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UFC 164: Fighters Under Most Pressure to Shine in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

UFC 164 is set to commence on Saturday, Aug. 31 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. On the main card are some of the top fighters in the world, with featherweights, lightweights and heavyweights competing for career advancement.
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The question is, which fighters are under the most pressure to shine?

Mixed martial arts is unlike most other sport, as it only takes a string of defeats to render your career temporarily halted. In other instances, a fighter can go from title contention to the label of a bust within moments.

A group of fighters on the UFC 164 main card can be found in either one of those two predicaments.

“Winning cures everything” is a phrase used throughout the sports world, but never has it been more applicable than to professional fighting. If the following fighters are to pick up much-needed victories, they’ll not only improve their career trajectory, but potentially salvage their future with UFC.

Plain and simple, the pressure is on.

Benson Henderson

Opponent: Anthony Pettis

Class: Lightweight

Record: 19-2

Benson Henderson is the reigning UFC Lightweight Champion, owns a record of 19-2 and hasn’t lost since Dec. 16, 2010. Not only has he gone undefeated for close to three years, but he’s a perfect 7-0 during his UFC career.

Unfortunately, the last person he lost to is the fighter he’s facing at UFC 164. Fortunately, a win would do wonders for his legacy.

Henderson will clash with Anthony Pettis, who defeated Henderson for the WEC Lightweight Championship via unanimous decision. Pettis has since gone 3-1 in the UFC, winning all but his debut fight against Clay Guida.

There’s no question that Henderson is one of the best fighters in the world, but it’d be hard to defend an instant rematch if he were to lose a second consecutive fight to Pettis.

Henderson’s legacy wouldn’t take too much of a hit if he lost, but Pettis is his biggest rival and falling into an 0-2 hole against him would be devastating. With a win, however, Henderson would affirm his status as the best in the lightweight division.

He’s elite regardless, but Henderson needs a win over Pettis to avoid losing their rivalry.

Erik Koch

Opponent: Dustin Poirier

Class: Featherweight

Record: 13-2

Erik Koch is regarded as one of the better featherweight fighters in the world, and rightfully so. He’s compiled a record of 13-2, is 2-1 in the UFC and owns seven victories via submission and three via knockout.

With that being said, Koch hasn’t won a fight since Sep. 17, 2011.

Injuries have put up a road block on Koch’s career path, as both he and Jose Aldo suffered ailments that prevented their title fight in 2012. After a tumultuous year of missed opportunities, he took on Ricardo Lamas with the opportunity to rekindle his rivalry with Aldo, but lost via TKO in the second round.

A second consecutive loss would be nothing short of devastating.

Koch’s fight against Lamas was expected to be a prerequisite to a long-awaited clash against Aldo, but that wasn’t to be. Instead, he was sent out with a TKO loss and is now in need of a rebound performance to re-affirm his status as a fighter who deserves a title opportunity.

If Koch fails to win this fight, we may never see the battle between he and Aldo. If we do, it won’t be in the near future.

Frank Mir

Opponent: Josh Barnett

Class: Heavyweight

Record: 16-7

Frank Mir is one of the most respected technicians in all of mixed martial arts, pairing an elite ground game with a wide-array of submission maneuvers. During the course of his career, he’s forced fighters such as Brock Lesnar, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Tim Sylvia to submit.

Prior to those fights, Lesnar, Sylvia and Nogueira had never tapped out.

Unfortunately for Mir, his past success is irrelevant to his success today, as he’s lost two consecutive fights. He suffered a second round TKO defeat against Junior dos Santos and lost via unanimous decision against Daniel Cormier.

Up next is a critical fight against Josh Barnett.

Barnett hasn’t fought in the UFC since defeating Randy Couture on Mar. 22, 2002, mainly due to the positive test for steroids that had him stripped of the heavyweight title, per USA TODAY. Even still, Barnett is a revered submission artist who is just as likely to strike as Mir.

A win would do wonders for Mir’s career, but a loss would effectively eliminate his chances of contending for the title. His UFC future could come into question, as well.

