Author: Matt Fitzgerald

Rampage vs. Maldonado: Latest News Surrounding Rampage’s Return at UFC 186

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is making his highly anticipated return to the UFC, as he’s slated to square off with Fabio Maldonado at UFC 186 in Montreal’s Bell Centre on Saturday.
At age 36, Jackson may not have much left to offer in the Octagon. He’s lo…

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is making his highly anticipated return to the UFC, as he’s slated to square off with Fabio Maldonado at UFC 186 in Montreal’s Bell Centre on Saturday.

At age 36, Jackson may not have much left to offer in the Octagon. He’s lost his past three UFC appearances but did rattle off three consecutive victories in Bellator MMA to at least provide a foundation of recent, positive results as he returns to top-flight competition.

Bellator MMA had filed a court injunction that took Jackson off the UFC 186 card until this last Tuesday, so the bout appeared to be in doubt until the last minute.

UFC.com’s Nancy Gay reported on the news and also included UFC President Dana White‘s comments about the legal decision to let Jackson fight, along with thoughts on Rampage’s enduring popularity:

We are happy with the decision from the New Jersey Court allowing Rampage to fight in Montreal this Saturday night. I am looking forward to seeing Rampage back in the Octagon. […] Rampage isn’t always the most personable person when you meet him, but he comes to fight. At the end of the day, if you’re a fight fan and you love guys who love to stand up, who love to trade, Rampage is fun to watch.

In case something goes awry and Bellator MMA upends Jackson’s bid to fight for the UFC and neglect his Bellator contract, it’s important to keep tabs on the latest happenings. For now, it appears Rampage is ready to roll for UFC 186 and may well carry on with the company due to his apparent burning of the Bellator bridge.

At Thursday’s press conference, which featured a staredown between the marquee competitors, Maldonado explained how eager he’s been to take on Rampage, per Fox Sports: UFC:

Maldonado has reason to be confident ahead of his showdown with Jackson. The Brazilian veteran registered a TKO in the second round of his outing at UFC 179 against Hans Stringer.

Although few know exactly what to expect from Rampage, his own punching power has knocked out the likes of Chuck Liddell in the past. Jackson and Maldonado are known for having strong chins, which adds to the excitement of their matchup.

Breaking MMA Odds noted how Jackson opened as the clear-cut favorite, and the latest numbers from Odds Shark haven’t done much to drastically alter the perceived fight forecast:

It should be a fascinating, hard-hitting catchweight affair between Jackson and Maldonado—a nicely juxtaposed co-main event along with the flyweight championship clash between Demetrious Johnson and challenger Kyoji Horiguchi.

With regard to how the fight will ultimately play out, there’s reason to believe Rampage should be on upset alert. He likely won’t be in peak physical condition, and Maldonado has plenty of motivational fuel as the underdog against his dream-scenario adversary.

Rampage has never truly realized his full potential, which isn’t to take away from the accolades he has achieved in the past as a former UFC light heavyweight champion. Even with the Bellator MMA legal battle serving as a distraction and a lot of lingering uncertainty as to whether Saturday’s fight would actually happen, Jackson has the tools necessary to get past Maldonado by a decision at the very least.

The fans in Montreal will be rallying behind Rampage and cheering him on in his first UFC fight since January 2013. That should be enough to rally the supremely gifted fighter and see Rampage put on a show en route to a victory, improving his UFC mark to 8-5 overall.

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Nate Diaz vs. Matt Brown Announced for UFC 189: Latest Details and Reaction

A marquee MMA matchup will unfold at UFC 189 on July 11 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas when Nate Diaz and Matt Brown tangle in the Octagon.
Fox Sports 1’s UFC Tonight broke the news of the impending welterweight showdown on Twitter:

Brown (19-…

A marquee MMA matchup will unfold at UFC 189 on July 11 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas when Nate Diaz and Matt Brown tangle in the Octagon.

Fox Sports 1’s UFC Tonight broke the news of the impending welterweight showdown on Twitter:

Brown (19-13), who is the fifth-ranked welterweight in the UFC, is coming off two consecutive losses. Diaz lost in his previous UFC appearance to Rafael dos Anjos, dropping his overall record to 17-10.

Both fighters are in need of a spark to move their UFC prospects forward, so it should be a fascinating battle of wills in Las Vegas.

Nicknamed “The Immortal,” Brown appears excited for his next opponent:

The same held true for MMA Fighting’s Shaheen Al-Shatti:

Submissions are a specialty of Diaz’s—the source of 11 of his 17 wins—but it’s been a struggle at times for him to record takedowns.

Diaz’s success rate on such maneuvers is just 37 percent compared to Brown’s 48. That helps illustrate why he is ranked and ought to be the slightly favored fighter in their impending bout.

Although he is moving up a weight class, Diaz’s leaning on the Brazilian jiu-jitsu discipline may give him an edge over Brown, whose background consists of that and judo. Brown’s excellent striking should help his cause in what promises to be one of the bets fights on the UFC 189 card.

