Many people are looking to UFC 147 with little enthusiasm. You can’t blame these people, as it is a pay-per-view with little star power and not many recognizable faces.If there is one thing I have learned as an MMA fan, it’s that the cards with little …
Many people are looking to UFC 147 with little enthusiasm. You can’t blame these people, as it is a pay-per-view with little star power and not many recognizable faces.
If there is one thing I have learned as an MMA fan, it’s that the cards with little “star power” and unrecognizable names turn out to be extremely exciting.
If you have paid any attention to The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil, you would be looking at this card with great excitement. The first season of the show in the birthplace of MMA has provided amazing fights, brutal knockouts and savvy submissions.
Here are three fights you can’t miss on the UFC 147 card.
UFC on FX 4 comes to you live Friday night, with fights taking place on Facebook, Fuel TV and FX. The card will be headlined by lightweight contenders Gray Maynard and Clay Guida, who will battle to move one step closer to the championship. Also o…
UFC on FX 4 comes to you live Friday night, with fights taking place on Facebook, Fuel TV and FX. The card will be headlined by lightweight contenders Gray Maynard and Clay Guida, who will battle to move one step closer to the championship.
Also on the card are a handful of fighters who are likely fighting for their jobs. These fighters have lost a couple of bouts recently and could use a win to earn job security.
Here are four fighters on the hot seat coming into UFC on FX 4.
At this stage in the game, most of the UFC champions are dominating their divisions. Most of the champs have proven that they are the best in the respective divisions by fending off their challengers. Currently, the UFC champions are Dominick Cruz…
At this stage in the game, most of the UFC champions are dominating their divisions. Most of the champs have proven that they are the best in the respective divisions by fending off their challengers.
Currently, the UFC champions are Dominick Cruz, Jose Aldo, Ben Henderson, Carlos Condit (in the interim), Anderson Silva, Jon Jones and Junior dos Santos. These men all have weaknesses that have yet to be exploited—but eventually can be by the right fighter.
Here is one flaw that each UFC champion has that can be exploited, plus the ideal fighter to knock off the champ.
UFC 147 serves as the finale for the Brazilian version of The Ultimate Fighter. Headlined by coach Wanderlei Silva and replacement Rich Franklin, who is filling in for Vitor Belfort, the card will the second put on in Brazil this year.In the featherwei…
UFC 147 serves as the finale for the Brazilian version of The Ultimate Fighter. Headlined by coach Wanderlei Silva and replacement Rich Franklin, who is filling in for Vitor Belfort, the card will the second put on in Brazil this year.
In the featherweight final, Rony Jason meets Godofredo Pepey. As for the middleweight final, Cezar Mutante meets replacement Sergio Moraes, who fills in for original finalist Daniel Sarafian.
Here is a look at each cast member versus cast member matchup, giving a quick look at the fights for those unfamiliar with the fighters from the show.
This weekend did not provide us with any “major” events from the UFC, Strikeforce or Bellator, but that doesn’t mean the march did not go on. Titan Fighting Championship, Ring of Combat and ShoFight all put on solid cards, entertaining fans in the abse…
This weekend did not provide us with any “major” events from the UFC, Strikeforce or Bellator, but that doesn’t mean the march did not go on. Titan Fighting Championship, Ring of Combat and ShoFight all put on solid cards, entertaining fans in the absence of the UFC.
Here is a quick rundown of what went on this weekend.
Santiago earns submission, vows to drop to welterweight at Titan Fighting Championship 23
Titan Fighting Championship put on a card for the troops this weekend, putting on a show at Fort Riley in Kansas. Headlining was former top-10 middleweight Jorge Santiago, who is looking to pile up wins to earn his way back in the UFC.
Opposite of Santiago was Justin Guthrie, a 20-fight veteran looking for his sixth straight win and a call-up to the big leagues. Unfortunately for Guthrie, it wasn’t to be.
Just 94 seconds in, Santiago tapped Guthrie with an inverted heel hook, earning his second straight win since his drop from the UFC. It was Santiago’s first submission victory since 2008, where he also won by heel hook.
After the fight, Santiago vowed a drop to welterweight in his future. This could mean trouble to any 170-pounder who gets in Santiago’s way, as he is a power striker with a great submission game.
In other notable news from the Titan Fighting Championship card, Brazilian prospect Freddy Assuncao, brother of UFC vets Junior and Raphael, participated in a featherweight bout with Andrew Carrillo. Assuncao was victorious after Carrillo dislocated his shoulder and was unable to continue.
This runs Assuncao’s record to 7-1, showing the potential and skill of the Brazilian. One more win and Assuncao should be invited to the UFC’s featherweight division, as the division needs more talent.
Teammates Hall and Rivera capture gold at Ring of Combat 41
Ring of Combat saw Team Tiger Schulman representatives capture championships in two different weight divisions.
In the main event, Uriah Hall earned a unanimous decision over the rugged Nodar Kuduxashvili. Hall used power striking and his solid ground game to control Kuduxashvili for a majority of the bout. This win should earn Hall a UFC contract, as he is one of the best middleweights not in the company.
