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UFC 136: Why This Card Carries so Much Weight in the UFC

This Saturday, the UFC is putting on yet another double-header card that is stacked with great fighters from top to bottom.But this is not just another night of fights. This card brings some interesting perspective to the UFC divisions, and after the n…

This Saturday, the UFC is putting on yet another double-header card that is stacked with great fighters from top to bottom.

But this is not just another night of fights. This card brings some interesting perspective to the UFC divisions, and after the night is over, the UFC rankings and standings will have changed.

With every fight card, there is always a shift in rankings, since one fighter moves closer to a title while the other doesn’t. UFC 136 is composed of many very significant fights that will seriously affect the course of their respective divisions.

To start with the obvious, there are two titles on the line. The UFC Lightweight Championship and the UFC Featherweight Championship will be up for grabs on the same night. Gray Maynard, once again, will be coming to definitively win over Frankie Edgar, and Kenny Florian will attempt to steal the belt away from Jose Aldo.

Frankie Edgar is the phenom that exploded onto the championship circuit with his two victories over former champion BJ Penn. The only man to have given him significant trouble was Gray Maynard. This is the third time they will meet and will be the final decision of who is the better fighter in the LW division.

If Maynard wins, it brings a whole new dynamic to the division to have Frankie back in the hunt. It also brings about an 11-0 record for the challenger. If Edgar retains the title, he hands Gray his first loss of his career and begins moving into the upper echelon of the best in the world.

Now with Melendez coming over in the near future, an LW superfight may be in the works. With Melendez against Maynard, however, the hype isn’t as great.

Jose Aldo has been put at around the No. 3 or 4 slots on the “pound-for-pound” lists for some time. He has defended his WEC in the past, and now the UFC belt once. He will try to add another win to his championship run. The fight makes for a better statement for Jose Aldo on the P4P lists if he rises victorious.

The co-main event is much more significant for Kenny Florian, however. Kenny has notoriously been considered a “gatekeeper” in his fights at lightweight and most certainly doesn’t want to become one in his new weight class.

With many other fighters at featherweight who are looking for their shot, a loss in yet another championship fight would be very difficult for Florian and his career.

If Florian wins, however, he pulls a huge upset and drops the young Brazilian from the top of the lists.

Arguably just as anticipated as any other fight on this card (maybe even more), Chael Sonnen will be facing off against Brian Stann. This is the return of Sonnen since his loss to champion Anderson Silva in August of 2010.

One of the most called for rematches of all time is between Silva and Sonnen. Due to their last fight, many feel Sonnen is the best 185 lbs. shot at dethroning the P4P king, but his welcome-back party is hosted by one dangerous Marine.

Brian Stann is in a very interesting situation, since if he wins against Sonnen, he himself becomes the forefront of title contention talks. If he loses, he will have to wait a while for the shot again. If Sonnen loses, he immediately loses his chance at his rematch against Silva. Many fans are cheering for Sonnen, not against Stann, because they want to see the rematch.

If Sonnen wins, the media will instantly call for Silva vs. Sonnen II.

On the rest of the card, you have great fighters like Melvin Guillard. Guillard is a fighter that has dominantly been making a statement for a title shot for some time now and is very deserving of it. If he wins against Joe Lauzon on Saturday, he undeniably makes his point.

With a future addition of Melendez and other LWs already in the division, he may sit on the backburner a little while longer, though. If he loses, he most certainly will be in that spot.

Nam Phan is on thin ice with this fight as well. He has lost two in a row so far, and if history has taught us anything, it’s that Phan will likely be gone by Monday if he loses. His opponent, Leonard Garcia, will be looking to show he definitively is the better of the two and avoid taking a second loss in a row.

With the undercards, Demian Maia will be fighting to retain his relevance in the Middleweight division, and Jorge Santiago will be looking to bounce back from his loss to Brian Stann. Both need a win to stay in good terms with their division.

