Author: James C

UFC 139: Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le Beatdown Breakdown

A future Hall of Famer faces off against a man who, despite massive universal appeal, has fought to establish his legitimacy in the sport.The Axe Murderer, Wanderlei Silva, earned his nickname by cutting a swathe of destruction through PRIDE fighting c…

A future Hall of Famer faces off against a man who, despite massive universal appeal, has fought to establish his legitimacy in the sport.

The Axe Murderer, Wanderlei Silva, earned his nickname by cutting a swathe of destruction through PRIDE fighting championships. His opponents looked like victims in a horror movie, and he had established an aura of both invincibility and terror.

Following the fall of PRIDE, Wanderlei found himself returning to the UFC under much fanfare. Finally, the Brazilian berserker was coming to the US to give us his own brand of violence.

Unfortunately for him, his success in the UFC has been limited.

He fights against the Sanshou Champion, Hollywood Actor and former Strikeforce Middleweight champion Cung Le.

Power:

Both men possess legitimate knockout power in any punch, kick or knee they throw. What sets them apart is how they use their power. Wanderlei drops his chin and swings for the fences while Cung sets his up via feints before uncorking a highlight reel kick that opponents rarely see coming.

While I’d normally give a draw, I try to avoid this in these articles. So I’ll couple Cung’s range on his kicks with his power and give him a slight edge.

Edge: Le (slight).

Speed:

Again, a tough one. Cung Le’s kicks are precisely measured and he incorporates them with punches, elbows and spinning strikes to seamlessly move from one strike to another. Often times, he may seem to be slow or picking up single shots here and there, but these are to soften his opponent up while looking for holes to exploit.

And for single shot speed, his legs fly at such velocity that opponents are often reeling from the shot before they realized it was coming.

Wanderlei throws the ‘ole cliche, “punches in bunches.” They may be wide, looping hooks, but they come in batches of three or four and they keep coming. After the drop to middleweight, he seems to have picked up some speed, as well, though it was more apparent in the Rich Franklin fight than the more recent Chris Leben debacle.

That said, Cung’s straightforward strikes will prove to find their mark much faster than the Axe Murderer’s weaving cleavers.

Edge: Le

Cardio:

Both men have been seen sucking wind in previous encounters, however, their last showings did not exhibit the weakness.

Wanderlei is famous for his ‘snorkel training,’ a method that inhibits oxygen intake and simulates high altitude training. He is a workhorse in the gym and spars at full speed at all times. If he’s healthy, he comes in highly prepared.

Conversely, Cung is coming off a long layoff in which he was spending more time at catering services and lighting than he was sparring. Whether ring rust is a legitimate factor or not is anyone’s guess, but evidence seems to suggest that more than a year off is detrimental to a fighter’s in-ring abilities.

Edge: Silva

Striking:

Looping hooks and rapid fire punches coupled with a staunch clinch game are the hallmarks of Wanderlei’s career. His highlight reel is populated by victims of this go-for-broke style that comes on like an avalanche and is almost as hard to escape.

The Chute Box legend is a master muay thai fighter and it shows, as he fires off lightning fast kicks and puts together damaging combinations every time he engages in the clinch.

Le offers a measured, calculated approach with long range kicks used to establish distance while doing damage. Especially of note is his fondness for a standing sidekick, in which he can damage the midsection while opening a gap to throw more damaging kicks.

His hands are nothing to bat an eye at either, as he throws technically brilliant punches from distance and in the clinch.

Edge: Le (very slight)

Clinch:

It would be an insult to the reader’s intelligence to go further into depth than this:

Wanderlei Silva.

Edge: Silva

Ground:

Has anyone seen Wanderlei’s black belt in BJJ? One would assume it’s a myth. Something we simply have to take a word on, as it will never be seen by the naked eye. Like quarks. Or relevancy behind Jersey Shore.

That said, he does own a black belt and his ground game is good, if used primarily to defend submissions and escape back to his feet. He’s not known to go for submissions, as he is drawn to the beautiful violence of the stand up game.

It doesn’t mean, however, that he wouldn’t use his BJJ to get a good sweep and establish strong position from which to rain down punches on his opponent.

Cung Le has a very underrated wrestling game, that he too uses mainly to stand and trade. It does not prevent him from taking his opponent down, should the opportunity arise, but it is a rarity to have ever seen him use it to start ground and pound. His submission attempts are much like his UFC 139 opponent’s: Nearly non-existent.

