Author: Riley Kontek

UFC 172 Results: Joseph Benavidez Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place

UFC 172 marked the return of Joseph Benavidez, who fought for the first time since his failed title bid back in December. Benavidez took on Tim Elliott, a guy that wasn’t that close in the rankings.
The Team Alpha Male product took less than a round in…

UFC 172 marked the return of Joseph Benavidez, who fought for the first time since his failed title bid back in December. Benavidez took on Tim Elliott, a guy that wasn’t that close in the rankings.

The Team Alpha Male product took less than a round in beating Elliott, using a late guillotine choke to force a tap and jump back into the win column.

The win for Benavidez really puts him in a tough situation. He has already fought Demetrious Johnson twice for the belt without taking it from him. Their most recent scrap saw Johnson down Benavidez with a vicious first-round knockout that likely dashed Benavidez‘s title hope for a long time.

Basically, Benavidez is caught between a rock and a hard place.

He has beaten almost all of the top guys in the 125-pound division. His only career losses, though, come to Dominick Cruz twice and Johnson twice. Johnson is the champion of his current division, and Cruz was the champion of the 135-pound division.

He already owns wins over Jussier da Silva, Ian McCall and Yasuhiro Urushitani, all of whom were top 10 when he beat them. Outside of guys like John Dodson and current challenger Ali Bagautinov, there aren’t many challenges other than a title fight for the Team Alpha Male product.

Basically, Benavidez has become like his friend and training partner Urijah Faber, where he wins every fight but the fight for the belt. Plus, the fact that he has recently fought Johnson and took a nasty finish means Benavidez is out of the title picture for an extended period of time.

It’s going to take a major winning streak against quality opponents for Benavidez to earn another nod from the UFC brass. He will have to fight a murderer’s row of flyweights to even be in consideration for a championship fight.

For now, he is a novelty act. He will win fights and win fights, but not advance his stock much.

Looking forward, there are plenty of options that don’t include Johnson in terms of fights he can take. Perhaps the winner of John Dodson-John Moraga or Zach Makovsky could be a good fight for Benavidez next.

Another title shot is not impossible or out of the question. However, for now, Benavidez will continue to fight just to fight until he can put together an impressive enough streak to gain relevance at 125.

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UFC 172 Results: 3 Stars Who Emerged on the Prelims

UFC 172 was chock-full of exciting bouts and impressive finishes. This is especially true of the prelims where there were three finishes and a ton of excitement.
Obviously, most of the attention in the aftermath of UFC 172 is on the biggest names, like…

UFC 172 was chock-full of exciting bouts and impressive finishes. This is especially true of the prelims where there were three finishes and a ton of excitement.

Obviously, most of the attention in the aftermath of UFC 172 is on the biggest names, like Jon Jones, Anthony Johnson and Luke Rockhold. Although that is all well deserved, there were some men on the prelims who should get some attention for their work last night.

So, who were the three stars that emerged from the undercard? Let’s examine, based on performances and impressiveness.

 

Chris Beal

Chris Beal seemed to catch a tough break when he was not invited back to the UFC following The Ultimate Fighter 18. He was one of the brightest prospects on the show with an inspiring story, and his loss came against eventual winner Chris Holdsworth.

However, when UFC 172 needed to fill some sports on the card, Sean Shelby gave Beal a chance to prove himself against fellow promotional newcomer Patrick Williams. Beal did not disappoint.

In fact, he exceeded expectations. Early into the second round, Beal unleashed a picture-perfect flying knee that landed on the head of Williams, rendering the latter unconscious.

It earned Beal a post-fight bonus for his performance and a ton of fans in the process.

 

Danny Castillo

Danny Castillo has consistently performed in the UFC but has continued to float under the radar. After his destruction of Charlie Brenneman, fans are going to recognize Castillo for his talents more than before.

Castillo, known for his wrestling and grinding attack, did not allow Brenneman to get anywhere near the judges. Instead, the Team Alpha Male product decimated Brenneman with extreme prejudice by way of a one-punch knockout.

It was a shocking end to a bout that many people thought would be a strategical matchup. Instead, Castillo saw the door cracked just a bit and punched his way through that door.

Fans, take notice.

 

Bethe Correia

It wasn’t pretty and it won’t be winning Fight of the Year any time soon. However, Bethe Correia greatly boosted her stock with a win over Ronda Rousey teammate Jessamyn Duke at UFC 172.

Correia, who was a flyweight before coming to the UFC, is now 2-0 with the company. In a division not even close to overflowing with contenders, every win puts you very close to the title picture. Correia, who has also beat the gritty Julie Kedzie, can now demand fights in the top 10.

She has a mean attitude to her and can mean mug with the best of them. She has definitely brightened her star following her outstanding performance at UFC 172.