Lastly, Anthony Pettis will be looking to re-establish his hype on Saturday. His loss to Clay Guida brought upon some tarnish to the shiny fame he had from his “Showtime” kick on Ben Henderson. His hype came quickly, prematurely to some, but wants to show that he isn’t a one-hit wonder. He will be looking to stop Jeremy Stephens’ two-fight winning streak and remake his image in the UFC.

After the night is over, the different divisions featured on the card will have changed drastically. Each fighter mentioned is in a position where a win is not just another win, but a crucial part of their career paths. There will certainly be a great deal of media following UFC 136 and has the potential to give the MMA universe two new champions and the biggest Middleweight rematch of all time.

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Defining a Champion: UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez

Cain Velasquez is truly a force to be reckoned with. He attained the UFC heavyweight title last October, defeating the massive and dangerous man known as Brock Lesnar.Learning from Shane Carwin’s shot at Lesnar, Cain intelligently picked his shots to a…

Cain Velasquez is truly a force to be reckoned with. He attained the UFC heavyweight title last October, defeating the massive and dangerous man known as Brock Lesnar.

Learning from Shane Carwin’s shot at Lesnar, Cain intelligently picked his shots to avoid gassing himself. Cain’s stamina is immense, but he still made sure his shots counted. He used his strength to stay off the mat, and ended up overpowering the former WWE star.

Cain is currently holding a statistic that is very rare in the UFC and in MMA in general. He is undefeated in his career inside the Octagon. With that, his run hasn’t been a short one either. Nine wins in a row has landed him at the top of the heap, and made him the first Mexican UFC champion.

When defining an MMA champion, one has to look at a few factors. By sheer numbers, the opponents they fought play a role, as well as the means in which they came out victorious.

Beyond the arena, fans and critics alike look at a fighter’s character and demeanor to determine if they act like a champion. Lastly, after winning the title many believe that in order to be considered a true champion, they must defend their title at least once.

Cain’s only flaw in this equation and criteria is a title defense. He will have the opportunity to prove he deserves to have the belt around his waist at the UFC on FOX debut. He will be facing Junior Dos Santos, a devastating fighter with incredible boxing skills.

With nine straight wins, six of which were first round finishes, Cain makes a statement that is very impressive for any professional fighter. In fact, only one of his victories has come by decision, and that was to Cheick Kongo back in 2009. Everything else has ended from his fists.

As far as opponents, having finishes over Lesnar, Nogueira, Rothwell and Jake O’Brien is a great testament to his relativity to the division. He still has many challenges ahead of him, especially with the addition of Alistair Overeem. But next he will face JDS to add another very reputable name to his repertoire.

His character and overall personality are also very humble. Where he wins fans with his fights, he wins them over with himself sometimes as well. He remains focused and determined, and rarely bashes the other opponents.

He takes pride in his heritage, and feeds off it and his supporters. He dons the “Brown Pride” across his chest and carries the flag with him as well, wrapped around his right hand. Very appropriate, since as mentioned before, it is his hands that are what has gotten him to where he is.

Due to his injuries, he has been sidelined for a year, but with his power and strength fueled by motivation, he should be one of the few to show real signs of ring rust. A strong wrestler, he knows not the meaning of taking it easy and always prepares himself for his endeavors.

Aside from yet attaining a title defense, Velasquez most certainly meets many of the standards people set for Champions. He will be fighting on one of the most historic nights that the UFC will put into the history books.

With the biggest television deal and the biggest belt class, comes two of the biggest heavyweights in the sport, ready to show the world why they believe they are the number one heavyweight in the world.

EPISODE FOUR of “Defining a Champion” Series: Cain Velasquez

What do YOU think is Velasquez’s defining factors that makes him a champion? Please leave your answers and why in the Comments Section below.

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UFC 135: 5 Things ‘Rampage’ Must Do to Beat Jon Jones

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson will be stepping into the Octagon once again at UFC 135, and will be looking to once again hold the UFC Light Heavyweight title.Standing in his way is the very talented Jon “Bones” Jones, who is the you…

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson will be stepping into the Octagon once again at UFC 135, and will be looking to once again hold the UFC Light Heavyweight title.

