Author: Matt Warden

How Does Roy Nelson Fight Benefit Daniel Cormier?

Daniel Cormier wants the biggest fights in the world. But at UFC 166, he’ll be settling for a fight with Big Country. 
Cormier is currently ranked as the No. 4 heavyweight in the world and his resume would demand a title shot if he were to beat th…

Daniel Cormier wants the biggest fights in the world. But at UFC 166, he’ll be settling for a fight with Big Country. 

Cormier is currently ranked as the No. 4 heavyweight in the world and his resume would demand a title shot if he were to beat the right guy in the division. This, according to Cormier, is exactly why a tilt with No. 3-ranked Fabricio Werdum was almost completely out of the question. 

Cormier told Franklin McNeil of ESPN:

I would have taken the fight if UFC had offered it to me. I will fight anybody who’s winning, anyone but Cain. So if they would have offered me the fight with Werdum in an eliminator, I would have accepted it and I would have beaten him and not taken the title shot. It would have really kind of jacked things up a little bit. 

UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez is a training partner of Cormier’s, and the two are on record as saying they would not fight one another, which is why DC plans to cut to light heavyweight after the Roy Nelson fight.

A fight with Werdum would wreak havoc on the heavyweight division if Cormier were to emerge the victor, but how does the Nelson fight benefit him?

A win against Nelson would not help his claim for a shot at Jon Jones, it does nothing for him in his current division and a loss might eliminate an immediate crack at Jones. 

Daniel Cormier is a former Olympic wrestler, and he currently holds a 12-0 MMA record with five knockouts and three submission wins. His stand-up is evolving at light speed, making him a scary talent in the UFC.

After he handily, though not spectacularly, beat Frank Mir in his UFC debut in April, Cormier established himself as one of the best in the heavyweight division. Add the fact that light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has nearly cleaned out his division, and Cormier becomes a big threat if he can cut weight. 

The fact that Cormier will not fight Velasquez has caused him to make plans to cut weight with the hopes of fighting Jones. He’s proven he can fight the best and win, and he already believes he can beat Jones. 

“I have the skills to win that fight [against Jones],” Cormier said. “But I have to get through [Nelson] first. I have to fight a fight that will strengthen my case.” 

He plans to cut after the Nelson fight, so a win does nothing for him at heavyweight. Cormier believes the fight strengthens his case for a shot at Jones should Jones win in September, but what if DC loses?

Roy Nelson, unlike Cormier, appears to be on a downward slope after a unanimous decision loss to Stipe Miocic bounced him out of the top 10 in the division. Also, if you call to attention the fact that Nelson lost by unanimous decision to Werdum in February of 2012, a fight with him doesn’t look that appealing.

Big Country is a tough fighter with possibly the best chin in the entire UFC. He has big power in his hands, as evidenced by his three straight knockout victories preceding the loss to Miocic last month.

But the fact that he lost so badly to a relative unknown in Miocic makes this a dangerous fight for Cormier. Although all signs point to an easy win for DC given that he could neutralize Nelson with his wrestling if need be, one shot could end Cormier’s dreams of a fight with Jones, at least for now.

Imagine if Cormier loses to Nelson, especially by knockout. Why would the UFC, and Jon Jones for that matter, want to book a fight with a guy who just loss to a fighter outside of the top 10?

Outside of keeping himself warm for a potential fight with Jones, a bout with Big Country just doesn’t make sense for Cormier. 

Cormier is moving to a new division after the fight with Nelson, so a win does nothing for him, as he has already proven he should at least be considered for a shot with Jones. If he knocks out or submits Nelson in the bout, that strengthens his case; but if he loses, he’ll have to earn his shot all over again.

Make no mistake, I’m going on record as saying that Daniel Cormier will defeat Roy Nelson by unanimous decision at UFC 166. He will strike with him for a bit, take him down and wear him out. 

But if I were a member of his camp, I would not have let him take this fight, as the risks far outweigh the rewards. All it would take is Big Country’s right hand to end Cormier’s immediate shot in one fell swoop of at the big fight he so eagerly wants.

Nelson has 12 knockout victories in his career. For Cormier’s sake, let’s hope it’s not 13 come October. 

