Author: Mike Chiari

Henderson vs. Cormier Results: Winner, Recap and Analysis

Daniel Cormier continued his march toward a potential UFC Light Heavyweight Championship fight as he defeated Dan Henderson in impressive fashion at UFC 173 Saturday night.
A bit unsurprisingly, DC mauled the overmatched 43-year-old for all three round…

Daniel Cormier continued his march toward a potential UFC Light Heavyweight Championship fight as he defeated Dan Henderson in impressive fashion at UFC 173 Saturday night.

A bit unsurprisingly, DC mauled the overmatched 43-year-old for all three rounds, throwing Hendo around like a rag doll and controlling all of the action on his way to a dominant submission victory. 

Yahoo Sports’ Kevin Iole noted the official finish, while Guilherme Cruz added an impressive stat following the transcendent performance:

Afterward, Cormier was quick to call out Jon Jones, via ESPN’s Brett Okamoto:

Despite his long track record of success, Henderson entered Saturday’s tilt as a massive underdog. Although he won his previous fight against Mauricio Rua, Henderson lost three in a row prior to that. Conversely, Cormier had never lost ahead of UFC 173, and he continued his tear through the world of MMA.

The 35-year-old is a former Olympic wrestler who burst onto the MMA scene in 2009. He established himself as a dominant heavyweight, but he has since dropped down in weight. He won his first light heavyweight bout decisively against Patrick Cummins, and while Henderson was a step up in competition, it didn’t seem to faze Cormier.

DC has been touted as the next big thing in UFC for the past couple of years, so there was plenty of pressure on him to perform against Henderson.

Although Henderson was a clear underdog against Cormier, he seemed confident in his ability to hand him his first career loss, according to Heidi Fang of Fox Sports 670 AM:

Henderson felt as though a Cormier loss was inevitable at some point, and while it may come to fruition eventually, Henderson learned that DC is for real.

The win is huge for Cormier, but it may be equally devastating for Henderson. At 43 years of age, he is seemingly on the decline, and the fact that he has lost four out of his past five fights won’t do him any favors in terms of scoring big bouts in the near future.

He has long been a recipient of testosterone replacement therapy, but it was recently banned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. That marked a major change for Henderson, but he made it clear leading up to Saturday’s fight that he was still capable of excelling even without TRT, per Matt Erickson of MMAJunkie.com:

I’m feeling pretty good. I maybe lay on the couch a little more than I used to. But I laid on the couch quite a bit before, too. It’s all about just making sure you train hard and train smart. I did that before I was on TRT, I did that during, and now, as well. I’ve won fights and lost fights with it and without it. I really don’t notice too big of a difference, competition-wise. But hopefully I make a statement that it doesn’t matter in this fight.

Hendo may have been prepared, but that still wasn’t enough to beat Cormier. Perhaps Hendo lost simply because Cormier is better at this point in their respective careers. With TRT now out of the equation, though, some observers might question the validity of Henderson’s previous success.

This win is a significant one for Cormier, as it potentially puts a title shot against Jon “Bones” Jones in his future. Cormier took this fight against Henderson in order to prepare himself for a meeting with Jones, but doing so wasn’t his first choice.

According to Steven Marrocco of MMAJunkie.com, fighting Henderson isn’t something that Cormier wanted to do initially:

I wasn’t exactly happy about it. I would much rather not fight Dan Henderson. He’s a guy that I’ve looked up to for a long time. Dan is the first guy I can go into the cage with and say this guy’s done everything that I’ve done, and he’s actually done things at a much higher level than I have.

Cormier obviously has the utmost respect for Henderson, but he didn’t allow that to hinder his performance. DC knew that he had a job to do at UFC 173, and he won in impressive fashion. Unfortunately, it may mean the end of an MMA legend’s career.

Even though Henderson hasn’t said much about retirement in recent years, it will inevitably continue to be a hot topic of conversation. He is no longer a top-notch fighter in UFC, and it may be time for him to step away from the Octagon in the near future.

