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Dos Santos vs. Mir: Keys to Victory for Junior Dos Santos in UFC 146

Here comes the heavies.At UFC 146, Saturday, May 26, at 10 p.m. ET, the heavyweight division will be on display. Featuring five heavyweight fights, UFC 146 is headlined by heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos in his first title defense.Coming off a b…

Here comes the heavies.

At UFC 146, Saturday, May 26, at 10 p.m. ET, the heavyweight division will be on display. Featuring five heavyweight fights, UFC 146 is headlined by heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos in his first title defense.

Coming off a brutal beatdown of Shane Carwin and a shocking first-round knockout over Cain Velasquez, dos Santos will defend his new heavyweight belt for the first time against Frank Mir, who is coming off an incredible arm-breaking submission victory over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

Originally scheduled to fight skilled striker Alistair Overeem, who was removed from the fight after testing for an elevated testosterone-to-epitestosterone level, dos Santos now has to adapt to Mir’s grappling and jiu-jitsu heavy game.

What does dos Santos have to do to remain the champ? Let’s take a look…

Utilize his striking

Though dos Santos was originally planning to face Overeem, Mir is certainly an easier matchup. Don’t get me wrong, beating Mir will be no cake walk, but dos Santos has the clear striking advantage.

One of the heavyweight division’s better boxers, dos Santos has earned 10 of his 14 wins by knockout, with five of his eight UFC wins (six if you count Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic’s submission due to eye injury) also coming by way of knockout.

Statistically speaking, dos Santos lands more than 2.5 times more strikes per minute than Mir, and he gets hit substantially less than Mir. Look for dos Santos to use looping overhand rights and hard-digging uppercuts to steal Mir’s consciousness.

If dos Santos can put his hands to work like he normally does, it could be a very short night for Mir.

Keep the fight standing

This is a no-brainer. If dos Santos wants to be able to utilize his striking, he needs to stay away from Mir’s biggest strength—his grappling.

Though Mir isn’t a particularly incredible wrestler, he has high-level jiu-jitsu skills and a knack for breaking arms. Mir gets about 50 percent of the takedowns he attempts, and once on the ground, he relentlessly threatens his opponent with submissions.

Though dos Santos can hold his own on the ground, the path of most resistance isn’t typically the favored route in MMA. Instead of taking Mir on in grappling, dos Santos needs to use his prolific takedown defense to stuff Mir’s takedowns, use his footwork to stay off the cage and keep the fight in the middle of the Octagon.

Go for the kill

So, we know how Mir wins, but it’s equally important to note how he loses.

Mir has lost five times in his career, and five times he’s been knocked out. The fight is two days away, and already dos Santos should be smelling blood. If he gets Mir in a bad way, he should stay composed, follow up and work to finish the fight.

Mir is generally a resilient fighter, but he folds when getting hit repeatedly in the face really hard. Weird, right?

Easy as A, B, C

So, there you have it. It’s a pretty straight forward path to victory for dos Santos…stay on his feet, punch Mir hard and go for the kill. I know, easier said than done.

Can he do it? Tune in Saturday to find out…

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UFC 145: Mark Hominick vs. Eddie Yagin Head-to-Toe Breakdown

As I write this, there are exactly 48 hours left until the UFC pay-per-view drought comes to a close.At 10 pm (ET) on Saturday, April 21, as Bruce Buffer proclaims that we are, in fact, live, featherweights Mark Hominick and Eddie Yagin will be backsta…

As I write this, there are exactly 48 hours left until the UFC pay-per-view drought comes to a close.

At 10 pm (ET) on Saturday, April 21, as Bruce Buffer proclaims that we are, in fact, live, featherweights Mark Hominick and Eddie Yagin will be backstage warming up for their PPV tilt.

Currently on a two-fight losing streak, and coming off of a heartbreaking KO defeat against Chan-Sung Jung at UFC 140, Hominick desperately needs to get back to his winning ways to climb back up the 145-pound ladder.

Standing in his way will be Eddie Yagin. Coming off of a less-than-impressive UFC debut against Junior Assuncao, Yagin needs to overcome the odds and avoid the chopping block.