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Under-the-Radar UFC Bouts with Big Implications

Jones vs. Gustafsson, GSP vs. Hendricks, Velasquez vs. Dos Santos, Silva vs. Weidman again—the UFC has giant title fights slated to close out 2013 in style.
But there are even more non-title fights with huge implications. 
While Jose Aldo wi…

Jones vs. Gustafsson, GSP vs. Hendricks, Velasquez vs. Dos Santos, Silva vs. Weidman again—the UFC has giant title fights slated to close out 2013 in style.

But there are even more non-title fights with huge implications. 

While Jose Aldo will be defending his title against “The Korean Zombie” at UFC 163, Jake Ellenberger will settle his public spat with Rory MacDonald, with the winner most likely earning the next shot at the welterweight title. 

Daniel Cormier’s feud with Roy Nelson has also been in the news lately and a contract has even been signed for a match between the two heavyweights. However, the implications of this fight are minuscule.

With so many title matches on the horizon for the remainder of this year’s events, there are many fights that are flying under the radar.

Here’s a look at a few fights that fans, and champions, should be keeping an eye on. 

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Jon Jones vs. Georges St-Pierre: Which UFC Champion Should Be the New P4P King?

When the dust settled from Anderson Silva’s knockout loss at UFC 162, the MMA world was forced to find a new king. Though the abdication of the throne was unceremonious, it’s sparked quite the debate. 
Is the young and hungry Jon Jones or the meth…

When the dust settled from Anderson Silva‘s knockout loss at UFC 162, the MMA world was forced to find a new king. Though the abdication of the throne was unceremonious, it’s sparked quite the debate. 

Is the young and hungry Jon Jones or the methodical and intelligent Georges St-Pierre the new pound-for-pound top fighter in the world? 

While Jones has been awarded the No. 1 spot, according to ESPN Power Rankings, a solid argument can be made for St-Pierre. GSP has more UFC victories, more title defenses and easily holds the record for most significant strikes landed in the UFC. 

The consensus among martial arts fans is that Jones is the No. 1 fighter in the world, and even UFC President Dana White was quoted in Damon Martin of Bleacher Report‘s article as saying simply, “Jon Jones,” when asked who should be the P4P best. Jones may have more finishes, but wins are wins.

“Bones” holds a record of 12-1 in his 13 UFC fights, with his only loss coming from a controversial disqualification loss to Matt Hamill. Of those 12 victories, nine of them were finishes, including five submissions and four knockouts.

It’s clear that Jones is a more exciting fighter at this point in his career, but the numbers for GSP speak volumes. St-Pierre has appeared in 20 UFC fights with a record of 18-2.

GSP has only six finishes in those 20 fights, but in the fight game, wins are wins. Jones, six years the junior of St-Pierre, has finished far more fights. But GSP has put in his time and, despite claims that he is a boring fighter, has gotten his hand raised almost every time he’s stepped into the Octagon.

In other sports, an athlete’s legacy is ultimately defined by the number of titles he or she has amassed in a career. And MMA is no different.

Jones is 6-0 in title fights in his UFC career and has defended the belt five times since annihilating Mauricio Shogun Rua at UFC 128 to claim the light heavyweight title. His five defenses has the young Bones tied for most in light heavyweight history, but St-Pierre’s record rivals Silva’s.

GSP has appeared in 15 UFC title fights in his career, accumulating an 11-2 record in that time. His two losses at the hands of Matt Hughes and Matt Serra have been avenged, and he is currently riding an eight-fight title defense streak, which is two less than Silva’s record.

It can certainly be argued that Jones’ 75 percent finish rate and quality of opponents is superior to that of GSP and therefore should make him the obvious choice for P4P king, but if doing damage is the issue, fans aren’t paying attention. 

St-Pierre has earned the boring label in recent fights for his methodical lay-and-pray style he uses to control opponents and earn decision victories. But he does much more damage than you think. 

GSP holds the UFC record for most significant strikes landed with 1153, which is 206 more than the next fighter on the list: Michael Bisping. His strike differential rate is slightly higher than Jones at 2.53 to 2.50, for those who logically argue that more fights equals more shots landed.

All in all, St-Pierre has earned the right to be called the P4P best fighter in the world. And the statistics justify it 100 percent.

Jones may have more finishes, but GSP has accumulated more UFC victories and is closing in on the record for most UFC title defenses. You may think he’s boring, but in the midst of simply lying on opponents, he does more significant damage than any other fighter in the UFC, period. 

In all honesty, if I had to choose a fighter to build a company around, it would be Jones. He is unorthodox, relentless and seemingly gets better every round of every fight. 