A win might have gotten Henderson into title contention against Jones, but it is difficult to imagine that happening based on Hendo‘s recent string of poor results. He is very much in limbo right now, and he may have to settle for some lower-level fights if he wants to continue competing.

It can be argued that Cormier simply did what he was supposed to do against Henderson, but it was a great victory nonetheless. Henderson is as savvy as they come and has a massive experience edge over Cormier, but that ultimately didn’t matter.

Cormier confirmed his status as the favorite and proved worthy of challenging Jones at some point. Whether that occurs in his next fight or even after Jones takes on Alexander Gustafsson again, a Cormier vs. Jones clash appears inevitable.

Based on how Cormier looked at UFC 173, he could potentially be the biggest threat to Jones’ throne yet.

 

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Jones vs. Teixeira: Winner, Highlights and Analysis

Jon “Bones” Jones continued his reign atop the MMA world on Saturday with yet another successful title defense as he defeated Glover Teixeira in impressive fashion at UFC 172 in Baltimore.

From the outset it was clear that Jones’ 84.5″ reach was going…

Jon “Bones” Jones continued his reign atop the MMA world on Saturday with yet another successful title defense as he defeated Glover Teixeira in impressive fashion at UFC 172 in Baltimore.

From the outset it was clear that Jones’ 84.5″ reach was going to be a huge advantage in the bout. With the 6’2″ Teixeira unable to get close enough to the champion to do much damage in the early rounds, Jones was able to pick the Brazilian apart from the outside. 

From there, Jones went to his typical methodical approach of breaking down an opponent. He outlanded Teixeira in every round, and even when the challenger was able to close the distance, he either took the strikes in stride or avoided them completely. 

The championship rounds turned out to be all about the champion, as he completed the shutout with his continued dominance. 

Bones also showed his ability to play up to the crowd before the fight. He paid a little tribute to Baltimore Ravens legend Ray Lewis on his way to the Octagon:

Jones is unquestionably the best pound-for-pound fighter in the sport, and he proved it once again in the face of elite competition. Not only did he improve his record to a sparkling 20-1, but Jones also retained the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship for the seventh consecutive time.

Teixeira was considered by most to be one of the biggest remaining challenges remaining in Jones’ path, but even the battle-tested Brazilian was no match.

Entering the fight, Teixeira was well aware of his status. Even though the 34-year-old star has an impressive resume in his own right, he was considered a substantial underdog against Jones, according to UFC on Fox:

Most seemed to be picking against Teixeira, including fellow fighter Rashad Evans, per Bloody Elbow on Twitter:

That could very well have put extra pressure on Jones’ shoulders and gotten into his head leading up to the bout. Perhaps that was the case, but Jones didn’t show any apprehension or nervousness en route to yet another victory.

Some of that could have been due to the peace of mind that he was able to manufacture. Even more so than the matchup itself, much of the talk prior to the fight focused on random drug testing.

According to David Kano of TVMix.com, Jones requested random testing for both himself and Teixeira, and his wish was ultimately granted:

The meaning behind that request was likely two-fold from Jones’ perspective. Not only did it ensure that his fight with Teixeira would be a clean one, but it is also possible that Jones was able to get into Teixeira’s head and throw him off his game a bit.

Jones essentially forced Teixeira to deviate from his normal routine, and that can be extremely troublesome for a UFC fighter. These competitors are creatures of habit, and there is no telling how much the random testing might have impacted Teixeira mentally.

Whatever the case, Jones was locked in as he always seems to be, and Teixeira was unable to dethrone the champ. Regardless of any antics and posturing that took place before the contest, it can certainly be argued that Jones was always destined to win.

Now that Jones has defeated one of his toughest potential challengers, the focus shifts toward the 26-year-old star’s future in UFC. He has seemingly conquered every obstacle placed in front of him, but he still has a long career ahead.