So, who will take the day? Let’s review it one point at a time.

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Testosterone Replacement Therapy in MMA: Why It Needs to Be Banned Outright

Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) has been the subject of endless discussion and debate ever since the much publicized suspension of Chael Sonnen by the California State Athletic Commission for failing to properly disclose his use of TRT prior to …

Many arguments have been made for and against TRT use in the cage. Some say it is medically necessary, such as Nate Marquardt. Some say it’s a potential danger to both the fighters using it and their opponents. Others say, well, it’s just not that big of a deal.

Though testosterone levels can be checked by athletic commissions prior to or after bouts, testing is expensive, inconsistent, and not always effective. Mike Chiappetta of MMAFighting.com recently wrote a very thorough and detailed article about this very issue.

I don’t think anyone will argue that TRT does have its medical uses for people who have an actual need for it; it is intended to combat the effects of declining testosterone levels seen in men typically due to aging, hypogonadism, or a pituitary gland dysfunction. Such effects can include reduced sex drive, decreased energy, depression, reduction of muscle mass, increase in body fat, etc.

However, as far as I’m concerned, TRT use as a sports performance enhancer should not be allowable for any reason. Therapeutic use exemptions be damned.

I think it’s fairly obvious that providing a therapeutic exemption for a treatment or substance, that is otherwise banned, provides fighters with the opportunity to exploit a loophole in a State Athletic Commission’s rules.

Is it possible that a fighter, for one reason or another, truly has low testosterone and needs TRT? Yes, of course. Is it just as possible that, in a sport so grueling on the body, a fighter might fake the need for TRT—or hide it’s use altogether—to gain an advantage? Of course.

And therein lies the problem.

TRT is too exploitable and can easily be used as a performance enhancer in order to aid recovery or gain strength and endurance.

Some might say that it’s unfair to ban TRT, thereby putting a fighter with a medical condition on an uneven playing field, but since when do sports have to be played on a level playing field, especially at the professional level?

Combat sports embody the most basic form of competition. As they say, “Two men enter, one man leaves.” Fighters should be stepping into the ring/cage to put their skills and natural abilities to the test. Like it or not, your body is what it is. Not the fastest guy in the world? Maybe you shouldn’t try to be an Olympic sprinter. Not the smartest? Chess probably isn’t your game.

If you’re a fighter and your testosterone levels decrease to the point where you can’t cut it anymore, then it might just be time for a new career, as tough as that is to face.

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Cutting Through the Noise: On King Mo, Racism, and Speaking English

As it turns out, it isn’t always good to be the king.On Tuesday, March 27, the Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal for nine months, fined him 30% of his $80,000 fight purse, and stripped him of his $15,000 win bonus for …

As it turns out, it isn’t always good to be the king.

On Tuesday, March 27, the Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal for nine months, fined him 30% of his $80,000 fight purse, and stripped him of his $15,000 win bonus for failing a post-fight drug test following his Jan 7 fight against Lorenz Larkin, as well as failing to properly disclose information regarding his supplements and knee injury on a medical questionnaire.

Though just two days old, this story has been broken down, discussed, rehashed, and assessed from just about all possible angles. Nary a soul, save perhaps Lawal himself, believes he was unfairly punished by the NSAC.

Rather, the controversy stems from a seemingly innocuous question, asked some 10 minutes into the hearing, from NSAC commissioner Pat Lundvall (the audio can be found below, at around minute 6:55, courtesy of MMA Weekly):

“Can you understand English? Can you read English?”

Perceiving Lundvall’s question as not only disrespectful, but racist, Lawal later posted a tweet (which has since been deleted) saying he felt Lundvall was “a racist bitch in asking [him] if [he] can read or speak english.”

Shortly thereafter, Strikeforce announced Lawal had been cut from their roster, sparking the aforementioned discussion and rehashing of the situation by MMA media and fans alike.

The various reactions to this situation that I’ve encountered all seem to generally agree that Lawal’s NSAC punishment was just, his reaction was foolhardy, and that Lundvall’s question was maybe a bit rude, if not downright inappropriate.