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UFC 172 Results: 3 Fights for Anthony Johnson to Take Next

Anthony Johnson made a successful return to the UFC Saturday night, as the recent World Series of Fighting poster boy took a dominant decision over Phil Davis. The win took Davis out of contention and launched Johnson into potential title consideration…

Anthony Johnson made a successful return to the UFC Saturday night, as the recent World Series of Fighting poster boy took a dominant decision over Phil Davis. The win took Davis out of contention and launched Johnson into potential title consideration.

Johnson’s fortunes come after a successful WSOF stint that came as a result of his expulsion from the UFC. Johnson had issues making weight, so Dana White and company decided he needed some time in the minor leagues to get his act together.

Now, Johnson is fighting at light heavyweight and has looked great in doing so.

In the aftermath of Johnson’s UFC 172 win, let’s look at three fights he can take next in moving forward with his UFC career.

 

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira

If Antonio Rogerio Nogueira can ever get healthy, he would be a good matchup for Anthony Johnson. This is especially true since both men are close to the top of the division but not the top contenders.

Nogueira hasn’t fought in over a year but is currently on a two-fight winning streak over the likes of Tito Ortiz and Rashad Evans. Those two wins have put Nogueira in good position, but his lack of activity is also a setback for him.

Stylistically, this would be a very interesting fight. Johnson is a power kickboxer with wrestling to back him up, while Nogueira is a boxer with a strong jiu-jitsu game in his back pocket. This fight could throw one man into title contention and the other back to the drawing board.

 

Glover Teixeira

Glover Teixeira was unsuccessful in his quest to grab the UFC title off of Jon Jones. He needs a rebound, but he doesn’t need to take a huge step down in competition.

Teixeira represents another fighter who would match up well with Johnson, as both men have bricks for hands and love the dogfight on the feet.

Both men are obviously top-10 fighters, making this matchup a potential no-brainer. It also has Fight of the Night written all over it if Joe Silva pulls the trigger on it.

 

Daniel Cormier/Dan Henderson Winner

Alexander Gustafsson is the most obvious choice to challenge Jon Jones next. That means that the winner of Daniel Cormier vs. Dan Henderson would have to expect a long layoff to get their title shot.

Fighters need to stay busy and not sit on the sidelines to wait for a title shot. So, whoever wins the fight between Cormier and Henderson should fight Johnson in a top contender’s match.

In a smart booking scenario, whenever Jones-Gustafsson gets booked, Joe Silva could put the Cormier-Henderson winner in the co-main event against Johnson. That way, everything is sorted out before our eyes.

 

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UFC 172: Preliminary Card Predictions

One of the biggest pay-per-views of 2014 is upon us this Saturday, as UFC 172 comes to you live from Baltimore. Headlined by a light heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and Glover Teixeira, the card is stacked from top to bottom.
Before the main …

One of the biggest pay-per-views of 2014 is upon us this Saturday, as UFC 172 comes to you live from Baltimore. Headlined by a light heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and Glover Teixeira, the card is stacked from top to bottom.

Before the main card and title fight, there is a stacked undercard that features stars and up-and-coming talent. From former title challenger Joseph Benavidez to Japanese legend Takanori Gomi, the prelims are bound to be great.

UFC on Fox 11 provided a nice night of predictions. Of the nine prelims predicted, six were correct, helping to improve this year’s win-loss record.

With that, let’s take a look at these prelims and make some predictions.

2014 Riley’s Record: 47-34

Last Event: UFC on Fox 11 (6-3)

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UFC 172: Predicting the Fight Night Bonus Winners

UFC 172 is quickly approaching, as the card marks the UFC’s return to pay-per-view this month. Headlined by a light heavyweight championship bout between Jon Jones and Glover Teixeira, the card is absolutely stacked from top to bottom.
The card also co…

UFC 172 is quickly approaching, as the card marks the UFC’s return to pay-per-view this month. Headlined by a light heavyweight championship bout between Jon Jones and Glover Teixeira, the card is absolutely stacked from top to bottom.

The card also co-features another pair of top light heavyweights, as Phil Davis welcomes Anthony Johnson back to the company. The winner of this bout moves himself closer to a title bout, though one has to believe Alexander Gustafsson and Daniel Cormier are still ahead of either man.

With that, let’s take a look at the fights on the card and make some predictions on who will take home the bonuses of the night. The performance bonuses will be based on the knockout and submission of the night.

 

Performance of the Night No. 1: Jon Jones

Jon Jones is taking on a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt in Glover Teixeira who loves to throw heat in the stand-up department. It sounds like fighters he has faced and beaten before.

Jones has submitted two good grapplers in Vitor Belfort and Lyoto Machida in recent memory. He has the wrestling and submission skills to compete with anybody in the light heavyweight division.

That’s why he will likely take home a bonus in the aftermath of UFC 172. He will ground Glover Teixeira, grab a submission and laugh all the way to the bank.