Edge: Silva… though if this is a ground game, I’d die of shock.

 

Intangibles:

The hour glass on Wanderlei’s chin seems to have officially run to the bottom. He’s suffered two devastating knockouts in his last four outings and his style lends itself to taking major damage en route to victory. He may simply have hit the end of his time, the Le match will show if he has anything left.

Shooting Tekken is not the same as training regularly for mixed martial arts. It doesn’t require the same level of dedication and skill to perform the craft which made him famous, and Cung Le may find himself out of his element in his first trip to the Octagon. 

This humble writer’s prediction:

Cung Le will weather an early storm of Wanderlei’s attacks and pick apart the Axe Murderer from the outside before firing off a kick with turns out the lights of everyone’s favorite legend. Cung Le by KO.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Nick Diaz: A Curious Case of Two Fighters.

I first became very aware of Nick Diaz when he knocked the taste out of Robbie Lawler’s mouth. Diaz exhibited A torrent of mid-match trash talk, taunting and counter boxing so fluid and quick, I am still in awe of it today. Not only did he upset the bo…

I first became very aware of Nick Diaz when he knocked the taste out of Robbie Lawler’s mouth. Diaz exhibited A torrent of mid-match trash talk, taunting and counter boxing so fluid and quick, I am still in awe of it today. Not only did he upset the bookmakers and shock the UFC, but he derailed Robbie’s career forever forth. He stole the soul of Ruthless in the cage… but Robbie wouldn’t know it for years afterward.

It was the first perfect debut for a style which would since be referred to as “The Stockton Slap.” Blending a combination of speed and volume, its a style that no one has been able to emulate, and few have been able to stymie. This style, too, has split the community in half. Some dismiss it. Some deify it.

He followed it up with a controversial split decision loss to Karo Parisyan, but rebounded with back to back KO wins over Drew Ficket and Koji Oishi.

The Oishi fight, in my mind, stands out as one of the oddest matches in history. Diaz’s opponents before the match and even to this day, have better success (?) covering up and weaving to avoid punches. Oishi tried to counter punch these shots out of the air. Nick Diaz simply grinned at this and proceeded to mangle Oishi throughout the round before he finally crumpled, a broken man. He would not return to the UFC.

He ran into a wall of wrestlers, losing decisions to each before being initially released by the UFC. This was the first time that Diaz looked to be anything less than perfect in many of his matches. A glaring hole in the armor of an otherwise outstanding talent.

After another win, he was called back and destroyed Josh Neer and Gleison Tibau. He left the UFC at this point for greener pastures, racking up a 13-1-1 record outside of Zuffa before being taken back into the fold.

Notable in each of these matches is that he still had not faced any fighters with a legitimate threat of taking him down. Whether this was creative matchmaking on the part of the promoters, Diaz’s own wishes or simply coincidence is up for debate.

What is unknown is how Nick Diaz the character began to emerge. While he was never shy about throwing a finger or making his views well known, he began to become increasingly brash. Lashing out at anyone he felt showed him disrespect, or was undeserving of their pay/placement/popularity. He was quickly dubbed as a ‘punk,’ and someone bad for the sport.

But sources who had met Diaz in person were adamant that he was a very nice, calm, young man who took martial arts very seriously and showed extreme loyalty to his team and his fans.

The two matches against Frank Shamrock and Hayato “Mach” Sakurai in particular struck me as showing Diaz’s dichotomy. While the Mach match was one with relatively little trash talk from Diaz, he went in like a man possessed and finished the notoriously tough Japanese standout. After the match, a very humble Diaz complimented his opponent and thanked both Dream and the Japanese fans for allowing him to compete.

Following what can only be seen as a deluge of trash talk between the camps, Diaz broke down Frank Shamrock on the feet and finished him with body blows. An impressive feat regardless of the age and size difference. Afterwards, Frank was complimentary of Diaz, and Diaz actually returned the sentiment.

In both instances, I was floored.

Diaz, this man known equally for his unusual boxing and titanium reenforced chin as his “In your face” “Don’t give a damn” demeanor had seemingly broken character. He honored his fallen opponents and showed a layer beneath his angry, resentful exterior.