Jones’ only loss came against Matt Hamill in controversial fashion back in 2009. Jones was disqualified for illegal elbows, which means that he has never really been beaten straight up. In fact, Jones has absolutely decimated the bulk of his opponents. 

One man who gave Jones a run for his money, though, was Alexander Gustafsson. Jones beat Gustafsson by unanimous decision, but it was unquestionably the closest bout of his career. Gustafsson pushed the champion to the brink, and he most definitely earned a future rematch.

Now that Jones has taken care of business against Teixeira, one can only assume that another battle with Gustafsson is on the horizon.

Another option is Phil Davis, who laid down an open challenge to the winner prior to Saturday’s tilt:

If and when Jones gets through them, UFC world heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez is a name worth considering. Moving up in weight would present a new and exciting challenge for Jones, especially against a fighter as strong as Velasquez.

According to Brett Okamoto of ESPN.com, however, that fight doesn’t interest Jones as of now.

“Somebody was asking me about possibly fighting Cain Velasquez,” Jones said. “I have no interest at this point. There’s a lot of great competition for me to test myself (at 205 pounds) — Glover Teixeira obviously being first on that agenda.”

Things can change quickly in UFC, though, and it wouldn’t be particularly surprising to see Jones pressured into a Velasquez fight provided he continues to dominate the 205-pound division.

No matter what Jones ultimately decides to do, UFC fans eagerly anticipate his upcoming fights. Jones proved once again on Saturday that he is the best fighter in the world, and he cemented his status as the biggest draw as well.

 

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UFC 172 Start Time: Vital Viewing Info for Jon Jones vs. Glover Teixeira

In what could very well be the biggest card of 2014, Jon “Bones” Jones will defend the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship against seasoned challenger Glover Teixeira at UFC 172.
Along with that marquee matchup, many of the biggest names and fastest-ris…

In what could very well be the biggest card of 2014, Jon “Bones” Jones will defend the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship against seasoned challenger Glover Teixeira at UFC 172.

Along with that marquee matchup, many of the biggest names and fastest-rising stars in UFC will be in action as well. With 10 hard-hitting contests across UFC Fight Pass, Fox Sports 1 and pay-per-view, Saturday night will be chock-full of MMA action.

Here is the full viewing schedule for every fight on the card and a closer look at which fighters will provide the most intrigue throughout the night.

*All viewing info courtesy of UFC.com.

 

Early Preliminary Bouts

*Begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on UFC Fight Pass

 

Fox Sports 1 Preliminary Bouts

*Begins at 8 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1

 

Main Card PPV Bouts

*Begins at 10 p.m. ET on PPV

 

Top Fighters to Watch

Jon Jones

As is always the case when Jones is on a card, most of the focus is on him. He is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, and watching him compete in the Octagon is a spectacle. At the same time, there is even more intrigue surrounding his bout with Teixeira than there may have been in the past.

That is because Jones had to scratch and claw his way to a decision victory in his last outing against Alexander Gustafsson. Jones probably deserved to win the fight, but his detractors have been vocal about him not looking particularly convincing in that tilt.

After showing some chinks in the armor, observers are interested to see if Jones can bounce back. If he can help it, he will attempt to remove all doubt by stopping the fight short of the scorecards, according to UFC’s official Twitter account:

The fact that Jones has a knockout state of mind is exciting for MMA fans, and it may very well be nerve-wracking for Teixeira. Although Teixeira is one of the toughest competitors UFC has to offer, it is difficult to imagine him overcoming Jones, particularly now that he has a chip on his shoulder.

 

Phil Davis

It seems as though Phil Davis has Bones Jones on his mind, but he must first get past Anthony Johnson at UFC 172 if he wants a future shot at the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Davis is one of the top contenders in the weight class who has yet to fall to Jones, and most agree that he is in line for a battle with him in the near future.

