Author: Gregory Chase

Does Michael Bisping Deserve a Title Shot If He Beats Brian Stann?

Michael Bisping has been around the middleweight division longer than most, and he has always fallen short of a title shot. Recently, Bisping made statements to Heidi Fang of MMA Fight Corner that he had talks with UFC matchmaker Joe Silva in which he …

Michael Bisping has been around the middleweight division longer than most, and he has always fallen short of a title shot. Recently, Bisping made statements to Heidi Fang of MMA Fight Corner that he had talks with UFC matchmaker Joe Silva in which he discussed some of the implications of his upcoming fight with Brian Stann.

The understanding that Bisping was given was that if he truly dominated and beat Brian Stann in their bout, then he could very well be in a position for a title shot.

A very interesting concept, considering he is coming off of a loss to Chael Sonnen.

The argument is that even though he lost his fight with Sonnen, many feel that he actually won, or did a good enough job to be deserving. But is fighting and beating one guy enough to launch you into a title shot, even when there are others that are on much bigger winning streaks?

Yes, Brian Stann is a great fighter and a great name to have under you belt, but Brian Stann himself is coming off of one win after losing to Chael Sonnen as well.

Typically, unless you are a champ on a big streak in another organization and then come over, you can’t acquire one win and then get a title shot. It would seem that the UFC wants to put Bisping in the cage with reigning champ Anderson Silva off of more than just ranking statistics.

Bisping has had a 14-fight win streak, followed by another three-fight win streak and then a four-fight win streak, prior to his recent loss. If Bisping wasn’t deserving after getting multiple finishes in each of the streaks before, it seems interesting that he would get a title shot after only one win.

Hypothetically, say Bisping beats Stann and completely dominates him, Bisping will still have only one win and one loss, which is far less impressive than his previous accomplishments. 

The UFC is a business, and they call the shots, no pun intended. So is it the attractiveness of a potential matchup that is fueling this?

The name of the game is the “name game.” In the UFC, it has been common that the value assigned to a fighter’s name sometimes hold greater importance over statistics. For example, if Bisping were fighting Alan Belcher next and won, it may not carry the same weight to the UFC brass as beating Brian Stann, even though Belcher is on a four-fight winning streak.

The UFC has shown that they do this with the bantamweights before, like Urijah Faber. Faber lost a unanimous decision to champ Dominick Cruz, and then was told if he beat Brian Bowles, he would get another title shot. After beating him, he was going to face him after TUF season, but due to injury, Cruz had to withdraw.

They also did this with Lyoto Machida. Machida was on a two-fight losing streak, but came back and beat Randy Couture (who then retired) and was given an immediate title shot.

After being brutally submitted and losing to champ Jon Jones, Machida recently beat Ryan Bader to earn himself yet another title shot. The inconsistency in the UFC with title shots can get frustrating at times but are justifiable to some extent. 

With Bisping, it seems that his tenure and rowdy personality, paired with a good win over Stann, is what it comes down to. Bisping has been calling out Silva for a long time but has come up short of getting to the actual fight. Trying to save himself from gatekeeper status, Bisping feels he must be paid his dues and has done the work to be deserving in the situation he is currently in.

Bisping and Silva had their UFC debuts in 2006 and 2007, respectively. Both men have been around, and Bisping is the only man left standing that hasn’t been beaten by “The Spider.”

From a general standpoint, Silva has cleaned out his division. But to truly say that, he must beat one more man, and that is Michael “The Count” Bisping. While Bisping does respect Silva’s abilities, trash talk would inevitably ensue from the challenger, and his eagerness to go out and fight would certainly make for a great matchup.

But will Bisping ever get there? And do you think he deserves a shot if he beats Stann? 