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Jon Jones Faces Legitimate Threat in Alexander Gustafsson

On Sep. 21, 2013, reigning Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones will face rising star Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165. The event will be held at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada, where Jones previously defeated Vitor Belfort and Lyoto Machida, …

It may take an actual defeat for Jones to be viewed as anything but the heavy favorite, but Gustafsson is a legitimate threat to Bones’ crown.

Jones has defeated some of the top fighters in the world, including Belfort, Rashad Evans, Quinton Jackson, Machida and Chael Sonnen. He’s 18-1, and the only loss he’s ever experienced was a result of a disqualification for using an illegal 12-to-6 elbow on Matt Hamill.

Just don’t think Gustafsson is an unworthy competitor.

As you can see in the video provided above, the man can fight.

Gustafsson has grown as a fighter over the past three years, developing into one of the better in-ring performers in the UFC. Defeating Jones will take a monumental effort, but that doesn’t mean the Swedish star can’t do it.

Keep in mind, he’s already proven his worth against the ranks of the elite.

Since losing to Phil Davis at UFC 112, Gustafsson has gone from one of MMA‘s best strikers to an all-around competitor. He’s improved his wrestling, working with Davis, and has even developed an understanding for submissions.

As a result, he’s won six consecutive fights.

Gustafsson‘s past four wins have come against Matt Hamill, Vladimir Matyushenko, Thiago Silva and Mauricio Rua. To begin this impressive four-fight stretch, he became just the second person to knock out Hamill, with UFC legend Rich Franklin serving as the other.

Gustafsson also joined Andrei Arlovski, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and, you guessed it, Jon “Bones” Jones as the only men to have knocked out Matyushenko.

In his most recent fights, Gustafsson defeated two of the world’s best in Rua and Silva. Silva is undeniably controversial, but that doesn’t discredit his lethal ability in the ring, nor does it take away from the significance of Gustafsson‘s victory.

It was an impressive unanimous decision that truly set him on his title path.

Rua, meanwhile, was the UFC light heavyweight champion as recently as March of 2011, before losing it to Jones. Following in the footsteps of the reigning champion, Gustafsson defeated Shogun, winning yet another unanimous decision affair.

Just like that, we had ourselves a title contender.

Defeating the reigning champion will be an entirely different animal, as the pressure and competitor is unlike anything Gustafsson has previously faced. Jones has a powerful case for being recognized as the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world, and this is Gustafsson‘s first title fight.

With that being said, this isn’t just a low-profile opponent who Jones can afford to overlook. Gustafsson is a legitimate threat.

Again, Jones remains the favorite to win this fight, and rightfully so. Outside of Georges St-Pierre and perhaps Jose Aldo, there isn’t a fighter in the world who rivals Jones for the title of the best pound-for-pound competitor.

Just don’t think that makes him untouchable.

Gustafsson is an aggressive striker who has a penchant for attacking early and overwhelming his opponent. This approach may be dangerous, but it’s also what has taken the Swedish striker this far to begin with.

Jones is the rational favorite, but Gustafsson has every skill necessary to bring him down.

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Anderson Silva Must Defeat Chris Weidman to Move into Next Chapter of Career

On Saturday, Dec. 28, Anderson Silva will face Chris Weidman in the most highly anticipated rematch of the year. This will come just under seven months after Weidman knocked out Silva to mark his first career UFC loss.
In order to move into the next ch…

In order to move into the next chapter of his career, Silva must defeat Weidman to reclaim the middleweight title.

Silva had previously ruled over the UFC as the middleweight champion for just under seven years. He reigned supreme: He won 16 consecutive fights, defeating the world’s top middleweight and light heavyweight competitors.

Now, Silva must rebound from what appeared to be an effortless performance against a fighter who can match the best in the world at every step, as Freddie Roach so eloquently stated, per The MMA Hour.

“I definitely saw him get knocked out,” Roach said, referring to Silva’s UFC 162 loss to Chris Weidman on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour. “My thought on that is that he just plays around too much. I think it’s too easy for him sometimes. He just got caught playing around. In this sport, one punch can change things, and this isn’t a sport you should actually play [around].

