap Pack leader at Fight Night 71 in San Diego.
“I definitely think the fight got bigger when Gilbert [Melendez] stepped up to take it,” Iaquinta told Bleacher Report. “The fight with Bobby Green was alright—and I was bummed when he got hurt—but I’m so much more excited to be fighting Melendez. I think this is a lot better fight for everybody. It’s going to be one that fans won’t want to miss.
“Don’t get me wrong, I was excited to fight Bobby Green as well, but I’m not really sure what his goal is when he’s fighting. He looks like he’s acting in there. He’s talking and doing everything but fighting. Gilbert is the complete opposite. He’s a warrior. He goes in there and puts it all on the line and gets it done. I’ve been watching him forever and have been a big fan of his ever since I got into the sport. I’ve always wondered where I stood up against the guys I’ve watched on television, and now I’m going to get to find out.”
While Iaquinta‘s winning ways have helped him break through into a coveted top-10 position, a potential victory over Melendez would serve to push him into the elite tier of the lightweight fold.
The Northern California representative has held his position as a constant threat to the 155-pound crown since coming over from Strikeforce in 2013, but Melendez has suffered through the roughest waters of his career during his time inside the Octagon.
Where Melendez once went three years without suffering a setback during his title reign in the now-defunct San Jose-based promotion, just one victory in his past four outings has put his top-level status in jeopardy.
With that said, Melendez built a successful career by being as game as they come under the bright lights, and Iaquinta knows he’s in for a war at Fight Night 71. And that’s precisely what he wants.
The surging 155-pound knockout artist is ready to make the most of the biggest opportunity of his career, and that’s what he plans to do in impressive fashion on July 15.
“This is a crazy sport where anything can happen,” Iaquinta said. “I’ve been training hard to make sure I’m ready for every opportunity that comes my way so that I can step up to seize it and get the job done. And that’s what I’ve been working so hard for. This is the kind of fight I’ve been waiting to get and I’m definitely going to give everything I have to make sure I make the most of it.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Jessica Eye is ready to make her case for a shot at the UFC women’s bantamweight crown, and she plans to do that at the expense of Miesha Tate at UFC on Fox 16.
The scrappy Ohio native began campaigning for a title opportunity following her lopsided vi…
Jessica Eye is ready to make her case for a shot at the UFC women’s bantamweight crown, and she plans to do that at the expense of Miesha Tate at UFC on Fox 16.
The scrappy Ohio native began campaigning for a title opportunity following her lopsided victory over Leslie Smith at UFC 180 last November, in a fight where her crisp striking literally forced her opponent’s left ear to explode.
Granted, the visual effects of her work were a gruesome mess, but the talents she showed en route to her win in Mexico City started a groundswell of buzz that the proud Cleveland representative was ready for much bigger things in the women’s 135-collective.
While the opportunity to face dominant champion Ronda Rousey would eventually go to Bethe Correia in the main event at UFC 190, “Evil” found herself rewarded with a high-profile bout of her own. The 28-year-old Strong Style fighter will face perennial contender Miesha Tate in the co-main event at UFC on Fox 16 in Chicago on July 25, in a high-stakes tilt that is highly likely to generate the next threat to the women’s bantamweight crown.
Where UFC gold is undoubtedly Eye’s ultimate goal, she sees her upcoming fight against the former Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion as an even bigger opportunity than what a potential bout against Rousey could have provided. She feels overlooked and underrated by the passionate MMA fanbase, and that is a condition she intends to change when she steps into the Octagon against Tate.
Eye admits there is no shortage of motivation for her heading into the bout and plans to bring more than her opponent and the MMA community ever thought she was capable of.
“This fight is important to me on so many levels,” Eye told Bleacher Report. “A win over Miesha [Tate] will put me next in line for a title shot, but I also believe it will prove what I’m capable of. I think a lot of fans and media look at my record, and they just don’t realize what I can do in there. They look at my record, but I’m not sure many of them have actually sat down and watched those fights.
“I don’t think they know what to expect from me. This fight against Miesha for me is actually bigger than fighting Ronda Rousey because it’s going to solidify what my abilities are in the eyes of fight fans. It’s going to solidify the fact that I’m an amazing fighter and a top contender.”