But Jones hasn’t done enough to earn the No. 1 spot over St-Pierre. Not quite yet. 

Some fans will call me crazy, and people close to me have called me foolish for taking GSP over Jones, but the proof is in the pudding. More wins, more defenses, more damage done.

With Silva relinquishing the throne, GSP should be the No. 1 fighter in the world until he loses a fight. 

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Anderson Silva’s 5 Most Effective Offensive Maneuvers

Right, left, spin, knee, kick. Anderson Silva has proven he can hurt you any way he sees fit.UFC 162 is only a day away, which means Chris Weidman has a chance soon to hand Silva his first loss inside the Octagon. We all suspect Weidman’s game plan wil…

Right, left, spin, knee, kick. Anderson Silva has proven he can hurt you any way he sees fit.

UFC 162 is only a day away, which means Chris Weidman has a chance soon to hand Silva his first loss inside the Octagon. We all suspect Weidman‘s game plan will be to pressure Silva early, take him down and keep him there.

But what will Silva do?

This question is the reason why even the less educated fight fan watches an Anderson Silva fight. They want to see what devastating trick he has up his sleeve this time.

While “The Spider” is famous for bringing something new to the Octagon each time, there are a few moves he always fits in to his destruction of opponents. The following list will rank Silva’s five best offensive maneuvers based on the frequency with which they are used to hurt opponents.

It’s simple, so let’s take a look.

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Silva vs. Weidman: UFC 162 Main Event’s Tale of the Tape

Silva vs. Weidman: undisputed champion vs. undefeated contender. While the main event at UFC 162 isn’t as even as people are speculating, the comparisons are unbelievable.Every fight fan, and even the casual fan, knows a few things heading in…

Silva vs. Weidman: undisputed champion vs. undefeated contender. While the main event at UFC 162 isn’t as even as people are speculating, the comparisons are unbelievable.

Every fight fan, and even the casual fan, knows a few things heading into UFC 162 and those are that Anderson Silva is the UFC middleweight champion and No. 1-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world while Chris Weidman is the undefeated No. 2 contender in the division.

And everyone from top fighters to “diehard” mixed martial arts fans are rallying behind Weidman, proclaiming him to be the man to finally dethrone “The Spider.”

While a comparison of their bodies of work shows that he could have what it takes to win, it doesn’t tell the entire story.

A classic tale of the tape shows that Silva and Weidman are very similar physical specimens. Although Silva clearly has the disadvantage in the age department, that hasn’t been a factor in any of his fights to date, so fans should probably look past that.

After the physical analysis of the fight come the statistics in the cage. A look at the numbers indicates that the two fighters are surprisingly similar.

Weidman‘s average of 3.23 strikes landed per minute is slightly better than Silva’s 3.17, but “The Spider” is much more accurate at 67 percent—the highest rate in UFC history. In striking defense, Weidman‘s statistics are a tad better, but not enough to raise any eyebrows.

The biggest advantage that Weidman has on paper is clearly his wrestling, as he possesses a 4.47 takedown average per 15 minutes compared to just a 0.72 average for Silva.

Weidman has never been taken down in his career, but Silva carries a solid takedown defense percentage of 70 percent.

If the numbers never lie, it would appear that everyone who is fueling the Weidman hype train is correct. His overall statistics are actually a little better than Silva’s and he’s still getting better.

But it’s not always so much about what you know as what you can prove. The real tale is told in the strengths and weaknesses shown on tape for both of these fighters.

The thing that makes Silva so dangerous is his ability as a counterpuncher. He is so much smarter than any fighter that stands across from him that he simply lets them strike until they make a mistake.

Silva’s first fight in the UFC against Chris Leben demonstrates his biggest strength, which is his ability to gauge his opponents and counter their mistakes. Weidman is an inside/aggressive striker, but charging Silva is the biggest mistake a fighter can make because he will land shots while dodging a ton of wild ones.

Exceptional work in the clinch is the other advantage for Silva, as shown in his fight with Rich Franklin. Silva tied Franklin up in the clinch and used knees to kill the body and take the spirit—and, in this case, the fight.

Weidman, on the other hand, appears to be what I’ll call a counter wrestler. When examining footage of Weidman‘s five UFC fights, it seems he gets most of his takedowns when his opponents come forward to strike.