Meanwhile, Ultimate Fighter veteran and fellow Team Tiger Schulman rep Jimmie Rivera was victorious in his bout on the card. He also won a unanimous decision, topping Justin Hickey in his three-round affair. That was Rivera’s eighth straight win as a featherweight, which should similarly earn him a UFC contract. He is very well-rounded and a powerful fighter to be feared.
ShoFight 20 puts on dazzling card with veterans of the cage
If you were looking for great fights to watch with recognizable names, ShoFight 20 would have been the card to watch. Hosting a number of big-fight veterans, ShoFight put on an amazing event that is sure to gain steam for the company.
Earning decision victories were UFC veterans Matt Lucas, Kendall Grove and Sevak Magakian, as well as Strikeforce veteran Lyle Beerbohm. Of those decisions, only Grove’s was a split decision, which was earned over very-late replacement Derek Brunson.
Other winners include Chris Gruetzemacher (TKO victory over Roli Delgado), Mike Wessel (TKO victory over Matt Kovacs) and John Gunderson (submission win over Karo Parisyan).
In the midst of all the success that big-name players received, other notable veterans fell victim to defeat. Knocked out were WEC veteran Karen Darabedyan, Bellator veteran Sam Alvey and UFC veterans Drew Fickett and Roli Delgado.
Others who were defeated were Derek Brunson (split decision), Marcus Aurelio (unanimous decision), Karo Parisyan (guillotine choke) and Charles “Krazy Horse” Bennett (triangle choke).
Here is a rundown of the notable fights from the card:
– John Gunderson def. Karo Parisyan via submission (guillotine choke)
– Kendall Grove def. Derek Brunson via split decision
– Lucas Lopes def. Sam Alvey via TKO (punches)
– Chris McDaniel def. Charles Bennett via submission (triangle choke)
– Sevak Magakian def. James Reese via unanimous decision
– Lyle Beerbohm def. Marcus Aurelio via unanimous decision
– Mike Wessel def. Matt Kovacs via TKO (punches)
– Jonatas Novaes def. Drew Fickett via TKO (punches)
– Chris Gruetzemacher def. Roli Delgado via TKO (elbows)
– Mike Brazzle def. Karen Darabedyan via TKO (punches)
– Matt Lucas def. Lucas Overcast via unanimous decision
Rafael Cavalcante’s recent drug test failure following his fight against Mike Kyle is another unfortunate happening in a string of negatives for Strikeforce.Cavalcante’s failure follows a drug test failure by ex-Strikeforce employee Muhammed “King Mo” …
Rafael Cavalcante’s recent drug test failure following his fight against Mike Kyle is another unfortunate happening in a string of negatives for Strikeforce.
Cavalcante’s failure follows a drug test failure by ex-Strikeforce employee Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal. In addition to his failure, Lawal blasted the athletic commission, which led to his release from the company.
Lawal has now signed with Bellator, which hurt Strikeforce as Lawal was one of the top stars in the company.
In addition to those two drug test failures hurting Strikeforce, another loss of a significant star has hurt the company. Paul Daley recently requested, and was granted, his release from Strikeforce. With his loss, Strikeforce lost yet another marketable star to their opposition, Bellator.
All of this falls on the heels of Brett Rogers’ arrest and release from the company last year, an event that created a bad image for the company. It cannot be directly attributed to the slumping of the company, but it definitely hurt its image.
Oh, and remember Brandon Saling, the man who had one fight with Strikeforce before they found out he was a Nazi sympathizer with a past of sexual misconduct? That definitely brought negative attention to Strikeforce.
With all of these marketable fighters no longer in active competition with the company (Daley, Rogers, Cavalcante and Lawal), in addition to the poaching of talent by the UFC (Dan Henderson, Nick Diaz and the entire heavyweight division), it is no wonder why Strikeforce’s numbers have been so bad lately.
The company is having trouble garnering respectable ratings for their shows. The recent drug test failures have now shown that Strikeforce is on its deathbed, if it isn’t already dead to begin with.
I don’t think the company has the strength to rebound at this point. Bellator is gaining steam through exciting shows, company-made stars and the signing of former Zuffa talent. Bellator is on a path of overtaking Strikeforce in the near future.
Strikeforce’s numbers will continue to falter and will lead to the overall demise of the company. Some of the fighters will make it to the UFC, such as Luke Rockhold, Tim Kennedy and Gilbert Melendez. Others, who don’t have as much name value, will be left unemployed, looking for opportunities from other promotions.
Strikeforce had a great run, but its faults have been exposed recently. At this point, it is safe to say that Strikeforce is dead and buried. Enjoy the memories, because it will soon be a thing of the past.
This weekend did not provide us with any “major” events from the UFC, Strikeforce or Bellator, but that doesn’t mean the march did not go on. Titan Fighting Championship, Ring of Combat and ShoFight all put on solid cards, entertaining fans in the absence of the UFC.