A lightweight tilt with ‘Fight of the Night’ potential has been added to the UFC’s Memorial Day weekend fight card.
Announced Sunday, undefeated striker Edson Barboza has agreed to meet revitalized brawler Evan Dunham at …
A lightweight tilt with ‘Fight of the Night’ potential has been added to the UFC’s Memorial Day weekend fight card.
Announced Sunday, undefeated striker Edson Barboza has agreed to meet revitalized brawler Evan Dunham at UFC 146, scheduled for May 26, 2012 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. UFC President Dana White confirmed the bout via Twitter.
Barboza (10-0) rides into the contest on a wave of momentum from his ridiculous third-round spinning wheel kick knockout of Terry Etim that earned both ‘Fight of the Night’ and ‘Knockout of the Night’ honors at UFC 142. The impressive 26-year-old is now 4-0 in his short UFC career, with wins over Ross Pearson, Anthony Njokuani, and Mike Lullo, along with four ‘Fight Night’ bonuses to his credit.
Dunham (13-2), meanwhile, appears to have turned the corner after his run to title contention was halted by consecutive losses to Sean Sherk and Melvin Guillard. Known as 3-D, the 30-year-old has since recovered with brutal victories over Shamar Bailey and Nik Lentz, the latter of which earned ‘Fight of the Night’ honors when Lentz was unable to continue due to what looked to be a broken orbital bone.
The UFC’s debut event on FUEL TV, UFC on FUEL, averaged 217,000 viewers over the length of the three-hour broadcast, setting a new live-event ratings record for the fledgling network.
Wednesday’s numbers mark a 46-percent incre…
The UFC’s debut event on FUEL TV, UFC on FUEL, averaged 217,000 viewers over the length of the three-hour broadcast, setting a new live-event ratings record for the fledgling network.
Wednesday’s numbers mark a 46-percent increase from FUEL TV’s previous ratings record of 148,000 viewers, earned by January’s UFC on FX 1 preliminary card. UFC on Fox 2’s live preliminary card averaged 144,000 viewers.
The massive leap in ratings can likely be attributed to several factors, but most notable among them is fact that the event took place during a FUEL TV free-preview week for numerous cable subscribers.
Ratings peaked as 315,000 viewers tuned in to witness 26-year-old Jake Ellenberger force his name into title contention with a wild unanimous decision victory over Diego Sanchez. Beyond the headlining bout, four vicious stoppages lined the network broadcast, including Jonathan Brookins knockout win over Vagner Rocha which initially aired on Facebook.
“We fully expected the UFC was going to deliver FUEL TV extraordinary ratings, and now we’re seeing it,” said network Executive Vice President and General Manager George Greenberg. “We are beyond ecstatic about the audience and the impact the UFC is having on our network’s growth thus far. The sky’s the limit on where this network can go from here.”
Meanwhile, Spike TV continued their counter-programming crusade to successful results, drawing 694,000 viewers for a replay of The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale and 661,000 for a Diego Sanchez-themed episode of UFC Unleashed.
Spike TV is currently available in roughly 99 million homes around the United States, while FUEL TV’s total rests closer to 35 million. Though recent trends have seen that number continue to climb since the Fox-family network switched to a UFC-centric programming schedule.
“If you want to compare (FUEL TV) to a platform like Spike three times our size, I can’t help that,” Greenberg recently said. “But I can tell you, If you look at the FOX ratings and last FX ratings for the fight, and you look at what it’s done to this place percentage-wise, we are absolutely killing it.”
It’s strange to think how much time has passed since Anderson Silva first introduced himself to western audiences with a glorified mercy killing of Chris Leben at UFC Ultimate Fight Night 5. None could have predicted the artist…
It’s strange to think how much time has passed since Anderson Silva first introduced himself to western audiences with a glorified mercy killing of Chris Leben at UFC Ultimate Fight Night 5. None could have predicted the artistry that took place in the cage that night, just as none could have foreseen the run of brillance, and sometimes absurdity, that would follow over the next six years.
But that time has passed, and at 36 years old, Silva’s professional mortality is quickly becoming a reality. Check out what “The Spider” had to on the subject, along with who he’d prefer to face in a career-ending superfight on today’s Morning Report.
5 MUST-READ STORIES TO START YOUR DAY
Anderson Silva would like to fight Georges St-Pierre, but not Jon Jones. Silva was surprisingly honest when asked about his advancing age, Chael Sonnen, and which superfight remains a possibility.
Dana White says all main events to be five rounds after Ellenberger vs. Sanchez. Whiteannounced a change in policy after UFC on FUEL’s main event left fans wanting more.
UFC 145 press conference video. Jon Jones and Rashad Evans kicked off their UFC 145 promotional tour with the official pre-fight presser in Atlanta, Georgia.
Jon Jones and Rashad Evans reignite rivalry. The two former friends lost themselves trading barbs on Thursday afternoon, but both men eventually agreed on one thing — their title tilt won’t last five rounds.