 

Note: Stats and background information courtesy of Sherdog.com and UFC.com.

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UFC 184: Complete Results, Analysis of Ronda Rousey’s Main Event Triumph

The biggest storyline to emerge from UFC 184 was Ronda Rousey’s breathtaking, 14-second submission victory over Cat Zingano in the main event.
Rousey once again proved she is the unquestionable, dominant force in women’s MMA, retaining her title as UF…

The biggest storyline to emerge from UFC 184 was Ronda Rousey‘s breathtaking, 14-second submission victory over Cat Zingano in the main event.

Rousey once again proved she is the unquestionable, dominant force in women’s MMA, retaining her title as UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion. It isn’t a hot take to have such an opinion, but Rousey‘s triumph at the Staples Center in Los Angeles was nevertheless astounding.

ESPN Stats & Info highlighted the history Rousey made in her swift disposal of Zingano:

Men have bolstered the popularity of the UFC since its rise to prominence in recent years under savvy president Dana White.

It was going to take a true superstar from the women’s side to gain any traction, which is precisely what Rousey has become. Although her fight with Zingano was extremely short-lived, it still saw Rousey take down her best possible competition.

SportsCenter logged a quotable Rousey after the bout, where she exuded the type of mentality all great champion fighters have:

Through 11 professional MMA fights, the 28-year-old Rousey has submitted nine of her adversaries, including Zingano with an armbar. Miesha Tate made it to the third round versus Rousey at UFC 168, but no one else has gotten out of the first round.

Even after her latest romp, Rousey was quite sympathetic and showed exemplary sportsmanship.

“I said ‘I’m happy to do this again anytime,’ you know?” said Rousey, via FoxSports.com’s Andre Vergara. “It’s hard to feel like you tested yourself when something like that happens, so I think if we fought again it would be very, very different, just like when me and Miesha Tate fought again.”

“Rowdy” Rousey has the tenacity in the Octagon to obliterate any opponent who stands in her way, but she also has the dynamic, likable personality to be the face of women’s MMA.

That she still had enough respect for her foe to console Zingano after a heartbreaking defeat shows Rousey has class to go along with her legendary fighting skills. However, if she continues to steamroll everyone in her path, Rousey may lose momentum due to the dearth of competent competition.

Irish MMA coach John Kavanagh took notice of the disparity created by Rousey‘s own greatness after Saturday’s submission:

Bleacher Report combat sports lead writer Jonathan Snowden recommends Rousey to take on Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino in her next bout. Cyborg has lost just once in 15 MMA appearances, but has yet to fight in the UFC.

The excitement of Justino making her UFC debut as the fresh-blood challenger to Rousey would create quite a stir if the two do meet the next time Rousey is in action.

A rematch with Zingano may be on tap instead, but Rousey proved Saturday that she may need to tackle an alternative, superior combatant and one who may put her to an unprecedented test.

Justino presents a potentially unique matchup with her rather dominant track record, imposing frame and 69-inch reach, per ESPN.com, which is greater than Rousey‘s (66″).

On the other hand, all the previous results suggest no one is quite in Rousey‘s class. If the UFC is the best collection of fighters there is, it’s hard to envision Justino bursting onto the scene and upsetting Rousey. Such a development could produce a great rivalry, but it’d also take away from some of the mystique.

There is a lot of uncertainty at the moment with regard to Rousey‘s next opponent, who could possibly beat her and whether the strength of her wins and perfect record will stand the test of time.

For now, it’s Rousey and the rest, which is just what the UFC needs.

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Anderson Silva, Nick Diaz Temporarily Suspended for Failed Drug Tests at UFC 183

MMA stars Anderson Silva and Nick Diaz both face a temporary suspension for failed drug tests at UFC 183.
Bleacher Report Lead MMA Writer Jeremy Botter reported on the matter Tuesday:

Brett Okamoto of ESPN.com reports that Silva tested positive for th…

MMA stars Anderson Silva and Nick Diaz both face a temporary suspension for failed drug tests at UFC 183.

Bleacher Report Lead MMA Writer Jeremy Botter reported on the matter Tuesday:

Brett Okamoto of ESPN.com reports that Silva tested positive for the steroid drostanolone, and Diaz failed due to traces of marijuana metabolites detected in his system.

Okamoto also provided succinct specificity regarding Silva’s recent history of failed tests:

UFC 183 was held on January 31 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, as Silva and Diaz were the headliners on the fight card. Silva won the middleweight bout by unanimous decision, but now the result is tainted.

It’s been a tough go for Silva as of late. Considered by many to be the best UFC fighter of all time, “The Spider” suffered back-to-back losses to Chris Wideman in 2013.

This latest drugs drama is harming Silva’s reputation as his career winds down at age 39. It remains to be seen how this suspension impacts Silva’s future in the Octagon, while Diaz‘s next move is up in the air after he was beaten handily in his UFC comeback.

