Author: Nathan McCarter

John Dodson vs. Zach Makovsky: What We Learned from UFC 187 Tilt

John Dodson took a unanimous decision against a game Zach Makovsky in the featured preliminary bout at UFC 187.

Makovsky forced Dodson to be a defensive fighter. Makovsky’s tight defense, wrestling and left hand created a lot of issues for Dodson. He …

John Dodson took a unanimous decision against a game Zach Makovsky in the featured preliminary bout at UFC 187.

Makovsky forced Dodson to be a defensive fighter. Makovsky’s tight defense, wrestling and left hand created a lot of issues for Dodson. He was not able to be the dynamic, fast-paced fighter he typically is. And it may have made him a better fighter for it.

The 15-minute flyweight tilt gave good insight into both competitors, and this is what we learned.

 

What We’ll Remember About This Fight

Nothing.

It was an OK fight. It was technical and tactical, but it didn’t offer anything exciting.

The flyweight fight underwhelmed and will be forgotten. That is unfortunate.

 

What We Learned About Zach Makovsky

Makovsky answered the question whether he can compete against the elite. He definitely can.

A lot of times wrestlers can break into the top 10, but they fail to show their ability to compete against the top five. Nik Lentz comes to mind. Makovsky proved he is able to contend against the top of this division. That is not to say he doesn’t have work to do.

Makovsky needs to show more offense. His left hand was on point in this fight, but a bit more offensive activity will go a long way.

 

What’s We Learned About John Dodson

We learned he is fine, which was a big question entering this fight. He was away from the cage a long time recovering from injury, but he looked solid at UFC 187.

It wasn’t a spectacular performance, but Dodson had a lot of cage rust to work out. It was also not a stylistic matchup that leads to an exciting, fast-paced fight. Makovsky forced Dodson to fight a more tactical fight.

The best news is that we learned Dodson returned at 100 percent. That is great for the fans, the UFC, the flyweight division and, most importantly, Dodson.

 

What’s Next for Makovsky

Makovsky will need to regroup, but as a top-15 fighter, he likely won’t fight an unranked opponent in this thin division. No. 12-ranked Dustin Ortiz slots in just fine.

Ortiz vs. Makovsky would make for a wonderful preliminary contest on a future Fight Night card. It will be exciting and move the winner up the ladder for another top-10 fight.

 

What’s Next for Dodson

Demetrious Johnson. Period.

Dodson is the No. 1-ranked fighter in the division. He’s charismatic, flashy, technically sound, has knockout power and, most importantly, gave Johnson his toughest fight in the flyweight division.

Dodson nearly finished Johnson, but the champion recovered and took over the fight. It was a big learning experience for Dodson. That only makes a rematch more exciting. He is the lone man in the division who can give Johnson a run for his money.

That fight will be electric.

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Uriah Hall vs. Rafael Natal: What We Learned from UFC 187 Tilt

Rafael Natal nabbed a contentious split decision from Uriah Hall, but it wasn’t an egregious outcome.
Natal won the second round with an early takedown. Hall did well to close out the round with one of his own, but Natal clearly did more in the second …

Rafael Natal nabbed a contentious split decision from Uriah Hall, but it wasn’t an egregious outcome.

Natal won the second round with an early takedown. Hall did well to close out the round with one of his own, but Natal clearly did more in the second frame to even the fight. It looked like Hall may have done enough in the third, but Natal landed his own offense as well.

Perhaps Hall’s counterstriking style looked like he was backing away and avoiding the fight. It would not be the first time we have seen inept judging. Even still, Natal did enough to at least make it close. This win should not be seen as a robbery, and he should not suffer from the potentially controversial nature of the result.

This is what we learned from the middleweight affair.

 

What We’ll Remember About This Fight

Was the opening groin kick intentional? Was it inadvertent?

Natal connected with a suspicious inside leg kick that landed flush on the groin on the very first strike of the fight. After all the trash talk between the two fighters, one has to question the intentions behind it. UFC color commentator Joe Rogan was suspicious of it as well and asked for a replay to see the angle of the kick.

It was a curious start to the fight.

 

What We Learned About Uriah Hall

He still has a ways to go before being called elite.

He had a decent fight but did nothing spectacular. Natal took him down fairly easily in the second round, but most of the credit goes to the Brazilian for timing the level change beautifully. Hall also got clipped by an overhand right.

Losing may have been the best outcome for Hall. He is not ready for the top end of the division, and a win would have forced him into fighting someone in the Top 15.

 

What We Learned About Rafael Natal

If you thought Natal was going to get knocked out by a quicker athlete, you were wrong. I was right there with you in that thinking, but he proved that he still comes to fight. He took some big shots in the bout and kept coming.

That was impressive. We learned Natal can make us eat crow.