Since we’re all hardcores here, we have all memorized some of Dana’s “go to” statements. One of them being his reasoning for thinking MMA will eventually be the biggest sport on the planet. He uses a story about if Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan (Dana isn’t that big of a sports fan so he doesn’t realize how terrible that game would be now) were playing a basketball game, and a fight broke out in stands, then everyone would turn around to watch the fight. Fighting is in our DNA, blah blah blah. I agree with his line of thinking for the most part, but for the UFC on Fox cards it seemed like he forgot that mindset.
First of all there were SIX fights on the 3 hour main card. Which means that last night we got fights on fights on fights. If you want to attract new fans this is what you do. We don’t need 7 minutes of talking between every fight because the people who care are already watching and people who don’t care (i.e. the new fans Dana wants) just want to see fighting. Half of the people watching the Superbowl every year don’t even who the teams are, but they’re watching just to watch people run into each other. The channels showing these games don’t “go to the desk” every fifteen minutes to talk about what we just saw and explain what is going to happen in the second quarter, they just keep showing more of the game.
Found something entertaining, brutal, or bizarre you’d like to see in the Morning Report? Just send it to @shaunalshatti and we’ll include it in Monday’s post.
Jake Ellenberger’s homecoming was probably a bit more harrowing than he’d have liked, but every win counts in the UFC’s suddenly bustling welterweight division.
The 26-year-old slugger withstood a furious final-minute rally fro…
Jake Ellenberger’s homecoming was probably a bit more harrowing than he’d have liked, but every win counts in the UFC’s suddenly bustling welterweight division.
The 26-year-old slugger withstood a furious final-minute rally from Diego Sanchez in the main event of UFC on FUEL, earning his sixth straight victory and vaulting his name into title contention inside his hometown of Omaha, Neb. Video highlights of Ellenberger’s triumph can be seen below.
For more on Wednesday night’s key welterweight tilt, follow the play-by-play from MMA Fighting’s own Mike Chiappetta.
Round 1: Ellenberger throwing fire early, nothing but power strikes. Sanchez respects it, as his usual breakneck pace is nowhere to be seen. Sanchez comes forward with a 1-2 combo. Ellenberger with a body kick as Sanchez looks for an opening. A pawing right by Sanchez grazes its target. Ellenberger lands a knee. Sanchez checks for blood but he’s OK. Ellenberger with a left hook. Ellenberger initiates the clinch, lands a knee to the body. He looks for a takedown but is denied. The two exchange punches and back away. Ellenberger drops Sanchez with a counter right hand. Sanchez closes the distance. Ellenberger breaks free. He buckles Sanchez with a right on the jaw in the final seconds. It’s 10-9 for Ellenberger.
Round 2: Sanchez misses with a spinning kick. Ellenberger with a head kick. Sanchez partially deflects it. Ellenberger briefly switches stance and lands a straight left. Sanchez starting to show some frustration as each time he moves forward, he misses and Ellenberger is in perfect position to fire back something with evil intentions. Sanchez clips Ellenberger with a right hook with 2 minutes left, maybe his best punch of the fight. Ellenberger ducks under a Sanchez hook and takes him down. Huge elbows from Ellenberger late in the round as he looks for the finish. Sanchez’s face is bloodied and bruised but he makes it to the horn. Ellenberger 10-9.
Round 3: Ellenberger snaps Sanchez’s head back with a left jab. He staggers Sanchez again. Sanchez comes forward and lands a hook. Ellenberger goes low threatening with a takedown but lets it go and instead fires a knee to the body. Sanchez lands a left hand and Ellenberger’s bloodied now. Sanchez suddenly starting to find his range, but Ellenberger takes him down. Sanchez reverses and ends up on Ellenberger’s back. Sanchez bursts with energy trying for the finish. He’s throwing everything he can. Ellenberger escapes in the final moments and the two trade shots to close the round. A great comeback try for Sanchez but he’d need a 10-8 to win and it’s probably only deserving of a 10-9.
UFC on FUEL results: Jake Ellenberger def. Diego Sanchez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).
Say what you will about Stefan Struve’s fighting style, but his heart can never be questioned.
The vertically gifted Dutchman stormed back from early adversity yet again in the co-main event of UFC on FUEL, dropping Dave Herman…
Say what you will about Stefan Struve’s fighting style, but his heart can never be questioned.
The vertically gifted Dutchman stormed back from early adversity yet again in the co-main event of UFC on FUEL, dropping Dave Herman with a right uppercut before swarming for a second-round TKO finish to the delight of a wild crowd at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. Video highlights of Struve’s seventh UFC win can be seen below.
For more on Wednesday’s co-headlining heavyweight scrap, follow the play-by-play by MMA Fighting’s own Mike Chiappetta.
