Author: McKinley Noble

UFC 157: Don’t Be Surprised If Dan Henderson Never Gets Another Title Shot

Throughout recent years, last-minute injuries and weird accidents have robbed MMA fans of some fantastic potential matches.Just imagine, what if every UFC fighter stayed healthy?(And what if there wasn’t insurance as their safety net?)In the past year …

Throughout recent years, last-minute injuries and weird accidents have robbed MMA fans of some fantastic potential matches.

Just imagine, what if every UFC fighter stayed healthy?

(And what if there wasn’t insurance as their safety net?)

In the past year alone, we’ve lost Mark Munoz vs. Chael Sonnen, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Alexander Gustafsson, Urijah Faber vs. Dominick Cruz III, Shane Carwin vs. Roy Nelson, Gray Maynard vs. Joe Lauzon and Forrest Griffin vs. Phil Davis—all due to one injury or another.

Despite all that, perhaps no cancellation was worse than Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson.

Not only did an injury to Henderson’s knee scrap the title fight, but it also set off a chain of events that led to nearly every acceptable replacement turning down a match against the champion.

But Jones himself suffered the most backlash, pulling out of the card altogether when Chael Sonnen was granted a shot at his belt, effectively killing UFC 151 on the spot.

Since then, more facts came to light and it’s arguable that the entire incident was more Henderson’s fault than anyone else’s, as UFC president Dana White himself noted (via MMA Junkie):

“Dan Henderson knew two weeks before the fight,” White said Tuesday on FUEL TV’s “UFC Tonight.” “Two weeks before he told me he was injured, he knew. Had he given me that two weeks like he should have, [UFC 151] might have happened. He’s definitely to blame too.” 

And with the former Strikeforce and Pride FC two-division champion’s recent loss to No. 1 contender Lyoto Machida (by an impressive razor-thin decision, no less), it’s probably fair to say that “Hendo” won’t sniff a UFC title shot ever again.

Now that he’s temporarily out of the title picture, there’s nothing left for Henderson but tough fights against stiff competition.

Fringe contenders like Phil Davis, Glover Teixeira, Ryan Bader, Nogueira and even the loser of Gustafsson vs. Gegard Mousasi aren’t as difficult to fight as Machida, but they all present challenges that the aging veteran would be hard-pressed to deal with.

Plus, Dana White just might hold that grudge against Hendo for a while.

Ideally, Henderson never should have been fighting Machida in the first place.

After his 3-1 stint in Strikeforce ended with the knockout of Fedor Emelianenko, Hendo’s epic battle with Mauricio Rua at UFC 139 is reason enough that he should’ve had to fight anyone else for a title shot.

But he hid his injury, ruined UFC 151 and forced parent company Zuffa to cancel the event, costing an estimated $40 million (via MMA Fighting’s Dave Meltzer).

That puts the former “No.1 contender” in the doghouse.

Plus, White’s new stance on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) means that Henderson, a known patient and longtime user, could be outright blocked from the title picture just like Vitor Belfort might have been, this author suspects.

It might not be fair, but 42-year-old Henderson has possibly missed his last chance at ever holding a UFC title belt, much less even competing for one.

That is, unless Sonnen and Machida suddenly get themselves injured before UFC 159 and every other light heavyweight on the roster inexplicably falls off the face of the Earth at same time. But a situation like that will surely never happen again—right?

 

McKinley Noble is an MMA conspiracy theorist and FightFans Radio writer. His work has appeared in GamePro, Macworld and PC World. Talk with him on Twitter.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 157: Urijah Faber Saves His Job and Makes a Statement vs. Ivan Menjivar

Even though it was hard to believe that Urijah Faber was on the chopping black at UFC 157, “The California Kid” hasn’t had the best UFC career so far.After all, before this Saturday, the Team Alpha Male star was a pedestrian 2-2 in the promotion.Moreov…

Even though it was hard to believe that Urijah Faber was on the chopping black at UFC 157, “The California Kid” hasn’t had the best UFC career so far.

After all, before this Saturday, the Team Alpha Male star was a pedestrian 2-2 in the promotion.

Moreover, Faber was also coming off a horrible loss to interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao in one of the worst pay-per-views ever presented by the UFC.

But that’s far from the whole story.

Despite his frequent losses in title fights, Faber is that rare kind of fighter who simply doesn’t lose to anything less than the sport’s elite talents.

Fans were reminded of that as Faber deftly made quick work of solid veteran Ivan Menjivar, putting on a ground-game clinic that saw him use nearly every facet of his impressive skill set.

Menjivar attempted to set the tone early with a beautiful judo toss takedown, but a calm Faber quickly turned it around and gained top position without much trouble.

From there, Faber set down in Menjivar’s guard, avoiding submissions and beating his foe into the mat.

