Author: Nate Lawson

UFC Fight Night 29: What We Learned from Rousimar Palhares vs. Mike Pierce

UFC welterweight Rousimar Palhares earned a convincing win over Mike Pierce at UFC Fight Night 29, and he did so with his signature submission.
An aggressive Pierce charged the Brazilian right out of the gate, forcing a scramble against the cage. Palha…

UFC welterweight Rousimar Palhares earned a convincing win over Mike Pierce at UFC Fight Night 29, and he did so with his signature submission.

An aggressive Pierce charged the Brazilian right out of the gate, forcing a scramble against the cage. Palhares attempted one leg lock before standing, only to drop down for another. 

Though Pierce had escaped the first submission attempt, Palhares‘ pressure proved too much on the next attempt, forcing a quick tap. Palhares snapped a two-fight losing streak in the process.

Here’s what we learned: 

 

What We’ll Remember About This Fight

Another Palhares leg lock. He’s done it several times before, and opponents ought to know better at this point than to risk their lower limbs against “Toquinho.” But even if he is most famous for his leg locks, Palhares continues to force opponents to submit to them, as if fighters aren’t convinced that the locks are all that good. Again he reminds us that they are. 

 

What We Learned About Rousimar Palhares

We already knew that Palhares was a wizard on the ground, and his leg locks have always been the most feared in the sport. So the heel hook submission win over Pierce was not all that surprising. Did we learn anything about the Brazilian then? All we can say at this point is that Palhares is extremely competitive against fighters outside the top 10 or top 15 in the welterweight division, as this win shows. He just can’t seem to break through into contention.

 

What We Learned About Mike Pierce

Pierce actually had a strong gameplan in this one, rushing forward early in an attempt to get to Palhares. The last three times Palhares was defeated, he was knocked out in the first round. Unfortunately, we learned that Pierce, though somewhat powerful, should never rely on his striking to win a fight. And that submission defense? Yeah, he needs to work on that, too. 

 

What’s Next For Palhares

Palhares won’t get a top-10 guy next time out, but there are plenty of options outside of the ranked welterweights. One possibility is a match-up against Stephen Thompson, who defeated Chris Clements via knockout at UFC 165, which would set up a striker vs. grappler matchup. Another option is for Palhares to meet the winner of Erick Silva vs. Dong Hyun Kim, who fight in the co-main event later tonight.

 

What’s Next For Pierce

Pierce takes a big step back, but he is still one of the better known unranked fighters (even if he’s spent a good share of time on Facebook prelims). A matchup against the loser of Nate Marquardt vs. Hector Lombard fight seems like a fine idea. Those two meet at UFC 166. 

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UFC Fighters with the Worst Injury Track Record

The road to becoming a UFC star involves its share of struggles, but some fighters have had more difficulties than others. Injuries are prominent in every sport, but a combat sport like MMA can be downright brutal to some athletes. 
Over the years…

The road to becoming a UFC star involves its share of struggles, but some fighters have had more difficulties than others. Injuries are prominent in every sport, but a combat sport like MMA can be downright brutal to some athletes. 

Over the years, several fighters with elite talent have struggled to shake nagging injuries, forcing them to lose momentum, compete while unhealthy or simply miss lengthy amounts of time in order to recover. Whether its a torn ligament or a multitude of smaller injuries, some guys just have a more difficult time getting healthy than others. 

Here are the top-five current UFC fighters with the worst injury track records.

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Matt Mitrione vs. Brendan Schaub: 3 Reasons Why We Are Excited for This Fight

It doesn’t take much to get excited about a heavyweight fight, considering more than 50 percent end via knockout. But factor in a little extra trash talk, and the excitement amplifies.
That recipe has made Matt Mitrione vs. Brendan Schaub one of the mo…

It doesn’t take much to get excited about a heavyweight fight, considering more than 50 percent end via knockout. But factor in a little extra trash talk, and the excitement amplifies.

That recipe has made Matt Mitrione vs. Brendan Schaub one of the more highly anticipated fights at UFC 165, even if both men sit outside the division’s Top 10.

After months of trash talk and bad blood boiling, the two are finally set to meet on Saturday’s main card, and we’ve compiled three reasons why everyone should be excited about their clash. 

 

1. Bad blood

Everyone knows about the trash talk, but one must read some of the Twitter messages to realize just how intense it got. 

These two competed on the same season of The Ultimate Fighter, and both attempted careers in the NFL. Up until they were finally matched up, they had no reason to dislike each other—at least there was no clear reason. 

