Author: Rob Goldberg

Nate Diaz Would Be Making a Mistake by Moving Up to Welterweight

Nate Diaz is considering a change in weight classes, but this would be a mistake for the UFC fighter.The California native has competed in the lightweight division for most of his career, compiling a solid 14-7 record in those matches. He moved up to w…

Nate Diaz is considering a change in weight classes, but this would be a mistake for the UFC fighter.

The California native has competed in the lightweight division for most of his career, compiling a solid 14-7 record in those matches. He moved up to welterweight for four matches in 2010-11, although he was only able to finish with a 2-2 record before returning to his original position.

Since his return to lightweight, Diaz has had mixed results. He won three straight matches to earn a title opportunity against Benson Henderson. He lost that match by unanimous decision and then suffered a TKO against Josh Thompson.

Prior to that most recent match, however, he was considering a move back to the 170-pound division. The fighter told Dann Stupp and John Morgan of MMAJunkie.com that he was ready to move on from lightweight:

I don’t think there’s anything for me at the lightweight division. I already beat everyone at lightweight or I fought everyone already. The only person who beat me was Ben, and Gil’s going to handle him Saturday. I’m going to sit around and fight the guys all over again? Boring. There’s no motivation in that. I’d rather fight someone new.

While the idea of fighting new competitors has merit, the idea that he has no motivation in his current weight class is absurd.

Every competitor should fight to be a champion. Although he lost to Henderson, he should work to get a rematch and do his best to overcome the current title holder.

His latest loss also proved that there is more competition in the class than Diaz originally anticipated. This was only the second time in his career that he lost a match before the final bell, and he should attempt to avenge this defeat.

There are plenty of other hungry contenders at the top of the division that would all provide a good matchup. However, no one is unbeatable, including Henderson.

That statement is not necessarily true in the next level, where Diaz has already struggled. He lost by unanimous decision against Kim Dong-Hyun and Rory MacDonald, and the weight difference was an obvious factor.

It is tough to imagine Diaz being able to beat welterweight champion George St-Pierre with all of his strength and technique. Sherdog recently ranked the veteran the No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

Additionally, it does not make sense for him to compete in the same division as his brother Nick, who recently lost in his own title shot last month.

If Diaz is only in UFC to keep himself interested with new opponents on a regular basis, it makes sense to change weight classes. However, this would be a terrible move for his career.

Remaining in the lightweight division will allow him to win matches and compete among the best in the world. There are plenty of opportunities for him to succeed and possibly become a champion.

This makes staying the best decision he could make.

 

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UFC 159: Trash Talk Will Not Make Chael Sonnen vs. Jon Jones Fight Exciting

Chael Sonnen and Jon Jones are doing their best to get fans excited for UFC 159. Unfortunately, the pre-fight talk will not mean a thing once the bout starts.Jones started off the trash talk on Twitter by stating how badly he will beat his upcoming opp…

Chael Sonnen and Jon Jones are doing their best to get fans excited for UFC 159. Unfortunately, the pre-fight talk will not mean a thing once the bout starts.

Jones started off the trash talk on Twitter by stating how badly he will beat his upcoming opponent:

Of course, this did not seem to frighten Sonnen when discussing the bout:

In his interview, the American Gangster made some interesting statements about his skill as a fighter:

I’m the best MMA wrestler in the world. I can take Jon Jones down anytime I want to. I’m a two-time National Champion, I got a silver medal from the World Championships…that says I can take Jon Jones down. He’s never had an experience like this.

While this back and forth seemed to be in good fun, things took a more serious turn when Jones accused Sonnen of using performance-enhancing drugs. He said that “people know he’s done steroids throughout his career” (via MMAjunkie.com).

Although Jones later apologized (via ESPN), this type of accusation is something that will stick around for a while.

There were various other examples of verbal assaults towards each other, but it will not matter once the two step into the Octagon on April 27.

Jones is one of the best MMA fighters in the world, and arguably one of the best of all time. He has won 17 of his 18 career matches, only losing once by disqualification.

After earning the Light Heavyweight Championship he has been even more impressive. He has defended the title four times, winning three by submission and easily topping Rashad Evans by unanimous decision.

Meanwhile, Sonnen has been up and down throughout his career. He was unable to top Anderson Silva in his recent title fight, and had a few poor losses at the middleweight division over the years.

It is tough to imagine him being able to succeed at a higher weight class against a much tougher opponent.

Forrest Griffin, who was schedule to face Sonnen a few months ago, questioned why the fighter was able to get this match. According to Dana Becker of Fightline.com, he said Sonnen did not fight his way to this opportunity, but instead “talked his way to the top.”

Trash talking is part of the sport and it is important to promote the pay-per-view. However, that alone will not make this a better match than it is.

Jones is the overwhelming favorite to win at -800, according to Bovada. He will likely continue his impressive streak against Sonnen and it probably will not even be close.

