Author: Ryan Huff

UFC on Fuel 3 Results: Donald Cerrone Needs a Big-Name Opponent in Next Fight

Donald Cerrone showed up at UFC on Fuel 3 last night to prove himself and promise his future in the UFC. By the end of his bout with Jeremy Stephens, he had done just that. Cerrone defeated Stephens by unanimous decision, and in the end he displayed th…

Donald Cerrone showed up at UFC on Fuel 3 last night to prove himself and promise his future in the UFC. By the end of his bout with Jeremy Stephens, he had done just that.

Cerrone defeated Stephens by unanimous decision, and in the end he displayed the textbook striking we’d all hoped to watch. From the beginning, Cerrone dominated his opponent with kicks and knees, utilizing every bit of his reach to keep Stephens limited to single strikes. By Round 2, Cerrone had paved his way to victory using various strikes, and the Muay Thai specialist gave us the striking battle we’d hoped for.

However, the battle was so weighted in favor of Cerrone, we’re obliged to consider him a reasonable contender in the lightweight division.

The problem is we can’t do this without recalling his previous fight, one that ended in a loss against Nate Diaz at UFC 141. Diaz met Cerrone at his strengths, content to engage in the striking that Cerrone was known for since his days in the WEC. Not only was Cerrone supposed to be the superior wrestler, he was also thought to be the more technical striker. His kicking was promising, often knocking Diaz off balance if not knocking him down. In the end, though, Cerrone took more shots than he landed, and Diaz outstruck Cerrone with terrific combinations for three rounds.

But Cerrone displayed nothing but command last night. Furthermore, he was able to reestablish his headway in the organization as he extended his record in the UFC to 5-1 and his overall record to 18-4-0-1 NC. Now, regardless of that loss to Diaz, it’s impossible to count Cerrone out of the future title contenders of the lightweight division.

For that reason, Cerrone needs to stay in the mix by meeting other top-ranked lightweights. One of the most likely candidates is another ex-WEC fighter, Anthony Pettis. Pettis presents a stand-up challenge that will allow Cerrone to prove his striking—a challenge that Cerrone is absolutely capable of meeting. What’s more, Pettis has a history of fights with some of the best in the lightweight division (including his victory over Benson Henderson, the current UFC lightweight champion, while they were members of the WEC).

Whoever the fighter, the point is simple: Cerrone is quickly becoming one of the top-ranked lightweights, and his solid victory over Stephens proved his striking capabilities. Furthermore, Cerrone has a history that shows an effective ground game, making him a more versatile fighter than his recent stand-up matches against Diaz and Stephens might illustrate.

Because of his recent performance, Cerrone needs to be thrown into the mix of ranked lightweight fighters. Given Cerrone’s ability to dominate a number of other lightweights and Diaz’s spot as the title contender, I’ll argue that Diaz-Cerrone II will happen only after Cerrone meets other ranked lightweights like Pettis.

In a sport where rematches are more than welcome, especially to settle technical bouts like Diaz vs. Cerrone, I assume fans and the organization will happily entertain the thought of the fighters meeting again.

Nonetheless, Cerrone needs to have his name placed among the other lightweight contenders soon, and this mix begins with his next big-name opponent in the division.

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UFC 148: A Complete Case for Uriah Faber vs. Renan Barao

With Dominick Cruz out with injury, UFC president Dana White swears that Urijah Faber will fight—as soon as he finds the right man for the job. Unfortunately, Renan Barao has a bout scheduled for July at UFC 148 against Ivan Menjivar. Admittedly,…

With Dominick Cruz out with injury, UFC president Dana White swears that Urijah Faber will fight—as soon as he finds the right man for the job.

Unfortunately, Renan Barao has a bout scheduled for July at UFC 148 against Ivan Menjivar. Admittedly, shuffling the fighters around a bit to have Barao fight Faber would be tricky—and absolutely worth it.