In Weidman‘s two decision victories in the Octagon, he took Alessio Sakara down five times and Demian Maia four times. His highlights show a patient and powerful Weidman waiting for both men to come forward before jumping in for a leg to secure a takedown and eventually a victory,

Another strength that Weidman possesses over Silva is most likely his power and ability to throw combinations. Silva is excellent at timing opponents’ strikes and realizing tendencies, but Weidman showed against Mark Munoz that he can combine strikes well and use different looks.

According to ESPN.com, Silva is 16-0 in the UFC, with 14 of those victories coming from stoppages. He holds 20 career knockouts and six career submissions in his 33 victories.

Weidman is 5-0 in the UFC, with three stoppages. He has nine professional fights.

While the statistics are surprisingly even, if not tipped in Weidman‘s favor, the sample size is insufficient for Weidman. And while he has enough hype, tools and confidence for both fighters in this main event, it most likely won’t matter.

Weidman is the perhaps the toughest opponent Anderson Silva has ever faced, but Silva is without a doubt the toughest Weidman has ever seen. Just look at the footage.

Silva will be the man until he’s not and he will always be a legend in the sport of MMA. While Weidman appears capable of stealing the title, I believe this fight will brand him as the myth.

 

Unless otherwise noted, statistics courtesy of FightMetric.com.

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UFC 162 Preview: What Twitter Is Saying About Silva vs. Weidman

Word on the street is that Chris Weidman has the best chance of dethroning Anderson Silva than any fighter he’s ever faced when the two face off at UFC 162. But can Weidman really have the last word? Silva is the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in …

Word on the street is that Chris Weidman has the best chance of dethroning Anderson Silva than any fighter he’s ever faced when the two face off at UFC 162. But can Weidman really have the last word?

Silva is the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, and regardless of what pundits and fighters alike are saying about Weidman’s chances of defeating him, he is widely regarded as the best fighter ever.

Silva has been the UFC middleweight champion for seven years, posting a 16-0 record in the UFC with only two of those fights ending in decisions. Outside of the five combined rounds he lost to Chael Sonnen in their two memorable fights, he’s dominated in a way that makes one question if anyone can stop him.

Weidman holds a record of 9-0, and in all honesty, he is the default No. 1 contender due to losses by other high-profile middleweight contenders. Stylistically, however, Weidman is the perfect prototype to beat Silva: exceptional wrestler, good submission fighter, young and powerful.

The idea that Weidman could actually defeat Silva all started when UFC welterweight champion Georges St.Pierre reportedly stated there was no chance a superfight would happen between he and Silva. Dana White shed light on why in an interview on mmafighting.com .

“He 100-percent, absolutely, positively knows that (Chris) Weidman is going to beat Anderson Silva,” White declared. “No doubt in his mind that [a superfight] won’t happen. The fight with [Silva] won’t happen because Weidman is going to win. There’s no ‘what if’ for [St-Pierre]. He absolutely, positively knows [Weidman] is going to win that fight.”

Guys like the aforementioned Sonnen, Dominic Cruz and Frank Mir believe Weidman’s pure power will give him the edge that Sonnen didn’t have against “The Spider.”

“I think Weidman has an outstanding chance of beating Anderson and becoming the champion,” Mir said.  … “This upset is going to happen, and everyone is going to be shocked because they never saw it coming. He’s got the best style to beat Anderson of anyone Anderson’s faced in the UFC. Anderson has shown one weakness—he can be controlled on the ground by powerful wrestlers—and Weidman is the most powerful wrestler there is in the division.”

On the other side of the spectrum, some perceive the hype train that is Chris Weidman as premature. While Tim Boetsch seems to believe he’s the fighter that will eventually conquer Silva, experience seems to be Weidman’s heel in his mind.

“I think Weidman has the tools to do it, but with the experience and Anderson just being the greatest fighter in the world, I think he’s going to hang onto that title for a little bit longer until I get there to take it away from him,” Boetsch said.

Twitter trends seem to show that many casual fans are behind Weidman in the contest. While it’s too early to say the majority of fans are picking Weidman, the majority of fans are predicting this fight to be one of the best the UFC has ever seen.

 

 

Does Weidman have the tools to defeat Silva? Twitter says yes because he is young and hungry, and he has the confidence to defeat Silva, which is something Sonnen didn’t have when he came up short.

 

 

The power and age advantage goes to Weidman, but the experience and aura of invincibility are still on Silva’s side. However, my gut says there is too much hype for a fighter with only nine victories, and Silva will once again derail the hype train in dramatic fashion.

Am I wrong? 

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