Standing in his way is the very talented Jon “Bones” Jones, who is the youngest champion in UFC history.

With an unorthodox style, energy and unprecedented reach advantage, Jones looks to successfully defend his newly acquired belt for the first time.

As obvious as some of these are, these are the five areas that Quinton Jackson needs to focus on if he wants to have those 14 pounds of gold around his waist at the end of the night.

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Dan Henderson: A Look at His Possible UFC Title Fight Opponents

Dan Henderson is a guy who makes you wary of shaking his right hand, just out of respect for the power it conceals.Dan Henderson is a living example of how it only can take one punch to change a fight. Hendo has been up against some of the top competit…

Dan Henderson is a guy who makes you wary of shaking his right hand, just out of respect for the power it conceals.

Dan Henderson is a living example of how it only can take one punch to change a fight. Hendo has been up against some of the top competition in MMA, and at 41 years old, shows no signs of stopping.

Hendo’s “H-Bomb” hands have led him to victory for nearly half of his MMA career. His punching power speaks for itself, but he possesses the strength and background of an Olympic wrestler.

Not one to submit you typically, he will surely control you on the ground until you want to stand up, and then deliver his “Mortal Kombat” finishing move, the H-Bomb.

Now in dealings with the UFC again, the current Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion has his eyes fixed on the UFC Light Heavyweight belt as well.

The current UFC Champion: Jon “Bones” Jones.

At UFC 135, Jon Jones will be defending his title for the first time since defeating Shogun Rua last March, and becoming the youngest UFC Champion in history.

Jon Jones will face the always dangerous Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. Once these two meet, the title shot opens up for other fighters such as Rashad Evans, and possibly Dan Henderson.

The outcome is yet to been seen, but ideally, when Dan Henderson makes his return into the Octagon, it will be a title shot/unification. But how does Hendo stack up to his two possible opponents?

Betting odds state that Jones will still be Champion at the end of the night against Rampage, but Rampage is hungry for his belt back. A motivated and well-prepared Jackson is a threat to any fighter, and Jones will be sure to use his wrestling and reach to dictate the fight.

If Rampage pulls the upset, he could face Dan Henderson as his first or second title defense. The two have not met since 2007 at UFC 75, where the Pride and UFC belts were on the line in a unification bout. Depending on the events to follow, we may see something similar between the Strikeforce and UFC Belts with the same fighters.

Hendo and Rampage fighting for the championship makes for a very interesting striking match. Hendo may lean toward the takedown and beating up on Rampage, but every fight starts standing. Both are different fighters than their last meeting, but the constant has always been their fists.

If Rampage can stop the takedown, or work on getting up, it could be a challenging fight for Henderson. Rampage is a deadly counter-puncher and if Hendo were to wail one and miss, Rampage could capitalize.

Of course, with Hendo, the fight could end within a few exchanges as well. Hendo has every ability to make Rampage and Bisping have more in common than just training in England together.

His superior wrestling is more than dangerous enough for anyone on the ground, and based on track record, Rampage’s legs are not his greatest foundation. Hendo will be sure to get in and get out with his striking, while the fight remains on the feet.

If Jon Jones can hold onto the LHW belt, a task that has proven very difficult these past years, then a title fight between the new generation of fighter and a seasoned veteran could be on its way.

But first, Jones faces a veteran in Rampage Jackson, who has stood across the cage from the “who’s who” of the Light Heavyweight big-name fighters (multiple times in some cases).

With Dan Henderson, Jones faces a veteran fighter that has donned so many medals and belts in his athletic career, it makes Michael Phelps blush. Hendo is no stranger to the Championship scene, fighting for it and winning it. Jones’ chin has yet to be tested, but if Rampage isn’t the man to do it, Dan Henderson certainly is.

The biggest challenge for any of Jones’ opponents is his reach. His unorthodox style and being a young, fast and hungry fighter makes him a deadly force to be reckoned with. The problem for Jones that lies in Hendo, is his wrestling ability.

A fantastic all-around athlete, Jones has had his share of amateur wrestling. However, Henderson’s pedigree of wrestling is far beyond the repertoire of Jon Jones. Henderson has won wrestling championships right around when Jon was just about learning how to walk.

