Author: Mike Hodges

Forrest Griffin on UFC 148: ‘If I Lose to Tito, I’m Going to Retire from Life’

With all the sudden changes going on with UFC cards lately, one fight that appears to be intact is the trilogy between Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin at UFC 148. It might not add any relevance toward the light-heavyweight division, but Ortiz and G…

With all the sudden changes going on with UFC cards lately, one fight that appears to be intact is the trilogy between Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin at UFC 148. 

It might not add any relevance toward the light-heavyweight division, but Ortiz and Griffin remain fan favorites within the company.

Griffin spoke to UFC.com about his third meeting with “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy.”

“We’re 1-1, we’ve had good fights. There’s going to be some things that are tough to deal with. A good wrestler that comes down low, that comes with pressure, he’s a tough guy to fight. He’s still got a good overhand right, good shovel hook, he’s got good punches, good knees, he’s got a good Thai clinch. If you can stop him from coming forward, he’s not so hard to fight. But when he’s coming forward in that good stance, you can’t tell if he’s gonna throw a big bomb or shoot…that’s tough to deal with.”

“A lot of people ask me. They say ‘Forrest, it’s Tito’s retirement fight. If you lose to Tito, are you going to retire?’ If I lose to Tito, I’m going to retire from life…seriously.”

Both fights have been memorable in their own right, but a third bout won’t mean much for either competitor except for a victory on their professional record. Neither man is in their prime anymore, and a final fight between them will finally bring closure to one of the most exciting rivalries in recent memory.

It is possible that Griffin could retire with a win, seeing as how he doesn’t stand a chance at receiving another title shot at this stage of his career.

Ortiz is set to retire following his match with Griffin, ending one of the most storied careers in UFC history.

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Brandon Vera Sees Fight With Shogun Rua as a "Defining Moment" in His Career

Brandon Vera wasn’t exactly the opponent most fans were hoping for when he was paired up with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC on FOX 4.The announcement came after Brian Stann suffered a shoulder injury, which forced him and his opponent Hector Lombard off…

Brandon Vera wasn’t exactly the opponent most fans were hoping for when he was paired up with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC on FOX 4.

The announcement came after Brian Stann suffered a shoulder injury, which forced him and his opponent Hector Lombard off of the card and prompted the UFC to find a new main event.

The new pairing of Vera and Rua has left fans unsatisfied, and a lot of them feel Vera is a mismatch for the former UFC light heavyweight champion.

But that only lights a fire under Vera, and he told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour (h/t Dave Doyle of MMAfighting.com) that he is ready to prove his detractors wrong.

“I need this, this could almost become the defining moment of my career, through all the good, the bad and the ugly. If I do this the way I’m supposed to, the way I can, the world will start following,” Vera said. “I’m not ready to let my story come to an end. I’m not ready to retire, I’m not ready to hang up the gloves.”

That is different tune coming from the 34-year-old, who at one point was hailed as the future of the heavyweight division after beginning his UFC tenure at 4-0. But recently “The Truth” has declined, compiling a record of 1-2-1. 

But he believes he has rediscovered the passion inside of him, something that was rarely seen since his early days in the company.

He is ready to prove himself against the former Pride FC standout and shut the critics up, too.

“After my performance against Eliot Marshall they’re supposed to be counting me out. I’m supposed to show up and get my ass whupped. That’s what’s supposed to happen. But it’s not going down like that on August 4. Everyone is expecting me not to beat him. I don’t mind being the underdog, that’s when I’m at my best,” he said.

Everyone likes an underdog story, however Vera might be biting off more than he can chew against the Brazilian. The truth is that Vera has not looked remotely capable of competing against some of the 205-pound-division’s elite fighters, let alone defeat them. 

Vera is reaching his mid-30s and is no longer the same fighter he once was. Rua is no spring chicken either, as he has looked rather vulnerable in some of his past fights, too, but one would expect “Shogun” to pull off the victory with ease. 

If Vera does walk away with the win, it doesn’t put him anywhere near the top of the division, but it will have fans believing in the hype and finally take him seriously.

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UFC 152: Bigfoot Silva Says Junior Dos Santos Will Beat Cain Velasquez Again

While both men are heading into their rematch with a ton of momentum, Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva does not see Cain Velasquez regaining the UFC heavyweight title from Junior dos Santos.Silva, who was previously defeated by Velasquez at UFC 146, spoke with …

While both men are heading into their rematch with a ton of momentum, Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva does not see Cain Velasquez regaining the UFC heavyweight title from Junior dos Santos.

Silva, who was previously defeated by Velasquez at UFC 146, spoke with TATAME.com and is confident that “Cigano” can pick up the win over the former champion. Dos Santos knocked out Velasquez in just 64 seconds to win the UFC heavyweight crown at UFC on FOX 1 last November.

“If he didn’t want to stand-up with me he’s not going to do it with Cigano. I guess Cigano will also be very alert to Velasquez’s takedowns. From where I’m standing, I see Cigano winning again”.

Later that night, dos Santos showed off his punching prowess against Frank Mir and dropped the former two-time titleholder before signaling the end of the bout. The Brazilian’s performance was flawless and he proved why he is undoubtedly the best heavyweight fighter on the planet.

The second encounter between Velasquez and dos Santos is likely to be more competitive than their last meeting. Dos Santos’ win was overshadowed by Velasquez’s performance, as he came into the bout from a long layoff after tearing his rotator cuff. Dos Santos was also not in full form either; the 27-year-old had torn his meniscus a few weeks before the fight and was walking on crutches. 