Now, after Mitrione promised to be Schaub’s “Daddy” on Saturday night and Schaub made a jab about Mitrione‘s wife, each fighter is ready to silence the other. The lead-up to this fight has been harsh, and the outcome should live up to the hype.

 

2. Who doesn’t love a knockout? 

While no one can guarantee this fight will end via knockout, a decision is not expected, at least from an odds standpoint. With a minus-210 line for the fight to be stopped inside three rounds, a decision victory seems unlikely. 

And their questionable chins (especially Schaub’s) also make a decision outcome improbable. 

They have combined for five professional losses, and four of those losses came by knockout. Schaub has lost three times by KO, while Mitrione has one decision loss and one TKO loss. 

But in 15 combined wins, they have earned victory via decision just three times. 

This fight seems destined for a knockout, considering how these two win most of their fights and the bad blood between them. Look for an early knockout in this contest.

 

3. What a win means for the victor

While the trash talk and strong likelihood for a knockout are the two most obvious reasons to get excited for this fight, there is a sneakier reason.

Neither Schaub nor Mitrione has ever been able to catapult himself into contention, and as a result, each fighter has become something of a gatekeeper. If an up-and-comer can beat Schaub or Mitrione, he can expect gainful employment with the UFC with the possibility for a run at the title.

But the TUF veterans have yet to break out of mediocrity and into the Top 10. 

Schaub has had his opportunities, having faced Roy Nelson, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Ben Rothwell, while Mitrione has fought bigger names such as Nelson and Cheick Kongo. 

Whoever wins on Saturday will take a step toward facing a bigger name, while the loser will likely realize his career limitations. With each fighter having eight UFC fights under his belt, it’s do or die as far as a run to the title is concerned.

 

Final Thoughts

Mitrione and Schaub have long been middle-tier heavyweights, beating lower-level fighters and losing to top-15 guys. The only reasons that this fight has any relevance or hype are due to the bad blood and high chance for a knockout. Factor in how badly each fighter needs a win in order to gain momentum in the division, and this is definitely a fight to be excited for. 

 

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Renan Barao vs. Eddie Wineland: 3 Reasons Why We Are Excited About This Fight

The UFC 165 main event between Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson may be the talk of Toronto, but a co-main event between interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao and top contender Eddie Wineland could steal the show this evening. 
And there are …

The UFC 165 main event between Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson may be the talk of Toronto, but a co-main event between interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao and top contender Eddie Wineland could steal the show this evening. 

And there are plenty of reasons for fans to be excited about this 135-pound affair. For the sake of your time and mine, we broke it down to the three reasons we are amped for Barao vs. Wineland.

 

1. With Dominick Cruz still out, Renan Barao is the best bantamweight on the planet

It’s not every day (every fight card?) that fans have the opportunity to watch the best light heavyweight and best bantamweight fighters in the world compete. While Jones is the best fighter on this card, Barao is the best bantamweight on the planet since Dominick Cruz can’t seem to get healthy.

Barao doesn’t get the attention that some champions do because he’s an interim champion in a lighter weight class. But he is still a top pound-for-pound fighter, and fans should be thrilled at the opportunity to watch him work. 

We’re all waiting for Cruz to return to settle the dispute as to who is the best 135-pound fighter on the planet. Until then, Barao holds that title. And he’s probably the most dominant champion in the lighter weight classes not named Jose Aldo. 

 

2. Wineland has knockout power, and he’ll need to use it

Wineland can’t expect to be the better technical striker in this fight. But he probably believes he is the most powerful.

In 20 career victories, the Indiana native has 10 knockout stoppages, a fairly remarkable figure for a bantamweight. But his power is unique for his division. Unlike heavier weight classes, bantamweights tend to lack one-punch knockout power. Wineland possesses that power, and he’s going to need it.

Barao will look to kick his way through Wineland, and Eddie will have to act fast before the wheels come off. His power and a sense of urgency should yield a frantic first round in which Wineland throws some very heavy leather.

 

3. Bantamweight cardio keeps fights entertaining into the later rounds

As simple as it may sound, the strong cardio lighter fighters possess make for some of the more entertaining fights on any given card. As the rounds wear down, the fighters amp up the intensity. This cardio sets them apart from heavier fighters who fade late. 

While the odds suggest this fight will be lopsided, both Barao and Wineland should just about match one another in terms of cardio. Even if the first few rounds go to Barao, Wineland’s gas tank should allow him to be a threat for as long as the fight goes on. 

Nothing is quite as satisfying to the paying UFC customer as a five-round war. Though this fight may not make it as far as the championship rounds, if it does, rest assured these two bantamweights will keep up the pace. 