After returning to the UFC, Nick put a beating on BJ Penn that hasn’t been seen since GSP forced him to quit on his stool. Possibly worse than GSP’s beating, as BJ looked beaten up worse than he had ever been in his career. Following this career-defining performance Nick Diaz fired off his ‘normal’ tirade, calling out Georges and effectively inserting himself back into the Title Shot he had previously earned and lost.

Now the MMA community finds itself in a debate over whether or not Diaz’s mouth, and not his skills earned him this title shot.

Those who decry him will be the first to point out his weaknesses, shown early in his career have never been seen to be fixed. His skills, while undeniable seem to be an afterthought to those who say he didn’t earn his shot properly. They’ll point to the fact that he “ducked” Jay Heiron, a clear number one contender in the company. They’ll say that he left Strikeforce to avoid Tyrone Woodley. Two excellent wrestlers who had legit cases to face Diaz.

His supporters will point to the long line of finishes against opponents thought to have his number. They’ll point to his aptitude on the ground and the strikers he polished off without breaking a sweat on his scar-tissue riddled brow.

It’s a tale of two Diaz’, and after UFC 143 when he faces Georges St. Pierre for the Welterweight Title, we will see whether we were all effectively trolled or if Nick Diaz is for real.

So, I ask is Nick Diaz simply one of the greatest actors in the history of MMA? Are his brash antics nothing more than to gain attention? Or is he really the angry, bitter kid from Stockton with a chip on his shoulder?

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Chael Sonnen and Nick Diaz: Close Your Mouths and Raise Your Fists

Let your fists do the talking. The adage seems to have gone by the wayside, as more and more, fighters are finding success by effectively ranting against their opponents. Opponents are not the only targets, though. It could be their countrymen, their c…

Let your fists do the talking.

The adage seems to have gone by the wayside, as more and more, fighters are finding success by effectively ranting against their opponents.

Opponents are not the only targets, though. It could be their countrymen, their camp, their previous opponents, wives or sponsors.

At the sport’s inception and until the last two years, mixed martial artists were closer to their Roman counterparts, the gladiators, than their boxing brethren. They gave somewhat canned interviews and then got into the cage and fought.

Chael Sonnen wasn’t a star; he was just a wrestler who couldn’t defend a triangle.

He’s still that, but now his mouth is a star. And not in a Jenna Jameson sense.

Chael has revitalized his career by being loud. Not just loud, but purposely offensive. Over the top at every opportunity and more a character than an actual fighter. People who had never really watched the sport before were drawn in by his insults to Lance Armstrong and his subsequent denial.

This is still the same man who lost to Demian Maia without being hit by a single damaging strike.

And yet, despite being finished by an injured Silva and being suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, he’s back in title contention after defeating a man with zero discernible grappling ability in Brian Stann.

Nick Diaz was let go from the UFC after three consecutive defeats against wrestlers. One was above average, Diego Sanchez. One was average at best, Joe Riggs, and one was good, but undersized, Sean Sherk. Three straight times, Diaz was taken down, controlled and pounded on for three rounds.

The Stockton Slapfighter has yet to face a wrestler his size and win, to show a change in these glaring deficiencies.

He has made up for this by throwing middle fingers, complaining about his pay scale (despite being paid huge amounts for a non-UFC title holder), and generally spreading vitriol at anyone unfortunate enough to interview him.

He’s now challenging for the UFC Welterweight title.

Simply mentioning the names Josh Koscheck or Brock Lesnar immediately conjure up the images and sounds of spreading discontent.

These real-life Internet trolls have made a career not out of being the best fighter, but being the best talker. And while I previously would not have cared whether they pulled these shenanigans, it has begun to affect better, harder working fighters who are soft-spoken.

Carlos Condit, who found a bit of fortune after picking up Diaz’s ill-deserved title shot, found himself a victim of bad luck when the champ was injured, and in a worse place after Nick Diaz’s schoolyard antics earned him a crack at Gentleman Georges.

Mark Munoz, after putting on a top-notch performance against Chris Leben, which was hot off the heels of a well deserved victory over former title contender Demian Maia… can’t even smell the gold-and-leather strap as long as the breath from Chael’s rants lingers in the room.

The bottom line: It’s fine when it’s entertainment, but when it starts turning to a necessity to earn a title shot, we need to remind our fighters of their job description:

Shut up and Fight!

