The expectation heading into UFC on Fox 15’s main event between Luke Rockhold and Lyoto Machida was that it would be a tight, ultra-competitive affair. Both men appeared, at least on paper, to be extremely evenly matched.
Not so much, as it turns…
The expectation heading into UFC on Fox 15’s main event between Luke Rockhold and LyotoMachida was that it would be a tight, ultra-competitive affair. Both men appeared, at least on paper, to be extremely evenly matched.
Not so much, as it turns out.
The Brazilian started the fight promisingly enough, connecting with several bravado-inducing shots to his foe’s almost comically chiseled chin. His success was short-lived, however.
Rockhold capitalized on a minor slip and proceeded to maul Machida on the floor for the next four minutes, landing vicious strikes in between frequent transitions and submission attempts.
By round’s end, the former UFC light heavyweight champion was in a daze, stumbling back to his stool with the aid of his corner. In truth, few would have objected to the appearance of a towel at this point. But Machida did as fighters most often do, continuing on in the face of vanishingly small odds.
Mercifully, we didn’t have to wait long for the inevitable stoppage. Rockhold wasted little time in taking Machida to the ground and sinking in a fight-ending rear naked choke.
In light of such an impressive performance, anything less than a title shot would be a disappointment for Rockhold. Then again, given the unpredictable nature of MMA, few would confidently plot the path of any fighter.
With that said, let’s go ahead and speculate on Rockhold’s immediate future anyway, dear readers.
The UFC’s strong start to 2015 has, almost inevitably, lost some of its steam recently. However, this weekend’s UFC on Fox 15 is one of the few upcoming cards to inspire any kind of interest. The event might lack name value, but the fights …
The UFC’s strong start to 2015 has, almost inevitably, lost some of its steam recently. However, this weekend’s UFC on Fox 15 is one of the few upcoming cards to inspire any kind of interest. The event might lack name value, but the fights promise to deliver compelling action.
Saturday night’s main card features Luke Rockhold vs. Lyoto Machida in a potential middleweight title eliminator, Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza taking on short-notice replacement Chris Camozzi, Cub Swanson vs. Max Holloway and Felice Herrig vs. Paige VanZant.
As ever, Bleacher Report MMA is on hand to guide you through the matchups. Read on for the views of Sean Smith, Scott Harris, Riley Kontek, Craig Amos and yours truly, James MacDonald.
Al Iaquinta’s controversial split-decision victory over Jorge Masvidal at UFC Fight Night 63 might not have been the resounding win he was hunting for, but the Serra-Longo protégé can take comfort in the fact that he is officially o…
Al Iaquinta’s controversial split-decision victory over Jorge Masvidal at UFC Fight Night 63 might not have been the resounding win he was hunting for, but the Serra-Longo protégé can take comfort in the fact that he is officially on a four-fight winning streak in the sport’s most talent-stacked division.
Regardless of how one scored the fight, Iaquinta’s ability to compete on even terms with a skilled veteran like Masvidal was undoubtedly an eye-opener for some—including me and everyone else on the prediction team.
The 27-year-old has improved almost beyond measure since his time on The Ultimate Fighter and deserves an opportunity to test his skills against someone in or around the division’s top 10. Who will provide that test? Read on and indulge me as I ponder that very question.
Roy Nelson is that rare fighter whose value to the sport exceeds his fighting potential, much like Matt Brown. No one is blind to his limitations, both physical and technical, yet his appeal eclipses that of many more gifted mixed martial artists. Nels…
Roy Nelson is that rare fighter whose value to the sport exceeds his fighting potential, much like Matt Brown. No one is blind to his limitations, both physical and technical, yet his appeal eclipses that of many more gifted mixed martial artists. Nelson’s gutsy—no pun intended—loss to Alistair Overeem at UFC 185 only enhances his rugged reputation.
He’s “Stone Cold” Steve Austin with a mullet and a snail-like metabolism. Even Nelson’s patriotic misappropriation of Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” is oddly endearing. His image is that of the everyman, and one suspects he does more to play up that persona than he’d have us believe.
We see an apparently out-of-shape 38-year-old man competing with genetically blessed, technically superior athletes and holding his own. There’s inspiration to be found in that narrative, even if it is one that’s somewhat skewed.