That could all go by the wayside if Davis takes a win over Johnson for granted, however. Johnson is no pushover, with a career record of 16-4, including six victories in a row. He also has the potential to end a fight in the blink of an eye, as evidenced by his 11 wins by way of knockout.

Davis has to be mindful of Johnson’s power, and if he is able to defeat him, then the real fireworks may very well start. Davis has been quite vocal about his desire to face Jones, and he has made it known that he intends to beat him if given the chance, per Damon Martin of Fox Sports:

If Davis truly wants to fight Jones, then he knows that beating Johnson is an absolute must. Because of that, all signs point toward Davis being at his very best Saturday night.

 

Jessamyn Duke

Women’s MMA has gained a great deal of popularity in recent years, thanks largely to the emergence of Ronda Rousey. In order for it to remain sustainable, however, other stars must emerge. One fighter in particular with a great deal of potential is Jessamyn Duke, who was a member of Team Rousey on The Ultimate Fighter 18.

Duke has plenty of skill and a great look at 5’11”, so UFC officials would unquestionably like to see her succeed. Many others feel the same way, including MMA star Josh Barnett:

In order for Duke to reach that next level, though, she must get past quite a roadblock in the form of Bethe Correia. While Correia is much smaller than Duke, she is a dogged competitor who has yet to suffer a loss.

Duke has a golden opportunity to become one of the next stars in women’s MMA, and she simply won’t let it pass her by at UFC 172.

 

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UFC 172: Analyzing Best Under-the-Radar Fights on Stacked MMA Card

UFC 172 is unquestionably one of the year’s biggest cards, with Jon “Bones” Jones defending the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship against Glover Teixeira. But as good as that bout could be, UFC 172 is about much more than one fight.
There is plenty of…

UFC 172 is unquestionably one of the year’s biggest cards, with Jon “Bones” Jones defending the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship against Glover Teixeira. But as good as that bout could be, UFC 172 is about much more than one fight.

There is plenty of talent on the card from top to bottom, and several fights feel like pick ’em contests in that there is no clear advantage. Those are often the best kinds of fights, so there will be great deal of show-stealing potential throughout the night.

Here are three under-the-radar contests that will have mixed martial arts fans on the edge of their seats at UFC 172.

 

Andre Fili vs. Max Holloway

There is always a certain amount of flair and excitement attached to featherweight bouts, and that will certainly be the case when Andre Fili and Max Holloway lock horns at UFC 172. Fili and Holloway are two of the fastest-rising stars within the division, and a win on such a big card would be a major coup for either of them moving forward.

Fili and Holloway are adept at scoring knockout victories, and there is no question that they will both go for the gusto. Because there won’t be any apprehension, this has definite Fight of the Night potential. According to Marc Raimondi of FoxSports.com, Fili vs. Holloway is a tilt that deserves a lot more attention than it has gotten during the build toward UFC 172:

On the surface, it would seem as though the 23-year-old Fili has the advantage. He enters the night on a nine-fight winning streak, while the 22-year-old Holloway has dropped two of his past three contests. His split-decision loss to Dennis Bermudez was certainly controversial, though, and it masks the fact that he performed quite well.

People are starting to sleep on Holloway, but that is an extremely dangerous game. Fili may very well look past him too, and he’ll ultimately get a rude awakening, with Holloway pulling off the minor upset.

 

Bethe Correia vs. Jessamyn Duke

Women’s MMA fighting has gained a ton of credibility since its inclusion in UFC, and it has even managed to outshine the men’s fights on several occasions. While mega-draw Ronda Rousey won’t be competing at UFC 172, a pair of credible contenders will rock the octagon when Bethe Correia and Jessamyn Duke do battle in a bantamweight matchup.

The 30-year-old Correia seemingly has the experience edge over Duke, and she also boasts a perfect record of 7-0. From a physical perspective, though, Duke is imposing in comparison to Correia. She has a seven-inch height advantage at 5’11”, and her length and reach figures to give her Brazilian foe some problems.