One notable exception, that I take particular issue with, is Kevin Iole’s reaction. In a piece for Yahoo Sports entitled “Media had it all wrong: Commissioner wasn’t racist and Lawal got what he deserved,” Iole presents the case that Lundvall was simply doing her job, building a case during questioning about why Lawal failed to accurately fill out the pre-fight medical questionnaire:

Lundvall’s reason for asking Lawal if he read and understood English is what lawyers do when they’re building a case during questioning. She was boxing him in and leaving him no room. When he said yes, she asked about why he didn’t disclose the knee injury on the questionnaire he filled out at the weigh-in and why he didn’t mention he was taking something for it.

It had zero racist intent. She was trying to expose that Lawal hadn’t been forthcoming with the commission until he was forced to do so.

Iole’s point is well taken. Lundvall was attempting to box Lawal in. But that does not make it right, nor does it make it appropriate.

The correct time for a question meant to determine language fluency is at the beginning of a trial or hearing. It’s a common and accepted practice during a plea litany to ensure the defendant understands English and doesn’t need a translator in order to adequately partake in the legal proceedings. Determining one’s understanding of the language being spoken needs to occur before questions are asked, not during.

Rolling your eyes, taking an annoyed tone, and asking this question 10 minutes into the NSAC proceedings, when the defendant—a college graduate, I should add—has been responding to English, in English, is purely incendiary and unprofessional. She may as well have said, “Are you an idiot?”

As for whether or not the question can be perceived as racist, well, that’s another issue altogether.

I am a white male. I have never been the victim of racism. By all reasonable standards, I am not a qualified arbiter for what is, or is not, racist. For me, or any other person who hasn’t themselves faced racism, to say that Lawal is incorrect in his perception of Lundvall’s question is out of line.

If someone that clearly knows I speak English asked me if I spoke English, I wouldn’t assume they were attacking my intellect based upon my race. But I’ve never had my intellect questioned because of my race. For other reasons, sure, but never because of my race.

Lawal explains in an interview with Bloody Elbow—where he also comments that Lundvall rolled her eyes—that this has happened to him many times. It’s through that experiential lens which Lawal interpreted Lundvall’s question. It doesn’t excuse his reaction, which was unprofessional in itself, but who are we to deem his feelings incorrect?

Regardless of where you happen to stand on this issue, I think all can agree on this point: If Lundvall’s question—and, more importantly, the timing and way in which she asked it—was completely acceptable and ordinary, this wouldn’t be a discussion.

Res ipsa loquitor. The thing speaks for itself.

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UFC on FUEL TV: Jonathan Brookins vs. Vagner Rocha Technical Breakdown

Before the UFC’s first fight card goes live on FUEL TV, five preliminary fights will stream live on Facebook. One of the tougher matches of the night features two featherweight grapplers, Jonathan Brookins and Vagner Rocha.Brookins, winner of The …

Brookins, winner of The Ultimate Fighter Season 12, is looking to bounce back from a decision loss to Erik Koch after a lengthy injury layoff. Rocha, on the other hand, is aiming to get a win streak going after defeating Cody McKenzie in his second Octagon appearance.

Both men excel on the ground, which makes for an interesting and stylistic matchup of wrestling vs. jiu-jitsu.

So, who will reign the day? Let’s take it point by point…

Striking

Neither man is known for their prowess on the feet, and according to FightMetric, both get hit more than they do the hitting.

Against Michael Johnson in the TUF 12 finale, Brookins showed an inability to keep his chin tucked, which led to him resorting to a top-control game to take a decision.

Rocha has historically been a more accurate striker than Brookins, though much of his success came against McKenzie, whose standup is frankly a joke.

Should this fight stay standing, which certainly could happen given each man’s grappling prowess, I like Brookins to utilize his slight size advantage and out-punch Rocha.

Slight Edge: Brookins

Grappling

This is a tough one. Both Brookins and Rocha have earned a vast majority of their wins via submission. Both are the most threatening on the ground.

Rocha’s jiu-jitsu is at a much higher level than Brookins, though Brookins is a much stronger wrestler with a stifling top-control game. It’s hard to say which will win out, but if either fighter gets in trouble on their feet, it’ll be difficult to fall back on their grappling as a way out.

