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UFC 157: What’s Next for Urijah Faber After Submitting Ivan Menjivar?

It seems like every time Urijah Faber’s stock plummets in the UFC’s bantamweight division, the former WEC featherweight champion uses a brilliant performance to thrust it back into relevance.Just like he had done after decision losses i…

It seems like every time Urijah Faber’s stock plummets in the UFC’s bantamweight division, the former WEC featherweight champion uses a brilliant performance to thrust it back into relevance.

Just like he had done after decision losses in title fights to Jose Aldo and Dominick Cruz, “The California Kid” bounced back from his loss to interim bantamweight champ Renan Barao with an impressive win via submission over Ivan Menjivar at UFC 157.

Faber won via rear-naked choke over Takeya Mizugaki at WEC 52 to respond to his setback against Aldo at WEC 48. He then redeemed himself from a loss to bantamweight champ Cruz at UFC 132 by guillotining Brian Bowles at UFC 139.

With his victories over Raphael Assuncao, Mizugaki, Eddie Wineland, Menjivar and Bowles, the 33-year-old Faber appears destined to clash with former interim title challenger Michael McDonald in his next bout.

One of the UFC’s youngest fighters, the twice-beaten McDonald saw his eight-fight winning streak come to a halt when he got strangled by interim champ Barao at UFC on Fuel TV 7.

Faber offered these sentiments regarding up-and-coming fighters like McDonald at the UFC 157 post-fight press conference.

It is true that our sport is getting tougher and tougher. You’ve got these young kids that are growing up and eating and breathing, everything’s MMA. And I feel like I was one of the trendsetters, that I was like that as a little kid myself, before there was even a UFC. So it’s great to see the new generation come in, and I’m right there. I’m ready to do this.

Faber also joked about rumors that his spot on the UFC’s roster was on the line against Menjivar by saying: “I was ranked No. 3 going into this fight and I performed well, so whatever these guys want to do. As long as Dana’s (White) not planning on cutting me this time—which you guys started, not him. I’m just ready to fight whoever.”

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Carlos Condit: 3 Reasons He Will Beat Johny Hendricks at UFC 158

Surging welterweight contender Johny Hendricks hasn’t made many mistakes since losing to Rick Story at the Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale in December 2010. Beating top 10 opponents like Martin Kampmann, Josh Koscheck and Jon Fitch have made Hendricks …

Surging welterweight contender Johny Hendricks hasn’t made many mistakes since losing to Rick Story at the Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale in December 2010.

Beating top 10 opponents like Martin Kampmann, Josh Koscheck and Jon Fitch have made Hendricks a viable candidate to fight the winner of the Georges St-Pierre-Nick Diaz title fight.

Unfortunately for Hendricks, his next foe, Carlos Condit, tends to capitalize on his opponents’ most minuscule of mistakes.

In a bout that will include a pair of vastly contrasting fighting styles, Condit’s move-heavy, slipping style will keep Hendricks off balance in chase mode.

Here’s a look at three reasons Condit will outshine Hendricks in this de facto welterweight tournament bout.

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Ian McCall Hopes Robbie Lawler Knocks the F*** out of Josh Koscheck

Ian McCall gave Josh Koscheck yet another reminder of how unanimously disliked he’s become in the MMA community by sounding off on the perennial contender’s upcoming bout with Robbie Lawler at UFC 157. While breaking down the Koscheck vs. Lawler fight …

While breaking down the Koscheck vs. Lawler fight with Bleacher Report’s Jeremy Botter, McCall agreed with Botter that Koscheck would prevail, but then offered these sentiments regarding the former NCAA wrestling champion:

I am hoping that Robbie Lawler knocks the f*** out of Koscheck because, let’s be honest, no one likes him. But, at the same time, I think Koscheck will win because he’s the more well-rounded fighter, and the guy knows what he’s doing. He might always be a bridesmaid and never a bride, as far as being a title contender, but he’s going to win this fight.

Lawler, who will compete in the UFC for the first time since 2004, could grant McCall’s wish if Koscheck decides to throw wild exchanges like he did before getting knocked out by Paulo Thiago at UFC 95.

Other than Thiago, however, none of Koscheck‘s 23 pro opponents, including the venomous Johny Hendricks, had any luck putting the former welterweight title challenger to sleep.

But if anyone can end the durable Koscheck’s night in a flash it’s Lawler, a man who’s won 19 pro fights, 16 by knockout.

But still, Lawler got cut by president Dana White after UFC 50 for good reason, and Kosheck has kept a contract with the promotion since competing on the first season of The Ultimate Fighter in 2005 for even better reason. These facts, coupled with Koscheck‘s exaggerated wrestling advantage, swayed the oddsmakers to deem Koscheck a 5-to-1 favorite (-500 per Bovada).

Nevertheless, Lawler is one of those guys that no wise fighter would ever overlook. Those who don’t believe should refer to his legendary brawl with Melvin Manhoef.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

The 10 Most Disciplined Fighters in MMA

Top-tier scraps in the UFC aren’t won and lost solely in the trenches of training camp.Truth be told, the best fighters take every feasible measure—including eliminating social distractions and partaking in extreme dieting rituals—to …

Top-tier scraps in the UFC aren’t won and lost solely in the trenches of training camp.

Truth be told, the best fighters take every feasible measure—including eliminating social distractions and partaking in extreme dieting rituals—to ensure their fight-night performances are maximized.

These fighters always obey their coaches and mentors—wise choices that usually pay dividends come fight night.

Along the same lines, the men and woman, on this list, avoid taking shortcuts or getting caught in unsavory social scenarios. These fighters, in others words, typically distance themselves from performance enhancing drugs and stay clean in the eyes of the law.

Here’s a look at the 10 most disciplined fighters in MMA.

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3 Reasons to Root for Dan Henderson at UFC 157

Barring a win over former light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida at UFC 157, Dan Henderson may go down as the UFC’s best fighter to never wear a belt. The 42-year-old “Hendo” squandered his only other opportunities to wear UFC gold in back-…

Barring a win over former light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida at UFC 157, Dan Henderson may go down as the UFC’s best fighter to never wear a belt.

The 42-year-old “Hendo” squandered his only other opportunities to wear UFC gold in back-to-back fights in 2007 and 2008. Henderson first dropped a unanimous decision to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 75 in a bout that unified the Pride and UFC middleweight and light heavyweight belts. He then got choked by Anderson Silva at UFC 82 in a fight that unified the Pride and UFC welterweight and middleweight straps.

In what fans have dubbed a de facto title eliminator bout, Hendo will have to conjure up one of his signature performances if he intends to get through the unpredictable Machida.

Here’s a look at three reasons to pull for Hendo at UFC 157.

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3 Reasons to Root for Ronda Rousey at UFC 157

Some may pull for unbeaten UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey because of her dashing looks and chiseled figure. Others may root for Rousey on account of her bold personality, one that’s drawn comparisons to occasional train…

Most fans, however, just admire the two-time Olympian’s dexterity as a mixed martial artist, particularly in the submission game.

When Liz Carmouche faces off with Rousey in the first-ever women’s bout in promotional history at UFC 157, not only will she enter the tilt a 6.5-to-1 underdog (+650), according to Bodog.net, she’ll play the role of villain in a battle against a proverbial superhero.

Her spectacular rise in the sport has given Rousey merit to do the unprecedented and headline a UFC pay-per-view event. But it almost seems like the twice-beaten Carmouche, the only fighter who volunteered to lock horns with Rousey, represents just another invitee to “Rowdy’s” welcome party to the UFC.

Here are three reasons fans should root for a win from Rousey in her highly anticipated UFC debut.

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