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles: A Beatdown Breakdown

Two men at polar opposite points in their careers collide for a second crack at the most recent man to defeat each of them—Dominick Cruz. For Urijah Faber, it’s a match that proves the game has not passed him by. At 32 years old, Faber is on the …

Two men at polar opposite points in their careers collide for a second crack at the most recent man to defeat each of them—Dominick Cruz.

For Urijah Faber, it’s a match that proves the game has not passed him by. At 32 years old, Faber is on the wrong side of his fighting prime. A drop to bantamweight proved fortuitous for the former featherweight kingpin, but he ran into the whirling dervish that is Dominick Cruz. After putting on a legitimate fight of the year candidate, Urijah found himself on the losing end of a decision.

Whispers are beginning that Urijah has already peaked and is now starting to decay. People question maintaining the same camp for years or the fact that he hasn’t effectively evolved his game in some time. Others say that the path he led to the top has simply allowed a more talented group of youth to catch him.

Whether the naysayers have any merit to their attacks or not, it is clear that Faber must make an emphatic statement against the former champion from Georgia.

For Brian Bowles, this match will get him a crack at a match he never technically lost. Despite Cruz running circles around him, Bowles was never in danger, and if it had not been for a broken hand, Bowles may have turned the tide. Lots of hypotheticals there, but a case can be made for Bowles’ reign being cut short due to an unlucky break… pardon the pun.

Bowles is virtually a mirror of Faber, with the slight difference being his raw power over Faber’s speed. He blends fluid wrestling and excellent top control with a dangerous guillotine and proficient striking. While more of his wins come via submission, these are normally after beating an opponent silly and catching an exposed neck or forcing them onto their belly for a rear naked choke.

When the two men collide, it could very well determine the future of the division, as Faber and Demetrious Johnson have both cracked the invincible facade surrounding Dominick Cruz.

 

Power

Faber believes himself to be the strongest wrestler in the division. After manhandling Takeya Mizugaki and Eddie Wineland, and planting Cruz on his rear a few times, it’s hard to disagree. He has fluid wrestling and sharp hooks that sting his opponents, but he hasn’t had a knockout in nearly five years.

His strong wrestling and clinch work are used to put his opponents down, where he uses a strong base to rain down short elbows and punches on his opponent.

Against Cruz, he showed a weakness to takedowns himself, which may be something Bowles can exploit. However, Cruz cleverly hid his intentions on the takedowns by using a strike-and-move offense that flustered Faber throughout their affair. Bowles may not be able to repeat the success, due to an entirely different toolbox.

The main attribute I could attribute to Bowles is his mind-numbing power in his shots. When he uncorks a hook, opponents find themselves drooling in a puddle on the Bud Light sign. He has numerous knockouts and submissions that are directly attributed to staggering his opponent with hard shots first.

His power double is something that no opponent has found a consistent answer for, and his ground-and-pound is just as shocking as his standup. In fact, his destruction of Miguel Torres on the ground may have forever affected the previous pound-for-pound great’s confidence.

Edge: Bowles


Speed

Bowles is a power-style fighter who relies more on a heavy base to wing off his powerful punches. That isn’t to say he can’t use more movement and sharper strikes: He can. What it does say is that he is confident in both his chin and his power that cornering an opponent and getting into a firefight will earn him a victory.

Faber, however, uses a more measured approach, flicking out jabs and crosses to get into range and throw short, compact hooks and uppercuts. He isn’t adverse to working the body and can fire out kicks quickly and return to his base before a counter is launched.

Once tied up, his transitions in the clinch from striking to fighting for a hook and dropping for a leg are mercurial, and many opponents simply freeze and await a chance to escape when they are tied up.

Look at the Eddie Wineland fight and his elbow shuck to a double-leg takedown in the clinch as an example of just how fast Faber really is.

Edge: Faber


Cardio

Both men are workhorses, stemming from long years wrestling before ever entering fighting. They come in prepared and ready to go from opening bell to final horn every match.

The real difference is their output during matches. Faber utilizes an incredibly pressure-heavy attack that forces his opponents to expend gross amounts of energy and burn out or make a mistake. It wouldn’t be inaccurate to call him a grinder, but at the speed at which he grinds, it would be more akin to a power washer or industrial sander.

Edge: Faber (slight)


Striking

Urijah’s striking regiment is three dimensional, and he understands when to use different strikes. He maintains distance well and can either keep the fight standing or force it to the mat using a combination of footwork and a good sprawl.