Regardless, it is expected that both competitors will enter at 100 percent and put on a much better performance.

Although the champion made his first title defense with little difficulty, some critics are leaning toward the challenger to finally give dos Santos his first loss in the UFC and win back the belt.

Now that is easier said than done, but if dos Santos is able to make short work of his opponent and beat him in similar fashion, there might not be a heavyweight who can dethrone him anytime soon.

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UFC 152: Rory MacDonald Wanted to Fight Carlos Condit Before BJ Penn

In what could of been an intriguing rematch between Rory MacDonald and UFC interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit, the Canadian opted to face BJ Penn instead.Condit served as a great test for the 22-year-old when they first met at UFC 115. MacDona…

In what could of been an intriguing rematch between Rory MacDonald and UFC interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit, the Canadian opted to face BJ Penn instead.

Condit served as a great test for the 22-year-old when they first met at UFC 115. MacDonald put up a competitive performance against Condit before he was stopped with only seven seconds remaining in the fight.

The loss has certainly served as a turning point in the Canadian’s career, as he has rounded off four consecutive victories inside the Octagon since then.

So it made perfect sense when MacDonald didn’t hesitate to answer when he was asked about who he wanted to face next.

“Carlos Condit,” MacDonald told MMAJunkie Radio. “He’s got a fight coming up, so I have to work my way up to that level (with someone else).”

And he didn’t pick a bad replacement in Penn, whom the UFC encouraged MacDonald to call out.

The Hawaiian was enjoying his retirement prior to hearing his opponent’s challenge, but once the message was sent loud and clear, Penn didn’t want to waste the opportunity.

Plus, MacDonald’s options were limited, after learning Martin Kampmann and Johny Hendricks were slated to meet at UFC 154, so he jumped at the chance to face the former UFC lightweight champion.

“It sparked my interest, so I figured, ‘Why not?,'” he said.

Although still considered a prospect at 170 pounds, MacDonald is taking a huge step in becoming the next big name in the sport after accepting a bout with Penn. A possible win will put MacDonald among the elite competitors in the division and not too far away from a title shot.

MacDonald and Penn are set to meet in the co-main event at UFC 152, scheduled for September 22 in Toronto.

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Roots of Fight Series Presents: A Tribute to Team Black House

Team Black House is one of the most recognized fight camps in the sport today and represents some of the most impressive talent to come out of Brazil.Vancouver-based clothing company Roots of Fight have worked with the camp to produce another mini-docu…

Team Black House is one of the most recognized fight camps in the sport today and represents some of the most impressive talent to come out of Brazil.

Vancouver-based clothing company Roots of Fight have worked with the camp to produce another mini-documentary in their series.

The latest episode features some of the camp’s top fighters and manager Ed Soares, who recalls how the camp was created and how it remains one of the most successful gyms today.

Soares describes the gym as a private facility and it is unlike most traditional camps today, as the fighters who join the Brazilian-based camp are a part of a selective group of fighters. The camp consists of some of the successful fighters competing in mixed martial arts today, including Anderson Silva, Jose Aldo, Lyoto Machida and Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira.

“Black House has a very different type of energy because it’s not a training facility that’s open to the public,” Soares said. “You have to be invited, you’re a guest of Black House which makes it very unique.”

Soares adds that the camp has an exclusive feel to it and it allows the fighters to come and train and practice their skills, without being bombarded by the media or having to go through interviews on a regular basis.

Roots of Fight latest collaboration with Team Black House is only the second release in the series and is available exclusively on their website.

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UFC 152: Why It Doesn’t Make Sense for BJ Penn to Face Rory MacDonald

It didn’t take long for BJ Penn to make a decision on his future, but it could have required a little more thought from the Hawaiian as he agreed to face one of the welterweight division’s top prospects in Rory MacDonald.Penn has announced via his webs…

It didn’t take long for BJ Penn to make a decision on his future, but it could have required a little more thought from the Hawaiian as he agreed to face one of the welterweight division’s top prospects in Rory MacDonald.

Penn has announced via his website, BJPenn.com, that he will accept MacDonald’s challenge at UFC 152, to be held in Toronto on September 22.

The decision comes after Penn had declined offers from UFC president Dana White and Josh Koscheck, but it appears MacDonald has motivated “The Prodigy” enough so to come out of retirement for one last run at welterweight.

However, Penn has not fared well at 170 pounds, owning a 4-3-1 record, and he is relatively undersized against most of the division’s elite wrestlers. According to Fightmetric.com, Penn has been taken down 13 times while competing as a welterweight.

MacDonald possesses some of the best ground-and pound and top control at 170 pounds, boasting a 61-percent takedown accuracy and landing an average of 4.61 takedowns per 15 minutes. Add to this the fact that MacDonald is a frequent training partner of Georges St-Pierre, who has defeated Penn on two occasions, and this matchup does not bode well for the former lightweight kingpin.

Most of Penn’s success has come at 155 pounds, but after two failed attempts against Frankie Edgar, he decided to venture back up to welterweight.  

Luckily, the Hawaiian still has a name in the sport and can still generate a lot of money for the company, but constantly testing his skills at a heavier weight class will not allow him to be very successful, let alone capture a UFC title.

He would have had an easier fight against Koscheck and it would have been a credible name for Penn to build off, but facing an elite-level wrestler in MacDonald is a stylistic nightmare, and Penn should re-consider his options while he still has some time.

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