The first point is obvious: Barao is the No. 3 bantamweight and to move anyone else in to fight Faber would simply be wasting time.

Barao is coming off of a spectacular win against Scott Jorgensen at UFC 143, thus extending his record to 30-1-0-1. What’s more impressive is that his one loss was also his first fight in 2005. With the exception of a NC in 2007, Barao enters the ring with a 30-win streak.

Nothing like that can be said for any other top-rated bantamweight. The only other who comes close is, of course, Dominick Cruz. But the options with Cruz injured are limited, and while knowing who could win the best-of-three between Cruz and Faber is both entertaining and profitable, knowing that Barao could dominate both is the new reality of the bantamweight division.

A victory by Barao against Faber would do wonders for the bantamweight division, essentially allowing it to reset and place the rest of its top fighters into a battle for contention.

With Brian Bowles’ losses to both Faber and Cruz, he lost some stock despite his enduring status as one of the best in the division. If the top three positions change, Bowles might have more reason to reappear if for no other reason than to prove his strength within the ranks of the bantamweights.

All of this also answers another important question: what to do with Michael McDonald? He could easily fight Faber at UFC 148, but the UFC will probably let him develop in the public eye first (much like Rory MacDonald’s recent fight against Che Mills). This kind of time spent can be frustrating, but it does wonders for the fighter’s identity and value. With a boost of both, McDonald could establish his presence and set all questions about contention aside.

The great news is that Menjivar can be that test. Menjivar brings veteran experience that will undoubtedly prove McDonald’s capabilities in the division, especially after his recent victory over Miguel Torres.

Both fighters would enter the ring with momentum, and while the winner will enjoy obvious title contention, the loser will likely stay close behind in the running.

All in all, allowing Barao to take Cruz’s spot against Faber will not just be the best match for fighters and fans, it may be the best thing for the bantamweight division.

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UFC on FOX 3 Results: Johny Hendricks Proves He’s Ready for a Title Run

Johny Hendricks’ split-decision victory over Josh Koscheck was a thin one, but his performance ensures his potential for Hendricks’ future in the welterweight division. Hendricks showed us what we all wanted to know: how he’d fare aga…

Johny Hendricks’ split-decision victory over Josh Koscheck was a thin one, but his performance ensures his potential for Hendricks’ future in the welterweight division.

Hendricks showed us what we all wanted to know: how he’d fare against a top-rated fighter in a bout that lasts more than 12 seconds. Admittedly, the thin margin leaves more questions than answers about Hendricks’ future in the division.

What we did learn, however, is promising.

Koscheck appeared to control Round 1, in large part due to Hendricks’ slowed pace after being hit in the eye. I won’t measure total success due to mishap, but Koscheck’s open-handed jabbing and its effect were both very evident and came with precedent. Whatever the case, Hendricks was thrown into defense for the first half of the round.

Round 2 saw a more ready Hendricks, who seemed happy to match Koscheck’s pace through smart defense and patience. Koscheck did land some heavy, accurate blows, but Hendricks’ composure never failed.

In the end, Hendricks landed more strikes. This ultimately lead to Hendricks’ victory and illustrated that if a fight goes beyond a quick knockout, Hendricks is willing to stay for all of it. Yes, it was an excellent fight. Yes, it was close. But that alone is more telling about Hendricks’ potential than his win by knockout over Jon Fitch.

Koscheck had more than enough time and opportunity to take the match. His strikes were powerful and accurate. His takedown attempts and reversals were solid. At the end of three rounds, though, Hendricks had displayed a fantastically efficient offense supported by good defense when it was necessary.

And so a more complete picture of the fighter emerges—a two-time national champion collegiate wrestler (four-time All-American) who can deliver knockout blows and take them for three rounds, all the while jabbing and hooking his way to a victory.

This image of Hendricks makes future bouts in the welterweight division all the more appealing, especially against opponents like Jake Ellenberger. It also immediately places Hendricks’ name in the running for title contention.