Regardless if Jones has a good chin, not many can stand up to Hendo’s H-Bomb if it lands flush. Jones must keep the distance, especially for his unorthodox strikes.

Henderson must be the aggressor if he wants to utilize his deadly combo, while Jones needs to keep his cool under the pressure of Hendo’s cocked-back “of the night” fist. The fight should remain more on the feet than on the ground, in which speed can go to Jones, but power goes to Henderson.

At the end of September, fans will have a better idea of what’s in store for the UFC Light Heavyweight division. Whatever the outcome, Dan Henderson is coming. Fans will eagerly speculate and wait to see if Hendo will be either breaking bones or stopping a rampage in the near future.

Who would YOU rather see Dan Henderson face for the title? Jon Jones, Rampage Jackson, Rashad Evans? Leave your comments and thoughts below!

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Cung Le: How He Stacks Up Against 10 UFC Middleweights

Cung Le is now officially fighting in the UFC.Many have waited and now speculate on the potential matchups at 185 lbs. How would he do against Chael Sonnen? How would his striking match with Vitor Belfort? Could he be the one to dethrone Anderson Silva…

Cung Le is now officially fighting in the UFC.

Many have waited and now speculate on the potential matchups at 185 lbs. How would he do against Chael Sonnen? How would his striking match with Vitor Belfort? Could he be the one to dethrone Anderson Silva?

These are brief looks at how Cung Le stacks up against 10 different middleweight fighters in the UFC.

These fighters are not listed in any particular order, besides the Champion being last.

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9/11: The Harmony of MMA and America’s Armed Forces

Ten years ago, tragedy struck the nation. The terrorist attacks on 9/11 were devastating and burned into our minds. Ask anyone where he was or what they were doing that day, and they can almost always recap down to the smallest detail. When faced with …

The Americans on the planes and the ones who responded to the events, all showed unmatched bravery. Our Armed Forces then went overseas and to fight for our country every day.

Dana White has stated that he believes MMA has such a draw to people because everyone has a fighting nature. He speaks of a more aggressive and competitive aspect, but in a sense he is right in a different way.

MMA has held its share of reminders that we will always fight for what we believe. Jason Miller, now fighting in the UFC, plays host to his show titled, “Bully Beatdown”. This is a great example of both types of fighting spoke of by the UFC President. Bullies appear to face pro MMA fighters, baited in by the chance to win money, with the risk to lose it to the victims they bully.

Miller makes a testament and at the end of his shows, the bully and victims tend to settle their differences and come to an understanding. Regardless how much of this is scripted or not, it makes its point.

Even the market of MMA organizations can be a battlefield. Dana White and the Fertitta brothers have believed in their product and organization, and have fought and continue to fight for it every day. Within the organization, you also have fighters that fight for their livelihood and for success.

The UFC has done a fantastic job of establishing itself, but the sport goes beyond itself and creates a connection with the Armed Forces. Maybe the perfect example of harmony in all that is fighting, the UFC showcases many ties with the soldiers of our nation. Constantly sponsored by the Marines, and hosting Fight for the Troop events, the Armed Forces are given a home in the sport.

Sometimes the battlefields meet, in such cases as Brian Stann, Tim Kennedy and others. Men and women who have served their country, have entertained it as well. Whatever their daily regiment calls for, they have performed a service to America and fight for the people. It is because of our soldiers we can live in a country where MMA can flourish and become a melting pot of fighters worldwide.

The past decade has been one of the most game-changing times in MMA, truly establishing itself as a sport and a viable threat in the industry. This month marks a decade of the United States of America being a united people against its bullies and opponents and reaffirming the viable force it has always been. While being some of the most progressive years, the American people have never forgotten the fight that has gotten them to where they are.

MMA fighters, fans and community are all united in a passion for the sport, and for the causes we fight for. Whether it’s through the everyday grind, on the battlefield, or in a cage, take pride in the fight and those who fight for us.

Always remember and never forget.

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