He also transitions well from punches to elbows, something he is particularly adept at after facing Mike Brown with a broken and a sprained hand.

Bowles is something of an enigma in the striking department, as he has the ability to be two different fighters at any given time.

One round he keeps his hands tight to his chin, stays light on his feet and uses great head movement to avoid strikes while popping off one- and two-punch jab/cross combos.

The next round, he drops his hands and stalks in, throwing meat-cleaver hooks and stump-ripping uppercuts. He leaves himself vulnerable to counter strikes, but is clearly hunting for a knockout. While it’s clear that he leaves himself open to be caught, Faber hasn’t proven to have the knockout power in recent matches to make Bowles pay.

Edge: Bowles


Clinch

Both men, as wrestlers, are comfortable tied up with their opponent and know how to handle themselves to either keep the fight on the feet or transition to dump their victim. What sets them apart is their methods in the clinch.

Bowles, again, can be seen hunting for power shots. He is able to pick out a perfect time to lock on a guillotine, however, something he showed in the first Damacio Page fight.

Faber, however, has a highlight reel made up of brilliance in the clinch. He hits quick elbows and covers up again before the opponent has a chance to respond. If he breaks the clinch, a hook will always sting his opponent, as it did Cruz, Mizugaki, Wineland and Raphael Assuncao.

His takedowns from the clinch aren’t as elite as his double- and single-leg shots, but they are more than above average, and using the misdirection of his strikes leaves him free to pluck a leg off the ground to further his game plan.

Edge: Faber


Ground

Brian Bowles looks to bring the pain on the ground. He will stand up to win the guard and throw punches with little to no regard for his opponent’s submission skills. Even more daunting: He’s effective. Whether it’s the power or the frequency of the punches, opponents will more often cover up than grab a leg and sweep or attempt to attack a limb.

His double leg, while not technically as perfect as Urijah’s, more than makes up for the difference in horsepower, as he barrels through his opponents. His base is somewhat high and wide, but it allows him to throw down heavy ordnance while the person on the receiving end just looks for a way to escape.

Faber uses chained takedowns that rely more on technical brilliance than they do torque. He will shoot for a double, transition to a single, and turn the corner if stopped at that point. Should this fail, too, he simply drives into the clinch, puts them on the fence and repeats the process.

Once he is on the ground, Faber uses a varied attack to throw shots whilst moving to pass the guard. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt has shown increased brilliance with his passes in the last few years and has very underrated sweeps when on the bottom.

In the end, if both men gas, Faber’s technical acumen will carry him further than Bowles’ strength.

Edge: Faber


Intangibles

Bowles is looking to make a very strong message against Faber, after his last lukewarm performance against Mizugaki left fans soured. It may cause him to be very aggressive and make a mistake. Regardless, keep an eye out for Bowles leaving himself open in hopes of finishing the California Kid.

Urijah has world of experience in big, important, title-implication-type matches that Bowles simply doesn’t. Urijah has faced nearly every archetype in mixed martial arts and had great success against nearly all of them. He knows veteran tricks that Bowles, while not green by any means, simply hasn’t come across in his career.

One important outlier in the previous statement is Mike Brown. Brown was able to bully Faber with raw power, avoid takedowns and punish Faber. Don’t expect Bowles to miss either of those matches as clear lessons on how he can best beat Faber.

That said, Brown is a very big featherweight, and Faber, dropping down to bantamweight, should be about even with Bowles.

 

This humble writer’s prediction:

Faber uses a smart, in-and-out approach against Bowles that both frustrates and tires Bowles en route to making a mistake by leaving his neck exposed during a takedown in the third.  

Faber will cinch in a guillotine choke for the win and set up a rubber match with UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua: A Beatdown Breakdown

It’s being billed as the collision of two legends who should have met years before. A gross PRIDE oversight that is finally being rectified. It is all that and more. It may be a final shot at staying in the upper stratosphere of the Light Heavyweight D…

It’s being billed as the collision of two legends who should have met years before. A gross PRIDE oversight that is finally being rectified. It is all that and more.

It may be a final shot at staying in the upper stratosphere of the Light Heavyweight Division. One last swing at staying elite. Staying Relevant.

And they are pitted against each other as nearly polar opposites.

Berserker style behind a precise, technical Muay Thai offense, bolstered by a black belt in Jiu Jitsu.

