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UFC Fight Night 30: What We Learned from Phil Harris vs. John Lineker

The UFC Fight Night 30 main card kicked off in the flyweight division as British veteran Phil Harris took on Brazilian slugger John Lineker. Many thought the bout had the potential to claim the Fight of the Night bonus check.
Lineker came into the…

Lineker came into the fight controversially as he missed weight for the third time in the UFC. Harris took the bout, anyway, as well as 25 percent of Lineker’s purse.

As for the bout itself, it took less than one round. Harris looked good early, but once Lineker got comfortable on the feet, he blasted the Brit with heavy body shots and head blows.

Here is what we learned from this flyweight bout.

What We’ll Remember About This Fight

The body shot that crippled Harris. Everybody talks about the knockout power the Brazilian has when he decks a dude in the head, but this is the second instance I have seen a body shot set up the end of the fight.

Lineker nailed Harris right in the solar plexus with a huge right-body hook. That is the shot that put Harris on the mat, and the Brazilian was able to land a couple follow up shots to the head for the victory.

What We Learned About Lineker

This was a standard Lineker match with haymakers and a finish. What we continue to learn about “Hands of Stone” is that he cannot make 125 successfully.

The man has five fights in the UFC and has failed to make weight in three of the bouts. Either he needs to get the weight-cut science and diet down or he needs to make the jump to 135 because it’s not fair or professional of him to have a 40-percent success rate at making 125.

What We Learned About Harris

We learned that Harris did not follow his game plan. While getting rocked can really scramble your brains, he did not really attempt any takedowns on the vicious striker.

Harris is as tough as a two-dollar steak, but nobody can withstand that kind of punishment from Lineker. Kudos to him, though, for sticking around as long as he did after initially getting stunned.

What’s Next for Lineker

We’ll see if he can stick around at flyweight. If he does, he is still far away from a title shot as he isn’t trustworthy enough to get a headlining opportunity like that.

Seeing how he didn’t take any damage in this fight, perhaps he has a spot open for him in December at UFC on Fox 9. Ian McCall dropped out of his bout with Scott Jorgensen, and “Young Guns” is in need of an opponent.

Lineker could step in there and try to show he can make the weight. If he can tip the scales at 125 and earn a win over Jorgensen, he could be considered top five.

What’s Next for Harris

It’s back to the drawing board for Harris, who falls to 1-2 with the UFC. His stock doesn’t take much of a hit, though, as his opponent came in heavy.

A bout against recent losers Iliarde Santos or Marcos Vinicius could serve as a “loser leaves town” bout. Either Santos or Vinicius match up very well with the Brit and could serve as an intriguing undercard fight.

The UFC 166 pay-per-view kicked off and saw Greg Jackson-disciple John Dodson take on UFC debutant Darrell Montague in the flyweight division. Many thought the bout had the potential to claim the Fight of the Night bonus check.

This fight did not have to leave the first round to name a definitive winner. Dodson threw heavy leather, caught Montague’s chin and put him away via knockout.

Here is what we learned from this flyweight bout.

What We’ll Remember About This Fight

John Dodson’s power. For a little 125er, he throws power punches like a welterweight. Every punch he threw had bad intentions, and it showed from the multiple times he hurt Montague.

It was an impressive performance.

What We Learned About Dodson

He is ready for another title shot. He beat a Top 10 flyweight convincingly in the first round.

His striking is as good as it gets at flyweight, and his takedown defense is top notch. He could be a top-three flyweight in the world.

What We Learned About Montague

To be honest, we didn’t learn a whole lot other than he is tough as nails. He didn’t get a chance to show off any offense, but he showed a tremendous jaw.

He can take a punch as well as anyone. Hopefully he’ll get a good rebound fight, because Montague is a legit 125er. He just didn’t get to show it on Saturday night.

What’s Next for Dodson

He should face the winner of Demetrious Johnson vs. Joseph Benavidez for the title. If that is not an option, a showdown with the winner of Ian McCall vs. Scott Jorgensen is equally fine.

What’s Next for Montague

He needs time to rebuild in the UFC, so he has some options. I think a bout with the loser of John Lineker vs. Phil Harris would be a good rebound fight.

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Chael Sonnen Wants Anderson Silva as Assistant Coach on TUF Brazil

Once his mortal enemy, it now seems that Chael Sonnen would like to extend an olive branch to Anderson Silva for the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter Brazil.
In a recent interview, Sonnen stated that he would like to ask the former UF…

Once his mortal enemy, it now seems that Chael Sonnen would like to extend an olive branch to Anderson Silva for the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter Brazil.

In a recent interview, Sonnen stated that he would like to ask the former UFC middleweight champion to help out when he coaches opposite of Wanderlei Silva.

Who knows? I may reach out to Anderson and see if he wants to be on the coaching staff with me.