There will be plenty on the line in regard to the race for title contention in the tilt between Eye and Tate at UFC on Fox 16, but the fight also presents an interesting matchup on the stylistic side of things.
Where the Washington state native has primarily relied on her grappling pedigree to find success throughout her career, Eye’s versatile striking skills have been the key to her success inside the cage. Aggression is an attribute both women have in large supply, and those combinations have the makings for an exciting tilt at the top of the women’s bantamweight fold.
That said, while Tate may have more experience in high-profile tilts on her resume, Eye is confident she will present problems the former women’s 135-pound title challenger has never faced under the bright lights of the sport’s biggest stage. Eye believes her striking is simply on another level and that—in addition to the strength of her all-around game—will be too much for Tate to handle on fight night.
“I don’t think there is anyone in the UFC women’s bantamweight division that is using MMA striking the way I do,” Eye said. “Strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk definitely uses it and uses it well, but I’m talking about MMA striking in my division.
“I’m not talking about basic boxing and keeping a narrow stance, but about MMA boxing and being able to use it as it’s needed. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone else in my division with the ability to throw hands the way I can in addition to throwing my kicks the way that I do.
“I don’t think anyone else has that ability, and I don’t think Miesha has ever fought anyone like me. Maybe in her head she thinks she has, but there isn’t another fighter who fights the way I fight right now in the women’s bantamweight division. There just isn’t. Ronda is the only one out there pulling off these crazy armbars, and she gets to claim that, just as I’m claiming to be the best at what I do in there.
“I’m very excited for the fans to see this fight,” she added. “I don’t care who she is as a person in or outside of the cage; the only thing on my mind is going in there and collecting a paycheck and giving my fans a reason to smile. I think a win in this fight gets me the next shot at the title, and that’s exactly where I want to be.”
Duane Finley is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
The race for title contention in the UFC’s middleweight division has never been hotter, and two of the major players in the championship mix stepped into the Octagon for a high-stakes affair at Fight Night 70.
Former light heavyweight champion and rece…
The race for title contention in the UFC’s middleweight division has never been hotter, and two of the major players in the championship mix stepped into the Octagon for a high-stakes affair at Fight Night 70.
Former light heavyweight champion and recent 185-pound title challenger Lyoto Machida squared off with surging powerhouse Yoel Romero in the showcase bout of Saturday night’s card in Hollywood, Florida. The Dragon has been a threat to the middleweight crown since dropping down from the 205-pound fold in 2013, but a recent rough patch has put that elite status in jeopardy. Losses in two of his last three showings going into his tilt with the Soldier of God put Machida in an absolute must-win situation if he wanted to keep his future title hopes alive.
Though Romero came into his bout with the elusive Brazilian striker having won five straight fights inside the Octagon, there was little room for error where he was concerned as well. There are multiple contenders jockeying for a shot at Chris Weidman’s middleweight crown at the present time, and a loss on Saturday night would undoubtedly cost the 38-year-old powerhouse valuable ground in the hunt for a championship opportunity. That said, a victory over the former two-divisional title challenger would keep him moving up the divisional ladder and put him one step closer to his ultimate goal.
Both Machida and Romero had a lot on the line at Fight Night 70, and it was the former Olympian who got the job done on Saturday. While Romero and Machida spent the first two rounds in a technical chess match on their feet, the Cuba native’s confidence began to rise as he held his own with one of the most dangerous strikers in the game. Everything changed in the third round as Romero used his world-class wrestling to put Machida on the ground, where he unleashed a violent storm of elbows that left the former champion out cold on the canvas.
While defeating Machida is undoubtedly the most impressive win of Romero’s career, the surging contender showed so many positive elements that his stock should go through the roof in the aftermath of Saturday night.
Let’s take a look at the good, bad and the strange from Fight Night 70.
The Good
Yoel Romero is a beast.
The Olympic silver medal-winning wrestler turned mixed martial artist has been making noise in the middleweight ranks over the past two years, but he absolutely stamped his presence as a legitimate threat to the 185-pound crown at Fight Night 70.