Nelson, of course, has always been more physically gifted than he looks. He’s not Cain Velasquez, but nor is he Cody McKenzie. He is a good athlete with a deceptively deep skill set and a right hand that could stiffen an elephant.
We’re unlikely to see Nelson even so much as fight for the title, but his value has never been in starring as the face of the UFC’s heavyweight division—this scenario is probably a fixture of Dana White’s nightmares. He’s a carnival curiosity and a desirable scalp for anyone in the heavyweight division’s top 20.
Without further delay, let’s engage in a little speculation over what’s next on Big Country’s agenda.
Matt Brown may never quite reach the peak of the mountain, but he has already gotten an awful lot closer than anyone could have predicted.
Brown’s UFC 185 loss to Johny Hendricks highlighted the limitations that will likely prevent him from ever …
Matt Brown may never quite reach the peak of the mountain, but he has already gotten an awful lot closer than anyone could have predicted.
Brown’s UFC 185 loss to Johny Hendricks highlighted the limitations that will likely prevent him from ever getting his hands on a UFC title. However, The Ultimate Fighter veteran can take solace in the fact that his value to the organisation goes beyond his performance ceiling.
The former UFC welterweight champion shut down The Immortal’s game almost entirely, so it’s perhaps not the best example to highlight Brown’s upside. Still, the self-described “technical brawler” has accumulated plenty of goodwill in the minds of the fans and UFC brass from past performances.
With his title aspirations fading, it’s possible that the 34-year-old will soon serve as a gatekeeper for the welterweight division’s Top 10. With that said, let’s speculate on Brown’s more immediate future.
It’s tough to know what to make of Johny Hendricks at this point in his MMA career. It seems strange to criticise a fighter who just dominated Matt Brown, but an honest assessment of the former champion’s UFC 185 performance must acknowledg…
It’s tough to know what to make of Johny Hendricks at this point in his MMA career. It seems strange to criticise a fighter who just dominated Matt Brown, but an honest assessment of the former champion’s UFC 185 performance must acknowledge the palpable disappointment of the home crowd.
Whatever happened to the Big Rigg who could stiffen opponents with a mere whiff of his left hand? Then again, this flattering perception of his power may simply be the product of our innate selection bias.
The images of Jon Fitch and Martin Kampmann toppling like they’d been felled by a lumberjack are not easily forgotten. Hendricks’ unspectacular wins over the likes of Josh Koscheck and Mike Pierce don’t enjoy such premium placement in the collective memory of the MMA fanbase.
Previously more famous for looking happy while sporting a beard than for anything he did inside the Octagon, Hendricks had finally turned a corner in the eyes of the fans with his wins over Fitch and Kampmann. He was the welterweight division’s answer to Dan Henderson, or so it appeared.
Even his wrestling-heavy win over a game Carlos Condit at UFC 158 was utterly compelling. And as he proved against Georges St-Pierre and in his title-winning effort against Robbie Lawler, Hendricks didn’t even need to starch opponents to bring the crowd to its feet.
Something has been missing from his past couple of outings, though. There is an element of safety to Hendricks’ recent performances that I am loath to begrudge, but few would deny how disappointing they were to witness.
Hendricks struggled to make weight for his UFC 181 title defence against Lawler, so his poor showing in the championship rounds was easy to rationalize. However, his buzz-killing performance against Brown wasn’t the return to form we anticipated and even drew mild criticism from UFC President Dana White.
In both fights, Hendricks had numerous opportunities to let his hands go and search for a finish. Instead, he seemed content to drop for a double leg the moment he had his man pressed up against the cage. One could argue that he is fighting smart and putting points in the bank.
One could also look at it as a habit of passing up fight-ending opportunities. Hendricks possesses rare power, yet he seems reluctant to use it when his opponents are at their most vulnerable. His combinations against the cage are no longer delivered with ill-intent and serve more as a distraction to set up a level change.
It is intensely frustrating to watch.
However, in scrutinising his performances and caviling over minor details, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that Hendricks may still be the best welterweight on the planet. On merit, there is no question he deserves a shot at the winner of Robbie Lawler vs. Rory MacDonald.
The problem is the UFC is only part meritocracy. Success generally requires the approval of the fans, and Hendricks’ approval rating arguably resides just above that of Congress.
In the end, the former champion may benefit more from the 170-pound division’s lack of viable contenders than his own in-cage performances. And that’s a perception he should be motivated to change.
It’s tough to know what to make of