A methodical, measured approach that sets up a thermonuclear right hand, brilliant rough-nosed clinch game and top notch positional control to set up ground and pound.

Without engaging in too much hyperbole, these two are practically created to counter the other’s weaknesses.

Power:

Rua seems to be written off in the power department, which is odd, as he is the first person to put hands on Machida consistently. He even lamped the previously unbeaten enigma, on top of Chuck Liddell, Mark Coleman, Forrest Griffin, and pre-Uber-Overeem.

Shogun Rua has legitimate knockout power.

…but not like Dan Henderson. Hendo’s made a career out of a “One-Shot” ability of which opponents are always aware, but never fully understand until they are counting the lights in the arena.

One does not glance/slip Dan’s punches. One does not arm block them. If they connect, the opponent won’t remember the previous five minutes.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a right hook, overhand right, under-the-armpit right uppercut or a right cross. If there’s a punch coming, and it has “right” anywhere in its description, opponents need to avoid it or enjoy a quick nap.

Edge: Hendo.

Speed:

Despite his age, Hendo is surprisingly fast on his feet. He keeps a wide stance and strives to cut off his opponents to set them up for either a clinch and dirty boxing or unload the fore mentioned right hand.

When he knocks an opponent down, he swarms and begins hammering away until they go limp. For an old man, Hendo can move.

That being said, his combinations are short, relying on power rather than speed to connect. His footwork ends when he can get two underhooks and then he uses raw power to get you to the ground.

Rua, on the other hand, lays out crisp and precise combinations that are never less than three strikes. They happen in the blink of an eye and he can easily use his combos to throw an opponent off balance and hit a finishing blow.

He uses precises footwork to circle around and set up his attacks and also has the ability to swarm from any distance.

His transitions inside the clinch, going from hooks to Thai plum to boxer’s single arm clinch are brilliant. He can rattle off strikes and return to a neutral defending position before opponents realize what happened.

Edge: Shogun.

Cardio:

Rather self-evident here. Shogun’s entire career has been shadowed by a dark cloud called cardio.

In his defense, knee injuries have sidelined the former champion time and again, but he appears to be healthy coming into the match with Hendo.

Speaking of the Olympian, he comes in fresh and ready to fight a full three (or five) rounds every time he enters the cage. His wrestling doesn’t waiver and by having a low output striking offense, he’s able to maintain the same level throughout the match.

His only blemish on a career otherwise marked by great shape was a match against Jake Shields. Hendo came out strong but faded after being unable to finish the standout wrestler. This has later been attributed to a bad infection and strong anti-biotics hampering a weight cut, but it is still worth noting.

Edge: Hendo.

Striking:

It’s a game of technique versus power. Shogun’s brilliant Muay Thai offense against Hendo’s devastating right hand and proficient boxing to back it up.

Hendo’s wide stance leaves his legs open for Shogun’s patented leg kicks and his cocked right hand opens him for jabs and left hooks. Should Shogun use a reserved approach, he may be able to do damage and circle away before the Right Hand of Doom swings.

But if he tries to arm block a punch from Hendo or take one to give two, he’s going to find himself staring at the lights.

Still, I’ll take technique over power.

Edge: Shogun.

Clinch:

Pick your poison. Fluid, technically perfect and heavily muscled wrestling versus vicious and blitzing strikes.

Shogun’s offense was nullified over the clinch wrestling of Jon Jones and made him tentative to lock up. Hendo, while not possessing the physical attributes of Jones, has more than enough weaponry when locked up to stifle the strikes and work for a takedown.

He has shown disregard for the clinch striking of Feijao, Wanderlei Silva, and even Rampage Jackson, but took special note of Anderson Silva‘s. This isn’t to say that he could easily walk through Shogun’s attacks, but he could hug close and stifle them long enough to put Rua on his back.

Edge: Hendo.

Ground:

Again, pick your poison. Near perfect positional control versus black belt BJJ.

Henderson has been stopped before via Armbars but has learned from his mistakes over the years and prevented leaving his limbs open to be stretched. He maintains a very strong base while paying close attention to his opponent’s hips and matching their movements. He used these improvements to stifle elite grappler Rousimar Palhares and force the fight to the feet, where his chances were much greater.

Add to this the fact that reaching for his arm means preventing an extra line of defense from devastating ground and pound.