The Soldier of God arguably put on the best performance of his career as he went toe-to-toe with the Dragon for two rounds before snuffing him out with a brutal flurry of elbows in the third.
The upper tier of the middleweight fold is a shark tank at the current time, and Romero confirmed his place on the title radar with his victory on Saturday night. Yet the most interesting thing about Romero’s position is what will come next for the American Top Team representative. The 38-year-old was slated to face fellow contender Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza on two previous occasions, but injuries to both men forced those fights to be cancelled.
With champion Chris Weidman slated to face Luke Rockhold sometime later in 2015, that leaves Souza standing as the odd man out in the title mix. But after Romero finished Machida, picking up his sixth straight victory inside the Octagon, the Alligator is no longer alone in that picture. Romero versus Souza in a title eliminator needs to happen, and you have to believe that’s what will be next for both men.
***
After a three-fight skid put him on the brink of unemployment, Lorenz Larkin made the decision to drop down to the welterweight division. It was the best decision of his career. Since moving down to 170 pounds, the California-born striker has looked like a wrecking machine, as the confidence that would sporadically appear in his game has surfaced as a full-time attribute.
Larkin dipped into that reserve as he came out on the winning end of a fierce slug fest with Argentinian Santiago Ponzinibbio in the co-main event at Fight Night 70.
While Larkin was able to establish his range in the early going, Ponzinibbio refused to take a backward step. He continued to press the action despite being peppered with counter punches and having his lead leg hammered with kicks. Even though Ponzinibbio showed resilience, Larkin poured on more than he could handle in the second round, as the Riverside native unleashed a beautiful combination that led to the second-round TKO finish.
***
Some fighters are big for the weight class in which they compete, but Antonio Carlos Jr. looked like one of the largest middleweights in MMA in his fight against Eddie Gordon on Saturday.
Shoeface’s monster frame smothered The Ultimate Fighter Season 19 winner in their tilt, and the size advantage was definitely something Gordon struggled to overcome. Carlos Jr. walked down the Serra-Longo product ever step of the way, and if he wasn’t tagging him in the stand up game, he was landing shots when Gordon’s back was on the canvas.
The 25-year-old Brazilian would go on to pick up the submission victory via rear-naked choke in the final minute of the fight, putting himself back into the win column in impressive fashion.
***
Knockouts, by their very nature, are violent, but what Thiago Santos did to Steve Bosse at Fight Night 70 was an entirely different class of brutality.
Shortly after the referee stepped aside inside the Octagon, the former hockey player began his approach to start the ruckus and Marreta unleashed a devastating left-footed head kick that forced the Canadian into an abrupt sleep on the canvas. It took just 29 seconds for Santos to blister Bosse on Saturday night and pick up his third victory in his last four outings.
Santos’ knockout was as explosive as it was ferocious, and he could very well be on his way to picking up $50,000 worth of bonus money because of it.
***
The featherweight division is a talent-rich collective in the UFC, and Hacran Dias wants to establish himself as a major player in the 145-pound fold. While he dropped two of his first three fights inside the Octagon, the Nova Uniao product has finally started to build some momentum, picking up his second straight victory in the featherweight ranks by defeating Levan Makashvili on Saturday night in Florida.
Though the 31-year-old Brazilian wasn’t able to close out a pair of submission attempts he appeared to have locked up, Dias still did enough to take the fight on the judges’ scorecards to pick up the split-decision victory. Although his performance was forgettable, whatever Dias’ post-fight victory scream was garnered some attention.
***
Alex Oliveira continues to prove he doesn’t need much notice to bring his best on fight night. The rangy Brazilian has competed three times inside the Octagon—all of which have come with little time to prepare. That said, Cowboy has operated with a high rate of success and picked up his most recent win on Saturday against newcomer Joe Merritt.
Oliveira used his grappling chops to control the former football player turned mixed martial artist en route to picking up the unanimous decision victory in what was already his third showing of 2015.
***
When both fighters are making their official debuts for the promotion, it’s a good bet that some furious action will follow. That was definitely the case when Tony Sims and Steve Montgomery stepped into the Octagon on the preliminary portion of Fight Night 70, as neither man wasted a moment letting the bad intentions fly. While the Colorado native’s crisp boxing made the American Top Team product’s flowing mullet snap back with hard shots, the Creepy Weasel landed a perfectly timed knee that buckled Sims’ legs.