Raining down elbow after elbow after elbow, it was pretty clear that the former champion hadn’t lost a step.

But as if that weren’t impressive enough, Faber baited Menjivar—a submission expert in his own right—into giving up his back.

As usual, that set up another highlight-reel victory.

Jumping on the El Salvadorian’s torso with a Spider-Man-esque attack, Faber literally shimmed himself onto his opponent’s back, digging in hooks and cinching in a picture-perfect rear-naked choke submission while Menjivar was still on his feet.

It goes without saying, but that should be good enough for Faber to keep his job.

Now that another dominant victory is in the bag, MMA fans can once again be reminded that Faber is still a solid notch above most other fighters in the lighter weight classes—even if he continually comes up short against the champions.

 

McKinley Noble is an MMA conspiracy theorist and FightFans Radio writer. His work has appeared in GamePro, Macworld and PC World. Talk with him on Twitter.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 157: Dennis Bermudez vs. Matt Grice Makes Early Claim for Fight of the Year

It’s only February, but UFC featherweights Dennis Bermudez and Matt Grice have given MMA fans an early “Fight of the Year” candidate.In just 15 minutes, this match could’ve been stopped four different times.Early in the first round, Grice flubbed …

It’s only February, but UFC featherweights Dennis Bermudez and Matt Grice have given MMA fans an early “Fight of the Year” candidate.

In just 15 minutes, this match could’ve been stopped four different times.

Early in the first round, Grice flubbed a takedown and found himself on his back, with Bermudez sitting on his chest and blasting him with hard shots to the face.

Somehow, Grice fought back to his feet and turned the whole round on its head by flooring Bermudez with a monstrous left hook.

To put it mildly, Bermudez dropped like a sack of bricks.

For a moment, it looked like he went to sleep as Bermudez’s head nearly scrapped the mat, while referee Herb Dean nearly rushing in to save him.

Amazingly, the Long Island MMA wrestler kept his wits about him, although Grice pressured him for the next round-and-a-half.

Going into the third round, it looked like Grice would snatch the win away from Bermudez, much like he did against Leonard Garcia last June.

But then, Bermudez hit his rally.

Trapping Grice against the fence, “Dennis the Menace” hit his opponent with punches, knees, kicks, elbows and just about everything else he could come up with.

Looking closely at the action, it seemed bad for Grice, who seemed to be drowning under the assault.

Even Herb Dean seemed ready for it to end, nearly stepping it twice.

But even though he was unable to match that kind of aggressive volume so late in the fight, Grice showed just enough to keep going as he flailed desperate punches, shied away from punishment, and clinched for everything he was worth.

That whole exchange had the Honda Center crowd on their feet, as both men gamely fought with everything they could muster.

It was one of those fights that had the potential to steal the night away from everyone else on the preliminary card.

Huge momentum shifts, near stoppages, blood, sweat and amazing amounts of violence like that aren’t seen often enough to many MMA fans’ liking, but Bermudez and Grice definitely delivered in spades on Saturday.

 

McKinley Noble is an MMA conspiracy theorist and FightFans Radio writer. His work has appeared in GamePro, Macworld and PC World. Talk with him on Twitter.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Don’t Trust Dana: Is UFC 157’s Liz Carmouche Better Off Losing to Ronda Rousey?

Everything should go according to plan on Saturday during the UFC 157 main event.Ronda Rousey will storm out of the gate, eat a few punches in the clinch, then seal her seventh win with a trademark armbar submission in the first round, cementing the fu…

Everything should go according to plan on Saturday during the UFC 157 main event.

Ronda Rousey will storm out of the gate, eat a few punches in the clinch, then seal her seventh win with a trademark armbar submission in the first round, cementing the future of women’s mixed martial arts on the sport’s biggest stage.

That is, unless challenger Liz Carmouche actually beats her.

And while that would mark one of the biggest upsets in MMA history, it could also ruin everything that women’s MMA has worked so hard to achieve.

UFC president Dana White has made it no secret that his interest in female fighters goes only as far as his own Rousey fandom, telling anyone who asks that she’s “the only reason” women are even in the promotion (via MMA Fighting):

I don’t know how long this is going to last. This could last a year. This could be forever. The 135-pound division could fill up with tons of talent, and we could have tons of great fights. I can’t honestly sit here and predict what’s going to happen, but don’t kid yourself, this is absolutely the only reason this is happening is because of Ronda Rousey.

To date, that’s practically the most commitment that White has shown to female UFC fighters.

But is it just lip service? Can Uncle Dana really be trusted to keep his word when he says that the women’s division will continue on despite Rousey, taking their place on future pay-per-views and TV cards right alongside the men?