It is truly a shame that this sport has to resort to making headlines before the event to try to make money.

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Ronda Rousey: Lack of Competition Will Hurt Superstar Status

Ronda Rousey is trying to accomplish things that no other female has ever done in her sport. Unfortunately, it will be a tough road for the MMA fighter.Rousey signed a contract in November to make her the first female ever to join UFC. On Saturday, she…

Ronda Rousey is trying to accomplish things that no other female has ever done in her sport. Unfortunately, it will be a tough road for the MMA fighter.

Rousey signed a contract in November to make her the first female ever to join UFC. On Saturday, she will compete against Liz Carmouche at UFC 157 for the Women’s Bantamweight Championship.

This will be the inaugural match for the women’s division in UFC. The organization hopes that it can utilize Rousey‘s popularity to advance the brand.

As a fighter, there is little doubt that she will be able to accomplish this. She has only had six matches in her MMA career, but each of them ended with easy first-round wins via her signature armbar. Only one match lasted more than one minute.

The California native climbed the ranks of her division faster than anyone could have anticipated, and she has shown her complete dominance on the match.

In addition, Rousey is growing as a celebrity. She appeared in ESPN The Magazine‘s Body Issue, and is becoming a more recognizable household name in recent months.

This combination of skill and looks make her the perfect person to break the gender barrier in UFC.

However, the issue lies in the lack of competition.

Her first opponent, Carmouche, was likely selected as someone expected to lose easily. It certainly would not reflect highly on the UFC new golden girl if she lost in her debut.

According to Bovada, Rousey is listed as a favorite of (-1100), which means a $100 bet on her would only net $9 for a win.

There are more formidable opponents for “Rowdy” Rousey, but even competitors like Sarah Kaufman or Miesha Tate could not keep up with her.

While fans will tune in this time to watch the dominant fighter make quick work of her opponent, it does not mean that this will continue after a couple of matches.

In order for the entire women’s division to become more than a novelty act, there needs to be some sort of rivalry to build a story around. One person cannot do it all.

Unfortunately, Rousey currently does not have an equal. Until that happens, there is a decent chance she will fade back into oblivion.

Even some of the greatest in sports do not become superstars, and Rousey could be next in line.

 

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Aldo vs. Edgar: Keys for Each Fighter in Highly Anticipated PPV Match

There are few UFC events this year that will gain more attention than Frankie Edgar vs. Jose Aldo.After losing the lightweight championship, Edgar is looking to earn a title in the featherweight division.On the other hand, Aldo has not lost a fight sin…

There are few UFC events this year that will gain more attention than Frankie Edgar vs. Jose Aldo.

After losing the lightweight championship, Edgar is looking to earn a title in the featherweight division.

On the other hand, Aldo has not lost a fight since 2005 and is not planning on surrendering his belt any time soon.

This should be an intense match that could go either way, but both fighters will have to follow these keys to victory.

 

Jose Aldo

Prevent Takedowns

When two fighters have different styles, it is important for each to dictate the match.

Aldo wants to turn this into a fight on the feet where he can utilize his great striking ability. He certainly does not want to turn this into a wrestling match on the mat. 

While Edgar is very good with takedowns, the champ is even better at preventing them. According to Andrew Davis of ESPN, opponents are three of 55 in takedown attempts on Aldo in 11 career fights in UFC/WEC.

Edgar will take a bunch of shots at the legs during the match, but Aldo cannot let him be successful.

 

Be Aggressive with Punches

Edgar has the experience, and he knows how to impress the judges. He will certainly have the advantage if it goes to a decision.

Fortunately, Aldo has the ability to prevent things from getting to that point.

Since joining the WEC and eventually the UFC, Aldo has finished eight of 11 matches early with knockouts—most of which were due to his strong punches.

Obviously, everyone wants a knockout, but the Brazilian should be even more aggressive than usual as he goes for the big hits. This might leave him more exposed, but this is the type of ending that he should be looking for in this battle.

 

Frankie Edgar

Use Size Advantage

Despite Aldo’s impressive size for the featherweight division, he is much smaller than an average lightweight. 

Edgar has defeated bigger competitors in the past, but now that he has dropped a weight class he needs to use it to his advantage.

With more strength, he needs to grapple more often and let Aldo feel his weight. He does not want to make it into a boxing match.

On the mat, Edgar should have the edge. He must be able to take down his opponent and utilize his biggest advantage in this match.

 

Make It a Long Match

Aldo has not competed in over a year. His last fight was in January of 2012 in his title defense against Chad Mendes. 

Since then, injuries have pushed back a variety of matches, and he is likely to be rusty and will lack conditioning. 

While he has been training rigorously, there is nothing quite like being in the Octagon for an intense competition.