“Obviously a loss is a loss. Regardless of how he lost or why he lost, it’s not anyone’s fault but your own,” Roach said. “It’s part of his career, it’s part of his life, so we can’t say, ‘Well, he wasn’t ready for that one,’ or, ‘He didn’t train for that one.’ It is going to be part of his legacy and I think he needs to come back and come back well.”

It’s hard to disagree with a single point made—well, outside of the final one.

Silva’s hands were at his sides, a smile was struck across his face, and arrogance was flowing throughout his body. This wasn’t the first time we’d seen it from him, but it was the first time we saw someone come through and use that arrogance against him.

In order to move on from this defeat, Silva must respond in a convincing manner.

Legacy OK, Career Path Not

For those who believe that Silva’s legacy has suffered because of a loss to Weidman is bordering on ignorance. Not only is Silva the greatest fighter in the history of the UFC, but he’s set a new standard for champions in mixed martial arts.

Seven years of dominance doesn’t disappear with one knockout.

Not only has Silva dominated the UFC, but there’s one fact we cannot ignore: Silva is 38. Not only is he removed from his prime, but it’s been quite some time since Spider has been anywhere near his prime.

For that reason, a knockout at this stage is hardly concerning when it comes to how he’s remembered.

What his legacy may not survive with a second knockout defeat at Weidman‘s hands, however, is his current career path. If they’re to fight in an even match and Spider is to eventually lose, that’s one story, but a knockout would be crippling—especially for a fighter looking to close his career out in style.

Closing Out Strong

There’s no question that Silva is looking to close his career out in style. If there’s one word to describe Silva’s style of fighting, it would be “showboat,” as Silva is known for his flash and flare as much as he is for his world-class fundamentals.

With this in mind, it’s hard to imagine Silva closing out his season against anyone other than those at the top of his craft.

Silva’s most attractive options for future fights are superstar opponents Georges St-Pierre and Jon “Bones” Jones. Both men are viewed as the best at their weight class, with St-Pierre serving as the only active fighter who rivals Silva in terms of legacy.

Consider Silva vs. St-Pierre to be MMA’s version of Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao.

If Silva is knocked out by Weidman for the second consecutive time, it would take at least one match before Silva could make either of those superfights a possibility. At that rate, Silva would be 39 when facing either man.

Consider this fight a must-win if Silva wishes to continue his career and close to a non-factor in terms of the impact on Spider’s legendary legacy.

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UFC 163 Results: Key Statistics from Phil Davis’ Debated Win over Lyoto Machida

Perhaps the most controversial ending at UFC 163 came as Phil Davis picked up a unanimous decision victory over Lyoto Machida. With the local Brazilian crowd, as well as many at home, scoring the fight in favor of Machida, it was Davis who walked away …

The question is, what key statistics defined Davis’ debated win over Machida?

Some offered up the belief that Machida won all three rounds, thus clearly deserving to win the fight as a whole. Others believed that every time Machida supposedly stepped up, Davis countered with a block or a move of his own.

Even UFC president Dana White had Machida winning this one in dominant fashion.

Unfortunately for the Brazilian star, the judges didn’t agree.

Some have speculated—and with good reason—that the judges penalized Machida for refusing to engage Davis. That’s been an issue in many of his recent fights, as Machida fights defensively and picks his spots as he becomes the aggressor.

The question is, what numbers truly defined this fight?

During the course of the clash between Davis and Machida, there was a visible contrast in fighting style. While Davis consistently brought the fight to Machida, attempting takedowns throughout, the latter decided to keep the clash on two feet.

Just check the numbers.

The chart placed above measures strike percentage.

Machida‘s unwillingness to grapple may have played into his defeat, but that was hardly the only number worth knowing. Instead, the best measure of this fight may have been the impact that approach had on the fight—not just the way it happened.

Upon evaluating the numbers, it’s clear that Machida was the man who landed the most significant strikes.

Normally, landing more significant head and body strikes would be enough to secure a decision.

This is a clear example of the judges rewarding the fighter who was more aggressive, thus being perceived as the pace-controlling fighter. Even as Machida outclassed Davis in efficiency and effectiveness, his defensive style wasn’t appreciated—even if the numbers say it should’ve been.