Hendo has proven to be a rare combination of wrestling and striking to be a definite finisher on the ground. One shot, from guard, half guard or side mount can drop the curtains on anyone.

That said, Shogun has an effective guard when he’s not overly focused on diving for legs. This tactic failed him against Jon Jones and left him wide open for further GnP. He can’t afford to be so myopic against Henderson, who has greater one punch power than the current Light Heavyweight Champion.

When he isn’t overly focused on legs, Shogun adroitly uses his hips and positional control to minimize damage while setting up various attacks and sweeps, if only to get back to his feet.

Look for Shogun to use hip movement to create distance get away from Hendo and get back to his feet where the stakes match him more favorably.

Edge: Hendo.

Intangibles:

Both men have loads of experience, so it would normally be a wash here. But Hendo has been against Muay Thai strikers and been successful more recently than Shogun has been successful against Greco Roman wrestlers.

Shogun, since entering the UFC, has had major issues with anyone who can push the pace and force him out of his comfort zone. Clinching in close and making the fight dirty is a surefire way to attack Shogun’s suspect gas tank.

To gloss over Hendo’s incredible chin would be a massive oversight. In 36 fights, Hendo has never been knocked out or TKO’d. Rampage, following their match, even mentioned that he never wanted to fight Hendo again because his head hurt Jackson’s hands.

Finally, if Hendo is slow to start and headhunting, he could easily lose this match on points. Rua moving in and out and picking him apart will look much better to the judges than looping wide punches that miss the much more nimble Shogun.

This humble writer’s prediction:

Hendo bullies Rua throughout the first and second rounds with clinch work and dirty boxing and follows suit in the third before breaking a clinch with a sharp right hand that dazes the fading Rua and allows Hendo to swarm for a TKO.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

MMA and UFC: The Future Is Now… and Nobody Seems to Notice.

Mixed Martial Arts and its flag bearer, the UFC, now stand on a road diverging into a proverbial yellow wood.One path leads down a road remarkably similar to the path it now travels. The other leads to a future with unfettered growth, legions of fans i…

Mixed Martial Arts and its flag bearer, the UFC, now stand on a road diverging into a proverbial yellow wood.

One path leads down a road remarkably similar to the path it now travels. The other leads to a future with unfettered growth, legions of fans in attendance and watching broadcasts, and a product that is universally appealing.

That path is paved on the backs of men who weigh in at 155 and less.

Too long have we been indoctrinated with this belief that bigger equals better. The heavyweight division, while improving, simply cannot offer the amount of excitement provided by “the little guys.” But until we learn that lesson, we may be pigeonholing ourselves and our sport.

We may be not only holding the better talent down, but also holding ourselves back.

It cannot be easily measured in how many matches we have watched two behemoths sucking wind after a mere three minutes and spending the next 12 throwing sloppy haymakers in between gasps for air.

Can anyone remember the last heavyweight to earn a submission victory?

…

Stefan Struve, to save you the trouble. He earned a submission of the night award, more for the rarity of the submission by a heavyweight than the relative complexity.

And Pat Barry, a man just as guilty of getting winded and sloppy, still has a job after numerous losses and no improvement. This is a clearer case of the lack of excitement at heavyweight than it is for his potential.

Yet we have Dominick Cruz and Demetrious Johnson headline a free card with a title on the line. Urijah Faber is a footnote on UFC 139’s card. Benson Henderson and Clay Guida put on a Fight of the Year candidate on Facebook, not national television.

It’s a travesty and one we have to correct. We can’t vote with our feet, but we can certainly vote with our cash.

Buy the PPVs of the smaller guys! Tweet about how exciting those two were last night! Demand more feather, bantam and lightweight fights!

They are the future! We can’t afford to stagnate and allow ourselves or the community to become complacent.

We need to realize what these dynamos bring to the table. Bulk is replaced by cardio. Height is replaced by speed. One-punch knockout power is replaced by flawless technique.

When these men fight, it more closely resembles two cats jammed in a bag than their heavyweight counterparts. Speed, combinations, transitions, escapes, scrambles and reset. Shots land flush or are perfectly countered. Submissions? Everyone is a threat.

They can’t rely on the “threat of a looming knockout” to gain interest. They can’t afford to skip a day of cardio. They don’t have the luxury of a safety net after two consecutive losses, so they fight like there’s no tomorrow.

And if we don’t start supporting them, there may not be.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com