He is tough. He is a grinder. He kept coming forward and making Hall circle away. Natal did what he could to get the fight to the ground. It was a solid performance but nothing to set the world on fire.

 

What’s Next for Hall?

How about Dan Kelly? Sure.

Kelly was undefeated before Sam Alvey iced him in early May. Hall could do the same thing, but Kelly’s judo background could force Hall to improve his takedown defense as well.

It’s a quality rebound fight, which is what Hall needs.

 

What’s Next for Natal?

Natal is a solid name in the division but lacks the skill to break through to the next level. He is a good undercard guy who can challenge those on the brink. In other words, he’s a gatekeeper. That is the role he played at UFC 187.

After this win, Natal should return home to Brazil for a fight on home soil. The winner of Ricardo Abreu vs. Jake Collier would be my choice, but any other lower-level middleweight would do the trick. Natal should not be fighting anyone of note after this win.

The UFC can build Natal up just a bit more before putting him against another up-and-comer who has eyes on the Top 10.

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UFC 187 Johnson vs. Cormier: Round-by-Round Recap and Analysis

UFC 187’s main event will see a new champion crowned in the light heavyweight division Saturday night.
No. 3-ranked contender Daniel Cormier meets No. 1-ranked Anthony Johnson for the vacant strap.
Cormier accepted the bout when Jon Jones was indefinit…

UFC 187‘s main event will see a new champion crowned in the light heavyweight division Saturday night.

No. 3-ranked contender Daniel Cormier meets No. 1-ranked Anthony Johnson for the vacant strap.

Cormier accepted the bout when Jon Jones was indefinitely suspended and stripped of the title. The new main event could spell a new era in the light heavyweight division, or it could just be the crowning of a paper champion. Regardless, this is an intriguing and exciting matchup.

Bleacher Report will have all the action covered for you right here when the fight gets underway. The main card starts at 10 p.m. ET. Check back for the main event analysis.

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UFC 187 Weigh-in Results: Johnson vs. Cormier Fight Card

UFC 187 is just a day away. The stacked fight card will be made official today, as the 24 fighters tip the scale to make weight.
Two titles are up for grabs in Las Vegas. Anthony Johnson and Daniel Cormier headline the event for the vacant UFC light he…

UFC 187 is just a day away. The stacked fight card will be made official today, as the 24 fighters tip the scale to make weight.

Two titles are up for grabs in Las Vegas. Anthony Johnson and Daniel Cormier headline the event for the vacant UFC light heavyweight title, and Chris Weidman defends his middleweight crown against Vitor Belfort in the co-main event.

Those two premiere bouts are just the tip of the iceberg. Nine more top-10 fighters help fill out the fight card. Bleacher Report will be here to bring you all the happenings coming out of Vegas, and the weigh-ins begin at 7 p.m. ET.

Come back to see if everyone is on weight for Saturday’s spectacular event.

 

UFC 187 Fight Card

  • UFC Light Heavyweight Championship: Anthony Johnson vs. Daniel Cormier
  • UFC Middleweight Championship: Chris Weidman vs. Vitor Belfort
  • Donald Cerrone vs. John Makdessi
  • Travis Browne vs. Andrei Arlovski
  • Joseph Benavidez vs. John Moraga
  • John Dodson vs. Zach Makovsky
  • Dong Hyun Kim vs. Josh Burkman
  • Uriah Hall vs. Rafael Natal
  • Rose Namajunas vs. Nina Ansaroff
  • Mike Pyle vs. Colby Covington
  • Islam Makhachev vs. Leo Kuntz
  • Justin Scoggins vs. Josh Sampo

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UFC 187: Why Things Will Be Different This Time for Daniel Cormier

Daniel Cormier will get another title shot just five months after his last. A thank you note to Jon Jones should be in the mail.
On Saturday, Cormier headlines UFC 187 opposite No. 1-ranked Anthony Johnson for the vacant UFC light heavyweight title. An…

Daniel Cormier will get another title shot just five months after his last. A thank you note to Jon Jones should be in the mail.

On Saturday, Cormier headlines UFC 187 opposite No. 1-ranked Anthony Johnson for the vacant UFC light heavyweight title. And this time, you can expect Cormier to wear gold at the end of the night.

Why will this contest be different?

When Johnson said the matchup with Cormier would be more difficult than Jones, I agreed.

Styles make fights, and Cormier‘s style is a terrible matchup for what Johnson brings to the cage. Johnson has massive power and excellent athleticism, but Cormier‘s grinding style should be able to nullify him in the early rounds.

At heavyweight, Cormier was dealing with bigger men and heavier punchers. Johnson won’t surprise Cormier with anything in the cage. Cormier has outclassed most with his wrestling with the lone exception of Jones. Johnson does not pose the same issues that Jones did in the cage.

There is little concern that Johnson will be able to stop a Cormier takedown.