The bad news is that this is an unorganized group for the time being, given the possibilities of GSP returning in the fall to fight against interim-champion Carlos Condit and Dana White’s hints that the winner of Ellenberger vs. Martin Kampmann will be next in line for a title shot.

Still, Hendricks has worked his way into that mix with last night’s victory over Koscheck in a performance that both established his strength as a fighter and realized potential as a welterweight title contender.

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UFC Expands Its Reach as Vermont Passes MMA Regulation

Vermont is the latest state in the U.S. to regulate MMA. According to UFC officials, lawmakers in the “Green Mountain State” have passed a bill to regulate the sport in their state. UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta was naturally enthus…

Vermont is the latest state in the U.S. to regulate MMA.

According to UFC officials, lawmakers in the “Green Mountain State” have passed a bill to regulate the sport in their state. UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta was naturally enthusiastic about this move.

Vermont’s legislation of the sport of MMA is further evidence of the continued growth and success of our sport in this country. We are pleased that fans in Vermont will now have the opportunity to watch a live UFC event in their own backyard, and look forward to making that happen.

Vermont is now the 46th state to regulate MMA out of 48 states with the necessary regulatory bodies to do so. Of those states, the sport remains unregulated only in New York and Connecticut.

Vermont is one of the least-populated states, and only Wyoming—who also voted to regulate MMA this year—has a lower population. Because of this, Vermont’s decision doesn’t exactly mean major events will be hosted in the state any time soon.

Nevertheless, this move comes as a welcome addition to the growing body of states with regulatory boards for MMA. The UFC has spent a great amount of time and energy building its presence by lobbying for state regulation, and the past two years alone have seen similar legislation in Wyoming, West Virginia and Alabama.

This also places more pressure on New York, which has been the target of the strongest push by the UFC to adopt regulation.

Furthermore, the UFC’s recent increase of Fight Nights on network television means states like Vermont have better chances to host smaller events. This is likely a better opportunity for the UFC, however, which has been working hard to drive expansion not only through more options for fight locations but through network television as well.

Vermont’s decision to regulate MMA, then, means the UFC will have more options for this expansion, whether it decides to host fights in the state or simply build a stronger regional and national presence.

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UFC: Fighters’ Behavior a Potential Deterrent to Future Success

While the UFC has been taking large steps toward becoming an established global sport, its fighters have been acting as if no one’s watching. But people have been, and UFC president Dana White stated recently that he would address this problem du…

While the UFC has been taking large steps toward becoming an established global sport, its fighters have been acting as if no one’s watching.

But people have been, and UFC president Dana White stated recently that he would address this problem during an upcoming summit. After a recent press conference, White explained that fighters need to watch themselves when using any medium of communication—namely Twitter—that places them in the public’s eye: “There’s only so many characters on Twitter, and you can’t explain the context in which you sent the text. You just have to use common sense.”

White’s reaction speaks to derogatory comments made by a number of fighters using the social medium, including Rashad Evans’ allusion to the Penn State scandal, Miguel Torres’ tweet about rape, and Forrest Griffin’s tweets about rape, which became a lead story around the internet on many non-MMA related news sites.

The tweets became such a problem that one of the UFC’s major sponsors, Anheuser-Busch, promised to act against the UFC if its fighters continued this unbridled vulgar speech.

White admitted he, too, is certainly guilty of making poor decisions when using the medium. However, he seemed a little less apologetic, saying, “Listen, if you ever watched the sport, you knew what you were getting into with me. It’s not like I all of a sudden lost my mind and started saying stupid [expletive]. I’ve been doing it for 11 years.”

And so the UFC finds itself at a crossroads, a place where the organization we once knew, one that marketed itself to “mature audiences only,” is edging into a more global arena. White himself compared this problem to the same shared by the other major American sports organizations, including the NBA and the NFL: “Same stuff that all the other organizations go through. NBA, NFL—they all go through the same thing.”