According to FightMetric.com, 44.3 percent of Machida‘s total attempts landed as significant strikes. He converted 27 by that measurement, which ended up being his grand total for overall connected punches and kicks.

By comparison, the same source reports that 21.4 percent of Davis’ attempts were significant strikes, with nine of the 21 going to the legs. Only 12 went to the head or body, which pales in comparison to Machida‘s 23.

The deciding factor, however, was not the amount of significant strikes landed, nor was it the efficiency. Instead, it was all about style in this one, as the judges made a point to acknowledge the following numbers.

Davis landed 29-of-98 total strikes to Machida‘s 27-of-61.

The final numbers on each man’s behalf are what defined this outcome, as Davis threw 37 more punches and kicks than Machida. Furthermore, Davis was 2-for-10 on takedowns, while Machida didn’t register a single try.

To quote the backhanded compliment that no one wants to hear, the judges gave Davis an A for effort and completely overlooked Machida‘s efficient dominance.

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Aldo vs. Jung: Junior’s Best Potential Opponents After Dismantling Korean Zombie

In one of the more gruesome endings of the night, Jose Aldo retained his featherweight championship with a TKO victory over Chan Sung Jung at UFC 163. In a testament to Aldo’s relentlessness, he targeted Jung’s separated shoulder with kicks that eventu…

The question is, what’s next for Aldo after dismantling “The Korean Zombie”?

It wasn’t easy for Aldo, as he’s now fought nine rounds over the course of his past two fights. This time around, Jung displayed heart and proved that he could put on an entertaining fight, but Aldo was simply too much to handle.

Unfortunately, Jung wasn’t the only one who walked away with an injury.

Perhaps, this is a blessing in disguise, as the featherweight champion will finally have time to rest.

Once Aldo makes a full recovery, however, the UFC will be looking to book him in yet another high-profile main event. As the king of the featherweights, it’s more than probable that Aldo’s options are wide-open, as top fighters in multiple weight classes look to bring the champion down.

The question is, who should Aldo face next?

Benson Henderson/Anthony Pettis

Benson Henderson is set to face Anthony Pettis at UFC 164 on Aug. 31, 2013. Henderson, the reigning lightweight champion, is preparing to face the man whom he lost to at WEC 53 on Dec. 16, 2010.

Regardless of who wins, moving up to fight at Lightweight may be the best option for Aldo.

Aldo simply can’t be touched, stepping in at 23-1 without a loss on Nov. 26, 2005. Since joining the UFC, he’s won five consecutive fights, defeating some of the top names in the mixed martial arts industry.

Having defeated virtually every rational featherweight opponent, moving up may just be the best decision for Aldo to make.

Henderson is 19-2, the reigning lightweight champion and the 2012 UFC Fighter of the Year. He’s won seven consecutive fights, including two over Frankie Edgar and decisions over Nate Diaz and Gilbert Melendez.

Pettis is 16-2, a two-time UFC Knockout of the Night winner and 3-1 since entering the UFC. He’s won three consecutive fights, including back-to-back first-round knockouts against Joe Lauzon and Donald Cerrone.

The only question at this point is whether or not Aldo would be willing to move up in weight class to fight either star.

Chad Mendes

In 15 fights as a professional mixed martial artist, Chad Mendes is 14-1. The only time he lost was on Jan. 14, 2012, when Aldo blasted him with a knee to the face to win by knockout with exactly one second remaining in the first round.

Prior to that knee, it was a relatively even fight that displayed the potential for greatness. Since that clash, Mendes has been untouchable.

It’s time for a rematch.

In his three fights since losing to Aldo, Mendes has pulled off three consecutive knockout victories. Not only has he defeated those opponents, but Mendes has absolutely decimated everyone who has come in his path.

None of those three fights made it out of the first round.

Mendes’ recent dominance, as well as the even-but-brief battle between him and Aldo in 2012, suggests that he’s next in line. While there may be alternate candidates, Mendes appears to be the most probable pick.