Yet MMA is a game of sudden turns, and just as Montgomery hurried after his wounded opponent, Sims blistered him with a left hand that spelled the beginning of the end for Montgomery. The Team Elevation fighter landed two more shots for good measure and in doing so put an impressive stamp on his long-awaited showing under the UFC banner.
The Bad
Combat sports is an unforgiving business, and Lyoto Machida will have some serious decisions to make following his loss at Fight Night 70.
There are few fighters on the current UFC roster who have more accomplishments or a better resume than the Dragon, but the past year has been a telling one in regard to where Machida stands in the bigger picture at the elite level of the middleweight division.
The 36-year-old Brazilian striker was handed his first loss at 185 pounds when he was edged out by champion Chris Weidman at UFC 175 last July. The Shotokan karate master rebounded with a victory over C.B. Dollaway, but suffering a second-round submission finish to Luke Rockhold back in April served to put his hopes for a rematch with the All-American on ice.
The Team Black House fighter went into his bout with Yoel Romero at Fight Night 70 with a firm understanding of the situation he was in. The former two-divisional title challenger knew a win over the Soldier of God would keep his dream of another championship alive, but a loss at the hands of the Cuban powerhouse would push him out of the middleweight title picture for the foreseeable future.
Those circumstances, mixed with a quick turnaround, made for a high-risk, high-reward affair. It was a gamble Machida lost in punishing fashion.
The former light heavyweight champion failed to make Romero respect his power during the first two rounds, which allowed the 38-year-old Florida transplant to continue pushing forward. It was only a matter of time before the former Olympian implemented his wrestling game, and he chose the third round to use that attack. Romero’s first takedown attempt put Machida on his back before a rapid burst of elbow strikes separated the Brazilian from his consciousness.
The loss was the third setback Machida has suffered in his past four fights and the second consecutive defeat in which his opponent finished him. That’s a rough stretch for a fighter who was once known as the most elusive competitor inside the Octagon and signals a change in status for the perennial contender.
What Machida has done during his time under the UFC banner has made him a surefire Hall of Fame inductee in the future, but his time within striking distance of another title came to a violent close on Saturday night.
***
Missing weight in your first UFC fight is a bad way to get things started, but Lewis Gonzalez pulled a double whammy by also being one half of a sloppy fight on his debut. Granted, his opponent, Leandro Santos, took the matchup on short notice, but the 15-minute bout felt more like 15 hours.
It was three rounds of lackluster action, with Buscape doing enough the unanimous decision on the judges’ scorecards. And while neither man came out of the fight with anything to brag about, the loss and missing weight definitely put Gonzalez off to a rough start at the highest level of the sport.
The Strange
Let’s talk about the card for Fight Night 70 for a moment.
While the UFC continues to blaze through the calendar year throwing out events at an incredible rate, there is always the argument that oversaturation has taken hold. Nevertheless, most events have at least several solid bouts in which the names are recognizable to casual MMA fans and are built around a headliner fight fans can typically get excited for.
The main event on Saturday night between Lyoto Machida and Yoel Romero certainly qualified in the anticipation category, but the supporting elements that are usually laced throughout the lineup were noticeably absent. On paper, Fight Night 70 appeared to have all the relevancy of a show put on by a smaller promotion that somehow managed to land a bankable name and a surging contender to draw fans in.
Saturday’s card would have been a big deal for a smaller promotion, but this is the UFC we are talking about. It severely lacked in appeal in the lead up. Granted, there were other forces at play, and those elements certainly played a factor into how things would ultimately shake out where Fight Night 70 was concerned.
The card was originally slated to be the finale for The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 4 but was moved to Florida just weeks out from the June 27 date. This shake-up caused a huge fallout, as several Brazilian fighters were unable to secure visas in time for the event and were removed from the card.
The most notable of the group was welterweight finishing machine Erick Silva, who was going to face Rick Story in what was originally set to be the main event of TUF: Brazil 4 but was slotted as the co-main event at Fight Night 70 before it fell apart in the chaos.