This would be a giant turnaround, as Anderson and Chael had the biggest rivalry two years running before the beef was settled with two title fights. Silva won both fights despite almost getting beaten in their first encounter for the belt.

Of course, Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva’s bad blood led to the two gaining the coaching positions, as announced recently by Dana White. Their feud hit a new level when Silva walked up on Sonnen at a convention. No blows were thrown, but the men needed to be separated.

Sonnen having Anderson Silva on his team would be huge for him, as Sonnen is hated in Brazil. He is so hated that he is going to be under heavy security while down there.

Having Anderson as an assistant coach may lighten the attitudes Brazilians have toward Sonnen, if he were to join his coaching staff. Anderson is beloved in Brazil, and if he were to link up with Sonnen, the hate Brazilians have toward the brash American may decrease.

This would obviously draw huge ratings in both countries, as Sonnen is beloved in America and Anderson is a national hero of Brazil. That being said, Wanderlei is also a huge draw in Brazil, which could lead to massive TV numbers.

No date has been given for when filming will start, so the answer may depend on when that happens because Anderson Silva is currently training for a December title fight opposite of Chris Weidman. After the show concludes—sometime in mid-2014 barring any unforeseen circumstances—Wanderlei and Sonnen will square off.

Of course, it’s worth noting that Sonnen has a fight booked already for UFC 167, where he takes on Rashad Evans. Obviously, his focus is likely there before he even thinks about TUF Brazil.

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UFC Fight Night 30: Preliminary Card Predictions

The UFC returns to free TV this weekend, as UFC Fight Night 30 comes to you early from Manchester, England. With the prelims starting at 12 ET, fans can enjoy a full afternoon of fights that promise to be fun.
The show is headlined by former light heav…

The show is headlined by former light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida and Mark Munoz, who was originally supposed to face Michael Bisping. This is Machida‘s debut at middleweight, and he hopes to make a run at the title in his new weight class.

Before the main card, we get the prelims. Here are the predictions for those fights.

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UFC Fight Night 30: Predicting the Post-Fight Bonuses

The UFC’s long-awaited return to England comes to you this weekend from Manchester, boasting a card that has the potential to be an all-time classic. Headlined by Lyoto Machida and Mark Munoz, the card could turn into a potential slugfest due to the am…

Fans continually bash cards that lack “star power,” but those fans don’t realize that those are the cards that always deliver in terms of excitement. Cards in England are always exciting, so make sure you catch this card that starts late morning/early afternoon, depending on where you are in the U.S.

Here are the predictions for the fight night bonuses.

Submission of the Night: Jimy Hettes

There is not much potential for submissions on this card, considering all the talent featured that are knockout artists. Jimy Hettes is not one of those guys.

Hettes, a judo fighter, is all about getting in the clinch, putting down his opponents and working them over from the top. Of his 10 wins, nine have come via submission, including his UFC debut against Alex Caceres.

Hettes takes on Scottish prospect Robert Whiteford, who takes this fight on extremely short notice. Though he has great potential, he did not have enough time to train for this specific fight and it could lead to a tapout.

Hettes will likely be the man applying the submission and taking home the check.

Also in the running: Cole Miller

Knockout of the Night: Lyoto Machida

With all of the potential knockouts that will take place on this card, it’s going to be really tough to pick a winner of the post-fight bonus. However, seeing the spectacular nature in which Lyoto Machida has put people down before, he is the favorite here.

Mark Munoz, his opponent, will not have his chin confused with Roy Nelson anytime soon and he is taking on a karate stylist that has the ability to stuff his takedowns. When he is unable to put the Brazilian down, it will be like shooting fish in a barrel.

Machida will touch Munoz’s chin and hurt him bad. However, it won’t hurt Munoz until he wakes up from his punch-induced slumber.

Also in the running: Melvin Guillard, Jimi Manuwa, Alessio Sakara

Fight of the Night: Melvin Guillard-Ross Pearson

Fight of the Night is another category that will be tough to pick, as there are a number of fights that could steal the show. The co-main event may not last long, but it will be electrifying.

Melvin Guillard is all about throwing heavy leather. So is Ross Pearson. That is the type of recipe that produces fights that become classics.

Don’t expect this fight to go to the judges. However, expect this fight to be one of the best of the night that earns both men a little extra cash in their pocket.

Also in the running: Phil Harris-John Lineker, Luke Barnatt-Andrew Craig, Alessio Sakara-Nicholas Musoke

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UFC 166: Dos Santos, Jordan Headline List of Medical Suspensions

UFC 166 was described by UFC boss Dana White as, “The greatest card in UFC history.” That may have come at a price for some of the performers.
The medical suspensions were released for UFC 166, with three major performers earning indefinite suspensions…

UFC 166 was described by UFC boss Dana White as, “The greatest card in UFC history.” That may have come at a price for some of the performers.