Duke is coming off a big win over Peggy Morgan in The Ultimate Fighter 18 finale, and she believes that Saturday’s meeting with Correia won’t be nearly as challenging, per Grant Gordon of the Glendale News-Press.

“It is nothing but a problem to be solved in front of you,” Duke said. “It’s just a problem to be solved and I find her easier to solve [than Morgan]. I know how she fights and what she does. I’m confident. It’s not an easy fight, but it’s a simple fight.”

Duke’s overconfidence could prove costly, as Correia‘s pit bull mentality has allowed her to beat bigger fighters many times in the past. With that said, Duke has all the tools, and she will pick up a statement win at UFC 172.

 

Takanori Gomi vs. Isaac Vallie-Flagg

Many UFC fights are bolstered by trash talk and a blatant lack of respect between competitors, but that simply won’t be the case when Takanori Gomi and Isaac Vallie-Flagg meet in a lightweight contest Saturday night. Both Gomi and Vallie-Flagg are veteran fighters with excellent reputations, and they seem genuinely excited to face each other.

The 35-year-old Gomi hasn’t fought in more than a year since losing a split-decision contest to Diego Sanchez in March 2013. Vallie-Flagg enters the fight on a losing note of his own, as he dropped a decision to Elias Silverio in January.

Both men are looking to rekindle their careers, and a win could make that happen. Despite being one year Gomi‘s senior, Vallie-Flagg is actually at an experience disadvantage, with 19 career fights to Gomi‘s 44. He even admitted that he looks up to Gomi in some ways:

Because of that, this should be a straight-up fight with no cheap shots. One can only assume that it will go to the scorecards and perhaps be the closest bout of the night, but Gomi will find a way to win on the scorecards as he has so often over the years.

 

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UFC 172 Predictions: Projecting Biggest Winners at Marquee MMA Event

UFC 172 looks to be one of the most stacked cards in recent memory. Most of the focus will be on Jon Jones vs. Glover Teixeira, but there will be intriguing bouts throughout the night.
There is no question that UFC 172 will have a huge impact across se…

UFC 172 looks to be one of the most stacked cards in recent memory. Most of the focus will be on Jon Jones vs. Glover Teixeira, but there will be intriguing bouts throughout the night.

There is no question that UFC 172 will have a huge impact across several different weight classes moving forward. In addition to a major title fight in the main event, elite athletes will look to put themselves in position for future cracks at UFC’s top prizes.

With UFC 172 quickly approaching, here are predictions for which fighters will come through with the most meaningful victories of the night. 

 

Jon Jones

Although Jon “Bones” Jones is considered by most to be the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, the UFC light heavyweight champion has plenty to prove against Glover Teixeira. Jones was less than convincing in his most recent win over Alexander Gustafsson, and there is no doubt that Jones would like to reassert his dominance within the UFC.

Jones came away with a unanimous-decision victory over Gustafsson, but that doesn’t accurately describe how close the fight really was. Jones is used to outclassing his opponent, and he was unable to do that for one of the few times in his career. According to UFC on Fox, fellow light heavyweight star Phil Davis doesn’t believe that Jones deserved to win that fight:

Even Jones has acknowledged that he wasn’t at his best, and he blames himself for that more than anything. Per radio host Jim Rome, Jones didn’t put forth all of his effort against Gustafsson and let his guard down to some degree:

Now that Jones is fully aware of the fact that he needs to respect his opponents, it is hard to imagine him taking Teixeira lightly. Jones is a massive favorite, and everyone expects him to win, but it is unlikely that Jones will enter the fight with that mentality.

As long as he sticks to the game plan that has made him so successful over the years, he should be able to take care of his 34-year-old opponent.