At first, this seems like great company for an organization that has taken huge strides this year to gain a more worldwide presence. The UFC has hosted some of its greatest cards this year, and some of the most exciting will happen before year’s end, including UFC 148. The UFC has been getting results and building an audience like it never has before.

But with all of these advancements comes a delicate benefit that can quickly become a problem: people are watching, and people are listening.

Honestly, I’ve got no problem with the banter of White and his fighters on Twitter, during interviews, or wherever else they decide to broadcast their innermost thoughts (White calls this a “personal relationship with the fans”). It likely doesn’t take long for new fans to get used to these various personalities, and there’s no doubt that fans relating to fighters’ humor or hating them enhances their relationship to the sport. And yes, this does happen in all sports.

The caveat is simple: jokes about rape, pedophilia, and other similar subjects are offensive, and they mark the UFC with a personality it can’t have if it wants to be taken seriously as a sport.

Yes, other professional sports organizations are facing similar problems. Regardless, the reality is that the UFC doesn’t have the image that the NFL or NBA does yet, and it never will if White continues to act insouciant toward these offenses. These organizations can deal with their problems as they have because they’ve earned national and global recognition beyond the limitations of a grassroots audience.

It seems to me, however, that White and his organization plan to make MMA more popular on an international level than these other sports. Sure, most of us enjoy the UFC as it is and happily dismiss the quirks and offenses of its fighters. Nevertheless, even the most nostalgic fan has to understand that the sport is growing rapidly in both viewership and legitimacy.

The good news, which is part of the same reality, is that the UFC absolutely can become as popular as it wants. To do this, though, White and the UFC will have to start dealing with various offenses—from some fighters’ behavior on Twitter to others’ use of PEDs—more critically.

When the public sees that both the UFC and its fans are taking the presence of MMA as a sport seriously on all accounts, they’ll do the same.

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Report: UFC 150 to Take Place in Denver

The UFC returns to Denver on August 11 to host the landmark UFC 150, according to the UFC’s website. As of now, only two fights have been slated for the card. Luiz Cane makes his middleweight debut against Yushin Okami, who is of the top-ranked f…

The UFC returns to Denver on August 11 to host the landmark UFC 150, according to the UFC’s website.

As of now, only two fights have been slated for the card.

Luiz Cane makes his middleweight debut against Yushin Okami, who is of the top-ranked fighters in that division.

Cane will drop weight after a loss by TKO against Stanislav Nedkov at UFC 134. The drop should be a welcome change for Cane, who had enjoyed an 8-0-0-1 NC record before joining the UFC as a light heavyweight, where his record in the organization has been 4-4-0.

Okami will also look for a victory to put a halt to his two-loss streak against Anderson Silva and, more recently, Tim Boetsch at UFC 144 this February.

Lightweights Thiago Tavares and Dennis Hallman will also fight in a bout that had originally been scheduled for UFC on FOX 3 on May 5.

Both fighters will be coming off of wins before their long rests. Tavares defeated Sam Stout at UFC 142 in January and Hallman won against John Makdessi in December at UFC 140.

This will also be Hallman’s first official bout as a lightweight in since 2001, when he fought for the UFC lightweight title against Jens Pulver. While Hallman attempted to cut from welterweight to lightweight for his last fight in 2011, he missed weight and instead fought at a catchweight.

According to The Denver Post, UFC officials have said that a rematch between Frankie Edgar and Benson Henderson for the lightweight title is in the works, though the bout is not yet official.

Edgar lost the belt to Henderson at UFC 144 in a close but unanimous decision that won the “Fight of the Night” award. Since then, Edgar has made it clear that he wants a rematch, despite UFC president Dana White’s attempts to persuade Edgar to drop to 145.

The UFC has a long history in Denver, and this milestone event will mark 19 years since UFC 1 took place in the Mile High City.

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