Hosting so many UFC fights in a two-day stretch is definitely a double-edged sword.On one hand, this weekend provided a steady stream of bouts that ended in a variety of memorable finishes many hardcore fans should’ve enjoyed.But on the other hand, it …
Hosting so many UFC fights in a two-day stretch is definitely a double-edged sword.
On one hand, this weekend provided a steady stream of bouts that ended in a variety of memorable finishes many hardcore fans should’ve enjoyed.
But on the other hand, it was a murderous march through several commercials, endless broadcasting segments and more than a few replays.
With that in mind, here’s a few final parting thoughts on the action and everything else surrounding it this weekend from UFC on FX 6 and The Ultimate Fighter 16 Finale.
Roy Nelson is likely going to hear the criticisms for the rest of his career.”Lose some weight.””Trim that beard. You look like a homeless Santa Clause.””Is he really drinking beers on the way to the scale?”OK, maybe that last one just was me at the UF…
Roy Nelson is likely going to hear the criticisms for the rest of his career.
“Lose some weight.”
“Trim that beard. You look like a homeless Santa Clause.”
“Is he really drinking beers on the way to the scale?”
OK, maybe that last one just was me at the UFC 137 weigh-ins last year. But no matter what, all those eccentric qualities don’t change the fact that Roy Nelson is currently one of the heavyweight division’s absolute best strikers.
That’s why until his chin or body starts to fail him, Nelson will keep winning fights and continue to be a thorn in Dana White‘s side.
In a sea of clean-shaven, muscular fighters, Nelson stands out like a sore thumb with his huge gut and enormous beard, both of which have gotten even more noticeable since “Big Country” started to truly embrace his appearance.
It’s even more pronounced since Nelson has previously shown a more business-like side of himself, complete with a tidy haircut and clean suits.
When you think about it, it must annoy White to no end.
Perhaps if the UFC president could have had things his way, Nelson wouldn’t have so thoroughly beaten ratings star Kimbo Slice during The Ultimate Fighter 10.
But things rarely go according to plan in MMA, and Nelson’s rise is no exception.
Maybe Nelson’s just acting out in order to mess with White, one of his most vocal detractors. Maybe Nelson just doesn’t care about appearances anymore. Maybe that beard helps him absorb titanic blows from his heavyweight counterparts.
Either way, even with the occasional loss, Nelson isn’t likely to lose his job as long as he continues to string together exciting knockouts.
There’s simply nothing that Dana White can do about it.
“Big Country” has once again proven himself a cut above the middle of the UFC’s heavyweight pack, and he’s enough of a draw that he might be too valuable to let go after a single bad fight.
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.
Here are a few statistics that make the UFC’s busy weekend look even better in retrospect.Between the TUF 16 Finale in Las Vegas and UFC on FX 6 in Australia, 14 out of 21 fights ended in a knockout or submission. And out of those 14 bouts, n…
Here are a few statistics that make the UFC’s busy weekend look even better in retrospect.
Between the TUF 16 Finale in Las Vegas and UFC on FX 6 in Australia, 14 out of 21 fights ended in a knockout or submission. And out of those 14 bouts, nine of them didn’t even make it past the first round.
That’s an impressive trend in a busy weekend for the UFC.
But while all the stoppages were entertaining, six of them elevated themselves above the rest due to a mix of violence and happenstance, cementing the past two days as a long, but entertaining MMA weekend. Read along as we recap the six best stoppages from both events.
Seriously, how good was Pat Barry’s performance at the TUF 16 finale last night?We’re not just talking about his knockout win over Shane del Rosario, although that was certainly an impressive display of punching power. After the fight, Barry also gave …
Seriously, how good was Pat Barry’s performance at the TUF 16 finale last night?
We’re not just talking about his knockout win over Shane del Rosario, although that was certainly an impressive display of punching power. After the fight, Barry also gave a heartfelt speech over the recent tragedy in Connecticut, telling fans that life is too short and too unpredictable to hold onto hatred and long grudges.
His career has definitely had its ups and downs, but last night was another reminder of three major reasons why MMA fans should love themselves some Pat Barry.
We’ve got a welterweight triple-header for the UFC’s return to Canada’s Bell Centre.Along with the main event of Georges St-Pierre vs. Nick Diaz for the 170-pound title, UFC 158 will also feature two more main card fights with four top contenders in th…
We’ve got a welterweight triple-header for the UFC’s return to Canada’s Bell Centre.
Along with the main event of Georges St-Pierre vs. Nick Diaz for the 170-pound title, UFC 158 will also feature two more main card fights with four top contenders in the division.
As announced by the promotion on Saturday, Rory MacDonald will challenge former interim UFC welterweight champion Carlos Condit in a rematch of their UFC 115 bout.
When the two previously met, Condit got the best of MacDonald with a TKO finish, making a comeback after nearly losing the fight with three seconds left on the clock.
Further filling out the main card, Johny Hendricks will put his No. 1 contender’s spot at risk in a matchup against Jake Ellenberger.
Hendricks comes into the fight fresh off a KO victory over Martin Kampmann in a bout that was said to determine the next challenger for St-Pierre’s title.
Unfortunately for Hendricks, GSP specifically requested a grudge match with Diaz, forcing Hendricks to take another fight in-waiting.
Ellenberger is in the middle of rebuilding his own title run, with losses to Kampmann and Condit as the only blemishes on his 7-2 UFC career.
Additionally, AlessioSakara will rematch Canadian favorite Patrick Cote in order to make up for an odd situation that ended their last fight at UFC 154. Sakara earned himself a disqualification loss after landing several hammerfists to the back of Cote’s head, prematurely ending the bout on illegal shots.
Georges St-Pierre asked for the fight, and Nick Diaz agreed to the match. Now, it’s finally happening.On the heels of Saturday’s The Ultimate Fighter 16 Finale, the UFC has officially announced, via its website, that the main event for UFC 158 is …
Georges St-Pierre asked for the fight, and Nick Diaz agreed to the match. Now, it’s finally happening.
On the heels of Saturday’s The Ultimate Fighter 16 Finale, the UFC has officially announced, via its website, that the main event for UFC 158 is now set in stone.
GSP will headline the card with his 10th consecutive welterweight title match, this time against against top contender Diaz at UFC 158 in Montreal, giving the champion the home-country advantage.
“Georges St-Pierre asked to fight Nick Diaz because he knows they have unfinished business, and Nick Diaz agrees,” UFC president Dana White said, according to the UFC’s news release.
Diaz’s title shot comes with no small amount of controversy, as the former Strikeforce welterweight champion is coming off his first loss after an 11-fight, three-year winning streak. Former interim UFC champion Carlos Condit handed Diaz the loss via decision but was later defeated by St-Pierre after a bloody five-round brawl at UFC 154 last November.
Diaz is also expected to obtain his fighter’s license before competing in Canada, as he’s currently serving a suspension on a positive drug test for marijuana metabolites following his UFC 143 fight with Condit.
Tickets for the event, held at Montreal’s Bell Centre, will be for sale online starting on Jan. 19.
UFC 158 is expected to be the promotion’s first event in Canada and fourth international card for 2013, while also being its third pay-per-view event of the year behind UFC 156 (Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar) and UFC 157 (Ronda Rousey vs. Liz Carmouche).
Roy Nelson is likely going to hear the criticisms for the rest of his career.