 

Phil Davis

If Jones is able to defeat Teixeira at UFC 172, then there is a definite shortlist of fighters who deserve the next crack at him. Gustafsson may be first in line, but after that, there is no question that Phil Davis is someone who must be considered.

With a 12-1 record, along with impressive victories over the likes of Gustafsson and Lyoto Machida, Davis is certainly a worthy opponent. Jones has already run the gauntlet for the most part, but a dangerous all-around fighter like Davis could pose a true threat. It is a bout that many observers would love to see, including Bleacher Report’s Jeremy Botter:

In order for that fight to happen, though, Davis must take care of business on Saturday. Davis has a tough matchup on tap against Anthony Johnson, who makes his return to the UFC after two years with other promotions. Johnson is on a six-fight winning streak, and he has knocked out opponents left and right.

Davis has never been knocked out, though, and he is versatile enough to give Johnson major issues. He is capable of brawling if the situation calls for it, but Davis is also adept at mat wrestling and locking in submissions.

Due to the fact that Johnson is largely a one-dimensional fighter, Davis will come out on top.

 

Luke Rockhold

Luke Rockhold is one of the fastest-rising stars in the UFC’s middleweight division, and he has a chance to bypass another rung on the ladder at UFC 172. Rockhold will take on a very credible opponent in the form of Tim Boetsch, but this is Rockhold‘s fight to win or lose.

While Boetsch has carved out a nice career for himself, he has generally struggled against elite competition as evidenced by losses to Davis and Costa Philippou. Rockhold is coming off an awesome knockout victory over Philippou, and that should give him an edge against Boetsch.

It would be very easy for Rockhold to look ahead to bigger and better challenges, but he is focused on Saturday, according to Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports.

I fought a striker the last time (defeating Philippou) and people saw that side of me and now with this fight, Tim could help me to show a different aspect of my game. I’m not sleeping on Tim Boetsch. … I have to go out and perform is the bottom line, no matter who I fight. When you want to be the best in the world, you have to be ready and able to beat whoever they put in front of you, and I feel like I’m ready to do that.

If Rockhold stays true to his word, then there is no reason why he shouldn’t come out on top against Boetsch. He will definitely have to be cognizant of Boetsch‘s power, but Rockhold will prove at UFC 172 that he is the total package.

 

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Alistair Overeem Injury: Updates on UFC Star’s Elbow Surgery and Recovery

UFC star Alistair Overeem will miss some action as the 33-year-old heavyweight announced on Twitter that he will undergo the first surgery of his long career: 

According to Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com, the procedure will repair a pinched ner…

UFC star Alistair Overeem will miss some action as the 33-year-old heavyweight announced on Twitter that he will undergo the first surgery of his long career: 

According to Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com, the procedure will repair a pinched nerve in his elbow. It is expected that Overeem will need roughly three weeks of recovery time following the surgery.

Despite being faced with his first surgery, Overeem had positive thoughts going in:

Overeem is one of UFC’s top heavyweights, but he has struggled since famously knocking out Brock Lesnar back in 2011. Overeem lost his ensuing two fights to Antonio Silva and Travis Browne before finally getting back on track with a victory over Frank Mir in February.

Prior to the Silva loss, Overeem was on a 12-fight unbeaten streak and seemed poised to potentially capture the UFC Heavyweight Championship at some point. He fell down the pecking order after losing consecutive fights, but he is still talented enough to get to that level.

Much of his success moving forward depends upon how this surgery goes. It seems to be a fairly routine procedure, and there is reason to believe that he’ll be back in action soon.

It’s impossible to know for sure how he might react to his first surgery, but Overeem has consistently been one of the top guys in his weight class since 1999, and this surgery should help ensure that he returns to an elite level.

Overeem is the No. 6 ranked fighter in UFC’s heavyweight division right now, so the injury doesn’t come at an ideal time. Provided Overeem recovers as expected and gets back on the horse, though, he should remain in the mix among the other top contenders upon his return.

 

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