Edgar needs to use this to his advantage and keep the battle active. If this goes five rounds, Aldo could end up being very tired by the end.

At this point, the New Jersey native will be able to pounce and finish the match strong.

 

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UFC on Fox 6: Free Event Was as Good as Pay-Per-View for MMA Fans

Although the best MMA events are usually reserved for pay-per-view, true fans were treated to a great product in UFC on Fox 6. As a whole, the card was as good as something that would cost a lot more money.The event had everything that fans could have …

Although the best MMA events are usually reserved for pay-per-view, true fans were treated to a great product in UFC on Fox 6. As a whole, the card was as good as something that would cost a lot more money.

The event had everything that fans could have hoped for in a card.

In the main event, Demetrious Johnson successfully defended his title against John Dodson. While some fans do not enjoy watching flyweight, these competitors are as technically sound as anyone in the sport.

Dodson gave the champ a legitimate fight as it lasted all five rounds, but Johnson easily showed that he is the best in the weight class with his great takedowns and moves on the mat.

Regardless of division, there are few things better than seeing a great fighter doing what he does best.

In addition, there were some other high-profile matchups that gave the card some serious depth. Although Quinton “Rampage” Jackson barely resembles the fighter he once was, the veteran presented some serious star power.

Jackson likely finished the last match of his career, but Glover Teixeira did not let him leave on top. The Brazilian was the better fighter on the day as he won by decision, likely ending Rampage’s career with a loss.

To fill out the main card, Anthony Pettis knocked out Donald Cerrone and Ricardo Lamas knocked out Erik Koch. Both of these fights are PPV-level, and the Lamas-Koch fight was actually supposed to take place at UFC 155, according to MMA Junkie.

It will not be surprising if Pettis and/or Lamas soon find themselves in contention for titles in their respective weight classes.

Obviously, this full card will not match a PPV with Jon Jones or Anderson Silva, but top to bottom, this was as good as one of these events. 

UFC on Fox 6 also compares very favorably to UFC 155, the most recent PPV event. Cain Velasquez easily won his rematch against Junior dos Santos, but there was little on the rest of the card to keep fans excited.

While it is hard to blame the promoters, UFC 155 lacked the knockouts and submissions that draw fans to the sport.

UFC loves to promote the PPV events because it obviously brings more money into the league. However, Fox did a great job of putting a card together and the competitors made it worth it.

Fans who were able to watch certainly should not have left disappointed after a great night of fights.

 

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Ronda Rousey: Move to UFC Is Great Decision for Both Sides

In a landmark move for UFC, Ronda Rousey has signed on to become the first female in the league’s history.The 25-year-old fighter made the announcement on her Twitter page. 
Okay I admit it…I’m officially a @ufc fighter 🙂 SO excited! Can’t wait…

In a landmark move for UFC, Ronda Rousey has signed on to become the first female in the league’s history.

The 25-year-old fighter made the announcement on her Twitter page.

 

 

UFC President Dana White first confirmed the rumors on the Jim Rome Show. Despite originally not wanting to disclose the information, there was definitely excitement in his voice when he described the newest addition to his enterprise.

She’s a real fighter and she’s very talented. She has the credentials, the pedigree; I mean everything. I think she has that ‘it’ factor.

Of course, there were some doubts from White in making the move happen. He told Rome, “I’ve never been interested in women’s MMA. First, there haven’t been enough good girls to make a division, and there has never been a [superstar].”

Well, he now has his superstar. 

Rousey has a lot of things going in her favor. First, she is extremely talented. She has a Judo background that helped her take the bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. She also took silver at the 2007 World Championships.

Still, her overall ability as a mixed martial arts fighter is what makes her elite. In six professional and three amateur fights, Rousey has a perfect 9-0 record. She forced a first-round submission in each, and only one lasted longer than a minute.

This helped her win the Women’s Bantamweight Championship in an incredibly short amount of time.

In addition, fans will fall in love with her signature move of an armbar. This has been used for each of her submissions—even dislocating a few elbows in the process.

She latches on to armbars better than R.A. Dickey throws knuckleballs, and her uniqueness will only increase popularity. 

Finally, she is, as they used to say, quite easy on the eyes. Her attractiveness will keep many more male viewers tuned in than ever before.

UFC was hesitant at adding a women’s division, but it seems to have hit a gold mine with Rousey.

For the California native, moving to UFC has its advantages as well. The pay-per-view events will generate quite a bit of extra money to her income.

Also, the wider market will help Rousey become a top choice for endorsements in a wide array of products.

There will still be a process of filling out a women’s division in order to make it competitive. Technically, Rousey will only be tied with her next opponent as the first females to participate in UFC. 

However, the initial signing of Rousey guarantees that there is someone talented and charismatic enough to handle the spotlight.

Each side of the deal will benefit greatly from this move, both in the short and long term.

 

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