With a handful of bouts removed on extremely short notice, Fight Night 70 never stood much of a chance. When you pair those conditions with the fervor created by Jose Aldo’s rib injury and potential removal from his upcoming featherweight title tilt with Conor McGregor at UFC 189, there was simply no room in the minds of MMA fans for what was going to take place on Saturday night.
And that’s strange because there is nothing fight fans love more than free squabbles. That said, the fighting faithful are also a sharp bunch, and Machida versus Romero wasn’t going to be enough to spark the excitement that can usually be found attached to a UFC event.
There is no reason for fans to fret, however, because the five UFC cards coming in fast and furious fashion will go a long way toward erasing the memory of what happened at Fight Night 70.
On a final note let’s talk about what is quickly becoming the biggest story to come out of Saturday night’s event: Yoel Romero’s post-fight rant following his victory over Lyoto Machida.
Given he’s a devout Christian, it’s nothing strange to hear talk of Jesus and the like coming out of his mouth, but when his speech appeared to mention homosexuality, things took a different turn.
The middleweight contender typically uses a translator because he doesn’t speak strong English, but Romero told Jon Anik he was going to speak English in his interview and launched into whatever that was.
I say that because I honestly do not know what he said. The entire thing was pointed out to me by a fight fan on Twitter because the original run of this article made no mention of it, and after viewing the interview multiple times, I still have no idea of exactly what was said. Romero addressed the matter at the post-fight press conference, apologizing for any misunderstanding that took place.
Romero told the media in attendance he was speaking about the “American Dream,” but that seems to be a stretch from starting out his post-fight interview with a pointed barb at America and asking “What Happened?” Romero would go on to mention Jesus several more times, and despite the fighter insisting he made no slanderous remarks, the message came just one day after the Supreme Court ruling that made gay marriage legal in the United States.
Props to @davidbix on the Vine, which is posted below for so you can all hear and decide for yourselves.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Yoel Romero’s life in competition has been a decorated one.
The Cuba native garnered heavy acclaim during his years spent on wrestling mats around the globe and built a respectable resume that includes the World Wrestling Championship in 1999 and the s…
Yoel Romero’s life in competition has been a decorated one.
The Cuba native garnered heavy acclaim during his years spent on wrestling mats around the globe and built a respectable resume that includes the World Wrestling Championship in 1999 and the silver medal at the Summer Olympics in Sydney one year later.
Romero would continue to rack up accomplishments in the five years after his showing in Sydney, but in 2009, he made the official transition to the world of professional mixed martial arts.
And the Soldier of God’s success has continued.
The American Top Team product has solidified himself as a force in the ranks of the UFC’s middleweight division, as he’s found victory in all five of his showings since coming over from the now-defunct Strikeforce organization in 2013.
His consistent success has put the 38-year-old powerhouse within striking distance of a potential shot at the 185-pound crown, but Romero isn’t willing to look down the road any further than the challenge standing in his immediate path.
He’s set to face former light heavyweight champion and recent middleweight title challenger LyotoMachida in the main event at Saturday’s Fight Night 70 in Hollywood, Florida, in what is figured to be the biggest challenge of his career inside the cage.
The Dragon has held his status as one of the elite strikers in MMA for the better part of the past decade and brings a unique style that has proven difficult for his opposition to deal with.
“I feel very blessed to have this opportunity to fight Machida,” Romero told Bleacher Report with the assistance of a translator. “I am very excited to figure out his unique style, and it’s a challenge I have prepared for. I am also grateful to be fighting in the main event and that it is in Florida. Not having to travel is nice.”
The talented Brazilian also carries notable clout in the name recognition department, which would serve to bolster Romero’s case for title contention.
Nevertheless, Romero’s focus is locked on solving the puzzle Machida will present on Saturday night, and he’ll let the details of what comes after fall where they may.
“Getting a title shot is not up for me to decide,” he added. “I will leave that in the hands of God.”
The winner of Romero versus Machida will remain a major player in the middleweight title race, but there are additional obstacles that remain on the radar.
UFC President Dana White has deemed Luke Rockhold as the next challenger to Chris Weidman‘s middleweight title, although no official date has been set for the tilt. Meanwhile, Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza is also jockeying for a championship opportunity of his own.