At the very least, he made it sound possible during the UFC 157 pre-fight press conference:

We put fights on free TV and fights on pay-per-view. These women are talented. They belong here and they’re gonna come in and fight on a card whether it’s pay-per-view, free TV, undercard or anything and they’ll prove it. We know what we’re doing. They’ve been training their whole lives. They’re the best in the world.

And while that all sounds good on-camera, there’s no telling if White be singing the same tune should Rousey suffer a violent, one-sided beating or a tedious decision loss.

Granted, hardly anyone in the media has had the guts to directly pressure the UFC president on whether the women’s division will die if Rousey loses to Carmouche—but very similar circumstances like this have been seen before.

Just look at what happened to former Strikeforce superstar Gina Carano in the aftermath of her August 2009 bout against Brazilian beast Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos.

One brutal round of vicious punishment erased Carano‘s 7-0 undefeated streak, her fighting career, and temporarily, the future of women’s MMA.

Just like that, Carano‘s star dimmed, leading her to find brighter lights in Hollywood.

But where Carano‘s loss just pushed Strikeforce closer to death, it would be far easier for the UFC to simply drop the women’s division altogether.

Each weight class needs a star. Heavyweight has Cain Velasquez. Welterweight has Georges St-Pierre and Nick Diaz. Middleweight has Anderson Silva. Light Heavyweight has Jon Jones.

But women’s bantamweights need Ronda Rousey—undefeated and dominant.

Even with all her success, “Rowdy” could very easily suffer the same fate as Carano, especially if she’s brutally beaten in the Octagon and subsequently smothered under a torrent of fan backlash from her numerous haters.

That’s why Liz Carmouche, for all her ambition and luck in co-headlining this historic fight, might ultimately be better off losing.

Should “Girl-Rilla” win on Saturday, the future of the division could suddenly be in doubt. Rousey‘s streak would be shattered. The new face of women’s MMA would be permanently bruised, forcing the UFC to shuffle the deck.

After all, parent company Zuffa wants to cut 100 more fighters. Who’s to say that the UFC’s six women—four of them who haven’t even fought in the Octagon yet—wouldn’t be on the chopping block?

All things considered, it’s a risky gamble for the challenger.

Carmouche is justified in wanting to beat Rousey, crown herself as the world’s best female fighter and take home a bigger paycheck than she’s ever seen in her career. But if Dana White closes the curtain on “The Ronda Rousey Show” and women’s MMA, does anyone really win?

 

McKinley Noble is an MMA conspiracy theorist and FightFans Radio writer. His work has appeared in GamePro, Macworld and PC World. Talk with him on Twitter.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC Cuts Jon Fitch: Why MMA Fans Really Shouldn’t Be That Surprised

Although Jon Fitch is one of the world’s elite welterweight talents, it didn’t stop him (along with 15 other fighters) from getting cut by the UFC.But as much as Fitch’s fans want to criticize the decision, the reality is that the American Kickboxing A…

Although Jon Fitch is one of the world’s elite welterweight talents, it didn’t stop him (along with 15 other fighters) from getting cut by the UFC.

But as much as Fitch’s fans want to criticize the decision, the reality is that the American Kickboxing Academy ace outlived his usefulness.

Let’s be frank here—the UFC welterweight division is bloated and Fitch was extra weight.

Even ignoring the fact that he’s been openly defiant to the UFC brass about his status in the company, Fitch was weight that the promotion could afford to shed. He’s not a capable headliner, but still remains a downright brilliant fighter who can knock off potential title contenders and young prospects.

There’s no point in keeping Fitch if he’s knocking off hot contenders while not challenging for the belt, as sports writer Tim Marchman accurately points out:

 

Plus, with the UFC desperate to make as many compelling “superfights” as they can (no matter how loosely the term fits), the company needs talents like Nick Diaz, Ronda Rousey and Carlos Condit—capable finishers and exciting trash talkers who can put butts in seats.

Fitch is always a great supplement for a fight card, but he’s lacked the charisma to get casual fans invested in his title hunt.

Heck, he’s only recently come around to the idea of being a more “fan-friendly” talent, after years of telling fans that he doesn’t care if they don’t like him and his fighting style (via Fight Day):

Either you’re a fan of the sport or you’re not. If you’re not a fan of the sport, go the [expletive] away. Pardon my French, but go away. We don’t want you here, we don’t need you here, because there are plenty of people who love the sport the way it is. Go away. We’re not going to keep changing the rules just to appease the people who only want to see guys boxing with small gloves. Go away. Watch something else.

Eventually, Fitch wised up about his own lack of hype and came around to the idea that being exciting matters—but it’s too-little too-late.

Being a finisher matters. Having causal fan appeal matters.

Moreover, Fitch is also coming off of a horrible loss to Demian Maia, which does nothing to help his case. Had Jon Fitch obliterated B.J. Penn and smothered Johny Hendricks, things would likely be very different.