 

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UFC “Quick Break”: Benson Henderson vs. Frankie Edgar

Whether you just have a short downtime during work, or don’t want a lengthy breakdown, these “Quick Breaks” are for you. “Quick Breaks” are short breakdowns of upcoming fights. In a summed-up focus of strengths, weaknesses and variables; th…

Whether you just have a short downtime during work, or don’t want a lengthy breakdown, these “Quick Breaks” are for you. “Quick Breaks” are short breakdowns of upcoming fights. In a summed-up focus of strengths, weaknesses and variables; this will analyze what could happen in the fight, and end with this writer’s prediction. 

The UFC will return to the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado to put on UFC 150. Headlining the night will be a highly-anticipated rematch between the former UFC lightweight champion, and the man that took the belt away from him. Prelims will air on Facebook at 7:30 PM EST, followed by FX prelims at 8:00 PM EST that will lead into the normal 10:00 PM EST PPV. 

In the blue corner you have the former champ, Frankie Edgar. “The Answer”, come Saturday night, will have participated in the last six championship fights at lightweight, and hopes to get his belt back. After losing a decision and his title, Edgar feels he was dealt an injustice, and hopes to definitively put away his opponent. Edgar’s speed, movement and heart are what have brought the kid from New Jersey such success, and he will need it if he hopes on reclaiming the throne.

In the red corner you have the current champ, Benson Henderson. “Smooth” has been on a tear since arriving in the UFC, and his four-fight winning streak has rewarded him with UFC gold. His Taekwondo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu have served him well, and made even his decision-won fights exciting. He is determined to show that the first fight wasn’t a fluke, and that the up-kick from the first match wasn’t the only thing he had going for him.

If one thing can be said about both fighters, it is that they are both hard men to put away. Frankie Edgar has shown perseverance through taking beatings and being on the edge of defeat. Like Edgar, Benson Henderson has shown that he is a hard man to finish, and shows resilience to submissions and strikes.

This fight should be a war. Both men will likely respect the other’s skills and start off testing some waters. Once the second round comes, we will see who has learned the most from their last meeting. Because of the striking advantage of Henderson and the consistent damage Edgar seems to always fall victim to, the current champ may very well walk away with his first title defense.

Prediction: Benson Henderson wins via TKO in the second or third round. 

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Jon Jones: What Does He Have to Do to Unseat Anderson Silva as the GOAT?

Jon Jones may be another kid from New York, but he is rapidly becoming the most well-known and successful fighter in the UFC. There are many fighters who have come before him with much larger legacies and developed careers, but the potential of Jon Jon…

Jon Jones may be another kid from New York, but he is rapidly becoming the most well-known and successful fighter in the UFC. There are many fighters who have come before him with much larger legacies and developed careers, but the potential of Jon Jones is very apparent. He only needs to stay on the path.

Jon “Bones” Jones is the current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, and became the youngest UFC champion in history at 23 years old in 2011. To say Jones has been on a tear in his division is a gross understatement. The dynamic kid out of Jackson’s MMA has been staying active and fighting former champs, further sketching his legacy.

But Jon Jones is still making sketches.

Taking a step down 20 pounds, you find a man who is a true artist in his craft and has painted a legacy grander than any other athlete that has graced a cage.

This man is Anderson Silva. No opponent has been able to flush “The Spider” out of his position and he continues to set a higher bar with each fight. Silva in his career now is making finishing touches to his masterpiece, but that is not to sell short any of his opponents henceforth; nor is it to indicate his career is at an end right away. Silva has cemented his legacy, even if he were to retire tomorrow. However, Silva seems intent on competing, and his performances don’t show any sign of why he couldn’t keep going.

Anderson Silva is arguably the greatest of all time in MMA, and while there is always subjective debate, it is hard to deny his skill and statistics. But on the rise is, the younger Jon Jones, who is quickly gaining fame and notoriety.

But what does he need to do to match the legacy of Anderson Silva, or even surpass it?