It doesn’t get much better than three consecutive first-round knockouts.

Cub Swanson

On June 7, 2009, it took Aldo eight seconds to defeat Cub Swanson via TKO with a gorgeous double flying high knee. That seemed to have broken Swanson’s confidence, as he proceeded to go 2-2 during his next four fights.

Since then, Swanson has won five in a row, including four via TKO or knockout.

To say that Swanson would love a fight against Aldo in eight seconds, once again, would be nothing short of naive. Not only has he he made tremendous strides over the past four years, but that flying knee would have knocked out anyone it connected with.

Four years wiser, something tells us Swanson wouldn’t let that happen again.

With momentum on his side, it’d certainly be an intriguing matchup if Swanson and Aldo were to cross paths again. Not only is the former winning fights, but he’s also dominating his opponents and putting on flashy finishes.

If anyone could exact revenge on Aldo, wouldn’t you place your money on the fighter with a tendency to knock his opponents out?

At UFC 162 on July 6, 2013, Swanson defeated respected fighter Dennis Siver by knockout in the third round. That marked the second time Siver had ever been knocked out and the first in 13 fights—a span of one day over five calendar years.

It’s safe to say that Swanson is primed and ready.

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Anderson Silva Has Nothing to Gain from Rematch with Chris Weidman

On Dec. 28, 2013, Anderson Silva will challenge Chris Weidman for the middleweight title at UFC 168. This comes after Weidman defeated Silva by knockout at UFC 162 to dethrone The Spider after a near seven-year reign.
As entertaining a fight as it coul…

As entertaining a fight as it could be, Silva has nothing to gain from a rematch with Weidman.

Weidman‘s victory over Silva was not without controversy, as the Brazilian taunted his opponent and continued his less-than-interested approach to his recent fights. This time around, however, Silva picked the wrong fighter to mess with.

During a recent interview with ESPN, UFC president Dana White claimed that the rematch between the two will be the biggest fight in the history of the organization.

The question on everyone’s mind is simple: Which Silva will we see? Will it be the champion that ruled over the UFC for the better part of a decade, or the fighter who doesn’t have an ounce of care remaining in his body?

Coming off of the first loss of his UFC career, we’ll put our money on the former—even if it doesn’t impact his legacy.

Legacy Solidified

If Weidman is to defeat Silva in a second consecutive fight, he will inevitably become one of the most respected fighters in the world. If Silva wins his title back from Weidman, then there will be a different effect.

Excuse me, I meant to say that there will be no effect.

Silva is the most accomplished fighter in the history of the UFC. From titles to winning streaks, no fighter has been able to achieve what Silva has.

Jon Jones and Weidman‘s respective rises to fame doesn’t change that.

Silva spent seven years in the UFC before losing a fight, holding the middleweight title for 2,457 total days. In that time, he’s picked up a record 12 post-fight awards, including a UFC-best seven Knockout of the Night honors.

Plain and simple, there isn’t anything left for Silva to achieve.

If he’s to lose to Weidman, then some will jump to conclusions and label him as a humanized fighter. The truth of the matter is, Silva has dominated the sport for so long that losses at this stage of his career have no impact on his legacy.

After all, he is 38.

38 Years Old

The UFC has seen countless legendary fighters, ranging from Royce Gracie and Matt Hughes to Georges St. Pierre and B.J. Penn. They also have fighters on the rise, with the likes of Jon Jones and Chris Weidman taking the MMA world by storm.

At the age of 38, no fan would use their fight results as the definition of their respective legacies—so why should we use that logic with Silva?

Silva isn’t a fighter in his prime, but instead one that is more than five years removed from his athletic peak. Even still, he’s dominated the UFC for more than seven calendar years, defeating everyone who stepped in his path.

At the age of 38, it’s hardly surprising that Silva finally met his match.

This is not an indictment of Silva’s legacy as something less than legendary, but instead a sign that Weidman has arrived. While fighting this rematch makes sense based off of the fact that Silva is the ex-champion, there’s nothing for Silva to gain.

One way or another, he remains the most dominant fighter in the history of the UFC.

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