Also in the running: Phil Davis, Jim Miller

 

Performance of the Night No. 2: Luke Rockhold

Remember Luke Rockhold‘s latest performance? If you don’t, he basically outgunned a pure boxer in Costa Philippou in dominating fashion on the feet and put him down with extreme prejudice. 

Now, he has Tim Boetsch, who is not as good on the feet as Philippou and doesn’t have the wrestling pedigree to put the former Strikeforce champ on his back.

Boetsch has steaming punches, but Rockhold is technical and quick enough to stay away from a death blow. He will stay technical, light Boetsch up, get an impressive finish and be well-compensated for it.

Also in the running: Joe Ellenberger, Takanori Gomi

 

Fight of the Night: Max Holloway-Andre Fili

The minute Andre Fili-Max Holloway was announced, I was metaphorically salivating over how great this fight is on paper. When they turn this fight into reality, it has a chance to really dazzle fans.

Both Fili and Holloway are aggressive, hard-nosed strikers with a knack for being in fire fights. They are both rarely in boring fights, which allows them to warm up fans and gain respect in the aftermath.

These two are a perfect match for one another. They will punch and kick each other in the face a bunch of times, which will allow them to earn a little extra cash for their effort in Baltimore. 

Also in the running: Joseph Benavidez-Tim Elliott, Jessamyn Duke-Bethe Correia

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TUF 19 Episode 2 Results and Recap: Foreigner Strikes First Blood

The elimination fights happened. The teams have been picked. It was time for the real nitty-gritty part of The Ultimate Fighter 19 to commence.
This episode revolved around the first middleweight quarterfinal bout of the season. The matchup saw two nor…

The elimination fights happened. The teams have been picked. It was time for the real nitty-gritty part of The Ultimate Fighter 19 to commence.

This episode revolved around the first middleweight quarterfinal bout of the season. The matchup saw two normal welterweights throw down, as Cathal Pendred of Team Penn took on Hector Urbina of Team Edgar.

Most of the episode saw a buildup to the first fight, as much was examined on both Urbina and Pendred. Pendred, an Irishman, got into the house with a bye, as the opponents they lined up for him either missed weight or backed out before the bout. Urbina, a Mexican-American, talked about being the oldest of several brothers and sisters, as well as being a role model to them.

The fight itself was nothing to write home about. Urbina clearly won the first round with takedowns and powerful striking. However, Pendred took home the second and third round through clinch, control and outlanding Urbina, taking a 29-28 unanimous decision in the process.

Team Penn retained the pick and chose the first light heavyweight fight. They chose their own fighter, Dan Spohn, to fight last pick of Team Edgar Todd Monaghan.

 

Teams

Team Edgar 185 Team Penn 185 Team Edgar 205 Team Penn 205
Ian Stephens Mike King Corey Anderson Anton Berzin
Dhiego Lima Tim Williams Patrick Walsh Josh Clark
Eddie Gordon Cathal Pendred Matt van Buren Dan Spohn
Hector Urbina Roger Zapata Todd Monaghan Chris Fields

 

Notes and Observations:

  • BJ Penn and Frankie Edgar went almost opposite directions when picking a coaching staff for this show. Edgar’s coaches are all the guys he trains with in New Jersey, as he has employed Mark Henry (boxing coach), Ricardo Almeida (jiu-jitsu/wrestling coach) and Ali Abdelaziz (manager/judo coach). Penn, although he brought his boxing coach Jason Parillo, took coaches from other camps in the form of Mark Coleman (wrestling coach) and Andre Pederneiras. It will be interesting to see if the all-star team with Coleman and Pederneiras works out better, or if the “family feel” staff that Edgar brought will end up being advantageous.
  • Cathal Pendred didn’t have to get into the house. The UFC is pushing into Ireland. I hate to be one to look into conspiracy theories, but even if other fighters missed weight or pulled out, the UFC would still find replacements to get a fight into the house. Remember in TUF 9 they found a couple late replacements because guys missed weight or failed medicals? Just a thought…
  • The weigh-in staredown and the general vibe I am getting from the fighters is exciting. You can tell everybody is ecstatic to be there and anxious to compete. Some seasons haven’t had the exciting feel coming from the fighters, but various aspects from this episode revealed this could be a fun season.
  • I really liked what Pendred was doing to land knees on Urbina in the headlock position. Urbina put his hand down to make knees to the head illegal, so Pendred would simultaneously lift Urbina‘s body up which would pull his hand off the mat and smash him with a knee. Very crafty stuff.
  • Don’t expect Pendred‘s fights to be pretty, as was the case with his win over Urbina. He is a natural 170er fighting a bunch of men who are much larger than he is. He is going to have to grind and make fights ugly to be successful.
  • Next week’s fight seems like it will be a straight beatdown. I don’t see a high ceiling for Monaghan, who got destroyed before pulling an armbar out of nowhere, while Spohn is one of my favorites to win the season. In fact, I don’t expect this fight to last long at all. I think Spohn will light Monaghan up quickly and put him away early.

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