Round 1: Slow start early as both measure distance. Struve fires a head kick that misses its target. Herman jumps into a knee that backs Struve against the cage. Struve grabs his leg and thinks about a takedown but lets it go. Herman is the aggressor early coming forward although the pace hasn’t picked up much. Struve scores with a right hand. Herman switching stances occasionally, keeping Struve guessing. Herman thuds a right hand off Struve’s chin in the closing seconds. A close round, but Herman takes it 10-9.
Round 2: Struve with an early leg kick. Struve with a bodylock and takes Herman down, straight into mount. Herman gives up his back but then snakes free. They’re back to their feet. Struve with a body kick that reverberated through the arena. Herman fires back an uppercut/hook combo. He’s been the more creative striker of the two. Struve hurt Herman with a pair of rights near the cage. Herman’s cut under the left eye now. The momentum has shifted. Struve drops Herman with a leg kick/right uppercut combo. Struve quickly moves to mount and pours it on with strikes. Herman is warned to fight back but can’t escape and simply covers up until ref Josh Rosenthal stops it.
UFC on FUEL results: Stefan Struve def. Dave Herman via TKO, Rd. 2 (3:52).
Now that Wednesday’s fight night experiment has come and gone, I don’t think I’m alone in saying — more please.
UFC on FUEL may not have broken down any walls, but for what it was, the midweek mini-card was an undeniably enter…
Now that Wednesday’s fight night experiment has come and gone, I don’t think I’m alone in saying — more please.
UFC on FUEL may not have broken down any walls, but for what it was, the midweek mini-card was an undeniably entertaining fix of violence. As always, there was an abundance of news and tidbits to come out of last night’s event, so catch up on everything you may have missed with the Morning Report.
Oh, and Playboy released a sneak peek of Brittney Palmer’s Playboy spread, if you’re into that kind of thing.
5 MUST-READ STORIES TO START YOUR DAY
Jake Ellenberger outlasts Diego Sanchez. Despite a near-miraculous comeback, Jake Ellenberger held off Diego Sanchez long enough to capture victory in the main event of UFC on FUEL.
UFC on FUEL fight results. Between Stefan Struve’s brawl with Dave Herman, and swift finishes from Jonathan Brookins and Stipe Miocic, there was plenty of action on Wednesday night’s fight card.
Dana White awards UFC on FUEL bonuses. Ellenberger, Sanchez, Miocic and Ivan Menjivar each left the arena $50,000 richer for their fight night performances.
Sneak peak of Brittney Palmer’s Playboy cover and photo shoot. Take an early (SFW) look at UFC ring girl Brittney Palmer’s eight-page photospread for Playboy.
MEDIA STEW
In light of Jake Ellenberger’s big win, it seems fitting to post some sort of fight video showcasing his skills. Since anything from the UFC is out of the question, here’s “The Juggernaut” taking on Zach Light five years ago to the date.
Check out the fight highlights from Stipe Miocic’s brutal ‘Knockout of the Night’ performance against Philip De Fries.
And a bonus double-dose of the Croatian, because once just wasn’t enough. This time Miocic finishes off William Penn in slightly hilarious fashion.
There are few trainers as accomplished in MMA as Greg Jackson, so it’s strangely enjoyable to watch Jax do his thing while he demonstrates the omoplata and ground n’ pound 101 on Shinya Aoki. (HT: DSTRYR SG)
Classic Sanchez.
What else would you expect from a Japanese UFC 144 ad? One question: the Zangief guy in the back is supposed to be Dana White, right? (HT: Bloody Elbow)
Good to see the DC athletic commission is hip to the kids and their mix marshal arts. (via @macdanzigmma)
A quick look through Diego Sanchez’s successful fights reveals his modus operandi; the man is an animal, constantly moving forward and swarming on opponents with punches until he gets them to the mat where his effective ground and pound and slick Jiu Jitsu can be utilized. One of Diego’s best matches was his defeat of Nick Diaz, in which he would throw some big punches, then literally dive at the much taller man’s legs. Once he got Diaz to the mat, Diego was relentless, stacking Diaz up in guard and dropping from his feet back to his knees with huge elbows. While Diaz was never in danger of being stopped, it is certainly the most ineffectual we have seen his guard look.
However, against B.J. Penn, Diego Sanchez shot 27 takedowns, succeeded in none, and was pounded on the feet constantly. Now B.J. Penn is a marvelous athlete, but to write off his natural abilities as the reason he could do this to Sanchez when other great athletes like Nick Diaz couldn’t is just downright moronic. B.J. fought the perfect gameplan against Sanchez, which from the get go seemed to be about pressure. Throughout the fight B.J. Penn backed Diego on to the cage, but instead of leading, waited for Diego to charge him. When Diego did charge, B.J. would take one or two shuffles back to avoid the first attack, slip the second and counter – and it worked. Every time.
Found something entertaining, brutal, or bizarre you’d like to see in the Morning Report? Send it to @shaunalshatti and we’ll include it in tomorrow’s post.