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Jon Jones Fined by UFC for Violating Code of Conduct: Latest Details, Reaction

UFC star Jon “Bones” Jones was fined $25,000 Saturday for violating the mega MMA promotion company’s athlete code of conduct policy.
An official news release through UFC.com confirmed the report of Jones’ punishment:

The UFC announced today that it ha…

UFC star Jon “Bones” Jones was fined $25,000 Saturday for violating the mega MMA promotion company’s athlete code of conduct policy.

An official news release through UFC.com confirmed the report of Jones’ punishment:

The UFC announced today that it has fined light heavyweight champion Jon Jones $25,000 for violating the organization’s Athlete Code of Conduct policy. Jones tested positive for cocaine during an out-of-competition drug test conducted by the Nevada Athletic Commission on Dec. 4, 2014. The $25,000 will be donated to a substance abuse prevention program.

The UFC came to this decision after reviewing the facts surrounding the issue, and after receiving confirmation from the Nevada Athletic Commission that Jones passed all required drug tests following his bout at UFC 182 on Jan. 3.

Jones improved his professional record to 21-1 in retaining his UFC light heavyweight championship belt in a unanimous-decision victory over Daniel Cormier at UFC 182 on January 3. It marked the eighth consecutive time Jones had successfully defended his title.

Since then, though, Jones has drawn controversy due to his positive test for cocaine. UFC president Dana White publicly expressed concern regarding Jones’ decision away from the Octagon leading up to such a monumental showdown with a formidable foe in Cormier.

“We’ve had many conversations since that happened and my thing is whether you have a problem with street drugs or not, you say you don’t have a problem, there’s something definitely wrong if you’re doing that three weeks before the biggest fight of your life,” said White, via FoxSports.com’s Damon Martin.

Jones, 27, checked into a rehab facility and stayed overnight when news of his positive test surfaced just days after the fight. According to Jones’ mother, Camille Jones, he is continuing the rehab education on his own, per a report by Travis Eldridge of WBNG.

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UFC 182: Results, Best Future Opponents for Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier

The main event of UFC 182 saw Jon Jones retain his UFC Light Heayweight Championship in a victory over Daniel Cormier by unanimous decision.
Jones handed Cormier his first MMA loss in a thrilling fight that was scored 49-46 in favor of Bones by all thr…

The main event of UFC 182 saw Jon Jones retain his UFC Light Heayweight Championship in a victory over Daniel Cormier by unanimous decision.

Jones handed Cormier his first MMA loss in a thrilling fight that was scored 49-46 in favor of Bones by all three judges. Fox Sports’ Mike Chiappetta logged what Jones said about Cormier after the win, which shows how intense their rivalry had gotten before they entered the Octagon:

Fans at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas couldn’t have been disappointed, as Saturday’s fight card lived up to the hype in producing five bouts that went the distance.

Below is an overview of the complete results, along with analysis on what the future likely holds for both Jones and Cormier as they prepare to take the next step in their UFC careers.

Jon Jones, Daniel Cormier Post-Fight Analysis

It is evident that Jones isn’t going to be intimidated by anyone. He talked a big game prior to the bout with Cormier, gave the former Olympic wrestler his best shot by engaging in close quarters and still emerged as the clear-cut winner.

Jones could go to blows with anyone, and it would be a must-see fight. However, a couple of potential adversaries stand out. A rematch with Alexander Gustafsson, whom Jones beat in the main event of UFC 165 in September 2013, is one intriguing possibility.

Gustafsson appears to already be angling for another shot at Bones in light of his assessment of the champ’s win on Saturday:

In the event that Gustafsson loses to Anthony Johnson on January 24, though, Jones brought up a superior alternative in the post-fight press conference:

Cain Velasquez is the current UFC heavyweight champion, and it would be interesting to see whether he would come down to Jones’ weight, or if Jones would try to take the title belt in the higher weight class.

What makes this even more tantalizing is the fact that Velasquez is an American Kickboxing Academy teammate of Cormier’s. DC could relay a considerable amount of intelligence to Velasquez if the star heavyweight decides to take on Jones.

If Jones were to come out on top against Velasquez, the rivalry between AKA and Bones would only strengthen, creating an excellent subplot in the UFC.

After Jones came out on top against Cormier, though, UFC.com’s Damon Martin is among those who feel the champ can clear any hurdle ahead of him:

A triumph over Velasquez would only bolster Jones’ advocates in the conversation about the greatest fighter ever.

As for Cormier, he just has to make sure he gets back on track. Velasquez was there to embrace him after the loss to Jones (h/t MMAJunkie.com’s Ben Fowlkes), as DC was clearly emotional and crushed by his defeat.

It’s going to be a delicate balance for Cormier to face quality opponents who are still beatable and can help ensure another shot at Jones. Since he put so much stock into UFC 182, Cormier’s next step is difficult to discern.

The only man to defeat Gustafsson other than Jones is Phil Davis, so he would be an intriguing opponent for Cormier to consider.

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