 

In Closing…

Jones vs. Gustafsson is the reason fans are dropping cash on this pay-per-view, but Barao vs. Wineland will go a long way in making this event worth the price. Between witnessing the best bantamweight fight, the constant threat of a Wineland KO and the seemingly endless cardio of these 135-pound competitors, the UFC 165 co-main event is set to deliver. 

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UFC 165 Fight Card: Ranking Main Card Fights Based on Potential to Excite

Some UFC pay-per-views don’t feature a strong lineup. UFC 165 isn’t one of them. 
The five-fight main card includes a heavyweight clash between Brendan Schaub and Matt Mitrione, a lightweight scrap between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Pat Healy and a m…

Some UFC pay-per-views don’t feature a strong lineup. UFC 165 isn’t one of them. 

The five-fight main card includes a heavyweight clash between Brendan Schaub and Matt Mitrione, a lightweight scrap between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Pat Healy and a middleweight bout between Costa Philippou and Francis Carmont. 

The co-main event features a bantamweight title fight between interim champion Renan Barao and Eddie Wineland, while the main event pits Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones against top contender Alexander Gustafsson. 

Like we said, not a bad lineup. 

Before tuning in tonight, B/R takes a look at how the five fights rank in terms of the potential to excite. Will the lighter fighters shine? Or will Jones and Gustafsson put on the evening’s most thrilling contest? 

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Why We Want Brock Lesnar to Fight at Least Once More Inside the Octagon

Brock Lesnar was once the biggest draw in the UFC.
The former heavyweight champion was hated, loved, envied and admired by the mixed martial arts fanbase. When he stepped into the cage, everyone was watching. When his hand was raised in victory, no one…

Brock Lesnar was once the biggest draw in the UFC.

The former heavyweight champion was hated, loved, envied and admired by the mixed martial arts fanbase. When he stepped into the cage, everyone was watching. When his hand was raised in victory, no one complained about the cost of the Pay-Per-View program. When he was brutally defeated, some cheered, others grimaced.  

And when he finally hung up his gloves to return to professional wrestling, no one was ready to see him go—at least no one should have been. 

With Lesnar‘s decline came the rise of such heavyweights as Junior dos Santos and the man who defeated Lesnar to earn the belt, Cain Velasquez. Both fighters have attempted to take over the division, each holding the belt for a time. Velasquez has it now, giving him ownership over the division’s throne. But just how dominant a ruler is he from a fan’s perspective? Or, perhaps more appropriate for this conversation, just how valuable is the heavyweight champion?

As a headliner, Velasquez has drawn PPV buyrates such as 240,000 for UFC 110; 900,000 for UFC 121; 590,000 for UFC 155 and 380,000 for UFC 160. 

One of these numbers is not like the other. That number is a result of Velasquez facing off against Lesnar. The two met at UFC 121, and Velasquez earned the title that night. 

Lesnar‘s PPV numbers have been far more impressive than Velasquez’, as he’s totaled at least 500,000 buys in all five of the UFC events he headlined. He also cracked the 1,000,000 mark for three of those events. 

Velasquez’ highest draw—besides UFC 121—came at UFC 155 with just shy of 600,000 buys. That means his best PPV buyrate when he was not facing Lesnar was just 65,000 greater than Lesnar‘s worst PPV buyrate. 

Love him or hate him, no heavyweight (or fighter, really) draws better than Lesnar. 

The answer to why he is such a PPV behemoth isn’t very tricky. Lesnar is a polarizing figure whose post-fight speeches and in-cage carnage leave fans with some type of emotion— love or hate. Whatever the feeling, it’s there; you’re not empty. That can’t be said about every main event. 

There are also crossover fans, a group spending a Saturday night to watch a former professional wrestler try his hand at a new combat sport. Then there are the casual fans who come running to watch guys like Lesnar, and only fighters with major name-value. 

But the type of fans that composed the seven-figure buy rates Lesnar drew doesn’t matter. What does matter is the fact that he could fill a venue, send PPV numbers through the roof and create an electricity that had you amped a week before fight night.

Lesnar made fans feel something; whether those feelings were positive or negative is irrelevant. And the UFC has yet to find a superstar to replace him since his retirement. It’s really not hard to figure out why—he’s left some big shoes to fill. 

A Lesnar return would give the UFC back its biggest superstar. It would bring those UFC buyrates back into the seven-figures. It would give fans that jolt of energy, that incredible anticipation for fight night that Lesnar provides better than anybody.

It would satisfy that need to see Lesnar step into the Octagon one last time.  

 

*PPV numbers courtesy of Wrestling Observer Newsletter 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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