Romero and the former Strikeforce middleweight champion were slated to square off at UFC 184, but the Brazilian grappling ace was forced to withdraw due to illness. The bout was then rescheduled for UFC on Fox 15 in April, but an injured knee suffered by Romero would lead to his removal from the fight.
The Alligator would go on to submit Chris Camozzi in quick fashion to pick up his fifth consecutive victory under the UFC banner.
With the middleweight title currently on hold until Weidman and Rockhold settle their business, it’s quite possible Souza could face the winner of Saturday night’s main event later in 2015.
Yet before any of those matters materialize, Romero needs to find victory over Machida at Fight Night 70.
He’s built the momentum that has carried him to the upper tier of his weight class largely upon his power-based attack and the ability to impose his will inside the cage. That’s precisely what he’ll be looking to do on Saturday night when he finds himself across from one of the most elusive strikers to ever compete in the sport.
Should Romero have the answers to the stylistic riddles Machida will throw his way, the volume of the buzz surrounding him will go up substantially.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Lyoto Machida’s dreams of getting his hands on another UFC title are still very much alive, but he knows the situation he’s facing heading into Fight Night 70.
The former light heavyweight champion turned perennial middleweight contender has been a maj…
LyotoMachida‘s dreams of getting his hands on another UFC title are still very much alive, but he knows the situation he’s facing heading into Fight Night 70.
The former light heavyweight champion turned perennial middleweight contender has been a major player in the 185-pound fold since dropping down to the weight class in 2013.
Having suffered setbacks in two of his past three showings, however, there is little room for error where The Dragon’s future title hopes are concerned.
Granted, both losses came against elite competition.
The 37-year-old Shotokan karate master was edged out by undefeated current champion Chris Weidman in a five-round war at UFC 175. He was then submitted by newly minted No. 1 contender Luke Rockhold in the second round of his most recent outing at UFC on Fox 15 back in April.
Nevertheless, the steadily rising level of competition in the middleweight division’s upper tier has Machida facing a high-stakes situation on Saturday night in Hollywood, Florida.
The former two-divisional title challenger will square off with Olympic silver medalist Yoel Romero in the main event at Fight Night 70. The bout figures to factor into the title race that has served to heat up the 185-pound weight class.
Soldier of God has won all five of his showings inside the Octagon, and Machida will be looking to keep his championship hopes alive by starching the former Olympic wrestler’s momentum.
“I was very happy to get this opportunity to fight Yoel [Romero],” Machida told Bleacher Report through the assistance of a translator. “I’m always training and it’s good for me to get back in there and fight. I believe defeating Yoel is very important for me in order to stay in the mix. And that’s the goal. I need to go out there and win this fight and get right back in the mix for a title shot.”
While the matchup between Machida and Romero is the classic “striker versus wrestler” pairing on paper, the rangy knockout artist sees an additional key element in his path to victory.
Machida‘s success inside the cage has garnered numerous title fights and main events, which has served to give him plenty of experience in five-round bouts—a distance that is uncharted territory for Romero.
Furthermore, the Cuban-born middleweight’s gas tank has shown itself to be suspect in a handful of his past fights, and Machida believes the difference in that particular category will be a determining factor in the tilt.
“This is a good fight for me stylistically,” Machida said. “I believe my cardio is going to make a big difference in the fight.”
Although Machida‘s quest to once again become a UFC champion will require some work on the road ahead, the work he’s done throughout his 12-year career in MMA has already started to craft his legacy. His elusive and dangerous karate-based style has made Machida one of the most highly touted and feared strikers in the current era of the sport, and that’s work he will always take pride in.
And while Machida admits he’s far from finished competing inside the Octagon, the Black House fighter knows how he wants to be viewed when his fighting days are all said and done.
“I would like to be remembered as someone who always respected the sport and was one of the first guys who was able to bring karate to mixed martial arts efficiently,” Machida said. “Also to be remembered as someone who always went out there and fought with all he had and was a good guy in the process.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
In the days following his smashing of Cain Velasquez to become the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion, Fabricio Werdum expressed interest in a rematch with the former titleholder.