Had Jon Fitch maintained an 8-0 winning streak before his recent loss, he would’ve been safe. Unfortunately, it’s more justifiable for the UFC to dump a “boring” veteran on a 1-2 stretch in his last three bouts.

Although it’s disappointing that the UFC would cut someone ranked as their No. 9 top welterweight, this should be a big reality check for his career.

Hopefully, Fitch can keep on rolling in some regional promotions and rack up a good winning streak to keep his name alive outside the UFC bubble.

Signing a contract with Bellator would essentially mean the death of his relationship with Zuffa, but there’s plenty of other promotions out there.

Maybe Fitch can sign up with the World Series of Fighting, or win a few international title belts.

Whatever the case, he needs to make his name matter a bit more. And if Fitch wants to get back into the UFC anytime soon before he really starts to fall out of his prime fighting years, he had better learn some self-promotion tactics in a hurry.

 

McKinley Noble is an MMA conspiracy theorist and FightFans Radio writer. His work has appeared in GamePro, Macworld and PC World. Talk with him on Twitter.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

TUF 17, Ep. 5 Full Recap: Bubba McDaniel Taps Out, Team Jon Jones Loses Again

Another episode of The Ultimate Fighter is in the books, and Team Sonnen is back in the win column thanks to a surprising effort from 21-year-old Kelvin Gastelum, the youngest fighter in TUF history.(Read the full episode play-by-play here.)&…

Another episode of The Ultimate Fighter is in the books, and Team Sonnen is back in the win column thanks to a surprising effort from 21-year-old Kelvin Gastelum, the youngest fighter in TUF history.

(Read the full episode play-by-play here.)

• Despite a heavy experience gap and a reach/height disadvantage against one of the best fighters in the house, Gastelum proved that he’s not to be underestimated, wrestling with Robert “Bubba” McDaniel tooth-and-nail in a gritty dogfight. When Bubba was on top, Kelvin reversed. When Kelvin was on top, Bubba swept him. It was a nail-biter of a bout, with Chael Sonnen calling it the best of the season so far.

• Again: Holy crap, Kelvin Gastelum. Talk about bucking the odds.

• It’s really hard to feel bad for Bubba McDaniel, and I’m not sure if that’s a result of his character or the way he’s been edited. Throughout the show so far, he’s come off as little more than a troubled redneck bully who ultimately got a good dose of karma. Harsh? Maybe, but his attitude isn’t exactly endearing.

• That said, Bubba’s post-fight interview was pretty grim. If he hadn’t spent nearly the whole show talking trash up to this point, it would almost be sad. Almost. With his loss in the books, here’s how the teams stack. (Note: Winners are in bold, losers are scratched off the list and the next competitors’ names are in italics.)

Team Jones:

1. Clint Hester (7-3)
2. Josh Samman (9-2)
3. Robert “Bubba” McDaniel (20-6)
4. Gilbert Smith Jr. (5-1)
5. Collin Hart (4-1-1)
6. Adam Cella (4-0)
7. Dylan Andrews (16-4-1)

Team Sonnen:

1. Luke Barnatt (5-0)
2. Uriah Hall (7-2)
3. Zak Cummings (15-3)
4. Tor Troeng (15-4-1)
5. Jimmy Quinlan (3-0)
6. Kevin Casey (5-2)
7. Kelvin Gastelum (5-0)

• And with that, the next match for Episode 6 will be Tor Troeng versus Josh Samman, in a battle between two of the higher-ranked welterweights in this competition. That’s intriguing in itself, but as the previews for the episode show, Samman is playing up some old injuries.

• To that note, Josh Samman might be the biggest villain of the show, especially in the way he’s been painted by the editing crew. Trying to position yourself for better fights is smart, but doing it by working over your own coaches with incessant injury complaints is just ballsy.

• Before the episode got started in earnest, Kelvin got a call from none other than the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion herself, who said that she’ll be coming down to the TUF gym to train with Team Sonnen. I’m sure some of you guys are going to love the Ronda Rousey cameo.

• Luke Barnatt got a lot of screen time today, and he came off even more likable than he already appears. Aside from the intense faith that he expressed in Kelvin’s ability to defeat Bubba, Barnatt was dead-on when he criticized Bubba’s heavy experience advantage in relation to the rest of the cast.

• It’s weird to see Chael Sonnen and Jon Jones getting along so well. For two guys who were bashing each other so harshly in the news, it’s perturbing to see the coaches chatting like co-workers around the water cooler.

• That being said, it is neat to see both Sonnen and Jones acting so professionally. Sure, it’s not going to draw as many viewers as Rashad Evans and Rampage Jackson did with their “black-on-black crime” routine, but some hardcore fans watching this season might be in it simply for the talent level at this point.

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