The UFC returns to pay-per-view this weekend with UFC 177. Live from Sacramento, California, the card boasts a title fight in the main event slot between TJ Dillashaw and Renan Barao.
The card in general is full of prospects, which corresponds wi…
The UFC returns to pay-per-view this weekend with UFC 177. Live from Sacramento, California, the card boasts a title fight in the main event slot between TJ Dillashaw and RenanBarao.
The card in general is full of prospects, which corresponds with its lack of star power. It’s a reason why fans are not jumping at the opportunity to cough up money for the event.
That said, this is all about the prelims. I had a fantastic weekend with the double header, as Macau and Tulsa provided me with an awesome 9-2 mark.
With that said, we move forward. Here is a preview for each fight on the preliminary card, along with predictions.
The UFC is rapidly expanding and putting on more and more shows, and the increased number of events means an increase in roster size.
Despite a championship bout in the main attraction, UFC 177 is relatively low on star power. In fact, many of the part…
The UFC is rapidly expanding and putting on more and more shows, and the increased number of events means an increase in roster size.
Despite a championship bout in the main attraction, UFC 177 is relatively low on star power. In fact, many of the participants are prospects looking to establish a name.
Apart from the recognized names, there are some fresh faces on the card. In fact, a handful of fighters are set to begin their journeys with the UFC.
A half-dozen fighters are making their official UFC debuts this week. Let’s take a look at every new fighter.
I get it. UFC 177 isn’t the best pay-per-view the UFC has ever presented. I think that’s obvious.
Injuries have ravished the 177th numbered show from the prelims to the main events. It has seemingly taken the wind out of the sails of a once-promising e…
I get it. UFC 177 isn’t the best pay-per-view the UFC has ever presented. I think that’s obvious.
Injuries have ravished the 177th numbered show from the prelims to the main events. It has seemingly taken the wind out of the sails of a once-promising event, as we now scrounge the bottom of the barrel for entertainment.
I am here to tell you, UFC 177 is still watchable. That’s right, I said it. UFC 177 is a show you can still watch. You may just have to go to the bar to watch it if you don’t want to spend over $50.
You may be pessimistic, but I am a half-glass-full guy. So, you want some reasons to watch UFC 177?
It’s not going to be easy, but I give you those reasons right now.
The UFC returned to China Saturday morning with UFC Fight Night 48. Headlined by Michael Bisping and Cung Le, the event held a largely regional card with fighters from neighboring Asian countries.
However, the co-main event had two high-level welterwei…
The UFC returned to China Saturday morning with UFC Fight Night 48. Headlined by Michael Bisping and Cung Le, the event held a largely regional card with fighters from neighboring Asian countries.
However, the co-main event had two high-level welterweights square off in the form of TyronWoodley and Dong Hyun Kim. When it was all said and done, Woodley leveled Kim with a massive punch and finished him on the ground with follow-up shots for the win.
With the win, Woodley is back in the title picture, but who should he take on next? Here are three options.
Matt Brown
Matt Brown might be the best option. The top-five welterweight is coming off a top contender’s bout opposite Robbie Lawler in which, although he lost, Brown showed great toughness and determination.
Brown has the striking to give Woodley problems. However, Woodley has the wrestling to give Brown problems. It’s a great compliment.
Both men are toward the upper-middle part of the 170-pound division, so it really makes sense. It could also headline a fight night card that’s either on Fight Pass or Fox Sports 1.
Demian Maia
Demian Maia is an interesting matchup for TyronWoodley. While Woodley is a power wrestler with knockout power, Maia is a world-class jiu-jitsu practitioner with improved technical ability on the feet.
Woodley could take down Maia, but he would be playing with fire against a guy who can sweep, transition and submit anybody in the world. On the feet, he could knock him out or get hit and run by the in-and-out of Maia.
Either way, both men are at the top of their class. That’s why this fight makes sense the most.
Jake Ellenberger
Think about Rory MacDonald’s latest fights against Jake Ellenberger and Woodley. Both were very timid and got outpointed in a poor showing.
Now, that alone may not warrant a matchup between Ellenberger and Woodley, but their respective styles would.
Both men are wrestlers who have come to be known for their heavy leather. Both have extreme knockout power, though Ellenberger has been more shy about it lately.
Styles make fights, and I have a good feeling that this would be an interesting affair.
UFC Macao’s main card was dragging until the co-main event came along. That fight saw welterweight contenders Tyron Woodley and Dong Hyun Kim square off in a high-profile affair.
In what was a short outing, Woodley redeemed himself from a poor s…
UFC Macao’s main card was dragging until the co-main event came along. That fight saw welterweight contenders TyronWoodley and Dong Hyun Kim square off in a high-profile affair.
In what was a short outing, Woodley redeemed himself from a poor showing against Rory MacDonald by brutally putting down Kim with a gnarly TKO. It brings him back to the spotlight and allows him to stay relevant in a division full of sharks.
What did we learn from the co-main event? Let’s take a look.
What We’ll Remember from This Fight
The class act that Woodley is. When a fighter wins a fight, especially in the awesome fashion that he did, he is entitled to the spotlight.
While Woodley did get interviewed and told us all it was his wedding anniversary, he let Kim address the crowd. This was very selfless, as Woodley knew a lot of fans came and possibly traveled to see Kim perform.
It’s moments like this that make MMA such a great and respectful sport.
What We Learned About Woodley
If you make one mistake, Woodley is going to capitalize.
We knew Woodley had one-punch finishing capability. However, we now see that he has the eye to catch the smallest crack in an opponent’s technique and can turn it into something big for himself.
In this case, it was an errant spinning attack by Kim that turned into a brilliant counter by the Missouri native. It’s a scary intangible for a guy like him to have moving forward.
What We Learned About Kim
He needs to revert to his former fighting style and stay away from the flash.
Yes, his finish of John Hathaway was awesome. It could be a top contender for Knockout of the Year.
However, Kim has a track record of being most successful with his grinding, relentless style where he breaks guys down. He needs to revert back to that and pick his spots on the crazy strikes if he ever plans on contending for a UFC championship.
What’s Next for Woodley?
Woodley has some options now that he has reopened the eyes of fans and the UFC brass.
The first option would be original Kim opponent Hector Lombard. Both men are big punchers with great athleticism and physical strength.
Another opponent could be Matt Brown, who is coming off a top contender’s bout loss to Robbie Lawler. He has the striking and grit that would really test the character of Woodley.
What’s Next for Kim?
Kim is really in limbo. He’s always the bridesmaid and never the bride in the UFC title picture.
An option could be the loser of Saturday night’s Jordan Mein-Mike Pyle fight in Tulsa. Both men are around the same spot in the division, and it could be a great rebound fight.
The other option could be against Jake Ellenberger. Both men have had consistency problems and would benefit taking on someone in a similar position.
Brock Lesnar. Alberto del Rio. Bobby Lashley.
Those are just three professional wrestlers that have dabbled in the world of MMA. They are among the most famous men, due to their runs in WWE and the amount of fights they have actually taken.
There are a…
Those are just three professional wrestlers that have dabbled in the world of MMA. They are among the most famous men, due to their runs in WWE and the amount of fights they have actually taken.
There are a number of pro wrestlers who have tried the fastest growing combat sports, you just don’t know they did it. A lot of them have taken just one or a small number of fights, which is probably why you don’t know they did MMA.
So, here are five pro wrestlers you probably didn’t know that gave MMA a shot at one point.
UFC Macao’s main card was dragging until the co-main event came along. That fight saw welterweight contenders