The medical suspensions were released for UFC 166, with three major performers earning indefinite suspensions. Those three men were main-card performers Junior dos Santos and Shawn Jordan, as well as prelim headliner Tim Boetsch.

Boetsch, of course, was the recipient of multiple eye pokes, which is the reason he took such a long layoff. Jordan and dos Santos were on the receiving end of brutal performances, as Jordan was destroyed quickly by Gabriel Gonzaga, while dos Santos took a five-round stomping at the hands of Velasquez.

Speaking of Velasquez, he also took a long medical suspension himself. He is suspended until at least April for a possible broken jaw suffered during his bout with dos Santos.

Those four men are all top performers in their respective divisions. Obviously, three of those men are heavyweights, which will put things on hold for a bit, especially the title picture if Velasquez is out until midway through 2014.

Another notable suspension was given to TJ Waldburger, who was stretchered out of the Octagon and sent to the hospital immediately following a brutal KO at the hands of Adlan Amagov. He will be out until mid-January for precautionary reasons.

All 26 men and women on the card were given suspensions. The shortest suspensions went to seven fighters, who were all suspended until October 27, or this Sunday.

Here are the complete medical suspensions.

Junior dos Santos suspended indefinitely pending clearance from ear, nose and throat doctor
Shawn Jordan suspended indefinitely pending clearance from ear, nose and throat doctor
Tim Boetsch suspended indefinitely pending clearance from ophthalmologist
Cain Velasquez suspended until April 18 due to possibly broken jaw
Diego Sanchez suspended until January 18 due to cuts
Darrell Montague suspended until January 18 for precautionary reasons
TJ Waldburger suspended until January 18 for precautionary reasons
Nate Marquardt suspended until December 19 for precautionary reasons
Andre Fili suspended until December 19 due to cuts
George Sotiropoulos suspended until December 4 due to cuts
Gilbert Melendez suspended until November 19 for precautionary reasons
CB Dollaway suspended until November 19 due to cuts
Dustin Pague suspended until November 19 for precautionary reasons
Daniel Cormier suspended until October 29 for precautionary reasons
Roy Nelson suspended until October 29 for precautionary reasons
Jessica Eye suspended until October 29 for precautionary reasons
Sarah Kaufman suspended until October 29 for precautionary reasons
KJ Noons suspended until October 29 for precautionary reasons
Jeremy Larsen suspended until October 29 for precautionary reasons
Gabriel Gonzaga suspended until October 27 for precautionary reasons
John Dodson suspended until October 27 for precautionary reasons
Hector Lombard suspended until October 27 for precautionary reasons
Adlan Amagov suspended until October 27 for precautionary reasons
Mike Rio suspended until October 27 for precautionary reasons
Tony Ferguson suspended until October 27 for precautionary reasons
Kyoji Horiguchi suspended until October 27 for precautionary reasons

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Report: Japanese Star Tatsuya Kawajiri Signs with the UFC

One of the top Japanese fighters in the world has finally signed on the dotted line and joined the UFC, according to Matt Erickson and Steven Marrocco of MMAJunkie.com.
Tatsuya Kawajiri, a veteran of Dream, One FC and Strikeforce, is conside…

One of the top Japanese fighters in the world has finally signed on the dotted line and joined the UFC, according to Matt Erickson and Steven Marrocco of MMAJunkie.com.

Tatsuya Kawajiri, a veteran of Dream, One FC and Strikeforce, is considered one of the top featherweights in the world despite not being in the UFC. Since dropping to 145, “Crusher” is undefeated at 4-0 against tough opposition.

Kawajiri may be best known to the American audience for his one-fight stint in Strikeforce, although it was at lightweight. He was savagely knocked out by Gilbert Melendez, which effectively closed the book on the Japanese star.

However, recent times have boosted his stock, and he is 5-0 since that loss to Melendez.

He bested Drew Fickett in his final lightweight bout before dropping to the more natural weight class of 145. From there, he tapped out Joachim Hansen, Kazuyuki Miyata and Donald Sanchez and earned a convincing decision over UFC veteran Michihiro Omigawa.

Kawajiri is a strong featherweight with well-rounded skills. He can knock people out, but he has opted to ground his opponents and force them to tap out with his increasingly threatening submission ability as of late.

One has to think he will be in the thick of things right from the start. He has the resume and fighting ability to warrant a top-20 opponent in his debut.

Japanese fighters generally have not performed well with the UFC, but Kawajiri has the potential to be a staple with the company. He is one of the best featherweights in the game today and is well-rounded enough to be competitive wherever a fight goes.

This is a huge signing, as Kawajiri could have been a key component to the quickly rising One FC. Instead, he bolsters a division in the UFC that is quickly becoming one of the most crowded with talent.

The UFC has not officially announced a fight for Kawajiri, but it is likely going to happen on the Singapore card on Jan. 4.

Follow me on Twitter for MMA news and other random thoughts (@RileyKontekMMA). Or don’t; that’s cool, too.

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