Needless to say, Jones has quite a ways to go in regards to statistics and time put into the sport. By the time Jon Jones had his first professional MMA fight, Silva had attained the UFC Middleweight championship and defended it three times and was riding a seven fight win streak with a career of 23-4. Silva is currently 32-4 and Jones is 16-1. Statistically, it is hard to compare; especially since Silva has more Knockout victories than Jones has total fights.

“Bones” has expressed interest in moving up to Heavyweight at some point, and there are plenty of big name matchups to be made that would generate very high revenue. Aside from money, Jones fighting in another weight class would aid in matching the legacy of Anderson Silva, who has fought up a weight class twice, earning two first-round knockouts.

Jon Jones is on a terrific path, and he must remain focused on what has made him successful, but continue to evolve and improve. While Jones does possess one of the longest reaches in UFC history, and some very unorthodox and brutal striking, he lacks the technicality that Silva has shown in his career. The accuracy of the Brazilian superstar is unmatched, but if Jones can continue to improve his striking, even greater success will follow. 

Jones has shown his strength, wrestling and submission fortes; but his striking sometimes looks sloppy. Not that it is atrocious, but it certainly could use some tweaking. This alteration could potentially lead to spectacular finishes and “of the night” performances; all the things fans clamor for and remember most.

One major factor that is at play is his ability to not deviate from the mental path that has brought him to where he is. He is an excellent poster boy for the UFC, and shows a humble and spiritual characteristic that is sometimes vacant from some other fighters. Jones has had his troubles recently with his debacle with former training partner Rashad Evans, as well as his poor choice of drinking and driving in recent news. These factors take away some of the shimmer that the UFC light had shed, but it doesn’t take away what he can do in the cage.

His life outside of the cage might be affecting his popularity, but if he can stay humble, despite his rapid success; he can be unstoppable. Fame has a way of breaking some people, and Jones must overcome that and never become complacent. Silva has shown that his intelligence is an on-going strength for him, similar to the likes of Georges St. Pierre and others, but Jones is still young and still on the rise. 

There are many fights left ahead of him, and many more years of time that the can truly draw out his legacy. He has made an excellent blueprint for himself, but he must be able to follow it, adapt as needed, and ultimately finish the project he started.

Rankings and fans in general are making cases for Jones being the pound-for-pound best right now, but that crown belongs to “The Spider”. When Silva does retire, there will be a passing of the torch to whomever is the one on top; and if Jones does not stray from his roots, he will be king of the hill. But before any hopes of unseating Silva, he must first do what “The Spider” has done, and get through Dan Henderson when they meet at UFC 151. 

 

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UFC “Quick Break”: Shogun Rua vs. Brandon Vera

Whether you just have a short downtime during work or don’t want a lengthy breakdown, these “Quick Breaks” are for you. “Quick Breaks” are short breakdowns of upcoming fights. In a summed up focus of strengths, weaknesses and variables, thi…

Whether you just have a short downtime during work or don’t want a lengthy breakdown, these “Quick Breaks” are for you. “Quick Breaks” are short breakdowns of upcoming fights. In a summed up focus of strengths, weaknesses and variables, this will analyze what could happen in the fight and end with this writer’s prediction.

The UFC will return to the Staples Center in California to put on a light-heavyweight showdown between two very dangerous strikers.

In a division dominated by the young and talented Jon Jones, contenders are scrambling and trying to climb their way to a chance to dethrone him. This will be UFC’s fourth event on the FOX network, which will air at 8:00PM EST, with prelims airing on Fuel TV before at 5:00OM EST.

In the blue corner you have Brandon Vera. Truly a fight of huge significance, “The Truth” is looking to get back to his winning ways.

After having some rough years in the UFC recently, Vera has a chance to beat a top contender and get his name back into the upper echelon. Vera is 12-5(1), and he has had only one victory inside the Octagon in the past three years. Shogun will be a test for him, but his Muay Thai and jiu jitsu are very strong parts of his skillset. It will be interesting to see how his skills match up against his opponent’s.