Johnson is a threat to knock out anyone. The issue with this matchup is that Cormier has splendid defensive boxing and a good chin. Johnson will have a hard time locating the chin of Cormier for another impressive KO. Is it possible? Absolutely. But Cormier will not give him the space.

Cormier is aggressive. Johnson needs space to throw big power shots, and Cormier will close the distance quickly. Even if he fails to take Johnson down, Cormier will put his back against the fence and grind out the early rounds. Johnson’s history of fading as the fight wears on will pop back up as he struggles with Cormier‘s clinch game.

Cardio will play an important factor.

Once tired, Johnson is toast. Cormier will be able to finish a sluggish Johnson in the later rounds.

UFC 187 is the perfect title matchup to make Cormier look like the elite fighter he is. On a basic level, this matchup reminds me a lot of Randy Couture vs. Vitor Belfort—the dynamic striker who is more athletic against the grinding wrestler who will outwork most everyone. Johnson has the proverbial “puncher’s chance,” but that is all.

The key to this fight is the first round. If Cormier puts Johnson on his back, either against the fence or on the canvas, Johnson will struggle the rest of the way.

Cormier struggled with Jones’ physical stature, but Johnson cannot replicate that. This matchup plays out perfectly for the Oklahoma State Sooner.

Things will be different for Cormier. He’s not fighting the king of the division.

UFC 187 is the time for Cormier to claim gold. It is a preferable stylistic matchup against a man who has a history of fading. The highlight reel takedowns that Cormier has had in his MMA career are likely to continue against “Rumble.” Eventually, the pressure will wilt Johnson.

In Jones’ absence, Cormier is the best this division has to offer. That will be evident Saturday evening.

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Chris Weidman: It’s Easy to Forget How Good He Really Is

Chris Weidman is the UFC middleweight champion of the world, and he will defend that title for the third time this weekend at UFC 187 against Vitor Belfort. Yet, we seem to be forgetting how good Weidman actually is.

Weidman saw a quick rise in this s…

Chris Weidman is the UFC middleweight champion of the world, and he will defend that title for the third time this weekend at UFC 187 against Vitor Belfort. Yet, we seem to be forgetting how good Weidman actually is.

Weidman saw a quick rise in this sport. The Serra-Longo fighter was much hyped when he debuted. Weidman jumped to the UFC after just four professional fights. The former All-American wrestler was already being talked about as the future of the division.

Weidman made his promotional debut on short notice. He filled in to take on Alessio Sakara on the main card of UFC on Versus 3 in 2011—a fight he would win by unanimous decision.

After back-to-back submission finishes over Jesse Bongfeldt and Tom Lawlor, the UFC had him fighting the elite of the division less than a year after debuting. He accepted a fight against former title challenger Demian Maia on Fox and won another clear-cut decision.

Following that big performance, it was time for a title eliminator against Mark Munoz. Weidman laid a vicious beating on Munoz that was uncomfortable to watch due to poor refereeing. Munoz got blasted by Weidman and suddenly just a little over a year after debuting, Weidman had a title shot.

He would have to wait a year for that shot but when it came, Weidman confirmed the prognostication that he was the future of the division. Weidman caught Anderson Silva flush and knocked him out. And when they met for a rematch, Silva broke his leg when Weidman checked a kick.

The last time we saw the champion was last July in a great fight against Lyoto Machida. It was competitive, but Weidman was clearly in control for the vast majority of the fight. Weidman has never truly looked in danger inside the cage. That is not something we can say about many—including former No. 1 pound-for-pound king Jon Jones.

Weidman is spectacular.

He started with a strong wrestling base and added in some of the best jiu-jitsu in the division thanks to John Danaher, Matt Serra and Renzo Gracie. His striking has started to equal that of his ground work thanks to Ray Longo. His coaches and teammates have helped Weidman grow into one of the best all-around fighters in the sport today.

Perhaps most importantly, Weidman is very intelligent. His fight IQ is unparalleled in the sport. Weidman crafts great game plans but also has the ability to adjust mid-fight to his opponents.

With all that is going on in MMA today, it is easy to forget about Weidman. He is not the most charismatic figure in the sport. And due to injury, he has often left our consciousness for lengthy periods of time. Those factors make us forget that Weidman truly is the cream of the crop in this sport right now.

With UFC 187 just days away, we all need to remember how good Weidman is. This won’t be an easy fight against Belfort, but Weidman has all the tools to make it look easy. He is a rare commodity in the sport. He has dominated this division, and the sport’s greatest fighter of all time twice, with a mere total of 12 professional fights.

His UFC tenure, and entire MMA career, for that matter, does not get the adulation it deserves. It is highly impressive. We are lucky to get to see him compete once more this weekend.

Win or lose, don’t take Weidman for granted. We do not have many fighters in the sport like him.

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