Rocha certainly won’t want to end up on his back with Brookins past his guard, but I think it’s safe to say that Rocha presents a greater fight-finishing threat on the ground.

Slight Edge: Rocha

I sincerely doubt we’ll see either fighter tire out mid-fight, and both are very durable. Rocha has never been stopped, and Brookins sole KO loss came to current featherweight champ Jose Aldo. It’s hard to find another aspect of the fight that provides either man with a notable advantage, and I expect this to be a hard-fought, close contest.

Neither fighter is clearly better than the other but Brookins is bigger, and it’s pretty hard to overcome a big, strong wrestler if he’s able to implement his game.

Pick: Brookins by decision.

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UFC on FUEL TV: Stefan Struve vs. Dave Herman Technical Breakdown

This Wednesday, Feb. 15, the UFC expands their programming on FUEL with the first UFC on FUEL TV, featuring Diego Sanchez vs. Jake Ellenberger.But first, in the co-main event of the evening, Dave Herman returns to the Octagon following his successful d…

This Wednesday, Feb. 15, the UFC expands their programming on FUEL with the first UFC on FUEL TV, featuring Diego Sanchez vs. Jake Ellenberger.

But first, in the co-main event of the evening, Dave Herman returns to the Octagon following his successful debut against John-Olav Einemo. Herman was set to face Mike Russow at UFC 136, but the fight was cancelled after Herman failed a preliminary drug test, having tested positive for marijuana.

Now, Herman faces Stefan Struve, who is coming off of a submission victory over Pat Barry at UFC on Versus 6. Struve, 6-3 in the UFC, is looking to continue his path to the top of the heavyweight division.

So, what will happen when the big boys go toe-to-toe? Let’s take it point by point…

Striking

Neither man is one to shy away from a slugfest, though Herman’s 15 knockouts and only one knockout loss are hard to ignore when compared to Struve’s five knockouts and four knockout losses.

Should Herman find his way to Struve’s chin, it could be a quick night for the Dutchman, though Herman will have to contend with something that few men hold over him: Struve’s seven-inch height and reach advantage.

Struve’s best chance at winning the standup fight is to keep Herman on the outside, pick him apart with shots and not allow him to get inside and trade shot-for-shot.

However, Struve hasn’t historically shown a good ability to utilize his jab and keep his opponent from getting to his chin. I don’t expect this fight to be any different and think Herman will be able to land on Struve with power, though he may eat a few shots on the way.

Edge: Herman

Grappling

The exact opposite of their striking successes, Struve has 15 submission victories to Herman’s five. Utilizing his long limbs, Struve has earned a majority of his submission wins via triangle choke. He doesn’t often look for takedowns, but, if planted on his back, Struve’s guard is a dangerous place to play.

Herman is no slouch when it comes to grappling, training as he does with all of the notable wrestlers at Team Quest. But knowing Struve is dangerous on the ground, Herman won’t likely look to shoot for takedowns. He’ll also have to keep Struve from grabbing a hold of him and pulling guard or taking his back, though that shouldn’t pose much of a problem.

Ultimately, Struve poses the larger threat on the ground, and his heavily guard-based submission game will likely be enough to keep Herman from engaging in a prolonged ground battle.

Edge: Struve

Toughness

In my opinion, this is a much more even category than the others. Both Struve and Herman are very durable and can take a lot of damage.

As demonstrated against Christian Morecraft, Struve is able to take a round-long beating and come back hard to get a win. Similarly, Herman showed a sizable heart against Einemo, recovering from a big knee to finish Einemo.

It’s hard to say which fighter can ultimately take more damage. But, given Herman’s punching power, I don’t like Struve’s chances should the two decide to get into an iron-chin competition.

Edge: Herman

This should be an exciting, tough fight, with each fighter capable of stopping of the fight anywhere. When all is said and done, I think Herman’s power and toughness will shine through. If he can get inside of Struve’s reach and defend against any submissions Struve throws up, I like him to get a second- or third-round stoppage.

Pick: Herman by KO

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