In the red corner you have Mauricio Rua. “Shogun” himself has had a back and forth success the past few years, but has remained in the spotlight due to his skills and his epic battle with Dan Henderson.

Shogun is 20-6, and will be coming off a loss, as opposed to the one win that Vera is riding. However, because of the performance he had with Hendo and because Vera’s recent win was a decision, it is hard to tell who is riding the better momentum. Shogun’s Muay Thai and overall kicks and strikes pose a big challenge for anyone in the division, and he will be testing himself against someone with similar strengths.

Since both men possess strong standup skills, this fight should be a war.

The question might be which Shogun will show up, since his performances have varied fight-by-fight. An on-point Shogun is a lethal one, and Brandon Vera healthy and ready is a threat as well. Both men will surely throw kicks and various strikes, but the ferocity of Shogun’s striking might gain him the upper hand. If someone is walking away with a stoppage, odds favor the former champ in Shogun Rua.

Both men have tasted brutal defeat at the hands of Jon Jones, and both men are in need of a strong win. In a match that should showcase some great striking, Shogun and Vera will top off a night of great fights.

Prediction: Shogun Rua wins via TKO in the first or second round. 

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UFC 149: If Hector Lombard Wins, Does He Deserve a Title Shot?

The middleweight division has been ruled over by Anderson Silva for quite some time, and the MMA world tends to get frustrated when no viable challengers are perceptively present.Because of the divergence of criteria over what constitutes a title shot,…

The middleweight division has been ruled over by Anderson Silva for quite some time, and the MMA world tends to get frustrated when no viable challengers are perceptively present.

Because of the divergence of criteria over what constitutes a title shot, it’s hard for fans to come up with a universal solution of who should fight Silva next. 

It is an issue that has plagued the division for some time now, and a question that is asked by the commentators and fans alike: Who can stop that guy? There is always a conflict over who is deserving of the next shot, and now with Silva’s greatest rival vanquished, people are itching to know who is next in line. 

Probably the most interesting prospect is Bellator champion, Hector Lombard. “Lightning” will be making his UFC debut against Tim Boetsch at UFC 149; a matchup that will help shape the contender status of the middleweight division.

Lombard is not some ordinary fighter who had a couple of good-looking fights and now has come over; he brings with him a statistical behemoth that is making his case for a chance to stomp “The Spider.”

Hector Lombard is currently 31-2-1 (1). He has been fighting for eight years now, and his only losses came to him in 2006.

Since then, he has accumulated a monstrous 24-fight win streak and a few championship titles along the way. Out of his 31 fights, 24 of them he has finished. He is a well-rounded fighter, and has proven he can end a fight early. 

But do all of these numbers on paper merit a title shot? 

Given the history of the UFC, the promotion juggernaut is not opposed to giving outside big-namers a quick path to the title shot. Usually they will have them take one fight prior to acclimate them and to prove themselves. They did this with Jake Shields and Alistair Overeem, and it may very well happen with Lombard. 

If Lombard wins over Boetsch, he all but secures a title shot based on the history of the business. If it is a split decision, it may be another story; but a decisive win would make a huge statement.

Not only that, but the marketing and business drive behind putting a finisher on a 25-fight win streak against the greatest in the world is a substantial money-maker. Both Silva and Lombard haven’t lost since 2006, and something has to give. 

The argument against Lombard however, overlooks the numbers and looks at quality over quantity. With a 24-fight win streak, some fans do not believe he has fought anyone of any sort of caliber found in the UFC. People’s opinions of quality of opponents differ, but based on that logic, Lombard would have to prove himself a little more before he gets his shot. 

But sometimes all it takes it one really great win to change people’s minds. 

Before the Munoz vs. Weidman fight, not many people were rallying behind Weidman like they have for Mark Munoz who has been in the MMA scene longer. Not to say Weidman didn’t have his fame, but after the dominant performance he had against Munoz, it seems his name has been thrown into the hat for title shot consideration. 

If Lombard can go out and knockout or submit Boetsch early, one would speculate you will see a demand for Lombard to face Silva next. Winning by unanimous decision after a dominating performance would have a similar effect, but it is better if Lombard can finish it early, or at all. 

Stylistically, it is an interesting matchup. Paired with it, it’s hard to deny the intrigue behind two men with such fantastic statistical numbers. The marketing is obvious, and both men are champions. It all boils down to how fans feel about Lombard’s deserving qualities, or if he has any at all. 

At the end of the day, the UFC will always try to look at it fiscally, as well as trying to be crowd-pleasing. We will have to wait and see what comes out of UFC 149, but if Lombard emerges victorious, you can bet on a strong rally for him to challenge the pound-for-pound king.  

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The Time-Old Question: Who Is Next for Anderson Silva?

In the wake of Anderson Silva defeating Chael Sonnen at UFC 148, the big question that has emerged is who is next for Silva, and who deserves or has earned his shot?  For the past couple years, Silva and Sonnen have cultured a feud and rivalry tha…

In the wake of Anderson Silva defeating Chael Sonnen at UFC 148, the big question that has emerged is who is next for Silva, and who deserves or has earned his shot? 

For the past couple years, Silva and Sonnen have cultured a feud and rivalry that was very unique and drew a lot of attention. The greatest rematch to date came and went, and “The Spider” still remains king of the hill. But now that he has vanquished his biggest challenge of his career, it resurfaces the question that has followed every Silva fight; who is next for him? 

Normally, it is a question out of bewilderment of the moment, but now with Sonnen defeated twice, the contenders are looking slim for the champ. Yes, there are always up-and-comers, but there are few that have the statistical numbers and promise that make fans feel like they would be viable challengers. 

Essentially, Michael Bisping is the only man still at Middleweight who is yet to fight Anderson Silva. The other contenders jumped over to the UFC ship later on, but since Silva’s intro into the Octagon, Bisping is the only one who has always been there, but has never gotten a title shot. Had Bisping beaten Chael Sonnen when they met, it would have put Bisping on a five-fight winning streak, and most likely a title shot. 

Bisping has had many “fight of the night” awards, but has filled the role of gatekeeper for the past few years. He has had his good runs, but gets stopped short. He has verbally made his case many times, but he is still coming off a loss. 

Had Mark Muñoz won against Weidman, Muñoz would have been very deserving of a title shot. Weidman had other plans, and now he is in a position that could give HIM the opportunity to face Silva. Some feel he needs one more win before facing the Brazilian superstar, but that is all up to opinion.

The only other part of figuring out who might be next is the outcome of UFC 149’s matchup of Hector Lombard vs. Tim Boetsch. If Boetsch wins, you could make an argument for his shot, but like Weidman, he might need one more. If Lombard wins though, a title shot for him will be all but certain. Yes, Lombard will be making his UFC debut with this fight, but it’s hard to ignore 24 victories in a row, and a champion at that. 

You can argue that Lombard still doesn’t deserve it if he wins, but like how Alistair Overeem got his shot, the UFC is not opposed to giving big names from other organizations a title shot after one win in the Octagon. Lombard is the only one who seems like an actual threat, and with a decisive win over Boetsch, he should be next up to try to dethrone Silva. 

LHW fighter Rashad Evans has put his name in the hat, but only the name draws attention and any sort of worthiness toward an immediate title shot. Because more people know Evans than Weidman, it may be better looking on paper, but that fight would come up short when it comes to be deserving or fair. At the end of the day though, the UFC is a business as well. 

Looking at the division under a magnifying glass is fine, but that will yield very little indication of what might be slated for Silva. Everyone has different criteria for what makes someone deserving of a title shot, and with these different contenders making their case from different angles, it will be interesting to see which direction the UFC goes. After UFC 149, we will have a little better understanding of the situation. Until then, Anderson Silva remains supreme. 

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